Play Hexcodle if you want to learn hex codes: you get five tries to type a color's six digit code, with arrows telling you which characters to raise or lower. Play Color Guesser if you would rather work by eye than by numbers: you see a color's name, build the color on a picker, and get a score for how close you land.
We make Color Guesser, so this is not a neutral review. Everything about Hexcodle below comes from hexcodle.com and its how to play guide as of October 2026, and we point out where it does things better.
At a Glance
Hexcodle details are as of October 2026.
| Hexcodle | Color Guesser | |
|---|---|---|
| You are shown | A target color | A color name |
| You enter | A six digit hex code (or RGB values in RGB mode) | A color, built on a hue, saturation and brightness picker |
| Attempts | 5 tries at one color | 1 pick for each of 5 colors |
| Feedback | Checkmark, single arrow or double arrow on each character | Your pick beside the target, with both hex codes and the ΔE94 gap |
| Scoring | Solve it within five tries; no points system described | 0 to 100 per round, 500 for a perfect day |
| New puzzle | Daily and numbered (#1166 on 20 October 2026) | Five colors at 00:00 UTC, the same for everyone |
| Past puzzles | Archive | None |
| Difficulty | Easy, Hard, Expert | One level |
| Playing with others | Share your result | Private leagues, live battles, daily leaderboard, share your result |
| Other modes | Hexcodle Mini, custom games | Infinity, Memory, Odd Shade |
| Cost | Free, with a donate link | Free, no account needed |
How Hexcodle Plays
Hexcodle shows a target color and asks for the six digit hex code that makes it, written as RRGGBB, where each pair sets the amount of red, green and blue. You type on a keypad of 0 to 9 and A to F. After each guess, every character gets a checkmark if it is exact, a single arrow if the right value is one or two steps away, or a double arrow if it is three or more away. The arrows point toward the answer, so each guess narrows the range.
Settings let you pick Easy, Hard or Expert, and switch to RGB mode, where the pairs become 0 to 255 values and a single arrow means you are within 10. There is an archive of past puzzles, custom games, and Hexcodle Mini, a shorter version with its own archive. The site says it is made by Hannah and Ekim and takes donations through Buy Me a Coffee (hexcodle.com, as of October 2026).
How Color Guesser Plays
Each day Color Guesser gives everyone the same five color names, drawn from the community Color Name Dataset, so you get names like "Spectral Resonance" rather than "blue." You build what you think the color looks like on a hue, saturation and brightness picker and lock it in. The reveal shows your pick next to the target with both hex codes, and the round scores 0 to 100 from the ΔE94 color difference, so a near miss still earns most of the points.
Around the daily game there are private leagues with a shared table that tracks averages, best scores and streaks, live battles where two people play the same rounds at the same time, a daily leaderboard, Infinity mode for extra rounds, a memory mode, and Odd Shade.
Where Hexcodle Is Better
It teaches hex codes directly. You type a code every guess, so you get daily practice turning a color into something like FF8800. Color Guesser shows hex codes on the reveal, but you never have to produce one.
The hints let you reason your way in. Five tries with per character arrows means a careful player can almost always close the gap. Color Guesser gives you one pick per round with no hints, which is harder to recover from.
More ways to tune the challenge. Three difficulty levels and an RGB mode, plus an archive for days you missed. Color Guesser has none of these yet.
Where Color Guesser Is Better
Partial credit. Being close counts. A pick that looks almost right scores nearly as well as a perfect one, because the score follows how different the two colors look rather than whether a code matches.
Playing with people. Leagues give a group a running table, and battles let you play someone live. Hexcodle's social side is sharing your result.
No numbers needed. You do not need to know what a hex code is to play, which makes it easier to hand to a friend who is not a designer or developer.
A Note on the Hexcodle App
The App Store has a paid iPhone app also called Hexcodle, listed under a different developer, Daniel Plata, with one guess per day and a streak that resets on a miss (App Store listing, as of October 2026). We could not find anything linking it to hexcodle.com, so this comparison covers the web game only.
Which Should You Play?
If you write CSS or want to read hex codes at a glance, play Hexcodle. If you want to sharpen how you see color, or want a daily game you can run with friends or a team, play Color Guesser. Each takes a few minutes, so playing both is a fair option. Looking for more? See our Colorfle alternatives and our list of daily color games like Wordle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hexcodle the same kind of game as Color Guesser?
No. Hexcodle shows you a color and asks you to type its six digit hex code in five tries, with arrow hints after each guess. Color Guesser shows you a color name, you build the color with a picker, and you are scored on how close you land using ΔE94.
How many guesses do you get in Hexcodle?
Five. Hexcodle's how to play guide says to guess the six digit hex code that matches the target color in five tries (as of October 2026).
Does Color Guesser have an archive like Hexcodle?
No. Color Guesser has one daily set of five colors that changes at 00:00 UTC, plus Infinity mode for as many extra rounds as you want. Hexcodle keeps an archive of past puzzles, which Color Guesser does not have.
Which game is better for learning hex codes?
Hexcodle. You type a code every guess and the arrows tell you which way each character is off. Color Guesser shows the hex of your pick and of the target after each round, but you never type one.
Sources
All pages checked on 20 October 2026.
- hexcodle.com: how to play guide, settings, archive, Mini and credits
- App Store: Hexcodle: the separate iPhone app