Sample Heading
This is sample body text to demonstrate readability at this contrast level.
Small text appears like this
Contrast Ratio
21.00:1
Excellent
WCAG Compliance
AA Normal Text
≥ 4.5:1
AA Large Text
≥ 3:1
AAA Normal Text
≥ 7:1
AAA Large Text
≥ 4.5:1
How to Check Color Contrast
- 1
Enter Your Colors
Type or paste hex, RGB, or HSL values into the foreground and background fields. You can also use the color picker to select colors visually. - 2
Review the Contrast Ratio
The tool instantly calculates the contrast ratio between your two colors and displays a numeric score. A higher ratio means better readability. - 3
Check WCAG Compliance
See at a glance whether your color pair passes WCAG Level AA (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text) and the stricter Level AAA (7:1 and 4.5:1). Each criterion shows a clear pass or fail badge. - 4
Adjust and Refine
If your combination fails, tweak the foreground or background until you reach a passing ratio. Use the swap button to quickly test reversed colors, or try the suggested alternatives the tool provides.
Who Uses a Contrast Checker?
Web Designers & Front-End Developers
Product & UX Teams
Content Creators & Marketers
Compliance & QA Auditors
Why check color contrast?
Color contrast is one of the most impactful yet frequently overlooked aspects of web accessibility. The WCAG contrast ratio measures how much a foreground color stands out from its background, expressed as a value between 1:1 (identical colors) and 21:1 (black on white). Meeting the recommended thresholds ensures that text, icons, and interactive elements remain legible for users with low vision, color blindness, or anyone viewing a screen in bright sunlight.
This free online contrast checker calculates the ratio instantly as you type and tells you whether the combination passes WCAG Level AA, Level AAA, or both. Unlike server-based analyzers, all processing happens in your browser -- nothing is uploaded. If you need to convert a color value before testing, use the Color Converter. For building an entire accessible palette from scratch, the Color Palette Generator can create harmonious schemes that still meet contrast requirements.
Accessible design is not just good practice -- it is often a legal requirement. The ADA, Section 508, and the European Accessibility Act all reference WCAG standards. Running your colors through a contrast checker before launch helps you avoid compliance issues, improves your Lighthouse score, and makes your content available to the widest possible audience. Pair this tool with the Image Color Extractor to pull colors from existing assets, or try the Glassmorphism Generator and Box Shadow Generator to build modern UI effects that still maintain readable text layers.
How It Compares
Many contrast checking tools exist, but most require you to install a browser extension or upload a screenshot. This online contrast checker works instantly in any browser with no installation and no account. It supports hex, RGB, and HSL input, provides real-time results as you type, and flags both AA and AAA compliance at once. Paid design suites such as Figma and Adobe XD include built-in contrast features, but they lock you into a specific workflow and price tier.
Compared to popular free alternatives like WebAIM's contrast checker, this tool adds a live text preview, one-click color swap, and automatic suggestions when a combination fails. Because everything runs client-side, your color data never leaves your machine -- making it safe for proprietary brand palettes and confidential design systems.