Dark Cyan vs White — Difference, Contrast & Harmony

Dark Cyannearest vs Whiteexact

#018F86 · #FFFFFF

Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 53/100 (aa large) · Harmony 98/100 (complementary) · Distinguishable 98/100 (easy to tell apart) · Match 0/100 (different). There is no single “good/bad” — a pair can clash for text yet be great for an outfit.

Readability53AA Large

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

AA Large4.0:1

Harmony98Complementary

Complementary

176° apart

Distinguishable98Easy to tell apart

normal

tritanopia

ΔE 58 (57 under CVD)

Match0Different

ΔE 58 — different

How different are Dark Cyan and White?

Dark Cyan and White are very different (ΔE 58). They have near-opposite hues (176° apart) and their lightness is different, giving a clear light/dark split.

Can you read one on the other?

Dark Cyan text on White: 3.98:1 (AA Large); White text on Dark Cyan: 3.98:1 (AA Large). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #00857D clears it.

Common questions

Do Dark Cyan and White go well together?

Complementary — complementary — a recognised, balanced pairing (harmony 98/100). This is about how they look together (clothing, interiors, branding), independent of text contrast.

Is Dark Cyan readable as text on White?

Not at body size — the best direction is only 4.0:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #00857D clears AA.

What is the colour difference (ΔE) between Dark Cyan and White?

Their CIE76 ΔE is about 58 — very different.

Are Dark Cyan and White the same colour?

clearly different colours (ΔE 58).

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