Free Color Palette Generator: Create Beautiful Color Schemes
Generate harmonious 5-color palettes based on color theory. Lock colors, export CSS variables, HEX and RGB values. Free tool for designers.
Color is the first thing users notice about a design. A harmonious color palette creates visual coherence, guides attention, and establishes brand identity. But choosing colors that work together is surprisingly difficult without understanding color theory — or using a good generator.
Color Theory Basics
Colors relate to each other on the color wheel. Complementary colors (opposite on the wheel) create high contrast. Analogous colors (adjacent) feel harmonious. Triadic colors (evenly spaced) balance vibrancy with variety. The best palette generators use these relationships automatically to produce pleasing combinations.
How Many Colors Do You Need?
Most designs work with a 5-color palette: a primary color (60% of the design), a secondary color (30%), an accent color (10%), and two neutrals (backgrounds and text). This 60-30-10 rule creates visual hierarchy without overwhelming the viewer.
Exporting for Development
Once you've found your palette, you need the exact color values. The best tools export as CSS custom properties (--color-primary: #3B82F6), HEX values for design tools, and RGB values for programmatic use. One-click copy eliminates manual color code transcription.
Tips for Choosing Brand Colors
Consider the emotions colors evoke: blue conveys trust and professionalism, red signals urgency and passion, green suggests growth and health, purple implies creativity and luxury. Test your palette in both light and dark contexts. Ensure sufficient contrast for text readability (WCAG AA requires a 4.5:1 contrast ratio).
Generate Your Palette
The Color Palette Generator on Zerocosttools creates harmonious 5-color palettes with a single click. Lock any color you love and regenerate the rest. Export as CSS variables, HEX, or RGB. Completely free, no sign-up required.