What is a color palette generator?
A color palette generator is a free online tool that helps designers and developers create harmonious color combinations for websites, apps and brand projects. PaletteCSS hosts over 5,000 curated palettes and lets you build your own — pick up to 4 colors with a visual picker, check WCAG contrast ratios instantly, and export in 5 formats. Studies show that color increases brand recognition by up to 80%, making the right palette one of the highest-ROI design decisions you can make.
Why use a generator instead of picking colors manually?
Manual color selection relies on guesswork. A generator applies color theory — complementary, analogous and triadic relationships — automatically. PaletteCSS also exports directly as CSS custom properties, Tailwind CSS config, SCSS variables, a JavaScript hex array, or a downloadable PNG. According to the Interaction Design Foundation, color harmony is one of the most critical factors in professional visual design.
How to create a color palette in 4 steps
Generate or pick colors
Click Generate for a random palette, or press Space. Alternatively click any color strip and use the visual color picker to set your exact colors.
Fine-tune with the picker
Drag to adjust hue, saturation and brightness. Or type any hex code directly into the input field for pixel-perfect color matching.
Choose your export format
Select CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS, hex array or JSON from the export panel — all ready for your project.
Copy or download
Click Copy code to paste directly into your stylesheet, or Download PNG for a 1200×630 image for Figma, Sketch or presentations.
Everything you need in one free tool
Visual Color Picker
Interactive HSV picker with real-time preview. Drag to fine-tune or paste any hex code.
5 Export Formats
CSS vars, Tailwind, SCSS, hex array and JSON — all copy-ready in one click.
PNG Download
Export a 1200×630 PNG with hex labels — perfect for Figma, Sketch or client presentations.
Random Generator
Instantly create random palettes with the Generate button or Space bar shortcut.
Color Shades
See all 10 tints and shades of your selected color for a complete design system.
5 export formats for every workflow
Whether you're writing plain CSS, building a Tailwind project or working in JavaScript — PaletteCSS outputs the exact code you need.
| Format | Example | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| CSS Variables | --color-1: #FF6B6B; | Any CSS / Sass project |
| Tailwind Config | 'palette-1': '#FF6B6B' | Tailwind CSS v3 / v4 |
| SCSS Variables | $color-1: #FF6B6B; | SCSS stylesheets |
| Hex Array | ['#FF6B6B', '#4ECDC4'] | JavaScript / React / Vue |
| PNG Image | 1200×630px with hex labels | Figma, Sketch, Notion |
Color theory: how to pick colors that work
Good color palettes follow proven color wheel relationships. Here are the three most useful patterns for web design:
Complementary
Colors opposite on the wheel. Maximum contrast. Great for CTAs and highlights.
Analogous
Colors next to each other. Calm and cohesive. Great for backgrounds and interfaces.
Triadic
Three evenly-spaced colors. Balanced and vibrant. Great for playful, energetic designs.
Frequently asked questions
A color palette generator is a free online tool that helps designers and developers create harmonious color combinations. You select colors using a visual color picker or enter hex codes directly. The generator outputs your palette as hex codes, CSS custom properties, Tailwind CSS config or SCSS variables — ready for any web project.
Start with one brand color, then use color theory to find complementary or analogous colors. Add one or two neutrals for backgrounds and text. Check WCAG contrast ratios to ensure accessibility. PaletteCSS shows AA and AAA contrast scores on every palette detail page, making accessibility checks instant.
Yes. PaletteCSS is 100% free with no limits. Generate unlimited palettes, export in any format and download PNG images without an account or subscription.
CSS custom properties, Tailwind CSS color config, SCSS variables, hex array for JavaScript, and PNG image download. All copy-ready in one click.
Yes. All palettes are free for personal and commercial use. Colors are not copyrightable, so you can use any palette in client work, products or commercial websites.
A color palette is a collection of specific hex codes. A color scheme describes the relationship between those colors — complementary, analogous, triadic etc. PaletteCSS gives you both: specific hex codes you can copy, organized by mood, theme and color family.
What designers are saying
"I use PaletteCSS for every client project. The Tailwind export saves me at least 20 minutes per project — just paste and go."
Sarah K.
UI Designer · San Francisco
"Finally a palette tool that exports real CSS variables. No more manually typing hex codes into :root. This is my daily driver."
Marcus T.
Frontend Developer · Berlin
"The WCAG contrast checker is a lifesaver. I can instantly see which color combos are accessible without switching tools."
Priya M.
Brand Designer · London
"The palette generator with the Space bar shortcut is addictive. I find great combos in seconds. Clean UI, no ads in the way."
James R.
Product Designer · Toronto
"We shared PaletteCSS across our whole design team. The PNG export is perfect for adding palette swatches to our Notion docs."
Aiko N.
Design Lead · Tokyo
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Start generating your palette now
Free. Instant. No signup. Copy as CSS, Tailwind or hex codes.
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