Color Palette Generator
Build harmonious palettes from one base color — complementary, analogous, triadic.
Free · No sign-up · Runs locally in your browser · Also available in Chinese (中文)
What is Color Palette Generator?
A good interface palette is not five random colors — it is a set derived from relationships on the color wheel: complementary for contrast, analogous for calm, triadic for vibrancy. This generator starts from your base color and produces complete harmony sets plus neutrals, ready to copy.
Beyond harmony rules, the tool derives a practical scale: tints and shades of the base for backgrounds, borders and text, with contrast hints so your text-on-background pairs stay readable. It is a starting point that respects color theory, not a replacement for judgment.
How to use it
- 1Pick your base color with the picker or paste a HEX value.
- 2Browse the harmony palettes: complementary, analogous, triadic, split-complementary.
- 3Expand the tint/shade scale for backgrounds and borders.
- 4Copy the palette as CSS variables or a JSON list.
Common use cases
- Starting a new project's theme from a single brand color.
- Building a chart color set where series need distinct but related hues.
- Exploring accent options for a landing page in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
▸Which harmony should I choose for a UI?
Analogous schemes feel cohesive and are safest for interfaces; complementary pairs give you a natural primary/action color and its accent. Triadic is bold — use it for playful brands, carefully.
▸How do I check accessibility contrast?
Aim for 4.5:1 between body text and its background (WCAG AA). Use a contrast checker for final pairs; the tint scale here gives you lighter and darker candidates to test.