Home /Compare /Sandy Brown vs Apricot

Sandy Brown vs Apricot: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Sandy Brown and Apricot is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Apricot is lighter. Sandy Brown (#F4A460) has an HSL of 28°, 87%, 67%, whereas Apricot (#FBCEB1) sits at 24°, 90%, 84%.

Sandy Brown#F4A460
Apricot#FBCEB1
#F4A460Blended: #F8B989#FBCEB1

Sandy Brown vs Apricot: Key Differences at a Glance

Aspect Sandy Brown Apricot
BrightnessLight (L=67%) — airy, soft, approachableVery light (L=84%) — pale, delicate, gentle
SaturationVivid (S=87%) — bright, energetic, eye-catchingVivid (S=90%) — bright, energetic, eye-catching
Hue familyOrangeOrange
TemperatureWarmWarm
Hex code#F4A460#FBCEB1
RGB244, 164, 96251, 206, 177

Can you use Sandy Brown and Apricot together?

Apricot text on Sandy Brown
Sandy Brown text on Apricot
Contrast Ratio:1.41:1Insufficient Contrast

How to Tell Sandy Brown and Apricot Apart

  • Look at lightness first: Apricot is noticeably lighter.
  • Compare them on a white background to see true saturation, and on black to see true lightness.

When to Use Sandy Brown vs Apricot in Design

Use Sandy Brown for:
Call-to-action buttons
Autumn and harvest themes
Food, citrus, warmth branding
Youthful energetic campaigns
Friendly notification badges
Use Apricot for:
Call-to-action buttons
Autumn and harvest themes
Food, citrus, warmth branding
Youthful energetic campaigns
Friendly notification badges

Sandy Brown and Apricot Hex Codes, RGB & HSL

Sandy Brown#F4A460

Sandy Brown (#F4A460) is a light, vivid orange with a warm undertone — it feels airy, soft, approachable and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX
RGB
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HSV
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PANTONE
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Apricot#FBCEB1

Apricot (#FBCEB1) is a very light, vivid orange with a warm undertone — it feels pale, delicate, gentle and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX
RGB
HSL
HSV
CMYK
PANTONE
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Sandy Brown and Apricot 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
Sandy Brown text on white
2.03:1Fail
Sample text preview
Sandy Brown text on black
10.33:1AAA
Sample text preview
Apricot text on white
1.44:1Fail
Sample text preview
Apricot text on black
14.57:1AAA
Sample text preview
Sandy Brown text on Apricot
1.41:1Fail
Sample text preview
Apricot text on Sandy Brown
1.41:1Fail

Explore Sandy Brown and Apricot individually

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

Apricot color page#FBCEB1 · shades, tints, pairings

More Sandy Brown and Apricot Comparisons

Sandy Brown vs Apricot FAQ

What is the difference between sandy brown and apricot?+
The main difference between Sandy Brown and Apricot is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Apricot is lighter. Sandy Brown (#F4A460) has an HSL of 28°, 87%, 67%, whereas Apricot (#FBCEB1) sits at 24°, 90%, 84%.
Is sandy brown darker than apricot?+
Yes. Sandy Brown is darker, with a lightness of 67% in HSL compared to Apricot at 84% — a 17-point gap.
Are sandy brown and apricot the same color?+
No. Sandy Brown is #F4A460 and Apricot is #FBCEB1. They differ by 4° in hue, 17% in lightness, and 3% in saturation.
Which is more saturated, sandy brown or apricot?+
Apricot is more saturated. In HSL, Sandy Brown has 87% saturation and Apricot has 90% — Apricot is the more vivid of the two, while Sandy Brown reads as more muted.
Is sandy brown warm or cool?+
Sandy Brown (#F4A460) is a warm orange. Its hue sits at 28° on the color wheel, which places it in the warm range.
Is apricot warm or cool?+
Apricot (#FBCEB1) is a warm orange. Its hue sits at 24° on the color wheel, which places it in the warm range.
Can you use sandy brown and apricot together?+
Yes. Both sandy brown and apricot are orange shades, so they pair naturally in a monochromatic palette. Use sandy brown as the dominant color and apricot as the accent or highlight.
What color family does sandy brown belong to?+
Sandy Brown belongs to the orange family. Its HSL is 28°, 87%, 67% — a warm tone within the broader orange group.
What is the hex code for sandy brown?+
The hex code for Sandy Brown is #F4A460. In RGB, that's rgb(244, 164, 96), and in HSL it's hsl(28, 87%, 67%).
What is the hex code for apricot?+
The hex code for Apricot is #FBCEB1. In RGB, that's rgb(251, 206, 177), and in HSL it's hsl(24, 90%, 84%).