Color Palette Generator
Create stunning color palettes for your website or brand. Generate random combinations, manually select colors with smart suggestions, or extract colors from your logo.
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Color Harmony Rules
Proven methods for creating balanced, pleasing color combinations
Complementary
Colors opposite each other on the color wheel. Creates high contrast and vibrant designs. Perfect for call-to-action elements.
Blue & Orange, Red & GreenAnalogous
Colors next to each other on the wheel. Creates harmonious, pleasing designs. Great for cohesive brand identities.
Blue, Blue-Green, GreenTriadic
Three colors equally spaced on the wheel. Offers vibrant yet balanced palettes. Used by many major brands.
Red, Yellow, BlueMonochromatic
Variations of a single color using different shades and tints. Creates sophisticated, cohesive designs.
Light Blue, Medium Blue, Dark BlueSplit-Complementary
Base color plus two colors adjacent to its complement. Provides contrast without tension.
Blue, Yellow-Orange, Red-OrangeColor Psychology in Branding
What your colors communicate to your audience
Blue
Trust, Security, Stability
Industries: Finance, Healthcare, Technology
Brands: Facebook, PayPal, IBM
Red
Energy, Passion, Urgency
Industries: Food, Entertainment, Retail
Brands: Coca-Cola, Netflix, Target
Green
Growth, Health, Environment
Industries: Sustainability, Finance, Health
Brands: Whole Foods, Spotify, Starbucks
Yellow
Optimism, Clarity, Warmth
Industries: Food, Children, Innovation
Brands: McDonalds, Snapchat, IKEA
Purple
Luxury, Creativity, Wisdom
Industries: Beauty, Education, Luxury
Brands: Cadbury, Twitch, Hallmark
Orange
Confidence, Friendly, Cheerful
Industries: Technology, Sports, Food
Brands: Amazon, Fanta, Nickelodeon
Best Practices
Professional tips for creating effective color systems
60-30-10 Rule
Use 60% dominant color (usually neutral), 30% secondary color, and 10% accent color. This creates visual balance and hierarchy.
Test for Accessibility
Ensure text has at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio with backgrounds for WCAG AA compliance. Use our Color Contrast Checker tool.
Start with Grayscale
Design in black and white first to nail structure and hierarchy. Then add color strategically for emphasis.
Consider Color Psychology
Blue builds trust, red creates urgency, green suggests growth. Choose colors that align with your brand message.
Use Neutral Surfaces
White, black, and grays should dominate your interface. Save vibrant colors for important UI elements and CTAs.
Test Across Contexts
View your palette on different screens, in different lighting, and alongside competitors. Colors look different in various contexts.
How to Choose Colors
A step-by-step guide to creating your perfect palette
Define Your Brand Identity
Start with your brand personality. Are you trustworthy (blue), energetic (red), or eco-friendly (green)? Your colors should reflect your core values.
Study Your Audience
Different demographics respond to colors differently. Consider age, culture, and preferences of your target users.
Analyze Competitors
Look at what colors dominate your industry. Sometimes you want to fit in, other times you want to stand out.
Choose Your Primary
Select one dominant color that represents your brand. This will be used for logos, CTAs, and key UI elements.
Add Complementary Colors
Choose 1-2 supporting colors using harmony rules. These provide variety while maintaining cohesion.
Define Surface Colors
Select neutral backgrounds (usually light and dark variants) that provide good contrast with your brand colors.
Test and Refine
Use your palette in real designs. Check accessibility, test on different devices, and gather feedback.
Industry Color Standards
How major design systems approach color
Material Design
Google's design system uses color palettes with 500 as the primary shade and includes tints (50-400) and shades (600-900) for each color.
Learn MoreApple Human Interface
Apple emphasizes system colors that adapt to light and dark modes automatically, ensuring readability and visual consistency.
Learn MoreWCAG Guidelines
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines require specific contrast ratios: 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (AA level).
Learn MoreCommon Mistakes to Avoid
Learn from others' color palette failures
Using Too Many Colors
More colors don't mean better design. Limit your palette to 3-5 colors maximum. Too many choices create visual chaos and dilute your brand identity.
Ignoring Accessibility
Beautiful colors mean nothing if users can't read your text. Always check contrast ratios and test with colorblind simulators.
Following Trends Blindly
Trendy colors can make your brand feel dated quickly. Choose timeless colors that align with your identity, not what's popular.
Not Testing in Context
Colors look different on screens vs. print, in daylight vs. artificial light. Test your palette across all mediums where it'll be used.
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