Retool Color Psychology & Meaning
Retool's dark gray and blue is the palette of internal tools — not trying to be beautiful, optimized for people who need to get work done with data fast.
#1B1F23
#3B82F6
#FFFFFF
#9CA3AF
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Retool Color Palette
#1B1F23 · #3B82F6 · #FFFFFF · #9CA3AF
AA
WCAG Grade
6.5:1
Contrast Ratio
2,000
Saves
5,400
AI Copies
Use #1B1F23 as the background. Use #3B82F6 as the primary accent. Use #FFFFFF as secondary. Use #9CA3AF as body text. Palette: Retool.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Retool color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).
| Swatch | Design Role | HEX | RGB | CMYK | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background Luminance: 1.3% | 27, 31, 35 | 23%, 11%, 0%, 86% | 210°, 13%, 12% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 23.5% | 59, 130, 246 | 76%, 47%, 0%, 4% | 217°, 91%, 60% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 100.0% | 255, 255, 255 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 0% | 0°, 0%, 100% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 36.4% | 156, 163, 175 | 11%, 7%, 0%, 31% | 218°, 11%, 65% |
Retool Tints & Shades
Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Retool palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#1B1F23 muted cyan-blue
#3B82F6 saturated blue
#FFFFFF neutral gray
#9CA3AF muted blue
Retool Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)
Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.
| Text on Background | Preview | Ratio | Grade | Safe For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #FFFFFF on #1B1F23 |
Aa Sample Text
| 16.58:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1B1F23 on #FFFFFF |
Aa Sample Text
| 16.58:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #9CA3AF on #1B1F23 |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.53:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #1B1F23 on #9CA3AF |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.53:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #3B82F6 on #1B1F23 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.51:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #1B1F23 on #3B82F6 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.51:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #FFFFFF on #3B82F6 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.68:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #3B82F6 on #FFFFFF |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.68:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #9CA3AF on #FFFFFF |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.54:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #FFFFFF on #9CA3AF |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.54:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #9CA3AF on #3B82F6 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.45:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3B82F6 on #9CA3AF |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.45:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Split-Complementary Scheme
The Retool palette is built using a split-complementary relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A split-complementary palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Retool launched in 2017 and grew to become the leading internal tools builder. The utilitarian dark aesthetic matches the product's philosophy: developers and operators over end consumers.
Best Design Use Cases
Very dark gray for backgrounds. Blue for interactive elements. White for content. Gray for secondary labels.
Industries This Palette Suits
Internal tools, enterprise software, developer platforms, B2B SaaS.
Colors That Pair Well With Retool
Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.
orange
directly opposite #3B82F6 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
blue
30° beside #3B82F6 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
tinted neutral
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Retool Without Breaking Accessibility
- Use #3B82F6 for buttons and links — it scores 4.5:1 against the #1B1F23 background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
- Set body text in #9CA3AF — 6.5:1 against #1B1F23 passes WCAG AA (AA) for long-form reading.
- Don't use #FFFFFF behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Retool Color Scheme
To use this Retool color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.
Option 1: CSS Variables
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Web Design Tip
Use #1B1F23 for the main background and #3B82F6 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #9CA3AF and #1B1F23 is 6.53:1 (AA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Retool Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Retool color palette?
The Retool palette contains #1B1F23, #3B82F6, #FFFFFF, #9CA3AF. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.
Is the Retool color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #FFFFFF on #1B1F23 reaches 16.6:1 (AAA). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.
What colors go well with the Retool palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #F6AF3C, #5A46EC, #ECEDEE extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.
What mood does the Retool palette create?
Retool reads as dark, technical, enterprise. Saturated blue drives the personality, grounded by muted cyan-blue — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Retool color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Retool palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
How do I add the Retool palette to Tailwind or CSS?
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Retool's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.