Free, in your browser, no upload

Barcode generator with exact print sizes

Pick the symbology, type the number or text, and set the bar width in millimeters. Check digits are calculated or validated, quiet zones follow the standard, and every barcode is read back before you download it.

10 barcode types
Check digits validated
PNG, SVG and vector PDF

Content

Letters, digits, spaces and punctuation. Long runs of digits are packed two to a symbol.

Bar width X (mm) Bar height (mm) PNG resolution Show the text

More QR and barcode tools

How to make a barcode

Choose the type
EAN or UPC for products sold in shops, ITF-14 for cartons, Code 128 for anything used inside your own business.
Type the data
Leave the check digit off and we add it, or type it and we verify it. Any problem is explained in plain words.
Set the size
Bar width (X) and height in millimeters, plus the resolution of your printer for the PNG.
Download and test
PDF or SVG for artwork, PNG for label printers. Scan a printed copy before you print in bulk.

Which barcode type to choose

Each symbology was built for a job. The short version:

Barcode types and what they are used for
Type	Holds	Typical use
EAN-13	13 digits (GTIN-13)	Products sold in shops worldwide; books as ISBN
UPC-A	12 digits (GTIN-12)	Products sold in the US and Canada
EAN-8 and UPC-E	8 digits	Very small packs
ITF-14	14 digits (GTIN-14)	Outer cartons and cases in warehouses
Code 128	Any keyboard character	Shipping, inventory, serial numbers, assets
Code 39	Capitals, digits, a few symbols	Older industrial systems, ID badges
Codabar	Digits and a few symbols	Libraries, blood banks, some couriers
Data Matrix	Text, compact 2D square	Small parts, electronics, medicine
PDF417	Text, stacked 2D rows	ID cards, boarding passes, shipping documents

Product barcode numbers: what we do and do not do

We draw the barcode. We do not issue numbers. EAN and UPC numbers for products you sell through shops or marketplaces come from GS1: a GS1 member organization licenses your company a prefix, you add an item reference for each product, and the last digit is a check digit. A number you make up may already belong to another company’s product, and retailers check numbers against GS1’s records.

For anything inside your own business, such as shelf locations, asset tags, tickets or internal part numbers, you do not need GS1. Use Code 128 with your own codes.

Print size, quiet zones and DPI

The bar width X is the width of the narrowest bar. GS1 sets a range for retail barcodes; the target, X = 0.330 mm, is what is often called the 100% size. Each barcode also needs a blank quiet zone on both sides, measured in X:

GS1 sizes and quiet zones
Barcode	X min to max (target)	Bar height at target X	Quiet zones left and right
EAN-13	0.264 to 0.660 mm (0.330)	22.85 mm	11X and 7X
EAN-8	0.264 to 0.660 mm (0.330)	18.23 mm	7X and 7X
UPC-A	0.264 to 0.660 mm (0.330)	22.85 mm	9X and 9X
UPC-E	0.264 to 0.660 mm (0.330)	22.85 mm	9X and 7X
ITF-14	0.495 to 1.016 mm (0.495)	31.75 mm	10X and 10X

Printers can only draw whole dots. At 300 DPI one dot is 0.0847 mm, so a 0.330 mm bar becomes 4 dots, or 0.339 mm. The size line under the preview shows the real figure for the PNG; SVG and PDF keep the exact width.

Check digits, step by step

EAN, UPC and ITF-14 numbers end in a check digit that catches typing mistakes. GS1 calculates it the same way for all of them: starting from the right, multiply the digits by 3 and 1 in turn, add everything up, and take the amount needed to reach the next multiple of 10. For 952001234567: 7x3 + 6 + 5x3 + 4 + 3x3 + 2 + 1x3 + 0 + 0x3 + 2 + 5x3 + 9 = 86, so the check digit is 4 and the full number is 9520012345674.

Code 128 always carries a hidden check character worked out from all the others, which we add for you. Code 39 can take an optional mod 43 check character, which you can switch on. Readers verify these silently and do not show them.

Questions

Is this barcode generator free?

Yes, with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit. Barcodes are made in your browser and you can use them commercially.

Can I use these barcodes to sell in shops or on Amazon?

The image, yes; the number has to be yours. Retail EAN and UPC numbers come from GS1, and GS1 US notes that Amazon sellers need valid GTINs unless their category is exempt.

Do I need a GS1 barcode?

Only for products that will be scanned by retailers or listed on marketplaces that ask for GTINs. For internal use, such as stock rooms or events, any Code 128 or QR code works.

What is the difference between EAN-13 and UPC-A?

UPC-A is a 12 digit number used mainly in the US and Canada; EAN-13 adds one digit in front and is used everywhere else. A UPC-A barcode is the same as an EAN-13 that starts with 0, so scanners read both.

What size should a barcode be?

For EAN and UPC, between 80% and 200% of the standard size, which means a bar width of 0.264 to 0.660 mm. Do not cut the height: GS1 allows shortened barcodes only when there is no room for a full one.

Which DPI should I pick for a label printer?

The printer’s own resolution, usually 203 or 300 DPI for thermal label printers. Then every bar lands on whole dots and prints crisply.

Why was my number rejected?

Usually the check digit does not match, which means a digit was mistyped. Type the number without its last digit and we will show the correct check digit.

Can I make a barcode from text instead of numbers?

Yes. Code 128 takes letters, digits and punctuation, and Data Matrix or PDF417 hold whole sentences.