Magenta vs Pink

Magenta and Pink are both pinks, but they are not the same color: the measured difference between their classic values is ΔE 31.6, clearly different colors.

Magenta

RGB: 255, 0, 255
HSL: 300, 100%, 50%
OKLCH: 70.2% 0.322 328.4

Temperature: neutral, leaning warm

Closest encyclopedia entry: Magenta

Pink

RGB: 255, 192, 203
HSL: 350, 100%, 88%
OKLCH: 86.8% 0.074 7.1

Temperature: warm

Closest encyclopedia entry: Pink

Measured difference: ΔE 31.6 · clearly different colors. ΔE is a measure of perceived color difference; below 2.3 most people can't tell colors apart.

Guide

How to tell Magenta and Pink apart

1 Pink is measurably lighter (17 points of OKLCH lightness). Squint: the one that survives is Magenta.
2 Magenta carries more chroma, so it reads more saturated. Pink looks grayer in direct comparison.
3 Temperature splits them: Magenta reads neutral, leaning warm while Pink reads warm.
4 Their hues sit 39 degrees apart on the wheel. Put them on white side by side and the hue gap is the first thing you see.

Guide

When to use which

Magenta is a surface color: it needs a dark background before it can carry text.

Pink is a surface color: it needs a dark background before it can carry text.

Palettes

Their palettes, side by side

Magenta complementary palette

Pink complementary palette

Magenta analogous palette

Pink analogous palette

FAQ

FAQs

Are Magenta and Pink the same color?

No. Using their classic reference values, they differ by ΔE 31.6 (a measure of perceived color difference; below 2.3 most people can't tell colors apart). That makes them clearly different colors.

Which is darker, Magenta or Pink?

Magenta is darker: 17 points lower in OKLCH lightness than Pink.