Just compared two color palette tools for checking contrast

I was working on a website for a local library and needed to pick accessible text colors. I tried a free online tool first, but it only gave me a pass/fail for WCAG AA. Then I used a different tool that showed the exact contrast ratio numbers and let me adjust colors in real time. The second tool helped me see that a 4.8:1 ratio was much clearer than just passing at 4.5:1 for some users. I ended up changing three colors based on those specific numbers. Has anyone found a tool that's really good for testing color blindness simulations too?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina8341mo ago

Exact contrast ratio numbers" are overkill for most projects. A simple pass/fail check is all you really need to be compliant.

pipergonzalez1mo ago

Remember when my friend's site failed an audit because the ratio was just shy of passing?

john_hunt24d ago

Oh man, I totally get what you mean about those exact numbers making a real difference. I was working on a project last year and bumped a color from 4.5 to 5.1 based on the detailed ratio readout, and the client said their older users found the text way easier to read. That said, for color blindness sims I've had decent luck with the built-in tools in Chrome dev tools for a quick sanity check, lol.