Coral vs Burnt Orange: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Coral and Burnt Orange is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Coral is lighter. Coral (#FF7F50) has an HSL of 16°, 100%, 66%, whereas Burnt Orange (#CC5500) sits at 25°, 100%, 40%.

Coral#FF7F50

Burnt Orange#CC5500

#FF7F50Blended: #E66A28#CC5500

Coral vs Burnt Orange: Key Differences at a Glance

Aspect Coral Burnt Orange

BrightnessLight (L=66%) — airy, soft, approachableMedium (L=40%) — balanced, versatile

SaturationVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catchingVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catching

Hue familyOrangeOrange

TemperatureWarmWarm

Hex code#FF7F50#CC5500

RGB255, 127, 80204, 85, 0

Can you use Coral and Burnt Orange together?

Burnt Orange text on Coral

Coral text on Burnt Orange

Contrast Ratio:1.73:1Insufficient Contrast

How to Tell Coral and Burnt Orange Apart

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

When to Use Coral vs Burnt Orange in Design

Use Coral for:

●Call-to-action buttons

●Autumn and harvest themes

●Food, citrus, warmth branding

●Youthful energetic campaigns

●Friendly notification badges

Use Burnt Orange for:

●Call-to-action buttons

●Autumn and harvest themes

●Food, citrus, warmth branding

●Youthful energetic campaigns

●Friendly notification badges

Coral and Burnt Orange Hex Codes, RGB & HSL

Coral#FF7F50

Coral (#FF7F50) 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#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

Coral and Burnt Orange 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

Coral text on white

2.5:1Fail

Sample text preview

Coral text on black

8.4:1AAA

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

Coral text on Burnt Orange

1.73:1Fail

Sample text preview

Burnt Orange text on Coral

1.73:1Fail

Explore Coral and Burnt Orange individually

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

Coral color page#FF7F50 · shades, tints, pairings Burnt Orange color page#CC5500 · shades, tints, pairings

More Coral and Burnt Orange Comparisons

Coral vs Burnt Orange FAQ

What is the difference between coral and burnt orange?+

The main difference between Coral and Burnt Orange is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Coral is lighter. Coral (#FF7F50) has an HSL of 16°, 100%, 66%, whereas Burnt Orange (#CC5500) sits at 25°, 100%, 40%.

Is coral darker than burnt orange?+

No. Burnt Orange is the darker of the two at 40% lightness, while Coral sits higher at 66%.

Are coral and burnt orange the same color?+

No. Coral is #FF7F50 and Burnt Orange is #CC5500. They differ by 9° in hue, 26% in lightness, and 0% in saturation.

Which is more saturated, coral or burnt orange?+

They have nearly identical saturation — Coral at 100% and Burnt Orange at 100% in HSL.

Is coral warm or cool?+

Coral (#FF7F50) is a warm orange. Its hue sits at 16° on the color wheel, which places it in the warm range.

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.

Can you use coral and burnt orange together?+

Yes. Both coral and burnt orange are orange shades, so they pair naturally in a monochromatic palette. Use burnt orange as the dominant color and coral as the accent or highlight.

What color family does coral belong to?+

Coral belongs to the orange family. Its HSL is 16°, 100%, 66% — a warm tone within the broader orange group.

What is the hex code for coral?+

The hex code for Coral is #FF7F50. In RGB, that's rgb(255, 127, 80), and in HSL it's hsl(16, 100%, 66%).

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%).