Gradient Palette Inspiration
Here are the most popular gradient color palettes on ColorKit to inspire your next great design.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you use the gradient palette generator?
Pick a start color and an end color, then choose how many steps you want, up to twelve. ColorKit fills in the evenly blended colors between them and shows the hex code for each one. Click any swatch to copy its hex, open the set in the color palette editor to keep working, or hit Export to grab it as CSS variables, a Tailwind config, SCSS, JSON, and more.
What is a gradient palette?
A gradient color palette is a color palette that slowly fades between two colors with a number of steps. For example if you had a gradient color palette going from yellow to red with 3 steps the middle color would be orange. A gradient color palette is a great starting point when making a color palette.
Get inspired with our collection of gradient color palettes.
How is a gradient palette different from a gradient?
A gradient is a continuous, smooth blend, the kind you set as a CSS background. A gradient palette is that same blend sampled into a set number of distinct, solid colors. Reach for a gradient when you want a seamless fade, and a gradient palette when you need individual swatches, like a sequential scale in a chart. Build the continuous version in the gradient maker.
How many steps should I use?
It depends on the job. Three to five steps make a quick, punchy palette. Seven to twelve steps give you a smooth, fine-grained scale that suits data visualization or a full set of UI shades. More steps means smaller jumps between each color.
Can I export the palette as CSS or Tailwind?
Yes. Click Export and switch between Hex, CSS variables, SCSS, Tailwind config, JSON, and RGB, then copy the format you need. You can also open the palette in the editor for more options.
What is a gradient palette good for?
A gradient palette takes the smooth fade between two colors and turns it into a set of evenly spaced, ready-to-use swatches. That makes it one of the most practical ways to build an ordered color set:
- Data visualization: sequential scales for charts, heatmaps, and maps, where each step stands for a value.
- UI shades: a fast set of tints and shades for backgrounds, borders, hover states, and disabled elements from one base hue.
- Design starting points: a harmonious palette you can refine in the editor instead of guessing at colors from scratch.
- Related category colors: dashboards and infographics that need several colors which still feel like one family.
How to pick good start and end colors
The two endpoints decide everything about the result. A few pointers:
- Endpoints close in hue, like blue to teal, give a calm, almost monochromatic feel. Endpoints far apart, like yellow to purple, give a bold, rainbow-like spread.
- Watch the middle. When your two colors sit opposite on the color wheel, the midpoint can dull toward gray. Endpoints that share some warmth or coolness keep the whole blend lively.
- Need ideas? Browse the gradient palette gallery, or start from a smooth background in the gradient maker.
When your palette looks right, copy any swatch, export the whole set as code, or open it in the palette editor to fine-tune.