Free tool
Hex to Pantone, CMYK, RGB and HSL
Type a color in any format and the others follow, with the nearest Pantone inks for coated and uncoated paper. Free, with no sign-up.
CMYK here is a quick formula, not a print recipe. A printer’s profile for their press and paper can give very different numbers, so send them the hex or Pantone and ask for a proof.
Nearest Pantone Approximate
Found by comparing your color with each ink’s published screen color, so treat these as a starting point and check a printed Pantone guide before you send artwork to print. PANTONE® is a trademark of Pantone LLC; BrandTab isn’t affiliated with Pantone.
Keep it with your brand
Collect your brand’s colors here, then save them to a free BrandTab brand, with every format one click away.
Screen color, print color, and why they differ
- HEX, RGB and HSL
- Three ways to write the same screen color. HEX is RGB in shorthand, the form websites and design apps use. HSL describes it as hue, saturation and lightness, which makes tints and shades easy to reason about.
- CMYK
- How a printer builds color from cyan, magenta, yellow and black dots. Screens show far more vivid colors than ink can, so bright blues, greens and oranges print duller. The numbers here come from a quick formula. A printer converts with a profile made for their press and paper, which can give very different numbers.
- Pantone
- A spot ink mixed to a recipe before it goes on the press, so it prints the same everywhere. Brands use it for logos, packaging, signs and merch. Each ink has a published screen color, which is what your color is compared against.
- Coated or uncoated
- The same ink looks different on different paper. C inks are for glossy or silk paper, U inks for matte, porous paper, where colors print softer. If you print on both, keep both numbers in your brand kit.
Questions, answered
How do I convert hex to Pantone?
Type or paste your hex code into the HEX field. The converter compares it with every Pantone solid ink and lists the three that look closest, for coated (C) or uncoated (U) paper. Check your favorite against a printed Pantone guide, then add it to your brand colors.
Is the Pantone match exact?
No converter can be exact. A screen makes color from light, Pantone ink is pigment on paper, and many screen colors have no matching ink at all. You get the closest inks on screen, and the ΔE number says how close: under 1 looks the same, 2 to 3 is close, and over 5 is a difference most people notice.
What does PMS mean?
PMS is the Pantone Matching System, the numbered library of spot inks that printers mix to order. “Hex to PMS” and “hex to Pantone” are the same question.
How do I convert hex to CMYK?
Type the hex code and read the CMYK row. It’s a quick formula, good for a rough idea, not a print recipe. Design apps and printers convert with a color profile for the press and paper, and that can give very different numbers, most of all for dark and muted colors. For print that has to match, give your printer the hex or Pantone value and ask for a proof.
Why do my printed colors look duller than on screen?
Screens can show brighter, more saturated colors than CMYK inks can print. Vivid blues, greens, oranges and pinks shift the most. If a bright brand color matters, a Pantone spot ink usually gets closer than CMYK.
Which color values should a brand kit include?
HEX for the web, RGB for screens and video, CMYK for everyday print, and a Pantone number if you print logos, packaging or merch. Our free brand kit checklist covers everything else a kit needs.
What do AA and AAA mean on the swatch?
They’re the WCAG contrast levels for text on your color. AA (4.5 to 1) is the minimum for body text and AAA (7 to 1) is better still. “Large text” means the pair only works for big headings.
Is it free? Do I need an account?
It’s free, with no account and no limits. Your palette stays in your browser. To keep your colors with your logos and fonts, save them to a free BrandTab brand.
Made by BrandTab
Every color, one click from your clipboard.
BrandTab keeps each brand’s colors, logos, fonts and copy together. Press ⌘K, or open the free Mac menu bar app, and copy any of them into whatever you’re working on.
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