MAGNT
Brand Identity • How-to

Accessible Brand Colors: Simple Contrast Rules

You can have great brand colors and still have a readable website. The trick is using brand colors for emphasis and neutrals for structure—then testing your buttons and links.

Back to Identity & Design Hub Start with palette formulas

The goal (simple)

Your site should be readable for everyone—especially on mobile, in bright light, and for users with low vision. You don’t need to memorize standards. You just need a few rules and a quick test habit.

4 contrast rules you can follow today

Rule 1: Use neutrals for body text

Brand colors can be hard to read for long paragraphs. Neutrals keep text readable everywhere.
Do
  • Use dark neutral for text (e.g., near-black)
  • Use light neutral for backgrounds
Avoid
  • Using your primary color for long body paragraphs

Rule 2: Pick one “primary button” color and test it

Buttons need clear contrast so people can see the label and understand it’s clickable.
Do
  • Use one main CTA color
  • Ensure the button label is readable (usually white or near-black)
Avoid
  • Using multiple CTA colors that confuse what to click

Rule 3: Don’t use light colors for important text

Light text on white/light backgrounds disappears for many users.
Do
  • Reserve light colors for backgrounds, not text
  • Use bold + size to emphasize, not just color
Avoid
  • Light gray text on white backgrounds

Rule 4: “Accent” should be small, not everywhere

Accent colors are for highlights. Overusing accent colors makes the UI noisy and less readable.
Do
  • Use accent for badges, small highlights, icons
  • Keep most of the page neutral
Avoid
  • Accent-colored paragraphs or large blocks of text

Quick checks (no tools needed)

If you only remember one thing: test your CTA button label readability on mobile.

Quick checklist

  • Can you read your primary button label from arm’s length on a laptop screen?
  • Does link text look like a link (contrast + underline/hover)?
  • Does your “muted” text still look readable on mobile?
  • If you switch the page to grayscale, can you still find the CTA?
Next: choose fonts that stay readable

Document your color rules (so they stick)

Add your “button color + label color,” link style, and neutral text colors to your brand guidelines. That prevents accidental readability issues later.

Use the Brand Guidelines Template Back to hub
Vik Chadha - Founder & CEO of Magnt | Serial Entrepreneur | Startup Advisor
Vik Chadha

Founder & CEO of Magnt | Serial Entrepreneur | Startup Advisor

Serial entrepreneur and branding expert. As a serial entrepreneur, he has created 20+ startups and products across various industries, from SaaS platforms to consumer applications. Founder of Magnt, advisor to 100+ startups, and thought leader in AI-powered branding. Helps small businesses create professional brands that rival Fortune 500 companies.

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