A Free UIColors Alternative
UIColors (uicolors.app) generates Tailwind CSS color scales and — its signature strength — previews them on realistic UI: cards, dashboards, charts, and gradients, with a freemium model and a Pro upgrade. HexTints is the fully free, no-account counterpart: the official Tailwind v3 palette precomputed with class names, tint and shade ramps for any hex, and WCAG contrast data built into every page.
What UIColors Does Well
From its public page, UIColors is built around seeing colors in context:
- Custom scale generation — create brand, neutral, and status color scales, with quick generation on the spacebar.
- Live UI previews — see a scale applied to cards, websites, dashboards, components, charts, gradients, logos, and headings before committing to it.
- Integrations — an API, a Figma plugin, and a shadcn/ui theme generator.
- A confident pitch — its promise is that every generated palette looks cohesive, so you can pick by mood rather than color theory.
Its page shows a sign-in option and an Upgrade-to-Pro tier; some features, such as custom font selection, are marked as Pro-only. No traditional ads appear on the page.
What HexTints Does Differently
- Everything is free. There is no Pro tier and nothing locked — every tool and all 280+ library pages are open. HexTints's only promotion is a first-party link to the maker's other projects.
- No account, anywhere. There is no sign-in on HexTints at all; nothing is stored server-side.
- Contrast is first-class. WCAG AA/AAA data appears on every color page, and the contrast checker gives pass/fail results for any pair — useful the moment a generated palette has to survive accessibility review.
- Official Tailwind values, precomputed. The library carries the actual Tailwind v3 palette with class names — for example #3B82F6 → blue-500 — rather than approximations of it.
- Simple percentage ramps too. The tint and shade generator and the lightness/hue/chroma scale explorer cover the everyday cases that don't need a full designed scale.
HexTints vs UIColors at a Glance
| Feature | HexTints | UIColors |
|---|---|---|
| Completely free (no paid tier) | Yes | Partial — free with a Pro upgrade |
| No account anywhere | Yes | Partial — sign-in offered; some features Pro-only |
| Custom Tailwind scale generation | Partial — lightness scales for any hex; official palette precomputed | Yes |
| Preview palettes on UI mockups | — ramps and swatches only | Yes |
| Figma plugin and API | — static pages only | Yes |
| Official Tailwind v3 class-name pages | Yes | — not mentioned |
| WCAG contrast data on color pages | Yes | — not mentioned |
| Tint + shade ramps in % steps | Yes | — not mentioned |
The UIColors column reflects what uicolors.app publicly showed when we checked in August 2026; "—" means we did not find the feature mentioned there.
A Real Tailwind Scale, Ready to Copy
Tailwind v3's blue scale, exactly as it appears on the HexTints page for blue-500:
#EFF6FF50#DBEAFE100#BFDBFE200#93C5FD300#60A5FA400#3B82F6500#2563EB600#1D4ED8700#1E40AF800#1E3A8A900#172554950Browse the whole palette in the color library, and check any pairing in the contrast checker before it ships.
When to Use Which
Use UIColors when you're choosing a new brand scale and want to see candidates rendered on real components first, or when your workflow runs through its Figma plugin, API, or shadcn/ui theme generator. Previewing palettes in context is its genuine edge.
Use HexTints when you want everything free with no account, need official Tailwind values and class names instantly, or need WCAG contrast answers as part of the same lookup — without opening another tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is HexTints really free?
Yes — everything, with no Pro tier. There is nothing to unlock: all tools, all 280+ color pages, and the contrast checker are free with no signup and no ads. UIColors offers a free tier too, but its page shows an Upgrade-to-Pro option with some features reserved for paying users.
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Do I need an account to use HexTints?
No. HexTints has no sign-in at all — no login exists anywhere on the site. UIColors shows a sign-in option on its page.
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What does UIColors do better?
Seeing a palette in context. UIColors previews generated scales on realistic UI — cards, dashboards, charts, gradients, headings — and offers an API, a Figma plugin, and a shadcn/ui theme generator. If you are choosing between candidate brand scales and want to see them applied to real components before committing, UIColors does that beautifully.
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Can I get Tailwind values from HexTints?
Yes. The color library precomputes the official Tailwind v3 palette with class names — the page for #3B82F6 identifies it as
blue-500and shows the full 50–950 blue ramp, tints, shades, and RGB/HSL values. -
Does HexTints check WCAG contrast?
Yes. Every color page in the library includes WCAG AA/AAA contrast data, and the dedicated contrast checker tests any two colors with pass/fail results for both levels.
Related tools: color library · Tailwind blue-500 · contrast checker · tint and shade generator
More comparisons: HexColorTool · MakeTintsAndShades · tints.dev · Coolors · ColorHexa