Hexo is a menu bar color picker and palette management tool designed for designers and developers who work with color across multiple projects. The app provides screen color picking with a single click and extends into comprehensive palette organization, accessibility checking, and multi-format export.
Palette extraction from images supports three algorithms: K-means clustering, histogram analysis, and median cut. Users can drag images onto the app window to generate palettes instantly, useful for deriving colors from brand assets or inspiration materials.
The organizational system uses hierarchical folder structures for project or client separation. Smart folders automatically group favorites, recent picks, and all palettes. Duplicate detection warns users before editing or deleting palettes with similar colors, preventing accidental data loss.
Accessibility features include WCAG compliance checking for color contrast verification against AA and AAA standards. A colorblind simulation mode allows designers to preview how color choices appear to users with various forms of color vision deficiency. CMYK preview toggle supports print output considerations.
Export functionality supports over ten formats including JSON, Adobe ASE, Adobe ACO, GIMP GPL, CSS, and SCSS. One-click copying provides values in RGB, Hex, HSL, and CMYK formats. Mini palettes can follow across multiple desktops for multi-monitor workflows.
Three interface themes are available: Light, Dark, and Hexo Mode. Global keyboard shortcuts provide quick access to the color picker, though shortcut customization applies only to the main picker function.
System requirements
- macOS 14.6 (Sonoma) or later
- Approximately 100MB memory usage
- Available on Mac App Store (7-day free trial, one-time purchase)
Limitations
- Keyboard shortcut customization limited to main color picker only
- No cloud sync—palettes stored locally only
- Requires relatively recent macOS version
- No integration with design tools like Figma or Sketch
Alternatives
- Sip - Color picker with palette sync and design tool integration
- ColorSnapper 2 - Lightweight color picker with format options
- Pastel - Color palette manager with sharing features
Suitable for users who need organized color management across multiple design projects with accessibility compliance verification built into the workflow.
