The main difference between Salmon and Coral is hue — Salmon is a warm red, while Coral is a warm orange. Salmon (#FA8072) is a pinker, softer orange-pink named after the fish's flesh, while Coral (#FF7F50) is a more vivid, orange-leaning pink named after the sea organism. Coral is brighter and more orange; salmon is pinker and more muted.
Four real design scenarios, with the recommended pick based on hue, saturation, and WCAG contrast.
Coral is more saturated (100% HSL vs 93%) so it reads as bolder and more memorable at logo scale, while Salmon can feel washed out when printed small.
Salmon hits a 2.50:1 WCAG contrast against white — safer for text-heavy interfaces — where Coral only reaches 2.50:1 and risks failing AA at small body sizes.
Salmon is a warm tone that flatters spring/summer collections and warmer skin undertones, while Coral leans warmer and is better suited to autumn/winter layering.
Salmon is the more muted of the two (93% saturation) and sits more calmly on large wall surfaces, while Coral's higher chroma can overwhelm a room when used beyond accent pieces.
Salmon is a muted pink-orange (RGB 250,128,114) with more red than orange in it, named after the color of cooked salmon flesh. It reads as soft, warm, and slightly dusty.
Coral is a brighter, more saturated pink-orange (RGB 255,127,80) with stronger orange tones, named after red-orange coral reefs. It reads as tropical, cheerful, and vibrant.
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.