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Coral vs Ochre: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Coral and Ochre is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Coral is lighter and Coral is more saturated. Coral (#FF7F50) has an HSL of 16°, 100%, 66%, whereas Ochre (#CC7722) sits at 30°, 71%, 47%.

Coral#FF7F50
Ochre#CC7722
#FF7F50Blended: #E67B39#CC7722
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Coral vs Ochre: Key Differences at a Glance

Aspect Coral Ochre
BrightnessLight (L=66%) — airy, soft, approachableMedium (L=47%) — balanced, versatile
SaturationVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catchingVivid (S=71%) — bright, energetic, eye-catching
Hue familyOrangeOrange
TemperatureWarmWarm
Hex code#FF7F50#CC7722
RGB255, 127, 80204, 119, 34

Can you use Coral and Ochre together?

Ochre text on Coral
Coral text on Ochre
Contrast Ratio:1.35:1Insufficient Contrast

How to Tell Coral and Ochre Apart

  • ●Look at lightness first: Coral is noticeably lighter.
  • ●Check saturation: Coral looks more vivid and saturated.
  • ●Watch the undertone: the hue shifts 14° between them, which changes the perceived temperature.
  • ●Compare them on a white background to see true saturation, and on black to see true lightness.

Coral or Ochre: 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 71%) so it reads as bolder and more memorable at logo scale, while Ochre can feel washed out when printed small.

▢Web UI & body text backgrounds
PickOchre

Ochre hits a 3.37:1 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 Ochre leans warmer and is better suited to autumn/winter layering.

▣Interior design & walls
PickOchre

Ochre is the more muted of the two (71% saturation) and sits more calmly on large wall surfaces, while Coral's higher chroma can overwhelm a room when used beyond accent pieces.

When to Use Coral vs Ochre in Design

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

Coral and Ochre 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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Tints
Ochre#CC7722

Ochre (#CC7722) 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 Ochre 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
Ochre text on white
3.37:1AA Large
Sample text preview
Ochre text on black
6.23:1AA
Sample text preview
Coral text on Ochre
1.35:1Fail
Sample text preview
Ochre text on Coral
1.35:1Fail

Explore Coral and Ochre individually

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

Coral color page#FF7F50 · shades, tints, pairingsOchre color page#CC7722 · shades, tints, pairings

More Coral and Ochre Comparisons

CoralvsRedTanvsOchreTealvsCoralRustvsOchreNavyvsCoralPeruvsOchreCoralvsRoseSandvsOchreCoralvsPinkPeachvsOchreCoralvsTealHoneyvsOchre

Coral vs Ochre FAQ

What is the difference between coral and ochre?+
The main difference between Coral and Ochre is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Coral is lighter and Coral is more saturated. Coral (#FF7F50) has an HSL of 16°, 100%, 66%, whereas Ochre (#CC7722) sits at 30°, 71%, 47%.
Is coral darker than ochre?+
No. Ochre is the darker of the two at 47% lightness, while Coral sits higher at 66%.
Are coral and ochre the same color?+
No. Coral is #FF7F50 and Ochre is #CC7722. They differ by 14° in hue, 19% in lightness, and 29% in saturation.
Which is more saturated, coral or ochre?+
Coral is more saturated. In HSL, Coral has 100% saturation and Ochre has 71% — Coral is the more vivid of the two, while Ochre reads as more muted.
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 ochre warm or cool?+
Ochre (#CC7722) is a warm orange. Its hue sits at 30° on the color wheel, which places it in the warm range.
Can you use coral and ochre together?+
Yes. Both coral and ochre are orange shades, so they pair naturally in a monochromatic palette. Use ochre 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 ochre?+
The hex code for Ochre is #CC7722. In RGB, that's rgb(204, 119, 34), and in HSL it's hsl(30, 71%, 47%).