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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
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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.

Coral or Burnt Orange: Which to Use and Where

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

◆Branding & logos
PickCoral

Coral is more saturated (100% HSL vs 100%) so it reads as bolder and more memorable at logo scale, while Burnt Orange 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 Coral only reaches 2.50:1 and risks failing AA at small body sizes.

⬡Fashion & apparel
PickCoral

Coral 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
PickCoral

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

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

More Coral and Burnt Orange Comparisons

CoralvsRedTanvsBurnt OrangeTealvsCoralRustvsBurnt OrangeNavyvsCoralBurnt OrangevsRustCoralvsRosePeruvsBurnt OrangeCoralvsPinkBurnt OrangevsGreyCoralvsTealAmbervsBurnt Orange

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%).