Ever scrolled through a website that made you feel like you were moving through dimensions? That’s the magic of CSS parallax effects – one of the most engaging visual storytelling techniques in modern web design trends.
Parallax creates depth perception by moving background elements at different scroll speeds than foreground content. Using pure CSS3 effects without JavaScript, you can create stunning layered designs that captivate visitors.
From the subtle background shifts on Apple website parallax to award-winning designs featured on Awwwards parallax winners, this technique transforms ordinary pages into immersive experiences.
In this guide, you’ll discover:
- 15 stunning CSS parallax examples from simple to complex
- Step-by-step tutorials for creating responsive parallax design
- Performance tips for mobile-friendly parallax
- Code snippets using transform3d property and viewport units
Whether you’re building a portfolio parallax or enhancing product showcases, these examples will elevate your frontend skills to new dimensions.
CSS parallax examples
CSS Parallax Magic by Kimgrae
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Untitled by kimgrae (@kimgrae)
on CodePen.
Experience the magic of Kimgrae’s parallax sensation! Tailor it, twist it, own it.
Parallax Dream of UGG
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Parallax World of UGG by Andrew (@designbyremedy)
on CodePen.
Step into the World of UGG with this parallax twist. Feels just like a dream, right?
All-CSS UI by Andrej Sharapov
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Pure CSS: Parallax (Demix website) by Andrej Sharapov (@andrejsharapov)
on CodePen.
Witness Andrej’s genius! He whipped up this beauty using only CSS. Yep, no JavaScript here!
Canvas Parallax Horizon by Jack Rugile
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Canvas Parallax Skyline by Jack Rugile (@jackrugile)
on CodePen.
Ever seen the sky move with your mouse? Dive into this canvas masterpiece that plays with your perspective.
Responsive Parallax Panorama
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Castles, responsive parallax landscape by Karim Maaloul (@Yakudoo)
on CodePen.
A majestic piece by Karim Maaloul. Let your imagination wander!
Artsy CSS Parallax Feels
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Creative Parallax Scrolling Effect by Stack Findover (@stack-findover)
on CodePen.
An innovative piece by Rahul. Remix it, reshape it, reinvent it.
Deep Parallax in Pure CSS
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Pure CSS Parallax Effect (Depth of field) by FlyC (@FlyC)
on CodePen.
Dive deep into this pure CSS magic with a splash of pop-up charisma.
Parallax Hero Animation
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Parallax animation hero by Landrik (@landrik)
on CodePen.
Landrik’s creation. It’s animated. It’s parallax. It’s heroic.
Magdiellop 216 with CSS
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Magdiellop 216 recreated with CSS by Guilmain Dorian (@Craaftx)
on CodePen.
A fresh look at Magdiellop 216. All thanks to CSS, HTML, and a sprinkle of JS.
Straight-Up Parallax with CSS
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Pure CSS parallax demo by Keith Clark (@keithclark)
on CodePen.
Easy-breezy parallax vibes by Keith Clark.
Moving Parallax Magic
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Parallax scroll animation by isladjan (@isladjan)
on CodePen.
Isladjan’s scroll-tastic creation. Move it, mold it, marvel at it.
Background Parallax Dreams
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Parallax Background by Ravi Dhiman (@ravid7000)
on CodePen.
Ravid’s piece is pure background brilliance. And yes, all in CSS!
CSS Parallax Landscapes
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Parallax Landscape CSS only by Dave Chenell (@dchen05)
on CodePen.
David Chen’s variable parallax play. Simple, yet oh-so-fabulous!
Starry Parallax by Aldwin
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Parallax firewatch by aldwin (@corvuscorax)
on CodePen.
A fiery parallax spectacle. Created by Aldwin, for dreamers like you.
Pure Parallax Scroll
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parallax scroll by gokulan (@gokvikash)
on CodePen.
Just a simple scroll with an unmovable background. Yet, so captivating.
Skewed Parallax Views
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Skew-Clipped (SVG) Sections with Parallax Scrolling by Nikolay Talanov (@suez)
on CodePen.
Dive into skewed sections with parallax flair, crafted in HTML, JS, and CSS.
Parallax Header Magic
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parallax scrolling Header and BG with ◇ indicator by Alan Mok (@mok20123)
on CodePen.
Heads up! Experience the sliding beauty of this parallax header.
CSS Parallax Universe
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Parallax starry Universe (CSS only) by Twan Mulder (@twanmulder)
on CodePen.
Twan Mulder’s cosmic creation. A universe, made with just CSS.
GSAP Parallax Thrill
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Codepen Challenge – Scrolling GSAP Animation by Shunya Koide (@shunyadezain)
on CodePen.
Brought to life by Shunya Koide. A GSAP powered treat that you can play with!
That CSS-Only Parallax Magic
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CSS-Only Parallax Effect by Yago Estévez (@yagoestevez)
on CodePen.
Who needs JavaScript? Nah, let’s keep it chill with just CSS. Minimalist but cool, ya know?
Sticky Situation, Parallax Style
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CSS Sticky Parallax Sections by Ryan Mulligan (@hexagoncircle)
on CodePen.
HTML, a pinch of JS, and CSS? Yup, that’s the recipe for this sticky parallax playground. Give it a whirl, folks!
Parallax Clip Animation
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Parallax clip by Mikael Ainalem (@ainalem)
on CodePen.
Hide some text or objects behind a snazzy parallax clip. It’s like peekaboo for adults, just more techy.
Transparent Letter Drag-slider with Parallax
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Responsive Parallax Drag-slider With Transparent Letters by Ruslan Pivovarov (@mrspok407)
on CodePen.
Yo! Made by Ruslan Pivovarov, and it’s fully customizable! So go nuts and make it your own.
Pure CSS Parallax Website
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Parallax website using only CSS by Kim (@Kimberly-0)
on CodePen.
Kim nailed it. Just pure CSS for this one. Elegant in its simplicity.
Parallax with SVG & CSS Cutouts
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Image cutout, parallax effect: CSS + SVG by Alex O’Neal (@alexoneal)
on CodePen.
Desktops and laptops, this one’s for you. SVG cutouts plus CSS parallax background? Sweet deal!
Horizontal Meets Vertical Scroll
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Horizontal progression of vertical scroll by MRU (@ruffiem)
on CodePen.
Yup, this project is a bit of a mind-bender! It’s HTML, JS, and CSS colliding in the best way.
Circle Parallax Animation
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Raphael.js Parallax Circles .v2 by Chris Ryan (@chris-creditdesign)
on CodePen.
Introducing this jaw-dropping, slick circle animation. Easy to handle and visually kickass!
Parallax in Orbit
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CSS Parallax Orbs by Jamie Coulter (@jcoulterdesign)
on CodePen.
Jamie Coulter beamed this one down from somewhere in the CSS galaxy.
Text Blend Parallax Extravaganza
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Parallax Effect + Text Blend Mode by Fernando Cohen (@designfenix)
on CodePen.
Fernando Cohen crafted this beauty. Customize it till your heart’s content!
Friendly Shadows with Parallax
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Parallax Shadows (Mobile-Friendly) by Janne Aukia (@jaukia)
on CodePen.
Mobile peeps, we got you. Shadows that move and groove on your phone.
The Great Fall Experience
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The Great Fall by CJ Gammon (@cjgammon)
on CodePen.
Okay, this one’s intense. Imagine a waterfall that never ends. So techie, yet so poetic.
Starry Parallax Backdrop
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Parallax Star background in CSS by sarazond (@sarazond)
on CodePen.
Brought to you by Saransh Sinha. Stellar backgrounds are just a click away!
Amazing Parallax Collection
Get the entire lowdown of CSS parallax wonders right here.
Mouse Moves, Parallax Grooves
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Mouse Move Parallax ✨ by oscicen (@oscicen)
on CodePen.
This one’s got a smidgen of vanilla JavaScript but it’s mostly a CSS and HTML jam. Check it!
Scroll Magic by Sebastian Schepis
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CSS Scrolling Parallax Effect by Sebastian Schepis (@sschepis)
on CodePen.
Alright, here’s the deets: Sebastian Schepis crafted this wicked scrolling magic using only CSS. It’s kinda like when you’re driving and the mountains move slower than the trees.
Creates that cool depth illusion. It’s the magic sauce in parallax designs.
8-bit Grooviness
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8-Bit CSS3 Horizontal Parallax by Dan Stuart (@danbhala)
on CodePen.
Dan Stuart hit us with that nostalgic 8-bit vibe, but in a horizontal parallax style. Legit, right?
Full Page Parallax Goodness
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Full Page Parallax Scroll Effect by Emily Hayman (@eehayman)
on CodePen.
So, Emily Hayman totally nailed this full-page scroll effect. Plus side? Customize it to your heart’s content.
Slick Horizontal Gallery
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CSS-Only Horizontal Parallax Gallery by Paulina Hetman (@pehaa)
on CodePen.
Get lost in some dreamy Paris snaps in this experimental gallery. And yes, it’s using that parallax oomph with CSS transforms and perspective stuff.
CSS Magic by Anish Shrestha
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Apple TV parallax Pure CSS by anish shrestha (@anish_code)
on CodePen.
Anish Shrestha’s taken a leaf out of Apple TV’s book and sprinkled some pure CSS parallax magic on it.
Underneath It All by Paulo Cunha
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CSS Parallax by Paulo Cunha (@paulomrcunha)
on CodePen.
Paulo Cunha brings us into a parallax dimension. It’s like the content’s sliding over the hero image. So trippy. All thanks to some smart CSS tricks.
Top-Notch Parallax Header
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Header Image Parallax Scrolling Effect with CSS by WebMadeWell (@webmadewell)
on CodePen.
WebMadeWell brought the heat with this header image that’s got the parallax scrolling vibes going on.
Bird’s View Parallax Party
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Bird’s Eye View by Sharna Hossain (@sharnajh)
on CodePen.
Sharna Hossain delivers a bird’s eye view with this one. Plus, you can give it your own spin!
Parallax Hero Moment
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CSS Parallax Hero by Ryan Mulligan (@hexagoncircle)
on CodePen.
Unmask the hero within! This one’s got the parallax effect using some CSS wizardry.
Katie’s Wedding Page Wonder
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Parallax Design by Katie Rogers (@kitkatkt)
on CodePen.
Katie Rogers dazzles us with a sample wedding page. It’s like the content areas are split with images, all moving with that fixed-scroll charm. All dressed up in CSS!
Parallax Sassiness by Scott Kellum
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Sass parallax example by Scott Kellum (@scottkellum)
on CodePen.
Scott Kellum mixed some Sass with parallax and trust me, it’s a delightful cocktail! Cheers!
FAQ on CSS Parallax Examples
How do I create a simple CSS parallax effect?
Create a container with background-attachment: fixed and set appropriate background-image and background-size: cover. This pure CSS parallax technique creates the illusion of depth as users scroll. For more advanced effects, use transform3d property with z-index manipulation.
Do CSS parallax effects work on mobile devices?
Mobile support varies. Many mobile-friendly parallax implementations use reduced effects or alternative approaches due to mobile performance issues. Some techniques using viewport height units work better than traditional fixed methods. Check browser compatibility before implementing.
What’s the difference between CSS and JavaScript parallax?
Pure CSS parallax uses properties like background-attachment, transform property, and perspective scrolling without scripts. JavaScript parallax (using libraries like Parallax.js or GSAP animation framework) offers more control over scroll events and complex animations but adds weight.
How can I optimize parallax for performance?
For performance optimized parallax:
- Use CSS transforms instead of changing top/left positions
- Avoid excessive layered design elements
- Consider ScrollMagic library for efficient scroll-triggered animations
- Implement lazy loading for images
- Use the Intersection Observer API
Can I create parallax effects without JavaScript?
Yes! CSS scrolling effects can create impressive parallax using only CSS. The Keith Clark parallax method utilizes transform: translateZ() and perspective properties to achieve 3D scrolling effects without any JavaScript dependencies.
How do I make parallax work with responsive design?
Build responsive parallax design by:
- Using viewport units (vh/vw) instead of pixels
- Testing across devices
- Creating breakpoints to modify effects
- Considering Bootstrap parallax components
- Implementing fallbacks for devices that struggle with parallax
What are good examples of parallax websites to study?
Study award-winning creative parallax websites like Apple website parallax, Nike product parallax, and sites featured on Awwwards parallax winners. CodePen parallax showcases offer excellent code examples from which to learn and adapt.
How do I create horizontal parallax scrolling?
Horizontal parallax requires:
- Container with
overflow-x: hidden - Child elements positioned absolutely
- Transform translations based on scroll position
- Custom parallax effects calculated with JavaScript for smoother motion
- Consideration of visual storytelling direction
Can I use parallax in WordPress?
Yes, implement parallax in WordPress using:
- WordPress parallax themes
- Elementor parallax builder
- Custom code in theme files
- Plugins that support background fixed effects
- Webflow parallax animations (if using Webflow)
How do I create parallax that responds to mouse movement?
For MouseMove parallax:
- Capture mouse coordinates with event listeners
- Calculate element movement based on cursor position
- Apply transforms to elements at varying rates
- Use CSS perspective property for depth
- Consider lightweight libraries like Rellax.js
Conclusion
CSS parallax examples transform ordinary websites into immersive experiences that capture and hold visitor attention. Through stacking elements and multi-layer parallax techniques, designers create memorable interactions that stand out in today’s competitive web landscape.
The versatility of parallax is evident across industries – from product showcase parallax on e-commerce sites to full-page parallax on creative portfolios. Best of all, these effects can be achieved with just CSS.
When implementing parallax, remember:
- Fade-in parallax elements can highlight key content
- Perspective scrolling adds dimension without complexity
- Background-position adjustments create subtle yet effective motion
- Skew effects add unexpected visual interest
Even with basic knowledge of CSS-Tricks parallax guides or W3Schools parallax examples, you can create compelling designs. As browser compatibility improves and frontend Masters parallax courses become more accessible, this technique will continue evolving beyond what we see in today’s Shopify parallax themes and Material Design parallax implementations.
If you liked this article about CSS parallax effects, you should check out this article about CSS tooltips.
There are also similar articles discussing CSS animations, CSS headers, CSS carousels, and CSS perspective.
And let’s not forget about articles on CSS slideshows, CSS animated backgrounds, CSS cards, and CSS progress bars.
