Bulk barcode generator
One row per barcode, one ZIP back. For catalogues, stocktakes and label runs where generating codes one at a time stops being realistic.
EAN-13 — enter 12 digits and the check digit is calculated for you, or paste all 13.
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Free, unlimited, no account required. Nothing you type is sent to our servers — the barcode is drawn in your browser.
Single codes here, batches in the dashboard
The generator above makes one barcode at a time, free and unlimited, with no account. That covers most needs.
When you have a spreadsheet of hundreds of SKUs, bulk generation in the dashboard takes a CSV or Excel file and returns every barcode as a ZIP, named by the value or a column you choose. Bulk is available on paid plans, which start at $5/month with a 7-day trial and no card required.
Preparing the file
- One row per barcode. A header row is fine.
- A column holding the value to encode — SKU, GTIN, asset ID.
- Optionally a filename column, so codes come back named usefully rather than by value.
- Keep the format consistent across the file — one symbology per run.
- Save as
.csvor.xlsx.
The most common failure is a spreadsheet turning long numbers into scientific notation, so 5901234123457 becomes 5.90123E+12. Format the column as text before you type or paste, not after.
The Excel barcode-font trap
A lot of advice suggests installing a barcode font and typing values into Excel. It works for Code 39, which needs only asterisks around the value, and fails for almost everything else.
- EAN-13 and UPC need a calculated check digit. A font does not calculate anything — it just draws glyphs, so you get a barcode that scans as the wrong number, or does not scan.
- Code 128 needs start characters, subset switching and a checksum. A font cannot do any of that.
- Printing from Excel rasterises at screen resolution, so bar widths are approximate.
Fonts are fine for internal Code 39 labels. For anything scanned by someone else's system, generate real barcode images.
What bulk is actually used for
- Catalogue onboarding — a barcode per SKU when moving onto a new platform.
- Stocktakes — printing shelf-edge labels for a whole location.
- Asset tagging — a code per item for equipment registers.
- Event badges — a unique code per attendee from the registration export.
- Serialisation — sequential codes for production runs.
If those codes need to point somewhere on the web rather than just identify something, bulk QR codes is the page you want — those can be dynamic, so destinations stay editable and every scan is counted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many barcodes can I generate at once?
Up to 500 per batch on paid plans, with unlimited batches. Single codes on this page are free and unlimited.
Can I generate barcodes directly in Excel?
Only reliably for Code 39. EAN, UPC and Code 128 all need calculated check digits and control characters that a font cannot produce, so you get symbols that scan as the wrong value or not at all.
Why did my long numbers turn into scientific notation?
Excel converts long numeric strings to scientific notation by default. Format the column as text before entering or pasting the values — reformatting afterwards does not restore the lost digits.
What file formats can I upload?
CSV and Excel (.xlsx). One row per barcode, with a column holding the value to encode.
Can each barcode be a different format?
Not within one run — pick a symbology per batch. Split mixed sets into separate files.
Need 500 codes from a spreadsheet?
Upload a CSV, pick your format, download the ZIP. Bulk barcodes and bulk dynamic QR codes both included.
7-day free trial, no credit card. Single barcodes stay free forever.