What color harmonies are available?

Six harmony types: Complementary (opposite on color wheel), Analogous (adjacent colors), Triadic (three evenly spaced), Split-Complementary (base + two near opposite), Tetradic (four colors in rectangle), and Monochromatic (shades/variants of a single hue).

How do I use generated palettes?

Each color swatch shows its HEX value. Click any swatch to copy it. Use the Copy as CSS button to export the entire palette as CSS custom properties. Use Copy as HEX for a comma-separated list.

What are light/dark variants?

For each harmony color, light (+20% lightness) and dark (-20% lightness) variants are generated. This gives you shadows, highlights, and tints for a complete design system from a single base color.

Is the palette generator free?

Yes, completely free. No sign-up, no limits, no ads. All generation happens in your browser.

Palette Generator | Complementary, Analogous, Triadic, Monochromatic

Color Harmony Types

Select a harmony type to generate colors intelligently, or use Random for full creative freedom.

Random

Full creative freedom. Each color independently randomized. Lock the ones you like and keep randomizing the rest until you find the perfect palette.

Complementary

Two colors opposite each other on the color wheel (180° apart). High contrast perfect for calls-to-action and accent colors that pop.

Analogous

Three colors adjacent on the color wheel (30° apart). Creates serene, comfortable designs. Ideal for gradients and UI themes.

Triadic

Three evenly spaced colors (120° apart). Vibrant and balanced. Use one as dominant and two as accents for a lively palette.

Split Complementary

Base + two colors adjacent to its complement (150°/210°). High contrast but less tension than complementary. Very popular in modern UI.

Tetradic

Four colors in a rectangle (90° apart). Two complementary pairs, rich and complex. Use one dominant color and three accents.

Monochromatic

Multiple shades and tints of a single hue. Clean, professional, and impossible to clash. Ideal for corporate branding and minimal design.

Related Color Tools

More free color tools for designers and developers.

Color Converter

Convert between HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV, CMYK with bidirectional live editing.

Color Picker

Pick colors from your screen with the draggable picker and eyedropper tool.

Palette From Image

Extract a color palette automatically from any uploaded image.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Press the Spacebar or click the Randomize button to generate new color combinations. Click the lock icon on any column to protect that color from changing. Drag and drop columns to reorder your palette. Click any column to view detailed color information including harmonies, shades, conversions, and accessibility ratings.

Random - full creative freedom, each color independent. Complementary - opposite on the color wheel (180°). Analogous - adjacent colors (±30°). Triadic - three at 120° apart. Split Complementary - base + two near opposite (150°/210°). Tetradic - four at 90° apart. Monochromatic - multiple shades of a single hue.

Click any color column to see: the color name (matched from our database of 1500+ named colors), conversions to RGB, HSL, HSV, CMYK, color harmonies (complementary, analogous, triadic, etc.), a full shade spectrum, WCAG accessibility ratings (contrast on white/black with AA/AAA levels), and similar colors from our database.

Two export options: Copy as HEX gives a comma-separated list (e.g. #6366F1, #F1E663...). Copy as CSS formats the palette as CSS custom properties: --color-1: #6366F1; --color-2: #F1E663;. You can also click individual colors to copy them.