A coating device, e.g., for painting motor vehicle bodies, comprises a sprayer for applying a coating material by means of an application element and an internal color-changer valve assembly, said assembly having several color inlets for selecting coating materials of different colors. The internal color-changer valve assembly is integrated into the sprayer and is connected by its outlet to the application element, in order to feed the selected coating material to the application element. Further, an external color-changer valve assembly has several color inlets for selecting coating materials of different colors, said external color-changer assembly having a separate structure from the sprayer and being connected by its outlet to the application element, in order to feed the selected coating material to the application element. An operating method corresponds to the device.