The main difference between Peach and Apricot is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but they share similar brightness and Peach is more saturated. Peach (#FFCBA4) is a warmer, pinker pastel orange, while Apricot (#FBCEB1) is a slightly cooler, more yellow pastel. Peach leans pink; apricot leans yellow. Both are soft, warm pastels within a few degrees of each other.
Four real design scenarios, with the recommended pick based on hue, saturation, and WCAG contrast.
Peach is more saturated (100% HSL vs 90%) so it reads as bolder and more memorable at logo scale, while Apricot can feel washed out when printed small.
Peach hits a 1.47:1 WCAG contrast against white — safer for text-heavy interfaces — where Apricot only reaches 1.44:1 and risks failing AA at small body sizes.
Apricot is a warm tone that flatters spring/summer collections and warmer skin undertones, while Peach leans warmer and is better suited to autumn/winter layering.
Apricot is the more muted of the two (90% saturation) and sits more calmly on large wall surfaces, while Peach's higher chroma can overwhelm a room when used beyond accent pieces.
Peach (RGB 255,203,164) is a soft pinkish-orange named after the fruit's blush side. It reads as sweet, romantic, and warm — popular in beauty, bridal, and gentle children's design.
Apricot (RGB 251,206,177) is a soft yellow-orange pastel named after the apricot fruit. It reads as warm, mellow, and slightly more neutral than peach — common in autumn palettes and skincare branding.
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.
Each color has a dedicated page with shades, tints, CSS name, pairings, and color psychology.