Color contrast is the difference in luminance between text and its background. Good contrast ensures readability for all users, including those with visual impairments.
Enter a text color and a background color. The tool calculates the contrast ratio and tells you if it passes WCAG AA (minimum) or AAA (enhanced) standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is WCAG?
What is WCAG? WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the international standard for web accessibility.
Q: What contrast ratio is good?
What contrast ratio is good? 4.5:1 for normal text (AA), 3:1 for large text (AA), 7:1 for enhanced (AAA).
Q: What WCAG level should I target?
What WCAG level should I target? For standard websites, target WCAG AA (4.5:1 for normal text). For accessibility-focused projects or government sites, target WCAG AAA (7:1). Large text (18px+ bold) needs 3:1 or 4.5:1.
Q: Does this tool check for color blindness?
Does this tool check for color blindness? No, contrast ratio is about luminance, not color perception. Use our Color Blindness Simulator alongside the Contrast Checker for comprehensive accessibility testing.
Q: How do I fix a failing contrast ratio?
How do I fix a failing contrast ratio? Either darken the text color, lighten the background color, increase the font size, or make the text bold. The tool highlights which WCAG levels pass or fail in real time.
CSS Named Colors & Color Psychology
The web has 148 named colors built into CSS, from Coral to Goldenrod. Beyond the code, color psychology shapes how users feel about interfaces — warm tones energize, cool tones calm, and neutrals build trust. This palette mixes CSS classics with the psychology behind them.
Coral #FF7F50Warm and friendly — popular for CTAs in lifestyle brands
Tomato #FF6347Energetic red-orange, great for urgent accents
Goldenrod #DAA520Earthy gold associated with quality and heritage
Teal #008080Balanced blue-green — calm, trustworthy, professional
Indigo #4B0082Deep violet tied to wisdom and premium brands
Crimson #DC143CBold red for passion, alerts, and strong emphasis
SlateBlue #6A5ACDSoft purple-blue common in SaaS dashboards
ForestGreen #228B22Nature and growth — the color of eco and finance brands
HotPink #FF69B4Playful and bold, the signature of youth-oriented design
Navy #000080Authority and stability — the suit-and-tie of colors
Q: What are CSS named colors?
What are CSS named colors? CSS defines 148 named colors like Coral and Goldenrod that work in any stylesheet without hex codes. They are great for prototyping but designers usually switch to hex or HSL for precise brand colors.
Q: How does color psychology affect design?
How does color psychology affect design? Warm colors (red, orange, yellow) create energy and urgency; cool colors (blue, green, teal) create calm and trust. CTAs often use warm tones while financial and health brands prefer blues and greens.