Free barcode generator
EAN-13, UPC-A, EAN-8, Code 128, Code 39, ITF-14, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec. Download as PNG or vector SVG. No account, no watermark, no expiry — a barcode can’t be switched off.
EAN-13 — enter 12 digits and the check digit is calculated for you, or paste all 13.
Loading barcode engine…
Free, unlimited, no account required. Nothing you type is sent to our servers — the barcode is drawn in your browser.
Every format, and when to use each
| Format | Used for | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EAN-13 | Retail, worldwide | 13 digits | The standard retail barcode outside North America. Requires a GS1-licensed GTIN if you are selling through retailers. |
| UPC-A | Retail, North America | 12 digits | The US and Canadian retail standard. Also GS1-licensed. Amazon accepts either UPC or EAN. |
| EAN-8 | Small retail packaging | 8 digits | A compressed EAN for products where a full EAN-13 will not physically fit — cosmetics, confectionery, small tins. |
| Code 128 | Shipping and logistics | Any length | Encodes the full ASCII set at high density. The default choice for internal tracking, shipping labels and warehouse work. No licence needed. |
| Code 39 | Industrial and automotive | Any length | Older and less dense, but still specified across defence, automotive and healthcare. Uppercase letters, digits and a few symbols only. |
| ITF-14 | Shipping cartons | 14 digits | Printed on outer cases and trays. Tolerates the coarse printing of corrugated cardboard far better than EAN-13. |
| Data Matrix | Small parts, medical | Any length | A 2D code readable at a few millimetres square. Standard for direct part marking and required across much of medical device labelling. |
| PDF417 | ID and documents | Any length | A stacked 2D code holding well over a kilobyte. Used on driving licences, boarding passes and shipping paperwork. |
| Aztec | Transport tickets | Any length | Compact 2D code needing no surrounding quiet zone, which is why rail and airline tickets use it. |
If you are selling a physical product through retailers or a marketplace, you need EAN-13 or UPC-A and the number must be a GTIN licensed from GS1. For anything internal — stock control, asset tags, work orders, shelf labels — Code 128 is almost always the right answer and needs no licence at all.
Barcode or QR code?
They solve different problems, and the difference matters more than it looks.
- A barcode carries an identifier — a product number a till or scanner looks up in a database. It is static by definition and cannot be changed once printed.
- A QR code can carry a URL, and if it is dynamic that URL can be repointed after printing, and every scan can be counted.
- Retail checkout, warehouses and shipping run on barcodes. Anything where a customer scans with a phone to reach content is a job for a QR code.
Increasingly the answer is both. Under GS1's Sunrise 2027 programme, retail packaging is moving to 2D codes that carry the GTIN and a web link in a single symbol, so the same scan works at the till and on a shopper's phone. If you are redesigning packaging now, it is worth planning for that rather than retrofitting later.
Printing a barcode so it actually scans
Barcodes are less forgiving than QR codes, because scanners measure the precise width of every bar. Four rules cover almost all failures:
- Print from SVG. Vector keeps bar widths exact at any size. A PNG scaled up is the most common cause of a barcode that will not read.
- Respect the quiet zone. Barcodes need clear space either side — around 10 times the narrowest bar width. Designers crop this constantly.
- Keep enough height. Retail barcodes want at least 10mm of bar height so a scanner can find them at an angle.
- Never invert. Bars must be darker than the background. Light bars on a dark background are unreadable by most hardware, whatever it looks like on screen.
Full sizing and resolution guidance is in the print guide, and the file formats page covers when to use each download type.
Where the numbers come from
This tool draws a barcode for a number you already have. It does not issue that number, and no barcode generator can — that is what GS1 exists for.
- Selling through retailers or marketplaces? Licence a GS1 company prefix and assign GTINs from it. Retailers reject resold or recycled barcode numbers.
- Selling only through your own channels? You can technically use any number, though a GTIN keeps future options open.
- Internal use only? Use whatever scheme suits you, with Code 128 or Code 39, and no licence is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this barcode generator really free?
Yes. Every symbology on this page is free and unlimited, with no account and no watermark. The barcode is drawn in your browser — nothing you type is sent to our servers. There is no trial that expires, because a barcode is a static symbol: once you download it, it is yours and it cannot be switched off.
Can a barcode expire or stop working?
No. A barcode encodes its value directly in the pattern of bars, so it does not route through anyone's server. This is the key difference from a dynamic QR code, which resolves through a provider and stops working if that provider deactivates it. Nobody can disable a barcode you have printed.
Which barcode format should I use?
EAN-13 for retail products sold outside North America, UPC-A for retail in the US and Canada, EAN-8 where packaging is too small for a full EAN-13, Code 128 for shipping and internal logistics, Code 39 for industrial and automotive parts, and ITF-14 for outer shipping cartons. For 2D, use Data Matrix on small components, PDF417 on ID documents, and Aztec on transport tickets.
Do I need to buy a barcode number from GS1?
If you are selling through retailers or on most marketplaces, yes — the number itself must be a GTIN licensed from GS1, because it has to be globally unique. This tool draws the barcode for a number you already have; it does not assign you one. For internal use such as inventory, asset tags or warehouse labels, you can use any numbering scheme you like and no GS1 licence is needed.
What is the check digit, and do I need to calculate it?
The last digit of an EAN or UPC is a checksum derived from the preceding digits, which lets scanners detect misreads. You do not need to work it out — enter 12 digits for EAN-13, 11 for UPC-A, 7 for EAN-8 or 13 for ITF-14 and it is calculated for you. If you paste the full number including the check digit, that is validated instead.
Should I download PNG or SVG?
SVG for anything going to print, because it is vector and stays sharp at any size — this matters more for barcodes than QR codes, since scanners read the precise width of each bar. PNG is fine for screens, listings and documents.
Why will my printed barcode not scan?
Usually one of four things: it was scaled from a low-resolution PNG so the bar widths are no longer precise, it was printed too small, the quiet zone either side of the bars was cropped, or there is too little contrast. Print from SVG, keep the bars at least 10mm tall for retail, and never print a barcode lighter than its background.
Can I generate barcodes in bulk from a spreadsheet?
Not on this page — this one is for individual codes. Bulk generation from a CSV or Excel file, where each row becomes its own barcode, is available in the dashboard on paid plans.
Need the scan to do something?
A barcode identifies a product. A dynamic QR code sends people somewhere — and you can change where, after it is printed, and count every scan.
7-day free trial, no credit card. Barcodes stay free forever.