CoolWhite vs White — Difference, Contrast & Harmony

CoolWhiteexact vs Whiteexact

#DAE6E2 · #FFFFFF

Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 6/100 (fail) · Harmony 96/100 (split-complementary) · Distinguishable 41/100 (somewhat similar) · Match 76/100 (different). There is no single “good/bad” — a pair can clash for text yet be great for an outfit.

Readability6Fail

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Fail1.3:1

Harmony96Split-complementary

Split-complementary

160° apart

Distinguishable41Somewhat similar

normal

tritanopia

ΔE 11 (11 under CVD)

Match76Different

ΔE 11 — different

How different are CoolWhite and White?

CoolWhite and White are a clear pair (ΔE 11). They have near-opposite hues (160° apart) and their lightness is similar, so they read as two same-weight colours.

Can you read one on the other?

CoolWhite text on White: 1.28:1 (Fail); White text on CoolWhite: 1.28:1 (Fail). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #6E7976 clears it.

Common questions

Do CoolWhite and White go well together?

Split-complementary — split-complementary — a recognised, balanced pairing (harmony 96/100). This is about how they look together (clothing, interiors, branding), independent of text contrast.

Is CoolWhite readable as text on White?

Not at body size — the best direction is only 1.3:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #6E7976 clears AA.

What is the colour difference (ΔE) between CoolWhite and White?

Their CIE76 ΔE is about 11 — a clear pair.

Are CoolWhite and White the same colour?

clearly different colours (ΔE 11).

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