Teal vs Turquoise
Can you tell them apart?
#008080
#40E0D0
Perceptual difference (ΔE): 36.6 — clearly different.
Teal and turquoise are both blue-greens, which is why they get mixed up, but they sit in different places on the scale. Teal is a deep, muted blue-green made by mixing blue with a little green and darkening it — it reads as serious and corporate. Turquoise is lighter, brighter and leans more toward cyan, named after the gemstone it resembles. Put them side by side and teal looks like the shadow that turquoise casts in bright sun.
How to tell them apart
Lightness is the giveaway: turquoise is noticeably brighter and more saturated, while teal is darker and greyer. If it looks like it belongs on a tropical beach, it's turquoise; if it looks like a polo shirt or a spreadsheet header, it's teal.
Color values
| HEX | #008080 |
|---|---|
| RGB | 0, 128, 128 |
| HSL | 180°, 100%, 25% |
| CMYK | 100, 0, 0, 50 |
| HEX | #40E0D0 |
|---|---|
| RGB | 64, 224, 208 |
| HSL | 174°, 72%, 56% |
| CMYK | 71, 0, 7, 12 |
FAQ
- Is teal the same as turquoise?
- No. Both are blue-greens, but teal is darker and more muted while turquoise is lighter and brighter, leaning toward cyan.
- Which is darker, teal or turquoise?
- Teal is darker. Its lightness is much lower than turquoise's.