Online Tool Store
Color Palette Generator
Generate a harmonious 5-color palette from any base color, using monochromatic, analogous, complementary, triadic, or split-complementary color theory. Runs entirely in your browser.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
How it works
- Pick a base color with the color picker, or type its hex code directly.
- Choose a harmony — Complementary, Analogous, Triadic, Split-complementary, or Monochromatic.
- Click any swatch to copy its hex code, or copy the whole palette at once.
How the colors are calculated
Your base color is converted from hex to HSL (hue, saturation, lightness) — a color model where hue is literally a position in degrees around a color wheel, which makes color-theory relationships like "opposite" or "120° apart" simple arithmetic:
Complementary hue = base hue + 180°
Triadic hues = base hue + 120°, base hue + 240°
Split-complementary hues = base hue + 150°, base hue + 210°
Example: #2f6fed has a hue of
about 220°. Its complementary palette pairs three shades of that blue (#0e42a8, #2f6fed, #8db0f5) with two
shades of its 40°-hue complement, amber (#d69413, #f1c05e).
FAQ
What's the difference between the harmony types?
Complementary pairs a color with its opposite on the color wheel for strong contrast. Analogous uses colors next to each other for a calm, cohesive look. Triadic picks three evenly spaced hues for a vibrant but balanced palette. Split-complementary softens a complementary pair by using the two colors next to the opposite hue instead of the opposite itself. Monochromatic uses just one hue at different lightness levels for a subtle, unified palette.
Why does my palette have 5 colors when some harmonies only use 2 or 3 hues?
Complementary, triadic, and split-complementary are defined by 2-3 core hues, but a 2-3 swatch palette is rarely enough for a real design (backgrounds, accents, text). The extra swatches are lighter and darker shades of those same core hues, rounding every harmony out to a consistently usable 5 colors.
Can I start from a specific color instead of a random one?
Yes — use the color picker or type a hex code directly. The palette regenerates instantly from whatever base color you set, in the harmony you have selected.
How do I get one color out of the palette?
Click any swatch to copy that swatch's hex code, or use "Copy all hex codes" to copy the whole palette as a comma-separated list.
Is my palette or color choice sent anywhere?
No. Every color is calculated locally in your browser with plain JavaScript — nothing about what you generate is uploaded or logged.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Design app color tools | Other online palette generators |
|---|---|---|---|
| No sign-up or design software needed | ✓ | ✗ | Varies |
| Choose the specific harmony rule, not just "random" | ✓ | ✓ | Varies — some are shuffle-only |
| Free, no daily limit | ✓ | Usually bundled in paid software | Varies |
If you know which color-theory relationship you want — not just "surprise me" — Color Palette Generator gets you a usable 5-color set from any starting color in one page.