Alternatives to Pastel

Generate, convert and manipulate colors from the command line. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Pastel.

  • Color Hexa

    A web color encyclopedia with conversions, schemes, shades and colorblind simulation for any color.

    FreeProprietaryWeb

    Color Hexa moves color conversion, schemes and shades to a free website with colorblind simulation, but it is not open source.

  • HTML Color Codes

    A web color picker and reference for Hex, RGB, HSL and OKLCH color codes.

    FreeProprietaryWeb

    HTML Color Codes is a web picker converting Hex, RGB, HSL and OKLCH with image extraction, replacing the terminal with a graphical page.

  • Gpick

    An open-source desktop color picker and palette editor written in C++ with the GTK toolkit.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsLinux

    Gpick is an open-source graphical desktop picker and palette editor for Windows and Linux instead of a command-line tool.

  • OKLCH Color Picker

    A web color picker and converter for the OKLCH color space with P3 and Rec2020 views.

    FreeOpen sourceWeb

    OKLCH Color Picker is an open-source web converter focused on OKLCH with gamut views, working on one color at a time in a browser.

Also worth comparing

These listings name Pastel as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • Encycolorpedia

    Color reference website with hex codes, a color picker, color space conversions and paint matching.

    FreemiumProprietaryWeb

    Pastel moves color lookup and conversion to an open-source command-line tool for Windows, macOS and Linux, without paint matching or a web directory.

  • Eyedropper

    A GNOME app for picking colors from the screen and viewing them in many color formats.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    Pastel is an open-source command-line tool for Windows, macOS and Linux that converts and manipulates colors in a terminal rather than a GUI.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.