What is Use Contrast?

Updated

Use Contrast is a Figma plugin and macOS app for checking WCAG color contrast ratios. It is aimed at designers and developers who need to verify that text and interface colors meet accessibility standards without leaving their design or development workflow. The plugin is described as providing "quick access to WCAG color contrast ratios," with an install link on the site.

What problem it solves

Color contrast is a common accessibility failure point. WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) sets minimum contrast ratios between text and background colors, and checking those ratios manually — converting hex values, calculating relative luminance, comparing against thresholds — is slow and error-prone. Use Contrast moves that check into the tools designers and developers already use, so contrast can be evaluated as part of the design process rather than as a separate audit step.

Two ways to use it

Form Where it runs Typical use
Figma plugin Inside Figma Check contrast while designing, before handoff
macOS app On macOS Check contrast outside Figma, e.g. against live UI or other sources

The site presents these as separate offerings, with the Figma plugin framed around quick access to WCAG ratios and the macOS app as a standalone option.

Who it is for

  • Designers working in Figma who want contrast feedback during design rather than after.
  • Developers who need to confirm that implemented colors match accessible ratios.
  • Teams with accessibility requirements — for example, projects that must meet WCAG conformance levels — who need a lightweight way to check colors as part of normal work.

What to keep in mind

The site describes the tool's purpose (quick access to WCAG color contrast ratios) but the provided page evidence does not include pricing, platform requirements, or detailed feature lists. If cost or system compatibility matters for your decision, check those details on the site directly rather than assuming the tool is free or runs on every platform.

For the core question — what Use Contrast is — the answer is straightforward: it is a contrast-checking utility delivered as a Figma plugin and a macOS app, built around WCAG ratios, intended to make accessibility checks part of the design and development flow instead of a separate task.