iWantHue

iWantHue is a palette generator built around the needs of data visualization. It suits data scientists and developers who want to control color separation and carry palettes into code. Its technical controls and formats are a stronger draw than quick, general-purpose palette browsing.

Overview

The generator computes colors in CIE Lab and uses HCL to constrain hue, chroma, and lightness. Users can sort results by color difference, hue, chroma, lightness, or randomly, making refinement practical when a visualization needs a particular ordering as well as a set of colors. This focus on measurable color relationships makes iWantHue a considered choice for chart palettes, but less compelling for people seeking ready-made decorative combinations.

Key features

Palette distribution uses either k-means clustering or force-vector repulsion. A colorblind improvement option helps address accessibility, and JavaScript settings include colorblind distance functions. Those controls give technically minded users useful ways to shape results, though the interface may feel more involved than necessary for a small, informal design task.

Web exports include HEX, RGB, HCL, and LAB JSON, CSS color lists, and JavaScript settings. The npm package supports Node.js and browser use, documents generation in JavaScript, and accepts a seed to reproduce a palette from a data attribute. It also includes precomputed palettes from 2 to 15 colors, including colorblind alternatives. That combination is useful for repeatable development workflows; readers who only need a palette in a single format may not need the package or the broader export choices.

There is a meaningful limit to palette size. When a requested set is too large for the selected color space, some colors may resemble one another, even though the first colors are ordered to be as distinct as possible. The Fancy preset is limited to generic palettes of up to 10 colors because its chroma and lightness ranges are narrow. For a large visualization, users should treat the chosen color space and preset as constraints, not assume every generated color will remain equally distinct.

Pricing

iWantHue is free, with a free plan and no free trial. There are no paid tiers to weigh against the free offering, so its palette controls, exports, and JavaScript package are accessible without a subscription. Users who need a commercially supported service or stated compliance commitments should look elsewhere: iWantHue's product and repository pages make no security or compliance claims. Help and bug reports go through GitHub Issues.

Platforms

The listed platforms are Android, API, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. The documented development route is the web interface or npm package for Node.js and browsers; the package documentation is the clearest fit for developers who want repeatable generation in code.

Who it's for

iWantHue is best for data scientists and developers building data visualizations who need to constrain, sort, export, or reproduce palettes. Its controls are especially relevant when distinct categories matter and the palette must move into a JavaScript project. It is less suitable when the priority is a broad design toolkit or simple palette picking without technical tuning.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Hue, chroma, and lightness constraints plus multiple sorting options give users meaningful control over palette structure.
• Pros: HEX, RGB, HCL, LAB JSON, CSS, and JavaScript outputs support both visual selection and implementation.
• Pros: Seeded JavaScript generation supports reproducibility, while colorblind options help account for accessibility.
• Cons: Large palettes can contain similar colors when the selected color space cannot accommodate the requested count.
• Cons: The Fancy preset tops out at 10 generic colors because of its narrow chroma and lightness ranges.
• Cons: Its emphasis on data visualization and technical controls is a poor match for users who want a straightforward decorative palette tool.

Alternatives

For another browser-based option, Pantone Connect Palette Generator has a free Basic plan with access to more than 15,000 colors and Search, Pick, and Measure tools, plus a free trial. ColorKit is another free web option. ColorPalette Pro offers a free web plan with no ads or subscriptions planned. On Linux, Gpick is free and has no paid plans or usage limits stated. Color Palette Generator AI offers free unlimited generations, every export format, shareable links, and an API without an account. Windows users may prefer Colora, a free, open-source tool under the BSD 3-Clause license. ColorBox is a free, ad-free web and extension option. ColorDesigner has a free plan with ads, 12 free tools, HEX export, and caps on saved colors, palettes, and projects. Browse more options in Color Palette Generators.

Verdict

Choose iWantHue if your work is data visualization and you want perceptual controls, accessible color options, and reproducible JavaScript output without paying. Its main trade-off is that color distinction can weaken as palette size pushes beyond the selected space's capacity. For large sets where every color must remain clearly separated, or for less technical palette browsing, a different tool may be a better fit.