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Lime vs Coral: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Lime and Coral is hue — Lime is a cool-leaning green, while Coral is a warm red. Lime and Coral are often confused but have distinct differences in hue, saturation, and tone. Lime (#00FF00) and Coral (#FF6B6B) each suit different design contexts — understanding their differences helps you choose the right color for your project.

Lime#00FF00
Coral#FF6B6B
#00FF00Blended: #80B536#FF6B6B
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Lime vs Coral: Key Differences at a Glance

Aspect Lime Coral
BrightnessMedium (L=50%) — balanced, versatileLight (L=71%) — airy, soft, approachable
SaturationVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catchingVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catching
Hue familyGreenRed
TemperatureCool-leaningWarm
Hex code#00FF00#FF6B6B
RGB0, 255, 0255, 107, 107

Can you use Lime and Coral together?

Coral text on Lime
Lime text on Coral
Contrast Ratio:2.02:1Insufficient Contrast

How to Tell Lime and Coral Apart

  • ●Look at lightness first: Coral is noticeably lighter.
  • ●Watch the undertone: the hue shifts 120° between them, which changes the perceived temperature.
  • ●Compare them on a white background to see true saturation, and on black to see true lightness.

Lime or Coral: Which to Use and Where

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

◆Branding & logos
PickLime

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

▢Web UI & body text backgrounds
PickCoral

Coral hits a 2.78:1 WCAG contrast against white — safer for text-heavy interfaces — where Lime only reaches 1.37:1 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 Lime leans cooler and is better suited to autumn/winter layering.

▣Interior design & walls
PickLime

Lime is the more muted of the two (100% 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 Lime vs Coral in Design

Use Lime for:
●Eco, nature, wellness brands
●Finance, success, growth
●Go-states and confirmations
●Food and garden products
●Calm, grounded UI surfaces
Use Coral for:
●Alerts, errors, stop states
●Sale & promotion banners
●Food and beverage packaging
●Sports and energy branding
●Romantic & bold fashion

Lime and Coral Hex Codes, RGB & HSL

Lime#00FF00

Lime (#00FF00) is a medium, vivid green with a cool-leaning undertone — it feels balanced, versatile and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX
RGB
HSL
HSV
CMYK
PANTONE
Shades
Tints
Coral#FF6B6B

Coral (#FF6B6B) is a light, vivid red with a warm undertone — it feels airy, soft, approachable and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX
RGB
HSL
HSV
CMYK
PANTONE
Shades
Tints

Lime and Coral 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
Lime text on white
1.37:1Fail
Sample text preview
Lime text on black
15.3:1AAA
Sample text preview
Coral text on white
2.78:1Fail
Sample text preview
Coral text on black
7.57:1AAA
Sample text preview
Lime text on Coral
2.02:1Fail
Sample text preview
Coral text on Lime
2.02:1Fail

Explore Lime and Coral individually

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

Lime color page#00FF00 · shades, tints, pairingsCoral color page#FF6B6B · shades, tints, pairings

More Lime and Coral Comparisons

MintvsLimeCoralvsRedLimevsNavyTealvsCoralLemonvsLimeNavyvsCoralGreenvsLimeCoralvsRoseCoralvsPinkLimevsPurpleCoralvsTealSeafoamvsLime

Lime vs Coral FAQ

What is the difference between lime and coral?+
The main difference between Lime and Coral is hue — Lime is a cool-leaning green, while Coral is a warm red. Lime and Coral are often confused but have distinct differences in hue, saturation, and tone. Lime (#00FF00) and Coral (#FF6B6B) each suit different design contexts — understanding their differences helps you choose the right color for your project.
Is lime darker than coral?+
Yes. Lime is darker, with a lightness of 50% in HSL compared to Coral at 71% — a 21-point gap.
Are lime and coral the same color?+
No. Lime is #00FF00 and Coral is #FF6B6B. They differ by 120° in hue, 21% in lightness, and 0% in saturation.
Which is more saturated, lime or coral?+
They have nearly identical saturation — Lime at 100% and Coral at 100% in HSL.
Is lime warm or cool?+
Lime (#00FF00) is a cool-leaning green. Its hue sits at 120° on the color wheel, which places it in the cool-leaning range.
Is coral warm or cool?+
Coral (#FF6B6B) is a warm red. Its hue sits at 0° on the color wheel, which places it in the warm range.
Can you use lime and coral together?+
Yes. Lime (green) and Coral (red) can work as a complementary or analogous pair. Use one as the dominant tone and the other as a 10–20% accent to keep the palette balanced.
What color family does lime belong to?+
Lime belongs to the green family. Its HSL is 120°, 100%, 50% — a cool-leaning tone within the broader green group.
What is the hex code for lime?+
The hex code for Lime is #00FF00. In RGB, that's rgb(0, 255, 0), and in HSL it's hsl(120, 100%, 50%).
What is the hex code for coral?+
The hex code for Coral is #FF6B6B. In RGB, that's rgb(255, 107, 107), and in HSL it's hsl(0, 100%, 71%).