Pixel Gap Tester

Pixel Gap Tester – Because "Just Make It Look Good" Isn't Actual Design

You ever stare at your CSS and think "should this be 8px or 16px?" Then you try one, refresh, squint at the screen, try the other, refresh again, and still have no damn clue which one looks better?

Or maybe you're in Figma moving elements around pixel by pixel, trying to figure out what "good spacing" even means. Is 12px too tight? Is 24px too loose? Why does everything look wrong?

And don't even get me started on trying to explain spacing to clients. "Can you make it more... spacious?" Cool, what does that mean in actual pixels?

That's why we built the Pixel Gap Tester.

Type in a number. See exactly what that spacing looks like. No guessing, no constant refreshing, no "let's try 14px and see what happens."

Because good design isn't magic – it's just consistent spacing that actually makes sense.

How It Works (Spoiler: It's Stupidly Simple)

Here's the deal:

1. Type in a pixel value (like 16px, 32px, whatever)

2. Or pick from common spacing scales (4px, 8px, 16px, 24px, 32px...)

3. See a visual box that shows exactly what that spacing looks like

4. Compare different values side by side

5. Finally understand what "8px margin" actually means

That's it. No complex tools, no design theory, just "here's what 20px of space looks like on your screen."

Why This Exists (Because Spacing is Harder Than It Looks)

Spacing is one of those things that separates good design from amateur hour. But nobody teaches you what good spacing actually looks like.

You see designs online with perfect spacing and think "I can do that." Then you try, and somehow your 16px gaps look like 5px, or your 8px padding looks like a football field.

The problem? You're guessing. And pixels are smaller than you think. And context matters. And different screens make everything look different.

This tool just shows you the spacing, plain and simple.

Real Examples That'll Make You Go "Ohhhh"

4px spacing:
Barely visible. Good for fine-tuning, useless for actual separation.

8px spacing:
Tight but noticeable. Good for related elements, like icon + text.

16px spacing:
The sweet spot. Good for paragraph spacing, button padding, general breathing room.

24px spacing:
Generous. Good for section breaks, card spacing, "this is separate" spacing.

32px spacing:
Big gaps. Good for major sections, hero padding, "lots of white space" vibes.

64px spacing:
Huge. Good for page sections, dramatic spacing, "luxury brand" feels.

See the pattern? Each jump makes a real difference, but you can't tell until you actually see them.

Who Actually Needs This

Anyone who's ever said "I don't know, just make it look more professional" and then realized they have no idea what that means.

• New designers who are tired of spacing that looks random

• Developers who can code but can't figure out why their layouts look off

• Freelancers who need to explain spacing decisions to clients

• Anyone using design systems who wants to understand what 0.5rem actually looks like

• People learning CSS who keep googling "good margin values"

The Spacing Reality Check

Here's what different spacing values actually do:

The jump from 8px to 16px feels huge when you see it. The jump from 16px to 24px feels subtle. Context is everything.

Common Spacing Scales (The Cheat Sheet)

Most design systems use consistent spacing scales. Here are the popular ones:

Pick a scale, stick with it. Your spacing will automatically look more consistent.

Questions People Actually Ask

Q: Is this just showing me colored boxes?
Yeah, basically. But those boxes are exactly the size of the spacing you entered. That's the point.

Q: Can I test rem values too?
Sure, just convert to pixels first. 1rem = 16px (usually). So 1.5rem = 24px.

Q: What about responsive spacing?
This shows fixed pixel values. Your actual spacing might change on different screens.

Q: Is there a "best" spacing value?
16px is a good default for most things. But it depends on your design and context.

Q: Can I save my spacing tests?
Not yet, but you can screenshot them or just remember the values that worked.

What People Say When They Finally "Get" Spacing

"Oh my god, I've been using 3px margins like an idiot."
– Tom, learning CSS

"Finally understand why my designs always looked off. I was using random spacing values."
– Maya, junior designer

"This is so much better than guessing and refreshing the page 20 times."
– Alex, frontend developer

Turns out, seeing spacing values makes everything click. Who knew?

The Truth About Good Spacing

Here's the thing about spacing: it's not about following rules. It's about being consistent and intentional.

Bad spacing feels random. Good spacing feels deliberate. And the difference between the two is usually just picking actual values instead of eyeballing everything.

Most designers don't have magical spacing intuition. They just use consistent values and stick to spacing scales.

This tool just shows you what those values actually look like so you can make better decisions.

"Should I use 16px or 20px spacing here?"

Now you can see both options and pick the one that actually works for your design.

No more guessing. No more "let's try 14px and see what happens." Just good spacing decisions based on what you can actually see.

👉 Try the Pixel Gap Tester