diff --git a/frontend/src/views/settings/UsersList.vue b/frontend/src/views/settings/UsersList.vue
index f9dc557..66fb6f0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/settings/UsersList.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/settings/UsersList.vue
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@
                 v-for="role in user.roles"
                 :key="role.roleid"
                 class="badge"
-                :class="role.rolename === 'admin' ? 'badge-primary' : 'badge-secondary'"
+                :class="roleBadgeClass(role)"
+                :style="roleBadgeStyle(role)"
               >
                 {{ role.rolename }}
               </span>
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@
         <tbody>
           <tr v-for="role in roles" :key="role.roleid">
             <td>
-              <span class="badge" :class="role.rolename === 'admin' ? 'badge-primary' : 'badge-secondary'">
+              <span class="badge" :class="roleBadgeClass(role)" :style="roleBadgeStyle(role)">
                 {{ role.rolename }}
               </span>
             </td>
@@ -214,6 +215,11 @@
             </div>
           </div>
 
+          <div class="form-group">
+            <label>Badge color</label>
+            <ColorSwatchPicker v-model="roleForm.color" />
+          </div>
+
           <div class="form-group" v-if="!editingRole?.isadmin">
             <label>Permissions</label>
             <p class="text-muted" style="font-size: 0.85rem; margin: 0 0 0.5rem 0">
@@ -289,6 +295,9 @@ import { ref, reactive, onMounted } from 'vue'
 import { usersApi } from '../../api'
 import { useAuthStore } from '../../stores/auth'
 import { apiError } from '../../utils/apiError'
+import ColorSwatchPicker from '@/components/ColorSwatchPicker.vue'
+
+const DEFAULT_ROLE_COLOR = '#0d6efd'
 
 const authStore = useAuthStore()
 const currentUserId = authStore.user?.userid
@@ -323,9 +332,32 @@ const userForm = reactive({
 const roleForm = reactive({
   rolename: '',
   description: '',
+  color: DEFAULT_ROLE_COLOR,
   permissions: []
 })
 
+// Role badge: use the role's own color when set (contrast-aware text), else
+// fall back to the legacy admin=primary / other=gray classes.
+function isLightColor(color) {
+  if (!color) return false
+  const hex = color.replace('#', '')
+  if (hex.length !== 6) return false
+  const r = parseInt(hex.slice(0, 2), 16)
+  const g = parseInt(hex.slice(2, 4), 16)
+  const b = parseInt(hex.slice(4, 6), 16)
+  return (r * 299 + g * 587 + b * 114) / 1000 > 155
+}
+
+function roleBadgeClass(role) {
+  if (role.color) return ''
+  return role.rolename === 'admin' ? 'badge-primary' : 'badge-secondary'
+}
+
+function roleBadgeStyle(role) {
+  if (!role.color) return null
+  return { background: role.color, color: isLightColor(role.color) ? '#000' : '#fff' }
+}
+
 async function loadData() {
   loading.value = true
   try {
@@ -459,6 +491,7 @@ function editRole(role) {
   editingRole.value = role
   roleForm.rolename = role.rolename
   roleForm.description = role.description || ''
+  roleForm.color = role.color || DEFAULT_ROLE_COLOR
   roleForm.permissions = role.permissions ? [...role.permissions] : []
 }
 
@@ -467,6 +500,7 @@ function closeRoleModal() {
   editingRole.value = null
   roleForm.rolename = ''
   roleForm.description = ''
+  roleForm.color = DEFAULT_ROLE_COLOR
   roleForm.permissions = []
 }
 
@@ -476,6 +510,7 @@ async function saveRole() {
   try {
     const data = {
       description: roleForm.description,
+      color: roleForm.color,
       permissions: roleForm.permissions
     }
 
diff --git a/migrations/versions/7d27_roles_color.py b/migrations/versions/7d27_roles_color.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..111afb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/versions/7d27_roles_color.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+"""Add roles.color for per-role badge colors
+
+Roles rendered as gray badges everywhere except admin (hardcoded). Give each
+role an optional CSS color, matching how statuses/types carry a color column,
+so role badges are visually distinct and admin-editable.
+
+Idempotent guard on column presence; real downgrade drops the column.
+
+Revision ID: 7d27_roles_color
+Revises: 7d26_settings_description_text
+Create Date: 2026-07-20
+
+"""
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+
+revision = '7d27_roles_color'
+down_revision = '7d26_settings_description_text'
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+
+def _has_color(insp):
+    return any(c['name'] == 'color' for c in insp.get_columns('roles'))
+
+
+def upgrade():
+    bind = op.get_bind()
+    insp = sa.inspect(bind)
+
+    if 'roles' not in insp.get_table_names():
+        return
+    if _has_color(insp):
+        return
+
+    op.add_column('roles', sa.Column('color', sa.String(length=20), nullable=True))
+
+
+def downgrade():
+    bind = op.get_bind()
+    insp = sa.inspect(bind)
+
+    if 'roles' not in insp.get_table_names():
+        return
+    if not _has_color(insp):
+        return
+
+    op.drop_column('roles', 'color')
diff --git a/shopdb/core/api/users.py b/shopdb/core/api/users.py
index e8eab95..42f3d31 100644
--- a/shopdb/core/api/users.py
+++ b/shopdb/core/api/users.py
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ def list_roles():
         'roleid': r.roleid,
         'rolename': r.rolename,
         'description': r.description,
+        'color': r.color,
         'usercount': r.users.count(),
         'permissions': [p.name for p in r.permissions],
         'isadmin': r.rolename == 'admin'
@@ -290,7 +291,8 @@ def create_role():
 
     role = Role(
         rolename=data['rolename'],
-        description=data.get('description')
+        description=data.get('description'),
+        color=data.get('color')
     )
 
     # Assign permissions
@@ -308,6 +310,7 @@ def create_role():
         'roleid': role.roleid,
         'rolename': role.rolename,
         'description': role.description,
+        'color': role.color,
         'permissions': [p.name for p in role.permissions]
     }, message='Role created', http_code=201)
 
@@ -333,6 +336,12 @@ def update_role(roleid: int):
             changes['description'] = {'old': role.description, 'new': data['description']}
         role.description = data['description']
 
+    # Color is cosmetic - editable on any role, including admin
+    if 'color' in data:
+        if data['color'] != role.color:
+            changes['color'] = {'old': role.color, 'new': data['color']}
+        role.color = data['color']
+
     # Update permissions
     if 'permissions' in data and role.rolename != 'admin':
         old_perms = [p.name for p in role.permissions]
@@ -351,6 +360,7 @@ def update_role(roleid: int):
         'roleid': role.roleid,
         'rolename': role.rolename,
         'description': role.description,
+        'color': role.color,
         'permissions': [p.name for p in role.permissions]
     }, message='Role updated')
 
@@ -393,7 +403,7 @@ def user_to_dict(user: User) -> dict:
         'mustchangepassword': bool(user.mustchangepassword),
         'lastlogindate': user.lastlogindate.isoformat() + 'Z' if user.lastlogindate else None,
         'failedlogins': user.failedlogins,
-        'roles': [{'roleid': r.roleid, 'rolename': r.rolename} for r in user.roles],
+        'roles': [{'roleid': r.roleid, 'rolename': r.rolename, 'color': r.color} for r in user.roles],
         'createddate': user.createddate.isoformat() + 'Z' if user.createddate else None,
         'modifieddate': user.modifieddate.isoformat() + 'Z' if user.modifieddate else None
     }
diff --git a/shopdb/core/models/user.py b/shopdb/core/models/user.py
index f672c16..7e2b635 100644
--- a/shopdb/core/models/user.py
+++ b/shopdb/core/models/user.py
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ class Role(BaseModel):
     roleid = db.Column(db.Integer, primary_key=True)
     rolename = db.Column(db.String(50), unique=True, nullable=False)
     description = db.Column(db.Text)
+    color = db.Column(db.String(20), comment='CSS color for the role badge')
 
     # Permissions relationship
     permissions = db.relationship(
diff --git a/tests/test_core/test_users_api.py b/tests/test_core/test_users_api.py
index 8158ee1..52964c8 100644
--- a/tests/test_core/test_users_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_core/test_users_api.py
@@ -27,3 +27,23 @@ def test_delete_user_with_tokens_and_audit_history(client, auth_headers, app, db
         assert ApiToken.query.filter_by(userid=userid).count() == 0
         detached = AuditLog.query.filter_by(entityname='imported thing').one()
         assert detached.userid is None
+
+
+def test_role_color_create_list_update(client, auth_headers):
+    """A role carries an optional badge color through create, list, and update."""
+    created = client.post('/api/users/roles', headers=auth_headers, json={
+        'rolename': 'painters', 'description': 'colorful', 'color': '#ff8800',
+        'permissions': [],
+    })
+    assert created.status_code == 201, created.get_json()
+    roleid = created.get_json()['data']['roleid']
+    assert created.get_json()['data']['color'] == '#ff8800'
+
+    listed = client.get('/api/users/roles', headers=auth_headers)
+    row = next(r for r in listed.get_json()['data'] if r['roleid'] == roleid)
+    assert row['color'] == '#ff8800'
+
+    updated = client.put(f'/api/users/roles/{roleid}', headers=auth_headers,
+                         json={'color': '#00aa55'})
+    assert updated.status_code == 200, updated.get_json()
+    assert updated.get_json()['data']['color'] == '#00aa55'