The 40 Best Website Color Schemes to Increase Engagement in 2024

As a marketer or business owner, you know your website is one of your most powerful tools for attracting and engaging potential customers. But did you know that your site‘s color scheme plays a huge role in how users perceive and interact with your brand?

In fact, research shows that color is one of the main factors influencing online purchase decisions, with 85% of shoppers citing color as the primary reason they buy a particular product. Additionally, a study by WebPageFX found that people make a subconscious judgment about a product within 90 seconds of initial viewing, and up to 90% of that assessment is based on color alone.

Clearly, website color choice goes way beyond simple aesthetics – it can have a real impact on your site‘s effectiveness and bottom line. That‘s why it‘s so important to be strategic and intentional when selecting a color palette for your site.

To help inspire you, we‘ve rounded up 40 stellar examples of websites with impressive and impactful color schemes. We‘ll walk through what makes these palettes work, break down different color scheme types, and provide tips and resources for choosing the perfect colors for your own site.

Monochromatic Magic

Monochromatic color schemes use a single base color, with varying shades, tints and tones used throughout the design. This creates a clean, cohesive look that‘s easy on the eyes. While monochromatic designs run the risk of looking bland, these examples use vibrant base colors and plenty of contrast to keep things interesting.

1. Spotify

Hex Codes: #1DB954, #191414, #FFFFFF

The bold, bright green in Spotify‘s logo and call-to-action buttons pops against the black and white backdrops, creating an energetic, modern vibe that perfectly suits the music streaming brand.

2. Lyft

Hex Codes: #FF00BF, #352384, #FFFFFF

The neon pink used throughout Lyft‘s site is attention-grabbing yet playful, setting them apart from competitor Uber‘s more understated black and white look. Prominent CTAs in white ensure high contrast and legibility.

3. Asana

Hex Codes: #5034FF, #EBF2FF, #FFFFFF

Asana‘s website makes ample use of their bold, distinctive purple hue with lighter tints used for backgrounds and gradients. The end result is polished and professional without feeling stuffy.

Analagous Harmony

Analogous color schemes use three colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel, creating natural, harmonious palettes that are pleasing to the eye. Blue and green is a popular analogous combo, as seen in several of our examples.

1. Airbnb

Hex Codes: #FF5A5F, #008489, #484848

Airbnb‘s primary brand colors of soft teal and coral are analogous pairings that feel warm and inviting. The pop of coral encourages users to take action.

2. Evernote

Hex Codes: #00A82D, #2DBE60, #FFFFFF

Evernote‘s various shades of green are calming and easy on the eyes – fitting for a productivity tool. Ample white space keeps the greens from feeling overwhelming.

3. Freshbooks

Hex Codes: #0075DD, #2AAB8F, #FFFFFF

The multiple teal hues in Freshbooks‘ palette pair nicely with the lighter blue, creating a sense of credibility and trustworthiness – important for a financial software brand.

Complementary Contrast

Complementary color schemes are made up of two colors directly across from each other on the color wheel, like blue and orange or red and green. The high contrast is eye-catching and dynamic, though it must be balanced carefully so as not to strain the eyes.

1. Firefox

Hex Codes: #FF4C0F, #000000, #FFFFFF

Firefox‘s signature orange fox logo packs a punch atop the mainly black and white backdrop. The hint of blue used as an accent adds further contrast and visual interest.

2. Basecamp

Hex Codes: #1D2D35, #FF8D42, #FFFFFF

Basecamp‘s deep teal and bright orange are a striking complementary pair that demands attention. The white text and ample negative space balance out the intensity and improve readability.

3. Duolingo

Hex Codes: #78C800, #DF4D10, #59CDFF

Duolingo‘s green owl mascot is well-contrasted by orange CTAs, with the softer blue adding a playful third accent color. The overall effect is inviting and approachable.

Split Complementary

A split complementary scheme involves pairing a primary color with the two colors on either side of its complement. The result retains the visual contrast of a complementary scheme but with more nuance and variety.

1. Mailchimp

Hex Codes: #FFE01B, #007C89, #CADBEE, #000000

Mailchimp‘s signature yellow is complemented by an aqua blue and soft purple, which are split complements. The dark text on white keeps the palette grounded.

2. Trello

Hex Codes: #0079BF, #EB5A46, #F2D600

Trello‘s blue primary color is offset by orange and yellow split-complements. These warm hues are used sparingly to highlight important information and CTAs.

3. Intercom

Hex Codes: #1F8DED, #DA6666, #6DC066

Intercom‘s bright blue, green and red accents offer plenty of contrast against the white background. Cool tones are used for larger color blocks while warmer hues draw attention to key content.

Accessible Palettes

When choosing colors, it‘s vital to consider accessibility for users with visual impairments or color vision deficiencies. These sites prove you can create beautiful, impactful palettes while still meeting accessibility guidelines.

1. Chase Bank

Hex Codes: #0037A0, #EEEEEE, #333333

Chase‘s deep blue and clean white provide sufficient color contrast to meet WCAG AAA standards. The simple palette and clear visual hierarchy enhance usability for all.

2. WebMD

Hex Codes: #0091EA, #005280, #79CCEE

WebMD‘s shades of blue convey professionalism and trust, and each has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 with the white text, meeting WCAG AA requirements. The limited palette keeps the focus on content.

3. AIGA

Hex Codes: #EC1C2E, #293890, #000000, #FFFFFF

The American Institute of Graphic Arts keeps their palette simple and bold with red, blue, black and white. The colors pass WCAG contrast guidelines while capturing the creative spirit of the org.

The Future of Color

As we look towards the future of web design, it‘s clear that color will continue to play a pivotal role in how brands express themselves and connect with their audiences online. However, we predict the ways in which color is used will evolve:

Gradients: Gradients have made a big comeback in recent years, with brands using soft color transitions to add depth and interest to flat designs. Two-tone gradients are especially popular.

Duotones: Duotone palettes, made of one dominant color and a contrasting accent hue, are a striking, modern way to use color. The Spotify example above follows a loose duotone pattern.

Dark Mode: As device screens improve and people spend more time online, demand for "dark mode" or low-light website versions has grown. Building a dark color palette into your site improves accessibility.

Accessibility First: Gone are the days of choosing colors based solely on aesthetic preferences. Web brands of the future will make accessibility a key priority from the start when developing their palettes.

Choosing Your Own Website Colors

Feeling inspired to give your site‘s color scheme a refresh? Follow these steps to create a palette that looks great and supports your business goals:

1. Consider your audience: Who are you trying to reach, and what colors are they drawn to? Different colors appeal to different demographics.

2. Reflect your brand personality: Your color choices should embody your brand‘s traits and values. A corporate law firm, a kid‘s toy store, and a wellness retreat will likely have very different palettes.

3. Prioritize accessibility: Check your color contrast and run your palette through simulations of various types of color blindness. Avoid low-contrast pairings like red/green or blue/yellow.

4. Keep it simple: Limit your palette to 2-4 primary colors, with additional shades and tints for accents. Too many hues will look cluttered and confusing.

5. Test and iterate: Don‘t be afraid to experiment with different options. Use A/B testing to see how users respond to various palettes.

Color Resources & Tools

Ready to start building beautiful, high-converting color palettes? Check out these handy tools:

• Adobe Color: Create and save custom color schemes with this interactive tool.
• Color Safe: Generates accessible color palettes based on WCAG guidelines.
• Canva Color Palette Generator: Upload an inspiration image to pull colors from.
• ColorBox by Lyft: See how your color scheme looks in different environments and lighting conditions.
• Colorable: Check the contrast ratio between any two colors.

Go Forth and Color

Effective color usage has the power to take your website from bland to irresistible, forgettable to memorable. By studying the brands that use color in innovative, audience-focused ways and following best practices for accessible, goal-oriented color selection, you‘ll be well on your way to delighting your users and moving the needle for your business.

So get out there and start coloring your corner of the web! Your audience (and your conversion rates) will thank you.