Map Color Palette Generator
Create professional color palettes for your choropleth and thematic maps. A free ColorBrewer alternative.
Map Color Palette Generator
Rodosto Color Palette Generator is a free online tool that helps you create professional color schemes for choropleth maps and thematic maps. It includes ColorBrewer standard palettes and offers custom palette creation.
Palette Types
- Sequential: For ordered data from low to high (population density, temperature)
- Diverging: For data that diverges from a midpoint (profit/loss, temperature anomaly)
- Qualitative: For categorical data (land use, country boundaries)
How to Use
Select a palette type, adjust the number of classes, and choose from preset palettes or create your own with custom colors. Click on any color swatch to edit individual colors. Export the result as HEX array, CSS, Leaflet style function, or QGIS color ramp XML.
Secure & Client-Side
Just like our GeoJSON Formatter and Coordinate Converter, this tool processes everything entirely in your browser. No data is ever sent to a server.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between sequential, diverging, and qualitative palettes?
Sequential palettes show a one-directional transition from light to dark and are ideal for ordered data (population, elevation). Diverging palettes split from a midpoint in two directions and are suitable for data showing deviation (temperature anomaly, profit/loss). Qualitative palettes use distinct colors for categorical data (land use, administrative regions).
How do I choose colorblind-safe palettes?
Our tool automatically calculates the contrast ratio between adjacent colors for each palette. If you see a green checkmark, the palette is considered safe for colorblind users. Palettes based on blue and orange tones (Blues, Oranges, RdBu) are generally the safest choices for colorblind individuals.
How do I use the generated palette in QGIS or Leaflet?
For Leaflet, click the "Leaflet" button to copy a ready-made style function and paste it into your code. For QGIS, click the "QGIS XML" button to copy the color ramp XML. In QGIS, go to Layer Properties > Symbology > Color Ramp > Edit to import the XML content.
Need a More Comprehensive Solution?
For professional thematic map design, GIS project development, or custom color scheme consulting, contact Rodosto Technology.