Barcode Generator

Which barcode type do you need?

Code 128 and EAN-13 compared

Code 128 also switches automatically between its sub-sets as it encodes, packing long digit runs two-to-a-symbol. That is why a numeric code produces a noticeably shorter barcode than the same length of letters.

You cannot invent a retail barcode

This is the single most common misunderstanding, and it costs people money.

EAN-13 and UPC numbers are allocated by GS1, which issues each business a unique company prefix. You then assign your own product numbers within that prefix. Retailers verify that a barcode resolves to the registered owner, so a made-up number will be rejected — and duplicate numbers cause genuine chaos at checkout.

Cheap barcode numbers resold on marketplaces are usually recycled from prefixes issued before GS1 tightened its licensing. Many major retailers refuse them outright. If you are selling through shops, buy the prefix properly.

For anything internal — stock control, equipment tags, event tickets, library books — Code 128 needs no registration at all. Use whatever numbering makes sense to you.

Printing barcodes that scan first time

• Use SVG. Barcodes are line art; scaling a PNG blurs the bar edges, which is exactly what scanners measure.
• Never stretch horizontally. The relative bar widths carry the data. You can change the height freely, but the width must scale proportionally.
• Keep the quiet zone. The white margin at each end must be at least ten times the narrowest bar width. It is included here — do not crop it.
• Print dark on light, at high contrast. Black on white scans best; red bars are effectively invisible to older red-laser scanners.
• Avoid glossy laminate where possible, since reflections defeat laser scanners.
• Test with an actual scanner, not just a phone app — phone cameras are considerably more forgiving than warehouse hardware.