10 Color Contrast Checker For Designers

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Color is more than just an aesthetic choice in design—it’s a powerful tool for communication.

But if your colors don’t have enough contrast, you risk alienating a large chunk of your audience, including people with visual impairments, color blindness, or aging vision. That’s where color contrast checker come into play.

These tools help designers ensure that their digital content complies with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards created to make the web accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities.

In this Design Journal guide, we’ll explore 10 of the best color contrast checker tools, explain how they work, and highlight what makes each of them unique.

Whether you’re building websites, designing apps, or creating digital interfaces, these tools will become essential in your accessibility toolkit.

10 color contrast checkers

Here are 10 of the best color contrast checkers to help you design more inclusive and WCAG-compliant experiences.

1. WebAIM Contrast Checker

The WebAIM Contrast Checker is one of the most trusted tools among accessibility professionals.

It allows designers and developers to input foreground and background color values (in HEX, RGB, or HSL formats) and instantly calculates the contrast ratio between them.

You get clear feedback on whether the combination meets WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 standards, including both AA and AAA levels for normal and large text.

The tool also includes sliders to adjust the color brightness on the fly, allowing you to fine-tune your selections until they meet the desired ratio.

This tool is especially useful for quick validation during the design process or while reviewing final UI screens before launch. Its clean interface and real-time results make it a go-to for fast, no-frills checking.

2. WAVE Accessibility Evaluation Tool

WAVE is a robust web accessibility evaluation suite that includes a powerful wcag color contrast checker as part of its offering.

Unlike standalone tools, WAVE analyzes entire web pages and visually highlights any areas that fail contrast checks.

You can use the browser extension (available for Chrome and Firefox) to evaluate live web pages.

When you activate it, WAVE outlines elements on the page and labels those with poor contrast. This makes it easier to identify real-world issues—not just isolated color pairs.

It’s incredibly useful for teams working on large websites or products with dynamic content, as it checks every text element in its actual layout and context. WAVE is perfect for audits, QA reviews, and collaborative design evaluations.

3. Octet Design Color Wheel

The Octet Design Color Wheel is a designer-centric tool built for visual thinkers. Unlike basic checkers that require manual HEX input, this tool displays a full color wheel where you can experiment with combinations visually and receive immediate feedback on their contrast levels.

It’s particularly useful in the early stages of UI/UX design when building color systems or selecting brand palettes.

The tool provides contrast ratio indicators based on WCAG guidelines, helping you choose accessible primary, secondary, and accent colors right from the start.

Designers can see how color relationships evolve as they rotate through hues or tweak brightness. It’s a smart way to think holistically about accessibility and brand identity.

4. Tanaguru Contrast Finder

The Tanaguru Contrast Finder stands out because it does more than evaluate contrast—it helps you fix it.

After entering a foreground and background color that fails accessibility checks, the tool suggests alternative color options that meet WCAG Level AA or AAA compliance.

These alternatives are calculated using an intelligent algorithm that preserves the original colors’ spirit while enhancing contrast.

You can copy-paste these values directly into your design or experiment further to see what combinations work best.

This makes Tanaguru especially valuable when working with brand colors that may not pass compliance but cannot be completely changed.

The tool helps you find acceptable middle grounds that preserve visual integrity while meeting accessibility needs.

5. Contrast Grid by EightShapes

When working with multiple colors across a design system, testing combinations one by one becomes time-consuming.

The Contrast Grid solves this by letting you input a list of foreground and background colors and viewing all possible combinations in a matrix layout.

Each cell in the grid displays the resulting contrast ratio and indicates whether it meets the WCAG AA or AAA standards. This makes it easy to spot problem combinations and plan alternatives.

This tool is particularly useful for UI libraries, design systems, or products with themed interfaces. It helps teams ensure consistency and accessibility across buttons, text fields, icons, and more.

You can even export the grid as an image or use it during design handoffs for documentation.

6. Coolors Color Contrast Checker

Coolors is widely known for its color palette generator, but it also offers a slick and efficient color contrast checker.

The user interface is intuitive and beautifully designed—perfect for creatives who want utility without sacrificing aesthetics.

You simply input two colors or select them from an existing Coolors palette. The tool then shows the contrast ratio and whether it meets WCAG AA or AAA compliance for text readability.

Unlike more technical tools, Coolors lets you see the contrast in action, making the results more tangible.

It’s ideal for branding projects, creative teams, and marketing designers who want to ensure their eye-catching visuals are also inclusive and accessible.

7. Accessible Web Color Contrast Checker

The Accessible Web Color Contrast Checker focuses on how your design will appear to users. It allows you to preview text on different background colors, adjusting font sizes and weights to simulate a realistic reading experience.

After entering your color values, the tool shows whether the text is readable at small, medium, or large sizes under WCAG criteria.

It also provides numerical contrast ratios and a breakdown of pass/fail results across various conditions.

This is a great tool for content-heavy sites, such as blogs, e-commerce platforms, or apps, where typography plays a crucial role.

It helps you make smarter decisions about font styling, color usage, and visual hierarchy—all within an accessibility framework.

8. Snook Colour Contrast Checker

The Snook Colour Contrast Checker is a simple yet powerful tool that developers and designers have used for many years.

You input foreground and background color values, and receive instant results on the contrast ratio, along with a detailed breakdown of WCAG compliance.

What sets this tool apart is its color adjustment sliders. You can tweak hue, saturation, and brightness of your colors within the interface until the ratio meets the required standard.

It’s great for experimenting without having to switch between design software constantly.

It also supports different color formats (HEX, RGB, HSL), making it compatible with various workflows and tools. Snook’s checker is highly respected in the accessibility community for its accuracy and ease of use.

9. Contrasts: WCAG Accessibility Checker (macOS)

Contrasts is a macOS-only app that runs locally, allowing designers to quickly check contrast ratios without opening a browser. It’s a sleek, minimalistic tool that works especially well in fast-paced design workflows.

You can drag and drop colors or enter HEX codes, and the app instantly displays the contrast score and WCAG compliance. It’s great for Mac users who want a distraction-free, lightweight tool that lives on their desktop for constant reference.

Contrasts supports testing multiple combinations at once and saves your last used colors for easy re-checking. It’s a valuable addition for anyone building accessible apps or websites on macOS.

10. Heydon’s Contrast Ratio Tool

This no-frills tool, created by accessibility advocate Heydon Pickering, is focused on one thing: providing the exact contrast ratio between two colors, based on mathematical calculations compliant with the WCAG.

The interface is refreshingly minimal. You paste in your foreground and background colors and immediately see the contrast ratio, along with a pass/fail verdict for both AA and AAA levels.

No visual previews, no fancy features—just accurate, reliable data.

It’s especially appreciated by developers and accessibility engineers who want quick, trustworthy results with zero distraction.

The tool is also completely private, with no tracking or cookies, making it ideal for sensitive or internal projects.

Role of color contrast in web accessibility

Color contrast plays a foundational role in web accessibility.

It directly affects how easily users can read text, understand content, and navigate an interface, particularly for individuals with visual impairments such as color blindness, low vision, or vision loss.

At its core, color contrast refers to the difference in luminance between two colors, typically between foreground text and its background. The higher the contrast, the easier it is for users to distinguish one element from another.

Why does it matter?

More than 2.2 billion people globally experience vision impairment. For them, websites that lack proper contrast can feel invisible or unreadable.

And even users with perfect vision can struggle in bright sunlight, low-light conditions, or when viewing screens on older devices.

Without sufficient contrast:

• Body text may blur into the background.
• CTAs (calls to action) may become unnoticeable.
• Form inputs, links, and error messages may be misinterpreted or missed entirely.
• Cognitive load increases, leading to user frustration and abandonment.

That’s why WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) defines specific contrast ratios that ensure readability:

• Normal text (under 18pt or 14pt bold) must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.
• Large text (18pt and above or 14pt bold and above) must have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1.
• For AAA compliance, these ratios increase to 7:1 for normal text and 4.5:1 for large text.

Accessibility compliance and legal risk

Proper color contrast isn’t just a design choice—it’s a compliance requirement. Websites that fail to meet WCAG standards risk being legally non-compliant in many countries.

In the US, for instance, web accessibility falls under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and lawsuits against inaccessible websites are on the rise year after year.

By using a WCAG color contrast checker, designers and developers can validate their interfaces and ensure they meet global accessibility benchmarks, while protecting both users and their organizations.

Beyond legalities: Better UX for everyone

While color contrast is essential for users with disabilities, it actually improves usability for all:

• Increases clarity for users in poor lighting conditions
• Supports better reading comprehension on mobile devices
• Helps users quickly scan content and distinguish key elements
• Enhances focus and hierarchy in visual layouts

Designing with contrast in mind

Integrating contrast principles at the beginning of the design process saves time and reduces the need for rework.

Instead of fixing contrast issues later, teams can use a color contrast checker while building design systems, style guides, and UI components.

Incorporate contrast testing at key stages:

• While choosing a brand or UI color palette
• When designing buttons, links, or icons
• During QA and accessibility audits before launch

The good news? With the right color contrast checker, building contrast-aware, WCAG-compliant interfaces is easier than ever.

Conclusion

If accessibility matters to you—and it should—then keeping a reliable color contrast checker in your design workflow is essential.

These ten tools not only help ensure your text is legible and inclusive but also align your product with WCAG color contrast checker standards that protect your brand from compliance risks.

Whether you’re just testing a single element or auditing an entire design system, use the right tool for the job.

Bookmark this list, share it with your team, and make accessible design a default, not an afterthought.

Frequently asked questions

How to find the contrast of a color?

To find the contrast between two colors, you need to calculate the difference in their luminance (brightness).

This is typically done using a color contrast checker, where you input a foreground color (like text) and a background color.

The tool then gives you a contrast ratio—such as 4.5:1 or 7:1—based on WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards.

Many online checkers also show whether your combination passes WCAG Level AA or AAA requirements, ensuring your design is accessible.

How to use a color contrast checker?

Using a color contrast checker is simple and straightforward:

• Copy the HEX, RGB, or HSL values of your foreground (text or UI element) and background color.
• Paste them into the checker fields.
• The tool automatically calculates the contrast ratio.
• Check the results against WCAG thresholds (AA or AAA).
• If your combination fails, tweak the colors and recheck until you meet the required standards.

Some WCAG color contrast checkers also offer visual previews, size toggles, and suggestions for accessible alternatives.

What is AA and AAA contrast?

AA and AAA refer to levels of compliance defined by the WCAG guidelines for accessible content:

• AA (minimum contrast):
  • Normal text must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1
  • Large text (18pt or 14pt bold) must have at least 3:1
    
• AAA (enhanced contrast):
  • Normal text must have a contrast ratio of 7:1
  • Large text must have 4.5:1

These levels ensure that your website is readable for users with varying levels of visual impairment.

Using a WCAG color contrast checker helps you determine which level your design meets.

What is the 4.5:1 rule?

The 4.5:1 rule is a key part of WCAG Level AA compliance. It states that for body text under 18pt (or 14pt bold), the contrast ratio between text and background must be at least 4.5:1.

This ensures that text is legible for users with mild visual impairments or color blindness. If your ratio is below 4.5:1, your text may blend into the background, making it harder to read.

A color contrast checker helps you verify whether your color choices meet this threshold and maintain accessibility.