What is the Most Popular Sex Toy Color?

I’ve been testing sex toys for nearly a decade—hundreds of them, all shapes and sizes, from glitter-drenched dildos to app-controlled strokers that feel like they came from NASA. I’ve written hundreds of reviews, talked to readers around the world, and even published a book on how to get into this line of work (Available on Amazon). But if there’s one detail that people overlook, it’s color—until it’s staring them in the face at checkout.

Colors always surprise me. People gravitate to them with strong opinions. Because, believe it or not, there’s a quiet competition happening in bedside drawers and toy chests across the globe. And it’s not just about what buzzes the hardest or thrusts the deepest—it’s also about what catches the eye.

So… what color is winning?

If you’re hoping for some deep, mystical meaning behind our chromatic cravings—sorry to disappoint. The most popular sex toy color is, hands down, purple.

Not black. Not red. And not some sleek chrome or skin tone. Purple.

I used to think it was a marketing gimmick. Purple vibrators were everywhere when I started in this business. But after years of reviewing toys and speaking with thousands of readers, I’ve come to understand something: purple sticks. And not just because it’s eye-catching.

There’s something quietly erotic about it. Soft enough to feel playful, dark enough to feel a little wicked.

Even one of our longtime testers, Jess, told me, “I don’t know why, but if it’s purple, I’m in. Even if it sucks, it just looks better while doing it.”

Why does purple dominate?

I kept digging into why. I reached out to a handful of readers, and their responses were fascinating.

Tracy from Michigan said, “Pink makes me feel like I’m 13 again. Red feels like I’m starring in a porno. But purple? Purple feels like mine.”

Meanwhile, Ricardo, who owns over 20 prostate massagers, told me, “Black feels too medical. Flesh colors feel too real. But the deep violet? That one calls to me. It’s like it knows something.”

It’s hard to explain logically, but that’s part of the fun. Color isn’t always a rational choice. It’s visceral. You feel it before you think it.

And manufacturers know this. That’s why sex toy shelves are practically drowning in amethyst, eggplant, lilac, plum—you name it. They figured out what sells and doubled down.

But isn’t black supposed to be the “sexy” color?

You’d think. And in some circles, it absolutely is. Especially among fans of BDSM or those who like their toys to look sleek and serious.

And for what it’s worth, I personally love a black sex machine. There’s something beautifully sinister about it, like it’s not asking for permission.

But here’s the issue: black doesn’t photograph well for product pages. A lot of companies, especially smaller ones, avoid it for exactly that reason. In contrast, purple pops. It gives you shadows, depth, and contrast. And when you’re selling online, that matters. A lot.

What about the underdogs?

Blue had a moment. Especially those cool, almost icy tones. But it never quite caught fire.

Red tries too hard. At least that’s what people tell me. It shouts passion but doesn’t always invite intimacy.

Pink still gets plenty of love. Especially the pastel shades—those feel more “cute and flirty” than “teen sleepover,” though it’s a fine line. Hot pink, though? That one’s aging like milk.

And then there are clear or transparent toys. Those are their own niche. One reader told me they looked “like haunted jellyfish,” and now I can’t unsee it.

Color as an emotional cue

You’d be surprised how much emotional baggage people carry around with color.

During one product test, we handed out identical vibrators—same brand, same power, everything. Only the colors were different. The group had to rate them after using them for a week.

The results? The purple one scored the highest. Not because it performed better. But because users felt more connected to it. More relaxed. More in control.

The clear one came dead last. One tester literally said, “It feels like I’m being watched by a ghost.”

Color taps into something primal. It gives your toy personality, even before you turn it on. And for many, that initial connection is the most important (Even science backs this up).

Color and confidence

Here’s something I didn’t expect when I started interviewing people about their favorite toy colors—confidence kept coming up.

“I know it’s silly,” one reader told me, “but I feel more in control with a sex toy that looks good in my hand. Like I’m the one calling the shots.”

Another person said they chose their vibrator based solely on how it made them feel when they looked at it. “I didn’t even read the specs. I just knew that deep purple made me feel powerful. Like it was built for me.”

That kind of connection—visual, emotional, even subconscious—isn’t just fluff. It matters.

In a sea of vibration patterns and motor specs, sometimes the deciding factor is just… “Does it look like me?”

My own color confession

For the longest time, I had a thing for dark green. Don’t ask me why. Maybe because it felt earthy and grounded, like it came out of some enchanted forest.

But every time I posted a review of a green adult toy, the feedback was lukewarm. Nobody else liked it. One reader even called it “goblin dick green.” That stung.

Now I keep it simple. If I’m reviewing something in purple, I know it’ll get more attention. That’s just how it works.

But wait, what about couples?

Interesting that you ask. When buying pleasure toys together, couples often compromise on color, especially if one partner is more enthusiastic than the other.

“I didn’t want a neon blue dildo in our drawer,” one reader wrote me. “So we got a matte purple one. Felt less aggressive.”

Another couple told me they chose colors that match their bedsheets. “It’s easier to hide,” they said. “Also, it just feels… like less of a statement.”

Does color affect pleasure?

No. And yes.

Technically, color doesn’t change the vibrations or the motor strength. But psychologically? Color can absolutely mess with your brain.

A vibrator that looks beautiful or sexy, or mysterious, is going to make you feel better about using it. And that confidence often translates to better orgasms. That’s not science. That’s experience.

One last colorful confession

Holly from Vermont once told me her favorite toy was neon orange. “It’s ridiculous,” she said, “like a traffic cone for my clit. But that’s exactly why I love it. Sex should be fun—not a damn job interview.”

Honestly? She’s not wrong. Not every product has to look seductive or cinematic. Sometimes, it’s the weird ones—the ones that make you laugh or raise an eyebrow—that end up being the most memorable.

Final thoughts—and one weird trend

So while purple rules the kingdom, there’s still plenty of rebellion happening on the edges.

Lately, I’ve noticed a curious shift. Some companies are releasing brown or copper-toned toys. Not “flesh” colors—those are different. I mean deep, warm, burnished tones.

They’re gorgeous.

And based on early feedback, they might just steal a little of purple’s thunder. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. For now, purple still reigns.

Maybe it always will.

Or maybe someday we’ll all be singing the praises of copper-colored cock rings and forest-green vibrators. Stranger things have happened.

In the end, maybe color isn’t just about style—maybe it’s a quiet form of self-expression. One little decision that says, “This is mine.” And in a drawer full of buzzers, that’s saying something.

Happy vibing!

Tim

Tim is our male sex toy expert, and he has reviewed close to a hundred products. He also worked as an English teacher in Japan throughout his twenties, where he gained extensive knowledge of Japanese sex toys and Shibari. He has been featured in Vice.com, among other things.
Reddit | Medium | Amazon

Latest posts by Tim Larson (see all)