Red

Also known as: Rainbow’s Outer Rim, Left on Red, Candy Apple Red, Fire Engine

Red sits on the warm side of the spectrum: a vivid red that feels passionate and urgent. Try it in food branding and sale banners. Match it with cyan accents when the design calls for energy over calm. Accessibility-wise, it needs a dark backdrop — 5.25:1 on black clears AA.

Red color codes

HEX
#FF0000
RGB
rgb(255, 0, 0)
RGBA
rgba(255, 0, 0, 1)
HSL
hsl(0, 100%, 50%)
HSV
hsv(0, 100%, 100%)
CMYK
cmyk(0%, 100%, 100%, 0%)
LAB
lab(54.3 80.8 69.9)
OKLCH
oklch(62.8% 0.258 29.2)

Color intelligence

sRGB safeShifts in CMYK print

Displays accurately on every screen. Vivid colors like this typically lose some intensity in CMYK print — request a physical proof for brand-critical work.

Temperature

CoolWarm

warm

Nearest standard colors

  • CSS: red#FF0000 · ΔE 0.0
  • RAL 3026 — Luminous bright red#FF0000 · ΔE 0.0 · 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 Red works

  • Web & UI: Best as a button fill, badge, or accent — pair it with white text only at large sizes, and check contrast.
  • Interiors: Strong for a whole room, excellent in doses: an accent wall, cabinetry, or a statement chair.
  • Fashion: Wears best as the statement piece — a top, scarf, or shoes — against neutral basics.
  • Branding: High-energy brand material: strong for food, fitness, and youth-facing marks — use sparingly in UI.
  • Web & UI: A supporting-cast color for UI: chart fills, tags, empty-state illustrations — not text.
  • Branding: A secondary brand color by nature: it supports a stronger primary and shines in illustration.

Copy as — every ecosystem

Tints, shades, and tones of Red

Tints (lighter)

Shades (darker)

Tones (muted)

Color harmonies

Palettes built from Red 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 4.00:1

AA failAAA failAA large pass

Aa — on black

contrast 5.25:1

AA passAAA failAA large pass

Best text color on a Red background: #000000

Palettes featuring Red

Red with its complement

Soft neighbors of Red

Red triad

Similar colors

Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Red is closest to Oasis.

Red FAQs

What color is Red?

Red is a medium red with the hex code #FF0000. In HSL terms it has a hue of 0°, 100% saturation, and 50% lightness.

What is the hex code for Red?

The hex code for Red is #FF0000. In RGB it's rgb(255, 0, 0), and in CMYK it's cmyk(0%, 100%, 100%, 0%).

What colors go well with Red?

Red pairs naturally with cyan 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.