Rust vs Honey: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Rust and Honey is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Honey is lighter and Honey is more saturated. Rust (#B7410E) has an HSL of 18°, 86%, 39%, whereas Honey (#EB9605) sits at 38°, 96%, 47%.

Rust#B7410E

Honey#EB9605

#B7410EBlended: #D16C0A#EB9605

Rust vs Honey: Key Differences at a Glance

Aspect Rust Honey

BrightnessDark (L=39%) — rich, serious, substantialMedium (L=47%) — balanced, versatile

SaturationVivid (S=86%) — bright, energetic, eye-catchingVivid (S=96%) — bright, energetic, eye-catching

Hue familyOrangeOrange

TemperatureWarmWarm

Hex code#B7410E#EB9605

RGB183, 65, 14235, 150, 5

Can you use Rust and Honey together?

Honey text on Rust

Rust text on Honey

Contrast Ratio:2.36:1Insufficient Contrast

How to Tell Rust and Honey Apart

●Look at lightness first: Honey is noticeably lighter.
●Check saturation: Honey looks more vivid and saturated.
●Watch the undertone: the hue shifts 20° between them, which changes the perceived temperature.
●Compare them on a white background to see true saturation, and on black to see true lightness.

When to Use Rust vs Honey in Design

Use Rust for:

●Call-to-action buttons

●Autumn and harvest themes

●Food, citrus, warmth branding

●Youthful energetic campaigns

●Friendly notification badges

Use Honey for:

●Call-to-action buttons

●Autumn and harvest themes

●Food, citrus, warmth branding

●Youthful energetic campaigns

●Friendly notification badges

Rust and Honey Hex Codes, RGB & HSL

Rust#B7410E

Rust (#B7410E) is a dark, vivid orange with a warm undertone — it feels rich, serious, substantial and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX

RGB

HSL

HSV

CMYK

PANTONE

Shades

Tints

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

Rust and Honey 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

Rust text on white

5.56:1AA

Sample text preview

Rust text on black

3.78:1AA Large

Sample text preview

Honey text on white

2.36:1Fail

Sample text preview

Honey text on black

8.9:1AAA

Sample text preview

Rust text on Honey

2.36:1Fail

Sample text preview

Honey text on Rust

2.36:1Fail

Explore Rust and Honey individually

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

Rust color page#B7410E · shades, tints, pairings Honey color page#EB9605 · shades, tints, pairings

More Rust and Honey Comparisons

Rust vs Honey FAQ

What is the difference between rust and honey?+

The main difference between Rust and Honey is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Honey is lighter and Honey is more saturated. Rust (#B7410E) has an HSL of 18°, 86%, 39%, whereas Honey (#EB9605) sits at 38°, 96%, 47%.

Is rust darker than honey?+

Yes. Rust is darker, with a lightness of 39% in HSL compared to Honey at 47% — a 8-point gap.

Are rust and honey the same color?+

No. Rust is #B7410E and Honey is #EB9605. They differ by 20° in hue, 8% in lightness, and 10% in saturation.

Which is more saturated, rust or honey?+

Honey is more saturated. In HSL, Rust has 86% saturation and Honey has 96% — Honey is the more vivid of the two, while Rust reads as more muted.

Is rust warm or cool?+

Rust (#B7410E) is a warm orange. Its hue sits at 18° on the color wheel, which places it in the warm range.

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.

Can you use rust and honey together?+

Yes. Both rust and honey are orange shades, so they pair naturally in a monochromatic palette. Use rust as the dominant color and honey as the accent or highlight.

What color family does rust belong to?+

Rust belongs to the orange family. Its HSL is 18°, 86%, 39% — a warm tone within the broader orange group.

What is the hex code for rust?+

The hex code for Rust is #B7410E. In RGB, that's rgb(183, 65, 14), and in HSL it's hsl(18, 86%, 39%).

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%).