Your choice of colour combination can either make or break your design. The right colour palette will enhance the look and feel of your app’s design, while the wrong one might render it dull or unappealing, leaving you looking unprofessional and untrustworthy.
Good designers don’t just rely on guesswork. They carefully think through every colour combination, using sophisticated tools to develop well-balanced colour palettes that complement each other and convey the right message.
This blog post explores the top 10 colour palette generators you should know in 2024 so you can take your design projects to the next level.
#1. Coolors
Highlights: You can use colours to:
- Generate your colour palette
- Explore trending palettes
- Extract palettes from images
- Check colour contrast
- Browse free fonts
Using Coolors is as simple as scrolling down a website and clicking on the features you wish to explore. Its colour generator randomly generates five colour palettes, but you can lock your favourite shades to refine the results.
Colours also lists a collection of popular colour palettes to quickly find the trendiest combinations. When you find a palette you like, you can save it, share it, or open it in their generator for further customization.
The tool also offers a contrast checker, allowing you to check if your chosen colour palette meets accessibility standards for legibility and readability. Furthermore, Coolors has an image feature that enables you to upload images and extract colours from them, making it easier to create palettes inspired by real-life scenes or objects.
Coolors is available in iOS, InDesign, Adobe PhotoShop, Illustrator, Chrome extension, and Adobe Add-on versions.
The platform is also flexible in terms of exporting and collaboration options. You can export your palettes to PNG, PDF, SVG, CSS Code, or SCSS formats and share them with others via URL links.
Its intuitiveness, user-friendly interface, and powerful features make it a favourite among designers worldwide.
#2. Khroma
Highlights:
- AI-assisted color generator
- Unlimited color combinations
- Personalized palettes based on preferences
- Easily find complementary colours
Khroma is a revolutionary colour palette generator powered by artificial intelligence. It generates unique and personalized colour palettes based on your preferences, making it an ideal tool for designers looking for more unique and customized colour schemes.
The platform uses machine learning algorithms to analyze millions of existing colour schemes and understand users’ likes and dislikes. Based on this analysis, Khroma can generate unlimited unique palettes that match your style.
However, you’ll first need to train their AI engine by selecting from a list of colours that appeal to you. They have a counter that runs from 50 as you select colours, and you can keep selecting until you have 0 remaining.
Once you have trained the AI engine, Khroma will generate personalized colour palettes for you to use in your designs. You can also search for specific colours or keywords and find complementary colours that match your chosen hue.
The only downside is that you’ll have to wait as the tool works magic to generate your personalized palettes. But the results are always well worth the wait, especially since the resulting palettes are unique to your preferences.
#3. ColorSpace
Highlights:
- Customizable color palette generator
- Advanced color selection options
- Recommended for CSS and web design
ColorSpace offers a customizable color palette generator created for CSS designers and developers. It offers a quick and easy way to create and customize color palettes for web design projects.
It’s also super-simple to use:
Upon landing on the website, you’ll be welcomed with two buttons. One has a color code, while the other is labeled “generate.”
Click the first button (with the color code), and a colour picker will open. You can then choose your color from the picker.
Next, hit generate, and ColorSpace will generate 20-plus colour palettes for you to choose from. These palettes will be based on the color you chose.
#4. Color Drop
Highlights:
- Simple
- Lightweight
- Low memory usage
Cons: Limited functionality
Color Drop is a straightforward color palette generator that works great with beginners or those looking for a simple solution with no frills.
When you’re out of ideas and just need to pick a palette from an already curated list, this tool has got you covered. It offers various color combinations that go together so you can quickly scroll through, find a favorite and copy the HEX code.
However, this tool may not be for you if you want advanced features or customization options. But if you want something convenient and fuss-free, Color Drop is an excellent option.
The platform also allows you to upload an image or picture and extract the colors from it, making it easier to create a palette that matches your desired aesthetic.
They also have a flat colour generator with a simple, understated color palette, perfect for minimalist designs.
#5. Color Hexa
Highlights:
- Expanded color information
- Extensive customization options
- Suitable for professionals and beginners alike
Color Hexa uniquely approaches color palettes by providing in-depth information on each hue. The tool will display its hex code, RGB, CMYK, HSV, and more by clicking on a specific color.
The platform also offers a range of customization options, allowing you to adjust the hue, saturation, and brightness levels to create your perfect palette. You can also choose from different color schemes, such as complementary, monochromatic, triad, and more.
Scrolling down the page, you’ll see a collection of alternative colour hues with different shades, tint variations, tones, and shades. You also get to preview the colour with various web elements, such as background, border, text, and shadow, to see how it would look in a design.
The only downside to using Color Hexa is that you’ll need to know your RGB or hex codes to generate colours, as there’s no graphical flywheel for color selection.
Color Hexa is suitable for both professionals and beginners alike due to its vast database of information and user-friendly interface. Whether you’re looking for a specific color code or want to explore different color combinations, this tool has got you covered.
#6. Adobe Color
Highlights:
- Integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud
- Seamless integration with other Adobe applications
- Access to thousands of user-generated color palettes
- Flexible generation, Extensive features
No list of color palette generators would be complete without mentioning Adobe Color. Formerly known as Adobe Kuler, the tool has been integrated into the Adobe Creative Cloud platform, making it a go-to for designers and artists.
With Adobe Color, you can create custom color palettes or explore thousands of user-generated options. The tool offers various color rule options such as monochromatic, complementary, triad, and more to help you find the perfect combination for your designs.
But what sets Adobe Color apart is its seamless integration with other Adobe applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. This feature allows you to easily transfer your chosen color palettes across all these programs without hassle.
Moreover, you can upload images or photos and let the tool extract the colors to create a palette that matches your desired aesthetic. You also have access to various community-based themes and collections for inspiration.
The tool is as detailed and feature-rich as possible, making it a top choice for professional designers and artists. Adobe Color will get you sorted in the colours department, whether you’re creating graphics, illustrations, or websites.
But if you’re a beginner or looking for a simple tool, the vast array of features may be overwhelming. However, with time and practice, this tool can become your go-to for all things color-related in design. So why not try it and see where your creativity takes you?
#7. Paletton
Highlights:
- User-friendly interface
- Beginner-friendly color theory guidance
- Advanced customization options
- Online app
Paletton is a user-friendly color palette generator with beginner and advanced features. Upon landing on the website, you’ll see a graphical color wheel with different colors, hues, and shades.
What sets Paletton apart is its ability to guide beginners through color theory. The tool displays a range of color combinations that work well using the selected hue, making it easier for users to create harmonious palettes.
It also offers advanced options such as adjusting the lightness, saturation, and contrast for each color in your palette. You can also choose from different color schemes and preview how your palette would look in various web elements.
The only downside to using Paletton is that it may not be as comprehensive as other tools on this list. However, for beginners looking to learn color theory and start creating their own palettes, this tool is an excellent place to start.
#8. Color Mind
Highlights:
- Lightweight
- Quick and easy to use
- Intuitive interface
Cons:
- Limited Features
Color Mind is a simple and lightweight color palette generator perfect for those looking for a quick and easy solution. The tool uses artificial intelligence to generate color palettes based on your chosen starting color.
All you have to do is click on the “generate” button, and the tool will display a range of options that work well together. You can adjust the number of colors in your palette and choose from different color profiles, such as vibrant, bright, or muted.
The interface is user-friendly and intuitive, making it ideal for beginners. However, the tool lacks customization options for other color palette generations on this list. But if you’re in a pinch and need color inspiration, Color Mind is here for you.
While Color Mind isn’t as specialized as some other color palette generators listed here, it is a great option for quick and easy color combinations.
Its simplicity makes it ideal for anyone looking to add some color to their designs without getting too bogged down in technical details.
#09. Colourlovers
Highlights:
- Large community of users and designers
- User-generated content
- Wide range of color palettes and patterns to choose from
- Creative inspiration hub
Cons:
- I find the ads annoying
Next on the line, we have Colourlovers – a community-based platform for color lovers and creators. The website is filled with user-generated content, including color palettes, patterns, and designs.
You can search for specific colors or browse the thousands of available options. You can also create your own palette and share it with the community for feedback and inspiration.
Colourlovers is more than just a color palette generator; it’s a creative hub for designers and artists to find inspiration and connect with like-minded individuals.
The tool offers a variety of features, including the ability to create patterns and designs using your chosen color palette.
One downside to Colourlovers is that some users may find the website overwhelming due to the sheer amount of content available. But with a little exploration and discovery, you can find unique and inspiring color combinations for your next project.
#10. Canva Palette Generator
Highlights:
- Seamless integration with the Canva design platform
- Beginner-friendly interface
- Wide range of customization options
- User-generated content available for inspiration
- 5 Colour Schemes
- Design platform
- Online Collaborations
Last but certainly not least, we have Canva Palette Generator – a tool that seamlessly integrates with the popular design platform Canva. This tool is a great option for beginners as it offers an easy-to-use interface and a wide range of customization options.
Each generated color palette offers four colours that work well together, making it ideal for creating designs with multiple elements. You can also adjust each color’s hues, brightness, and saturation to fit your specific needs.
Canva Palette Generator is also a community-based platform where users can share their palettes and collaborate on projects. That adds another layer of inspiration and creativity to the already comprehensive tool.
In addition to color palettes, you can upload an image and have the tool generate a palette based on the colors within the image. This feature is useful for matching their design elements with specific images.
Overall, the Canva Palette Generator is a great option for beginners and professionals alike, offering both simplicity and advanced customization options.
Its integration with the Canva design platform makes it an even more powerful tool for all your color palette needs.
