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Honey vs Ochre: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Honey and Ochre is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but they share similar brightness and Honey is more saturated. Honey (#EB9605) has an HSL of 38°, 96%, 47%, whereas Ochre (#CC7722) sits at 30°, 71%, 47%.

Honey#EB9605
Ochre#CC7722
#EB9605Blended: #DC8714#CC7722
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Honey vs Ochre: Key Differences at a Glance

Aspect Honey Ochre
BrightnessMedium (L=47%) — balanced, versatileMedium (L=47%) — balanced, versatile
SaturationVivid (S=96%) — bright, energetic, eye-catchingVivid (S=71%) — bright, energetic, eye-catching
Hue familyOrangeOrange
TemperatureWarmWarm
Hex code#EB9605#CC7722
RGB235, 150, 5204, 119, 34

Can you use Honey and Ochre together?

Ochre text on Honey
Honey text on Ochre
Contrast Ratio:1.43:1Insufficient Contrast

How to Tell Honey and Ochre Apart

  • ●Check saturation: Honey looks more vivid and saturated.
  • ●Compare them on a white background to see true saturation, and on black to see true lightness.

Honey or Ochre: Which to Use and Where

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

◆Branding & logos
PickHoney

Honey is more saturated (96% 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 Honey only reaches 2.36:1 and risks failing AA at small body sizes.

⬡Fashion & apparel
PickHoney

Honey 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 Honey's higher chroma can overwhelm a room when used beyond accent pieces.

When to Use Honey vs Ochre in Design

Use Honey 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

Honey and Ochre Hex Codes, RGB & HSL

Honey#EB9605

Honey (#EB9605) 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
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

Honey 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
Honey text on white
2.36:1Fail
Sample text preview
Honey text on black
8.9:1AAA
Sample text preview
Ochre text on white
3.37:1AA Large
Sample text preview
Ochre text on black
6.23:1AA
Sample text preview
Honey text on Ochre
1.43:1Fail
Sample text preview
Ochre text on Honey
1.43:1Fail

Explore Honey and Ochre individually

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

Honey color page#EB9605 · shades, tints, pairingsOchre color page#CC7722 · shades, tints, pairings

More Honey and Ochre Comparisons

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Honey vs Ochre FAQ

What is the difference between honey and ochre?+
The main difference between Honey and Ochre is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but they share similar brightness and Honey is more saturated. Honey (#EB9605) has an HSL of 38°, 96%, 47%, whereas Ochre (#CC7722) sits at 30°, 71%, 47%.
Is honey darker than ochre?+
No, they're nearly the same brightness. Honey sits at 47% lightness and Ochre at 47% — the difference is only 0 percentage points.
Are honey and ochre the same color?+
No. Honey is #EB9605 and Ochre is #CC7722. They differ by 8° in hue, 0% in lightness, and 25% in saturation.
Which is more saturated, honey or ochre?+
Honey is more saturated. In HSL, Honey has 96% saturation and Ochre has 71% — Honey is the more vivid of the two, while Ochre reads as more muted.
Is honey warm or cool?+
Honey (#EB9605) is a warm orange. Its hue sits at 38° 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 honey and ochre together?+
Yes. Both honey and ochre are orange shades, so they pair naturally in a monochromatic palette. Use ochre as the dominant color and honey as the accent or highlight.
What color family does honey belong to?+
Honey belongs to the orange family. Its HSL is 38°, 96%, 47% — a warm tone within the broader orange group.
What is the hex code for honey?+
The hex code for Honey is #EB9605. In RGB, that's rgb(235, 150, 5), and in HSL it's hsl(38, 96%, 47%).
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%).