The article examines an electronic journal as a modern type of a periodical from the standpoint of the distinguishing features of the color palette (color system). The topic of the color influence on the user in the electronic journals’ design has not been substantially studied to date. With the aim of attracting the target audience not only the content is important, but also the design.The emphasis is laid on identifying the relationship between the color system applied for the journal’s design and its content (functional focus). The author sampled and analyzed a considerable amount of factual material, representing the examples of the electronic pages’ design of the journals and magazines of various types. In accordance with the division into thematic groups, characteristic color combinations and the patterns of their use on the page were identified. The thematic component is far from being crucial in choosing the electronic journal’s color scheme. The reason for this is the presence of a large number of additional factors affecting its formation. Moreover, there are general trends in graphic design that set conventional limitations for the color palette, especially the trend towards minimalism.