For most creative projects getting your color scheme down by yourself can be difficult, and that’s why online color palette generators are one of the best ways to go!
Regardless of whether you’re a designer, artist, cinematographer, or an amateur just getting started, color palette generators can be a lifesaver.
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Not entirely sure what they are? We’ll explain below in our list of the Best Color Palette Generators 2022.
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What is a Color Palette Generator?
A color wheel or a color palette generator is a program that helps you select a color scheme based on the 12 main colors on the color wheel. These are several different color schemes but the four main ones are Analogous, Monochromatic, Triad, and Complementary.
Other than these four main ones, there are other color schemes like shades, compound, and even user-based schemes that you can pick or curate. If you’re just getting started, our best tools for designers can help you take your design to the next level.
Color schemes are a great way to make any design or creative project you’re working on appear cohesive and attractive to look at. That said, even if you choose not to follow one, selecting or generating a natural color scheme is a great frame of reference to guide your design process.
- Adobe Color CC — The best color palette generator overall (Editor’s Choice)
- Coolers.co — A good generator for comparing color choices
- ColorSpace — Great for viewing a wide variety of color palettes
- Colorhunt.co — The best for choosing preset color palettes
- COLOURlovers — The best color palette exploration tool
- Khroma — An AI color generator
- Paletton — A simple color palette designer
- Dunplab — A good color palette tool for beginners
- Color Mind — A deep-learning powered scheme generator
- Canva — A great Adobe alternative for color section
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10 Best Color Palette Generators in 2022
Below we list the best free online color palette generators in 2022.
1. Adobe Color CC (Editor’s Choice)
Adobe Color CC is probably the best color palette generator online right now. When it comes to selecting colors for your projects, you can get a good number of options to choose from, and with this, you can generate color palettes based on your preference or preexisting ones.
One unique feature of this software is that it allows you to upload images and use them to generate a color palette of your own. What this means is that you can select an image from a photoshoot, stock images, or even modify one from a pre-existing illustration or artwork.
For UI/UX designers that want to work on or design a website that looks cohesive and attractive, this free-to-use tool can be a great one to make use of.
Adobe Software is an industry-standard when it comes to design, if interested you can check out our full Adobe software list or look at some of the best Adobe discounts right now.
Adobe Creative Cloud Discount (Get 65% Off) or Free 7-Day Trial
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Adobe Color is a part of the Adobe Creative Cloud and we have an exclusive discount with Adobe CC that offers up to 40-70% off Adobe’s apps including Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, XD, and more.
Adobe also offers free trials & discounts on their most popular creative software,
- Download a free trial of Adobe Creative Cloud for PC, Mac or iPad now
- Get 65% off Adobe Creative Cloud
Students and teachers are also eligible for a discount on Adobe products.
If you are a current student or teacher you are eligible for up to 65% off Adobe Creative Cloud on their Students & Teachers plan.
If you’re not a student or teacher, you can easily become a student and then save up to 65% off on Adobe’s most popular annual plan, CC All Apps. See the instructions here.
2. Coolors.co
If you’re looking for a great no-nonsense and practical online color palette generator, Coolors.co is a great choice. This simple yet easy-to-use color tool is perfect for comparing and seeing how the different color combinations work when put together.
This software also allows you to create colorblind-friendly palettes so your color palette can work well for everyone! Possibly one of the best color palette generators, this tool allows you to play around with hue, saturation, and brightness to make things easier for you.
This color app also allows you to create collages, save favorite colors, and curate schemes based on images. So if you’re looking for a great and free-to-use color selection tool, Coolors.co is a great option.
3. ColorSpace
When it comes to the best color palette generators, ColorSpace is a great online option for you to try out. This color palette generates a wide variety of palettes based on a specific color code. But not to worry, if you’re not familiar with what you’re looking for, you can select one using their color gradient feature.
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This color selection tool is a great one to pick if you’re trying to see all your options but have your base color in mind. This tool helps you look at more than 25 different color palettes after selecting the color you want to work with.
If you’re a designer looking for a good color scheme to get started on a creative project, this online generator is a great site to get ideas.
4. Colorhunt.co
When it comes to picking color basic schemes and also alternative ones curated by users, Colorhunt.co is a great site to take a look at. This site is one of the best color generators for getting inspiration for new designs. Also, with the large variety, it’s a good place to start when working on new illustrations.
When working with new designs, finding the right scheme can really let your designs stand out, but doing that can sometimes need a fresh pair of eyes. With Colorhunt. co, you’ll get color palettes curated by a wide variety of designers, making sure things don’t feel redundant or repetitive.
5. COLOURlovers
While COLOURlovers is not strictly a color palette generator, it’s a great platform for users to pick out colors and ideas for their new designs. This online platform offers users color palettes or schemes and caters to a large number of designers with its fashion, web content, crafts, digital art, or wedding pages.
COLOURlovers gives you several options to pick or build on depending on what it is you’re going for. So if you’re looking for color palettes, shapes, or even design specific ideas for a mood board or use in your designs, COLOURlovers is an invaluable site to turn to.
6. Khroma
Khroma is an AI-based color generation tool that helps you select a color scheme based on your color preferences. After selecting over 50 of your favorite colors this AI tool generates several options for you to choose from.
Khroma is a color palette generation tool that gives you unique and interesting color choices that are tailored specifically to your personal preferences. Even though it may seem complex, Khroma is a great way to find a new and refreshing color scheme while making sure it’s tailor-made for you.
7. Paletton
When it comes to color palette generators that keep things simple but are easy to work with, Paletton is likely at the top. Paletton allows you to choose from 1 to 4 colors and lets you have a closer look at some of the shades that can be made use of along with these major colors.
This AI tool is a great way to find and pick out complementary shades and find the most suitable hues for your design. Paletton also comes with a randomized tool that can come in handy when you’re working on new design ideas and have difficulty choosing a scheme to get started on.
8. Colormind
Colormind is a color palette generator that uses deep learning, even picking up on color palettes from photos, videos, and popular artwork.
This color generator loads data sets every day, ensuring you have plenty of options to choose from. With this online generator, you can base your color palettes on mainstream visual media or even use a photo of your own to come with a unique and fresh color scheme.
That said, most of the color palettes are either taken from the media or are random. So you can play around with a limitless number of selections you’re given or base it on an image, but basing your scheme around an individual color would have to be manual and with your intuition.
9. Dunplab
Dunplab is one of the best color palette generators online; this site is free to use and lets you pick your shade and then generates 6 different color palettes.
Even though this scheme is limited when compared to many of the others on this list, it allows users to see the different shades a specific color has and play to see how an alternative would look.
This straightforward generator is good for designers and users looking for a starting point in their design or artwork.
10. Canva
When it comes to simple and easy-to-use online software, the Canva color palette generator never fails to deliver. Much like how Canva is a great free alternative to photoshop, Canva is also a great option for those trying to curate and select a color palette for their design.
Even though limited when compared to some of the other options out there, The Canva color palette generator is practical and straightforward to use when you need to pick two or three colors that work well together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a color wheel or color palette generator?
A color wheel or color palette generator is software that enables users to generate a color palette around a specific color or shade. These colors are cohesive or complimentary colors and can be perfect when working on a new design project.
Is Adobe color wheel free to use?
Yes! Adobe Color Wheel is free to use, and users can upload photos or use the color picker to help generate the perfect color combination or scheme.
What is a natural color palette?
A natural color palette refers to colors that are natural in nature, these include green, beige, brown, yellow, and various hues of these colors.
What is a good wedding color palette generator?
When it comes to a good wedding color palette generator, we'd recommend you check out Colorhunt.co or COLOURlovers as these are good wedding color palette generators, and are also great for other festive occasions.
What is a good contemporary color palette?
A contemporary color palette is usually comprised of neutrals, blacks, and whites. Using these colors along with a vibrant or bright color to accent it makes for a great contemporary color palette.
Which are good AI and deep learning-based color palette generators?
What is a good site for finding new color ideas?
Some good websites for creating new schemes or finding new color ideas would be Adobe Color Wheel and Colorhunt.co.
How do you make a color palette?
Making a color palette is simple, it's essentially a combination of colors that either complement one another or balance each other out. The easiest way to go about it would be using color palette generators. However, creating one using base color along with a combination of neutral and complementary colors is usually the way to go.
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10 Online Color Palette Generators for Designers
When it comes down to it, color palettes can really make or break your design. Using colors that clash or that overpower each other can lead to garish and unimpressive design. As a designer, it’s important to generate color palettes that are relevant and cohesive to the overall aesthetic you’re going for.
That said, you now know everything you need to create and make the most of the several tools available for making palettes online, so you’re now well on your way to creating more cohesive and color-aware designs.