Color Palette Generator - Free Online Tool with WCAG Contrast Checker

Color Harmony

Completely random colors

💡 Tips:

• Click the icon to lock colors you like
• Hover over any color to copy or remove it
• Edit hex values directly or use the color picker

Export Palette

WCAG Contrast Checker

Hex	vs White	WCAG	vs Black	WCAG
#667eea	3.66:1	AA Large	5.74:1	AA
#764ba2	6.37:1	AA	3.30:1	AA Large
#f093fb	2.04:1	Fail	10.27:1	AAA
#4facfe	2.42:1	Fail	8.66:1	AAA
#43e97b	1.59:1	Fail	13.18:1	AAA

AAA: 7:1 ratio - Enhanced contrast (recommended)

AA: 4.5:1 ratio - Minimum for normal text

AA Large: 3:1 ratio - Minimum for large text (18pt+)

Free Color Palette Generator - Create Beautiful Color Schemes Online

Generate stunning color palettes with our free online color palette generator. Create random palettes, use color harmony modes (complementary, analogous, triadic, monochromatic), lock favorite colors, and check WCAG contrast ratios for accessibility. Export as PNG, SVG, CSS variables, or hex codes. Perfect for web designers, UI/UX designers, and developers who need beautiful, accessible color schemes.

Color Harmony Modes

Generate palettes using complementary, analogous, triadic, or monochromatic color theory for professional results.

WCAG Contrast Checker

Built-in accessibility checker shows contrast ratios vs white/black with AA, AAA, and large text compliance.

Lock & Export

Lock colors you love, generate new palettes around them. Export as PNG, SVG, CSS variables, or hex codes.

Why Use Our Color Palette Generator?

5 Color Harmony Modes

Generate palettes based on proven color theory principles. Choose from random generation or use color harmony modes for professional, balanced color schemes that work together.

Random - Generate completely random colors for inspiration
Complementary - Colors opposite on the color wheel (high contrast)
Analogous - Adjacent colors on the wheel (harmonious, low contrast)
Triadic - Three colors evenly spaced on the wheel (vibrant, balanced)
Monochromatic - Variations of a single hue (cohesive, elegant)

Lock Colors You Love

Found a color you love? Lock it by clicking the lock icon, and it will stay while the rest of the palette regenerates. Perfect for building palettes around your brand colors or specific requirements.

Lock unlimited colors - generate around your favorites
Visual lock indicator on each color card
Locked colors remain when changing harmony modes
Build palettes around brand colors or specific requirements

WCAG Contrast Checker Built-In

Ensure your colors are accessible. Our built-in WCAG contrast checker shows contrast ratios for each color against white and black backgrounds, with AA, AAA, and large text compliance indicators.

AAA: 7:1 ratio - Enhanced contrast (best for accessibility)
AA: 4.5:1 ratio - Minimum for normal text (WCAG requirement)
AA Large: 3:1 ratio - Minimum for large text (18pt or 14pt bold)
Real-time contrast calculations as you edit colors

Multiple Export Formats

Export your palette in the format you need. Copy hex codes for design tools, CSS variables for web development, or download PNG/SVG for presentations and mockups.

Hex Codes - Copy comma-separated hex values (#667eea, #764ba2, ...)
CSS Variables - Copy :root CSS with --color-1, --color-2, etc.
PNG Export - Download 1200x630 image perfect for social media
SVG Export - Scalable vector format for presentations and design tools

Flexible Palette Editing

Full control over your palette. Add up to 10 colors, remove unwanted colors (minimum 2), manually adjust any color with color picker or hex input, and see changes in real-time.

Add colors (up to 10) or remove colors (minimum 2)
Visual color picker for each color
Manual hex code input for precise colors
One-click copy for individual color hex codes

How to Use the Color Palette Generator

1. Generate a Palette

Click Generate to create a random 5-color palette. Or select aHarmony Mode (Complementary, Analogous, Triadic, Monochromatic) before generating for color-theory-based palettes. Each mode creates different color relationships.

2. Lock Favorite Colors

Hover over any color and click the lock icon to lock it. Locked colors stay when you regenerate the palette. This is perfect for building palettes around your brand colors or specific shades you like. You can lock multiple colors at once.

3. Adjust Colors Manually

Each color has a color picker (color circle icon) and hex input at the bottom. Click the color picker to choose a color visually, or edit the hex code directly for precise colors like brand colors. Changes update the contrast checker instantly.

4. Check Accessibility

Scroll down to the WCAG Contrast Checker table. It shows contrast ratios for each color against white and black backgrounds. Green checkmarks mean the color passes WCAG standards (AA or AAA). Use this to ensure text is readable on your color backgrounds.

5. Export Your Palette

Choose an export format: Copy Hex Codes for Figma/Sketch/Adobe XD,Copy CSS Variables for web development, Download PNG for social media or presentations, or Download SVG for scalable graphics.

Perfect For...

Web Design & Development

Generate color palettes for websites, dashboards, and web apps. Export as CSS variables to use directly in your stylesheets. WCAG contrast checker ensures accessibility compliance.

UI/UX Design

Create color schemes for mobile apps, SaaS products, and design systems. Copy hex codes directly into Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or other design tools. Build around brand colors.

Branding & Marketing

Develop brand color palettes for logos, marketing materials, and social media. Download PNG exports for mood boards and presentations. Ensure brand consistency with locked colors.

Learning Color Theory

Experiment with complementary, analogous, triadic, and monochromatic color schemes. See how color harmony modes create different moods and relationships. Great for design students.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between color harmony modes?

Complementary uses colors opposite on the color wheel (e.g., blue & orange) for high contrast and vibrant designs. Analogous uses adjacent colors (e.g., blue, blue-green, green) for harmonious, calming designs. Triadic uses three colors evenly spaced (e.g., red, yellow, blue) for balanced, vibrant designs.Monochromatic uses variations of a single hue (different lightness/saturation) for cohesive, elegant designs. Random generates any colors for creative exploration.

What do the WCAG contrast ratios mean?

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) defines minimum contrast ratios for text accessibility. 4.5:1 (AA) is the minimum for normal text (under 18pt or under 14pt bold). 7:1 (AAA) is enhanced contrast recommended for better accessibility. 3:1 (AA Large) is the minimum for large text (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold). Higher contrast makes text easier to read for people with visual impairments or color blindness.

How do I use the lock feature effectively?

Lock colors when you have specific requirements like brand colors, client-provided colors, or shades that perfectly match your vision. For example, if your brand color is #667eea (purple), lock it and select Analogous harmony mode to generate a palette of similar purples and blues. Or lock your brand color and use Complementary mode to find contrasting accent colors. You can lock multiple colors and generate around them.

What is the ideal number of colors for a design palette?

Most professional design systems use 5-7 colors: 1-2 primary brand colors, 1-2 secondary/accent colors for CTAs and highlights, 2-3neutral colors (grays) for text and backgrounds. Our generator defaults to 5 colors which works for most use cases. You can add up to 10 colors for complex design systems, but simpler palettes (3-5 colors) are easier to use consistently.

Can I use these palettes commercially?

Yes! All palettes generated are 100% free to use for any purpose, including commercial projects, client work, and products. No attribution required. Colors cannot be copyrighted (only specific brand color combinations with trademarks can). Our tool generates mathematical color relationships based on color theory, which are not protected by copyright.

How do I export palettes to design tools like Figma?

Click Copy Hex Codes to copy comma-separated hex values like#667eea, #764ba2, #f093fb. In Figma, paste hex codes into color fields or create color styles. In Adobe XD, use the Assets panel to add colors. In Sketch, add to Document Colors. For web development, useCopy CSS Variables to get a :root block with --color-1, --color-2, etc. that you can paste into your CSS file.

Color Palette Best Practices

•60-30-10 rule: Use 60% dominant color (backgrounds), 30% secondary color (sections/cards), 10% accent color (CTAs/highlights).
•Test with real content: Colors look different with text, images, and UI elements. Test your palette in actual designs, not just swatches.
•Check accessibility early: Use the WCAG contrast checker before committing to colors. Fixing contrast issues later is harder than choosing accessible colors upfront.
•Start with monochromatic: If unsure where to start, use Monochromatic mode to generate a cohesive palette. Add accent colors later using Complementary mode.
•Consider color psychology: Blue = trust/calm, Red = urgency/energy, Green = growth/health, Purple = luxury/creativity, Yellow = optimism/attention.
•Save successful palettes: When you find a great palette, copy the hex codes and save them in a design system file or documentation for consistency across projects.