Complementary, analogous, monochromatic, split complementary, triadic and square: pick a color and instantly see how each type of palette looks on the color wheel, with its codes ready to copy.
Slide the rainbow or spin any wheel with your finger: all 6 palettes change together.
Not sure which to pick? The more colors and the farther apart on the wheel, the more contrast and the harder to balance.
| Type | Main colors | Contrast | Difficulty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complementary | 2 colors | High | Medium | To make something stand out: a button, an offer, a strong logo. |
| Analogous | 3 to 5 neighbors | Low | Easy | For something natural and calm: landscapes, wellness, home decor. |
| Monochromatic | 1 color | Low | Easy | For something clean and elegant that almost never fails. |
| Split complementary | 3 colors | Medium | Medium | Contrast like complementary, but easier to balance. |
| Triadic | 3 colors | High | Bold | For something cheerful and full of energy: kids, games, parties. |
| Square (tetradic) | 4 colors | High | Bold | For lots of variety: illustration, games, very colorful brands. |
Real palettes for inspiration. Tap a color to copy its code.
The six most used are complementary, analogous, monochromatic, split complementary, triadic and square (also called tetradic). They all come from where the colors sit on the color wheel.
Monochromatic, because it uses a single color in light and dark shades and almost never clashes. Analogous is the next easiest: neighboring colors that look natural together.
Complementary pairs a color with its exact opposite on the wheel. Split complementary swaps that opposite for its two neighbors: there is still contrast, but it is softer and easier to balance.
Let one color dominate (about 60%), use another as support (30%) and the rest only as small accents. With a square palette, adding a neutral like white, gray or beige helps a lot.
It is another name for four color palettes. The square one uses four colors evenly spaced on the wheel; the rectangle one uses two pairs of complementary colors.
We use Google Analytics cookies to understand how the site is used. Is that OK? Learn more