Instant Contrast Ratio
Get the exact WCAG contrast ratio between any two colors, calculated in real time as you type or pick.
The most advanced free online color comparison tool. Pick two colors and get instant contrast analysis, WCAG accessibility scores, color harmony, and full format conversion.
| Criterion | Required Ratio | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick colors to see WCAG analysis… | |||
See how your color pair appears to people with various types of color vision deficiency.
Complementary, triadic, analogous, and split-complementary colors derived from Color A. Click any swatch to load it as Color B.
Click any pair to reload that comparison.
Everything you need to make perfect color decisions — for design, accessibility, and branding.
Get the exact WCAG contrast ratio between any two colors, calculated in real time as you type or pick.
Evaluates AA and AAA compliance for normal text, large text, and UI components simultaneously.
Automatically converts any color to HEX, RGB, HSL, and CMYK — all four formats displayed at once.
Simulates Protanopia, Deuteranopia, Tritanopia, and Achromatopsia to ensure inclusive design.
Build linear, radial, and conic CSS gradients between your colors with adjustable angle and stops.
Discover complementary, triadic, analogous, and split-complementary colors from your selection.
Calculates the perceptual color difference (Delta E) between your two colors so you know how different they truly look.
Every comparison you make is saved in session history. Revisit any pair with a single click.
Share your exact color comparison with a URL that encodes both color values — perfect for team reviews.
Four simple steps to a complete color analysis. No account, no installation.
Use the color picker, type a HEX code, or enter RGB/HSL values for your first color. Validation happens in real time.
Choose your second color the same way. The live preview updates instantly as you make changes.
Review the contrast ratio, WCAG scores, perceptual distance, color blindness simulation, and harmony palette.
Copy the full report, the gradient CSS, or share a URL. Download an SVG snapshot of the comparison.
Color comparison is the deliberate practice of evaluating two or more colors against each other to understand their visual relationship, contrast, and perceptual harmony. Whether you are a UI designer crafting an accessible interface, a brand strategist defining a color identity, a front-end developer ensuring WCAG compliance, or an artist seeking the perfect palette, being able to compare colors side by side is an essential skill.
Our free Compare Colors tool simplifies this process dramatically. Instead of manually calculating contrast ratios or eyeballing color swatches, you get an instant, data-rich analysis the moment you select your colors. The tool supports all major color models — HEX, RGB, HSL, and CMYK — so you are never locked into a single format. You can paste a HEX code from your Figma file, type an RGB triplet from your CSS, or simply click the native color picker.
Side by side color comparison is particularly powerful for evaluating text legibility and accessibility. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) require a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal body text and 3:1 for large text to qualify for AA compliance. The stricter AAA standard demands 7:1 and 4.5:1 respectively. Failing these standards can create barriers for users with low vision and may expose organizations to legal liability under accessibility laws such as the ADA and CVAA. Our tool evaluates both AA and AAA compliance automatically, covering normal text, large text, and UI component contexts.
Beyond accessibility, comparing two colors helps you understand their perceptual difference through the ΔE (Delta E) metric — a number derived from the CIELAB color space that represents how different two colors look to the human eye. A ΔE below 1 is imperceptible; above 10 indicates clearly distinct colors. This is invaluable for print production, brand consistency audits, and quality control.
Best practices for color comparison include: always testing your color pairs against both white and black backgrounds; checking how they render under color blindness conditions (Protanopia, Deuteranopia, Tritanopia affect roughly 8% of males); using the HSL model to understand saturation and lightness relationships intuitively; and considering color harmony principles — complementary, triadic, and analogous schemes — to ensure aesthetic balance. With our advanced color comparison tool, all of these checks happen in one place, in real time, for free.
From color palettes and gradients to SEO analysis and AI tools — we have everything you need to build, design, and grow.