CSS Gradient Generator
Create stunning CSS gradients with 45+ beautiful presets or design your own custom linear, radial, and conic gradients. Export to CSS, SCSS, Tailwind, JSON, and SVG formats. All processing happens in your browser for complete privacy.
Sunset Orange
135°
Fire Blaze
45°
Warm Flame
45°
Peach Dream
120°
Mango Pulp
135°
Ocean Blue
120°
Deep Sea
180°
Cool Blues
135°
Frozen Dreams
135°
Aqua Splash
90°
Purple Paradise
135°
Lavender Rose
120°
Cotton Candy
135°
Purple Bliss
45°
Violet Love
135°
Emerald Water
120°
Fresh Mint
135°
Forest Green
90°
Lime Light
135°
Jungle Green
45°
Rainbow Bright
90°
Cosmic Fusion
135°
Electric Violet
135°
Neon Life
45°
Passion Red
135°
Midnight City
135°
Dark Ocean
90°
Dark Knight
135°
Evening Night
180°
Steel Gray
135°
Soft Grass
120°
Cloudy Apple
135°
Sweet Period
135°
Pale Wood
135°
Peachy
135°
Sunrise
0°
Sunset Glow
135°
Dawn Sky
180°
Golden Hour
90°
Twilight
135°
Cherry Blossom
120°
45°
Stripe
135°
Messenger
135°
How to Use
Presets: Browse 44 beautiful gradients organized by category. Click any gradient to copy its CSS code.
Custom: Create your own gradients with the custom editor. Add color stops, adjust angles, and export in multiple formats.
Export: Download or copy gradients in CSS, SCSS, Tailwind, JSON, or SVG format for use in your projects.
What is a CSS Gradient?
CSS gradients are smooth transitions between two or more colors, created entirely with CSS without requiring image files. Gradients add depth, visual interest, and modern aesthetics to web designs while maintaining fast load times and crisp displays at any screen resolution. Unlike images, CSS gradients are scalable, lightweight, and can be easily modified with code.
Modern web browsers support three types of gradients: linear (transitions along a straight line), radial (transitions radiating from a center point), and conic (transitions rotating around a center point). Each type offers unique visual effects perfect for different design needs—from subtle background textures to bold, eye-catching hero sections.
Gradients have become essential in modern web design, used by major brands like Instagram, Stripe, and Spotify. They create visual hierarchy, guide user attention, add dimension to flat design, and establish memorable brand identities. Our generator provides 45+ professionally designed preset gradients plus a custom editor to create exactly what you envision.
Whether you're building a website, designing a landing page, creating marketing materials, or developing a web application, gradients offer an elegant way to enhance your design without sacrificing performance. All gradients generated by this tool are production-ready CSS code that works across all modern browsers.
Types of CSS Gradients
Linear Gradients
Linear gradients create smooth color transitions along a straight line. You control the direction using angles (0-360°) or directional keywords (to top, to right, etc.). Perfect for backgrounds, headers, buttons, and creating depth. Most versatile and commonly used gradient type in web design. Works beautifully for hero sections and card backgrounds.
Radial Gradients
Radial gradients emanate from a center point and spread outward in a circular or elliptical pattern. Ideal for spotlights, glowing effects, vignettes, and creating focal points. Great for call-to-action buttons, badges, and drawing attention to specific elements. Can simulate lighting effects and add dimension to flat designs.
Conic Gradients
Conic gradients rotate colors around a center point, creating a sweeping, pie-like effect. Perfect for creating progress indicators, pie charts, color wheels, and unique geometric patterns. Less common but incredibly effective for specific use cases. Excellent for data visualization and creating modern, distinctive designs.
Common Use Cases for CSS Gradients
Hero Sections & Backgrounds
Create eye-catching hero sections that immediately grab visitor attention. Gradients add depth and visual interest to large background areas without requiring heavy image files. Combine with text overlays for effective landing pages. Perfect for full-width headers, section dividers, and establishing visual hierarchy. Sunset and ocean gradients are particularly popular for this use.
Buttons & Interactive Elements
Make buttons and CTAs stand out with vibrant gradient backgrounds. Add hover effects that shift or intensify gradients for engaging interactions. Gradient buttons feel modern, premium, and clickable. Combine with subtle shadows and transitions for polished, professional interfaces. Particularly effective for primary actions and conversion-focused elements.
Cards & Content Containers
Enhance cards, pricing tables, and content blocks with subtle gradient backgrounds. Use soft, pastel gradients for elegant, professional looks or vibrant gradients for bold, energetic designs. Gradients add sophistication to product showcases, testimonial cards, and feature sections. Layer semi-transparent gradients over images for better text readability.
Text & Typography Effects
Apply gradients to text using background-clip for stunning headline effects. Create Instagram-style gradient text that grabs attention. Perfect for logos, headings, and emphasizing key messages. Gradient text adds a modern, premium feel to typography. Works exceptionally well for brands targeting creative or tech-savvy audiences.
Overlays & Image Masks
Layer semi-transparent gradients over photos to improve text contrast and readability. Create dramatic vignette effects, fade images to solid colors, or add color tints for cohesive design. Perfect for photo galleries, background images with text overlays, and maintaining brand colors across varied imagery. Essential for accessible, readable hero sections.
Borders & Decorative Elements
Create gradient borders, dividers, and decorative accents that add subtle sophistication. Use as progress bars, loading indicators, or separator lines between sections. Gradient borders on cards and containers add premium, modern touches. Particularly effective for dark mode interfaces where subtle color variations create depth.
How to Use Gradients in Your CSS
Basic Linear Gradient Syntax
The simplest linear gradient transitions between two colors at a specified angle:
.element {
background: linear-gradient(90deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%);
}The angle (90deg) sets the direction. 0deg points up, 90deg points right, 180deg points down, 270deg points left. You can also use keywords like "to right", "to bottom", etc.
Multiple Color Stops
Add multiple colors at specific positions for complex gradients:
.element {
background: linear-gradient(
135deg,
#667eea 0%,
#764ba2 50%,
#f093fb 100%
);
}Position values (0%, 50%, 100%) control where each color appears. Omit positions for even distribution, or specify exact positions for precise control.
Radial Gradient Syntax
Radial gradients radiate from a center point:
.element {
background: radial-gradient(circle, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%);
}Use "circle" for circular gradients or "ellipse" for elliptical ones. You can also specify size (closest-side, farthest-corner, etc.) and position (at center, at top left, etc.).
Gradient Text Effect
Apply gradients to text for eye-catching typography:
.gradient-text {
background: linear-gradient(90deg, #667eea, #764ba2);
-webkit-background-clip: text;
-webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
background-clip: text;
}The background-clip property clips the gradient to the text shape, creating the gradient text effect. Widely supported in modern browsers.
Layering Multiple Gradients
Combine multiple gradients for complex effects:
.element {
background:
linear-gradient(rgba(0,0,0,0.3), rgba(0,0,0,0.3)),
linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea, #764ba2);
}Layer semi-transparent gradients for overlays, combine different gradient types, or create intricate patterns. Separate each gradient with a comma.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are CSS gradients better than gradient images?
Yes, CSS gradients have several advantages: they're scalable (look crisp at any resolution), lightweight (no HTTP requests), easily modified with code, animatable, and accessibility-friendly. Images are only better for complex photographic gradients or textures that can't be reproduced with CSS. For most web design use cases, CSS gradients are the superior choice.
How do I create a gradient that fades to transparent?
Use RGBA or HSLA color values where the alpha channel controls transparency. For example: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(255, 0, 0, 1) 0%, rgba(255, 0, 0, 0) 100%) creates a red gradient that fades to fully transparent. This is perfect for image overlays and fade effects. You can also use the "transparent" keyword, though RGBA gives you more control.
Can I animate CSS gradients?
Direct gradient animation isn't well-supported, but you can achieve animated gradient effects using several techniques: animate the background-position of a larger gradient, use opacity transitions between multiple gradient layers, animate gradient colors using CSS custom properties, or use pseudo-elements with transitions. For complex animations, consider using CSS animations with keyframes or JavaScript libraries.
What's the browser support for CSS gradients?
CSS gradients are supported in all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) without prefixes. Older browsers (IE 10 and below) require vendor prefixes (-webkit-, -moz-, -o-) or may not support gradients at all. For maximum compatibility, our generator provides clean, modern CSS that works in 99%+ of browsers used today. If you need to support very old browsers, consider providing a solid color fallback.
How do I use gradients in Tailwind CSS?
Tailwind CSS 3.0+ includes gradient utilities out of the box. Use classes like bg-gradient-to-r (right), bg-gradient-to-br (bottom right), from-blue-500, via-purple-500, to-pink-500 to create gradients. For custom gradients, add them to your tailwind.config.js theme extension. Our export feature provides Tailwind-ready code you can paste directly into your configuration. You can also use arbitrary values with square brackets.
How many color stops should I use in a gradient?
Most effective gradients use 2-3 color stops. Two-color gradients are clean and versatile. Three-color gradients add more visual interest. Using 4+ stops can create beautiful effects but may look busy or overwhelming if not carefully designed. For subtle, professional results, stick with 2-3 colors with good contrast. You can always add more stops for specific artistic effects or to match brand guidelines.
What angle should I use for my gradient?
Popular angles include 90deg (left to right), 180deg (top to bottom), 45deg and 135deg (diagonal). Diagonal gradients (45deg, 135deg, 225deg, 315deg) often feel more dynamic and modern than straight vertical or horizontal gradients. The "right" angle depends on your design context—experiment to see what feels best. Many designers prefer 135deg as it creates natural-feeling shadows and depth.
Can I use gradients for borders?
Yes! Create gradient borders using the border-image property or by using a wrapper element with padding and background clip. A common technique: create a container with the gradient background, add padding equal to your desired border width, and set the inner element's background to match your page background. Gradient borders add sophisticated, modern touches to cards, buttons, and containers.
How do I make sure text is readable over gradients?
Ensure sufficient contrast between text and the darkest/lightest parts of your gradient. Use our Color Picker tool to check contrast ratios (minimum 4.5:1 for normal text). Add semi-transparent dark or light overlays between the gradient and text. Use text shadows for additional readability. Test with real content—what looks good with short headings may not work with longer paragraphs. Consider using white text on dark gradients or dark text on light gradients.
Can I export gradients for use in design software?
Yes! Use our SVG export option to create gradient files that work in Figma, Sketch, Adobe Illustrator, and other design tools. You can also copy the color codes and manually recreate the gradient in your design software. The JSON export provides all gradient information (colors, positions, angles) in a structured format that can be parsed programmatically or used as a reference for manual implementation.
Gradient Design Best Practices
Choose Related Colors: Gradients work best when colors share similar hues or saturation levels. Avoid jarring color combinations unless intentionally creating high-contrast effects. Analogous colors (adjacent on the color wheel) create harmonious gradients.
Consider Color Theory: Warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) create energy and urgency. Cool colors (blues, greens, purples) feel calming and professional. Complement your brand personality and content with appropriate color temperatures.
Test Across Devices: Gradients may appear differently on various screens due to color calibration and display technology. Test on multiple devices to ensure your gradient looks good everywhere. What looks perfect on your Retina display might appear banded on lower-quality screens.
Use Subtle Gradients for Backgrounds: For large background areas, subtle gradients (slight color variations) often work better than dramatic color shifts. They add depth without overwhelming content or competing with foreground elements.
Match Your Brand: Ensure gradient colors align with your brand guidelines. Lock your brand colors in our custom editor and experiment with complementary colors that enhance your identity while maintaining consistency.
Consider Dark Mode: If your site supports dark mode, test gradients in both light and dark themes. You may need different gradients or opacity adjustments for each mode to maintain readability and visual impact.
Related Tools
Explore other color and design tools to enhance your workflow: