Guide to WCAG Contrast Checkers for Accessible Color Design

Finding that perfect color palette for your website is a process — one that involves carefully comparing various color shades against each other until you find that perfect combination. 

But what if all that work was irrelevant? What if people can’t see your color schemes because the contrast is too low? That’s essentially what’s happening when you use inaccessible colors.

Think about it this way: 300 million people worldwide have color blindness — that’s about the same number of people living in the U.S. Another 2.2 billion people worldwide have low vision, making it difficult to see colors clearly. If your colors are inaccessible to this group of users, you’re likely blocking people from interacting with your brand. 

Color contrast isn’t just a design detail — it’s essential for making content readable for people with visual impairments. That’s why the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) sets clear standards around it. Below, we’ll explore those requirements, why they’re important, and how you can test your colors for accessibility and compliance.

WCAG Color Contrast Requirements

WCAG success criterion 1.4.3: Contrast (Minimum) sets specific color contrast ratios to ensure text and other visual elements are readable for people with low vision, color blindness, or other visual impairments. These ratios describe how much lighter or darker one color is compared to another — essentially, how much the text “stands out” from its background. 

Here’s a closer look at the requirements:

• Normal text (under 18pt or 14pt): Normal text should have a color contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. This helps ensure body text, captions, and small UI elements are legible to users.

• Large text (18pt and above, or 14pt bold and above): Text in this category can have a lower contrast ratio of 3:1 at minimum, as larger text is generally easier to read. However, if possible, aim for a contrast of 7:1 to enhance readability.

• User interface components and graphical objects: These also need a 3:1 contrast so users can identify visual elements like buttons, icons, or form fields. 

Color contrast requirements apply to essential content that users interact with when browsing your site. Decorative text, logos, and purely aesthetic graphics — they should all have sufficient contrast ratios to ensure clarity and accessibility.

How to Use a WCAG Contrast Checker to Create Accessible Colors

So, how do you create accessible colors? How do you strike that perfect balance? 

WCAG color contrast checkers.

A color contrast checker is an online tool or software feature that measures the color contrast ratio between text and its background. You simply enter your foreground and background colors — usually by hex code or using a color picker — and the tool will calculate the ratio for you. 

Here’s how to use one:

1. Identify your colors. Pick the foreground color (like text or icons) and the background color it sits on.

2. Input color values. Enter the hex codes or RGB values into the checker, or use a color picker tool to select them visually.

3. Review your results: The tool will display the contrast ratio — for example, 4.5:1 — and usually tell you whether that combination passes or fails WCAG guidelines for different levels (AA or AAA). 

4. Interpret the feedback. Most checkers will clearly tell you whether your color combination passes or fails WCAG standards, often with labels like “Fail,” “AA Pass,” or “AAA Pass.” Some also use ratings like “Poor,” “Good,” or “Excellent” to help you quickly gauge whether your colors are accessible enough.

For example, AudioEye’s Color Contrast Checker quickly checks your color combinations against WCAG guidelines and rates them as “Poor,” “Ok,” or “Excellent.” It also shows whether your colors meet WCAG Level AA or AAA conformance standards, making it easy to see how accessible your colors are. If your combination comes in at “Poor” or “Ok”, AudioEye provides recommendations on how to improve, reducing the need for post-launch rework. 

As you’re testing color combinations, be sure to:

• Test the hover and focus states of buttons, links, and interactive elements to ensure they remain accessible in all scenarios.

• Check text over images or gradients, since even high-contrast colors can become hard to read on complex backgrounds.

• Review your designs on different devices and various lighting conditions, because colors can look very different depending on the screen and environment. 

One thing to note about automated tools: They’re incredibly useful and a great starting point for improving accessibility — but they’re not the whole solution. True color accessibility can’t happen without expert testing, from accessibility experts or users with disabilities. For example:

• A color combination might technically pass WCAG contrast requirements but still be hard for some users because of glare, font weight, or surrounding design elements. 

• Certain backgrounds – like textured or gradients — can make text less legible, even if colors meet contrast requirements. 

The bottom line: a contrast checker is a powerful first step, but pairing it with real-world testing and thoughtful design choices ensures your colors truly work for everyone.

What to Look for When Choosing a WCAG Contrast Checker

As you’re looking at different WCAG contrast checkers, remember: not all tools are created equal. If you’re serious about designing accessible digital experiences, you need a color contrast tool that goes beyond the basics.

Here’s what to look for:

Ease of Use

A good contrast checker will have a simple, intuitive interface. Look for tools that make it easy to input colors — whether through hex values, RGB fields, or a visual color picker — and deliver clear pass/fail results. 

WCAG Version Support

Pay attention to what WCAG version tools are testing against. Opt for a solution that checks against the latest version of WCAG (like WCAG 2.1 or 2.2), as this ensures your designs meet current accessibility requirements. This can also help keep you stay ahead of evolving legal standards or compliance changes.

Simulates Visual Conditions

Some advanced checkers let you test how your color combinations might appear to people with different visual impairments, like various types of color blindness. Testing against these different scenarios can help you catch issues that contrast ratios alone might not show.

Batch Checking

A contrast checker that supports batch checking can save significant time if you’re working on larger projects or complex design systems. This feature allows you to test multiple color combinations at once instead of one by one.

Integration Options

Look for tools that integrate with your favorite design or development software to avoid disrupting your normal workflows. Plugins for apps like Figma, Sketch, or browser extensions can make checking color contrast levels a natural part of your design process. 

Export or Reporting

Some tools offer the ability to export your test results or generate reports that can be shared externally. If you frequently need to show documentation around accessibility efforts or compliance standings, look for a tool with in-depth reporting features. 

Updates

Because accessibility requirements are continuing to evolve, look for a contrast checker that’s actively maintained and updated. This ensures your digital content is tested against the latest guidance and features. 

Top WCAG Color Contrast Checkers to Try

With the capabilities above in mind, let’s look at WCAG contrast checkers that are popular among designers, developers, and other digital content creators.

1. AudioEye

Our free Color Contrast Checker helps you quickly check color combinations against WCAG standards. Simply plug in your text and background colors, and our tool will provide ratings from “Poor” to “Excellent” along with a breakdown of whether you meet Level AA or AAA conformance. Our Contrast Checker is designed to be fast, intuitive, and help you make accessible design decisions with confidence.

2. WebAIM Contrast Checker

WebAIM’s contrast tool is highly popular in the accessibility industry. It allows you to enter hex codes and immediately see whether your color pairing passes WCAG 2.0 or 2.1 requirements for normal and large text. It’s lightweight, reliable, and easy to use.

3. Stark 

Stark is a plugin that integrates directly with popular design tools like Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD, making accessibility checks part of your design workflow. Not only does it test color contrast, but it also includes tools to simulate different visual impairments and flag potential accessibility issues in real-time.

4. Contrast Ratio by Lea Verou

This ultra-lightweight tool from developer Lea Verou is a favorite among developers. Just visit the Contrast Ratio site, input your colors, and it calculates the exact contrast ratio instantly. While it’s not packed with extra features, it’s great for quick checks and has a minimal, simplistic interface.

5. TPGi’s Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA)

If you’re looking for a color contrast checker with more advanced features, the Colour Contrast Analyser from TPGi is a good choice. It’s a downloadable desktop app that tests text over images and evaluates contrast for both normal and large text. It’s especially helpful for QA teams and accessibility audits where precision matters.

Four paint swatches with different color schemes fanned out next to an accessibility symbol.

Beyond Color Contrast: Create Accessible Experiences with AudioEye

Color contrast is so much more than a design detail. It’s a key part of creating digital experiences that everyone can use and enjoy. Ensuring your text and visuals stand out clearly helps people with low vision, color blindness, and other visual impairments navigate your content with confidence and makes your online content even more visually stunning.

Using the WCAG contrast checkers above makes it quick and easy to spot potential issues, keep your design beautiful, and utilize accessible color palettes throughout your online content.

But remember: Color is just one piece of the accessibility puzzle. True accessible design means thinking about everything — from keyboard navigation and assistive technology compatibility and beyond. 

That’s where AudioEye comes in. In addition to our free Color Contrast Checker, our Automated Accessibility Platform helps you detect and fix accessibility issues and achieve industry-leading compliance with WCAG and other accessibility standards. With our three-pronged approach to accessibility, you can easily improve your site’s accessibility — in half the time and at 90% less cost than traditional approaches. 

Ready to get started? Test your color combinations with our free Color Contrast Checker or use our Web Accessibility Scanner to test for additional accessibility barriers. 

Want to see AudioEye in action? Schedule a demo now.