Free barcode generator
Thirteen symbologies from retail EAN to warehouse GS1-128, with check digits calculated and verified as you type. Vector SVG for print, PNG for everything else.
Any printable ASCII. The default for shipping labels, inventory and asset tags.
Rendering…
SVG stays sharp at any size and is best for print. Keep the white margin either side of 1D barcodes (the quiet zone, at least 10× the narrowest bar); cropping it is the most common reason a printed barcode will not scan.
Not sure which barcode you need?
Describe what you're labelling and where it's going. The advisor suggests a symbology, tells you whether you need GS1 numbers and gives print tips.
Pick by job
| Job | Barcode | Data | Needs GS1 number? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Products in shops (worldwide) | EAN-13 / EAN-8 | 13 or 8 digits | Yes |
| Products in US/Canada shops | UPC-A / UPC-E | 12 or 8 digits | Yes |
| Books | ISBN (Bookland EAN) | ISBN-13 | No, ISBN agency |
| Outer cartons | ITF-14 | GTIN-14 | Yes |
| Pallets, batch & expiry | GS1-128 | AI-tagged fields | Yes |
| Stock, SKUs, shipping, assets | Code 128 | Any ASCII | No |
| Legacy industrial, ID badges | Code 39 | A–Z 0–9 - . $ / + % | No |
| Library cards, blood bags | Codabar | Digits + A–D | No |
| Tiny parts, pharma packs | Data Matrix | Text, compact | For GS1 DataMatrix |
| IDs, boarding passes | PDF417 | Text, lots | No |
Print it so it scans
- Quiet zone. Leave blank space either side, at least 10 times the narrowest bar (about 3 mm on an EAN-13). The tool includes it; don't crop it in your layout.
- Colour. Black or dark blue bars on white. Scanners use red light, so red, orange and yellow bars disappear.
- Size. Keep retail codes within 80–200% of nominal and don't reduce the bar height ("truncation"), which makes scanning at an angle fail.
- Test. Press Test scan, then scan a printed proof with our barcode scanner or a till scanner.
Need hundreds? The bulk barcode generator turns a CSV into a ZIP. Checking a number by hand? Use the check digit calculator.
Questions
Which barcode type should I use?
Retail products: EAN-13 (or UPC-A in the US and Canada) with a GS1-licensed number. Books: ISBN. Shipping cartons: ITF-14 or GS1-128. Internal stock, assets and labels: Code 128. Tiny parts: Data Matrix. Anything a phone should open: a QR code.
Do I need to buy barcodes?
You never need to buy the image; this tool draws it for free. For retail you do need the number: a GS1 company prefix licensed from your national GS1 office. Internal barcodes (Code 128, Code 39, Data Matrix) need no registration.
Does the generator check my digits?
Yes. For EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, ITF-14 and ISBN it computes the check digit if you leave it off and rejects a wrong one if you include it.
What size should I print a barcode?
EAN-13 and UPC-A are nominally about 37 × 26 mm and may be scaled from 80% to 200%. Never shorten the bars or crop the white margins; if space is tight, use EAN-8 or UPC-E.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Barcodes are rendered by bwip-js in your browser. The optional AI advisor sends only the description you type, and only when you press its button.