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Burnt Orange vs Papaya: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Burnt Orange and Papaya is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Papaya is lighter. Burnt Orange and Papaya are often confused but have distinct differences in hue, saturation, and tone. Burnt Orange (#CC5500) and Papaya (#FF9966) each suit different design contexts — understanding their differences helps you choose the right color for your project.

Burnt Orange#CC5500
Papaya#FF9966
#CC5500Blended: #E67733#FF9966
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Burnt Orange vs Papaya: Key Differences at a Glance

Aspect Burnt Orange Papaya
BrightnessMedium (L=40%) — balanced, versatileLight (L=70%) — airy, soft, approachable
SaturationVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catchingVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catching
Hue familyOrangeOrange
TemperatureWarmWarm
Hex code#CC5500#FF9966
RGB204, 85, 0255, 153, 102

Can you use Burnt Orange and Papaya together?

Papaya text on Burnt Orange
Burnt Orange text on Papaya
Contrast Ratio:2.05:1Insufficient Contrast

How to Tell Burnt Orange and Papaya Apart

  • ●Look at lightness first: Papaya is noticeably lighter.
  • ●Compare them on a white background to see true saturation, and on black to see true lightness.

Burnt Orange or Papaya: Which to Use and Where

Four real design scenarios, with the recommended pick based on hue, saturation, and WCAG contrast.

◆Branding & logos
PickBurnt Orange

Burnt Orange is more saturated (100% HSL vs 100%) so it reads as bolder and more memorable at logo scale, while Papaya can feel washed out when printed small.

▢Web UI & body text backgrounds
PickBurnt Orange

Burnt Orange hits a 4.31:1 WCAG contrast against white — safer for text-heavy interfaces — where Papaya only reaches 2.10:1 and risks failing AA at small body sizes.

⬡Fashion & apparel
PickPapaya

Papaya is a warm tone that flatters spring/summer collections and warmer skin undertones, while Burnt Orange leans warmer and is better suited to autumn/winter layering.

▣Interior design & walls
PickBurnt Orange

Burnt Orange is the more muted of the two (100% saturation) and sits more calmly on large wall surfaces, while Papaya's higher chroma can overwhelm a room when used beyond accent pieces.

When to Use Burnt Orange vs Papaya in Design

Use Burnt Orange for:
●Call-to-action buttons
●Autumn and harvest themes
●Food, citrus, warmth branding
●Youthful energetic campaigns
●Friendly notification badges
Use Papaya for:
●Call-to-action buttons
●Autumn and harvest themes
●Food, citrus, warmth branding
●Youthful energetic campaigns
●Friendly notification badges

Burnt Orange and Papaya Hex Codes, RGB & HSL

Burnt Orange#CC5500

Burnt Orange (#CC5500) is a medium, vivid orange with a warm undertone — it feels balanced, versatile and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX
RGB
HSL
HSV
CMYK
PANTONE
Shades
Tints
Papaya#FF9966

Papaya (#FF9966) is a light, vivid orange with a warm undertone — it feels airy, soft, approachable and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX
RGB
HSL
HSV
CMYK
PANTONE
Shades
Tints

Burnt Orange and Papaya WCAG Contrast Ratios

Text legibility depends on the contrast ratio between foreground and background. WCAG 2.1 AA requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text; AAA requires 7:1. Use these numbers to choose accessible combinations for your design.

Sample text preview
Burnt Orange text on white
4.31:1AA Large
Sample text preview
Burnt Orange text on black
4.87:1AA
Sample text preview
Papaya text on white
2.1:1Fail
Sample text preview
Papaya text on black
10:1AAA
Sample text preview
Burnt Orange text on Papaya
2.05:1Fail
Sample text preview
Papaya text on Burnt Orange
2.05:1Fail

Explore Burnt Orange and Papaya individually

Each color has a dedicated page with shades, tints, CSS name, pairings, and color psychology.

Burnt Orange color page#CC5500 · shades, tints, pairings

More Burnt Orange and Papaya Comparisons

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Burnt Orange vs Papaya FAQ

What is the difference between burnt orange and papaya?+
The main difference between Burnt Orange and Papaya is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Papaya is lighter. Burnt Orange and Papaya are often confused but have distinct differences in hue, saturation, and tone. Burnt Orange (#CC5500) and Papaya (#FF9966) each suit different design contexts — understanding their differences helps you choose the right color for your project.
Is burnt orange darker than papaya?+
Yes. Burnt Orange is darker, with a lightness of 40% in HSL compared to Papaya at 70% — a 30-point gap.
Are burnt orange and papaya the same color?+
No. Burnt Orange is #CC5500 and Papaya is #FF9966. They differ by 5° in hue, 30% in lightness, and 0% in saturation.
Which is more saturated, burnt orange or papaya?+
They have nearly identical saturation — Burnt Orange at 100% and Papaya at 100% in HSL.
Is burnt orange warm or cool?+
Burnt Orange (#CC5500) is a warm orange. Its hue sits at 25° on the color wheel, which places it in the warm range.
Is papaya warm or cool?+
Papaya (#FF9966) is a warm orange. Its hue sits at 20° on the color wheel, which places it in the warm range.
Can you use burnt orange and papaya together?+
Yes. Both burnt orange and papaya are orange shades, so they pair naturally in a monochromatic palette. Use burnt orange as the dominant color and papaya as the accent or highlight.
What color family does burnt orange belong to?+
Burnt Orange belongs to the orange family. Its HSL is 25°, 100%, 40% — a warm tone within the broader orange group.
What is the hex code for burnt orange?+
The hex code for Burnt Orange is #CC5500. In RGB, that's rgb(204, 85, 0), and in HSL it's hsl(25, 100%, 40%).
What is the hex code for papaya?+
The hex code for Papaya is #FF9966. In RGB, that's rgb(255, 153, 102), and in HSL it's hsl(20, 100%, 70%).