Pick a text colour and a background. You get the contrast ratio, a pass or fail for each WCAG level, and - when it fails - the closest shade of your text colour that passes AA.
Normal text looks like this. Can you read it comfortably?
Large text looks like this
-
contrast ratio
- AA - normal text (needs 4.5:1)
- AA - large text (needs 3:1)
- AAA - normal text (needs 7:1)
- AAA - large text (needs 4.5:1)
- Buttons, icons and form borders (needs 3:1)
Good to know
"Large" text means at least 24px, or 18.66px when bold. AA is the level most accessibility laws and audits ask for; AAA is stricter.