Butter

Also known as: Faded Yellow, Ecuadorian Banana, Yippie Yellow, Yellowish Tan

Part of the yellow family, Butter pairs a soft base with a cheerful and optimistic presence — ideal for summer palettes and highlights and warnings. A white counterpart from the complementary harmony gives it the most tension. For accessible text, use it on black or near-black backgrounds (19.87:1, passes WCAG AA) rather than white.

Butter color codes

HEX
#FFFF81
RGB
rgb(255, 255, 129)
RGBA
rgba(255, 255, 129, 1)
HSL
hsl(60, 100%, 75%)
HSV
hsv(60, 49%, 100%)
CMYK
cmyk(0%, 0%, 49%, 0%)
LAB
lab(98.1 -12.1 59.4)
OKLCH
oklch(97.5% 0.148 108.9)

Color intelligence

sRGB safe

Displays accurately on every screen and translates well to print.

Temperature

CoolWarm

warm

Nearest standard colors

  • CSS: khaki#F0E68C · ΔE 6.9
  • RAL 1026 — Luminous yellow#FFFF00 · ΔE 7.9 · approximate

RAL values are widely published approximations of the physical standard. For Pantone-adjacent workflows, match by eye against a physical fan deck — Pantone's values are proprietary and device-dependent, so we don't print lookups.

Where Butter works

  • Web & UI: Reads as an interactive accent: fills, hovers, focus rings. Keep body text in a darker neutral.
  • Interiors: Use it where you want the eye to land — front door, built-ins, or one bold wall.
  • Fashion: One garment in this color carries an outfit; two starts to compete.
  • Branding: Commands attention in logos and packaging; balance it with generous neutral space.
  • Web & UI: Use it decoratively — dividers, chart series, illustration accents — and let neutrals carry the type.
  • Branding: Best in a brand's supporting palette — packaging interiors, patterns, campaign accents.

Copy as — every ecosystem

Tints, shades, and tones of Butter

Tints (lighter)

Shades (darker)

Tones (muted)

Color harmonies

Palettes built from Butter by rotating its hue in OKLCH space. Click any swatch to copy its hex code.

Complementary

Analogous

Triadic

Split-complementary

Tetradic

Monochromatic

Contrast & accessibility

Aa — on white

contrast 1.06:1

AA failAAA failAA large fail

Aa — on black

contrast 19.87:1

AA passAAA passAA large pass

Best text color on a Butter background: #000000

Palettes featuring Butter

Butter with its complement

Soft neighbors of Butter

Butter triad

Similar colors

Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Butter is closest to Cloud Break.

Butter FAQs

What color is Butter?

Butter is a light yellow with the hex code #FFFF81. In HSL terms it has a hue of 60°, 100% saturation, and 75% lightness.

What is the hex code for Butter?

The hex code for Butter is #FFFF81. In RGB it's rgb(255, 255, 129), and in CMYK it's cmyk(0%, 0%, 49%, 0%).

What colors go well with Butter?

Butter pairs naturally with white tones from its complementary harmony. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.

Got a photo with a color like this? Identify it with the analyzer — free, instant, private.