Free Barcode Generator: Code 128, EAN-13 and UPC-A

Type a value, pick a barcode type and download a sharp SVG or PNG. For EAN and UPC the check digit is worked out for you, or checked if you type it. Code 128 is the right choice for your own stock labels, shipping labels and asset tags. Retail product barcodes need a number licensed from GS1; this page explains why. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to We.Inc or anyone else.

How it works

  1. Choose the type. Code 128 takes letters, digits and punctuation. EAN-13, UPC-A and EAN-8 take digits only.
  2. Type your value. For EAN-13 you can enter 12 digits and the 13th (the check digit) is added; for UPC-A enter 11 digits, for EAN-8 enter 7. If you type the full number, the check digit is verified and a typo is flagged.
  3. Code 128 picks its own character set: runs of digits are packed two per bar pattern (subset C) and text uses subset B, which keeps labels short.
  4. Adjust the bar width (the narrowest bar, in pixels) and the bar height, and choose whether to print the human-readable text under the bars.
  5. Download an SVG for print, or a PNG at the size shown. Test the result with a phone scanner app or your own handheld scanner before printing a batch.

Barcodes and GS1: what you can and cannot make yourself

A barcode is only a way of writing a number so a machine can read it. Anyone can draw one. The number is what matters. UPC and EAN numbers used in retail are issued by GS1, a not-for-profit standards body with an office in most countries. When you license a company prefix or single numbers from GS1, those numbers are recorded against your business, and retailers use that record to know whose product they are scanning.

So there are two honest paths. If you sell through stores or marketplaces that ask for a GTIN, buy your numbers from GS1 (US: gs1us.org, other countries: find your local office at gs1.org; check their current pricing there) and use this tool, or any other, to draw them. If the barcode never leaves your business, for stock bins, internal SKUs, shipping labels or equipment tags, use Code 128 with whatever codes suit you. No licence is needed for that.

Worked example: an EAN-13 check digit by hand

Take the 12 digits 400638133393. From the right, multiply them alternately by 3 and 1: 3x3, 9x1, 3x3, 3x1, 3x3, 1x1, 8x3, 3x1, 6x3, 0x1, 0x3, 4x1. That is 9 + 9 + 9 + 3 + 9 + 1 + 24 + 3 + 18 + 0 + 0 + 4 = 89. The next multiple of 10 is 90, so the check digit is 90 - 89 = 1 and the full number is 4006381333931.

UPC-A works the same way. For the 11 digits 03600029145 the weighted sum is 58, the next multiple of 10 is 60, so the check digit is 2 and the full code is 036000291452. Type either number here without its last digit to see it computed.

Worked example: an internal stock label with Code 128

Say your bins are labelled SHELF-A12-0042. That mixes letters and digits, so Code 128 is the fit. Set a bar width of 2 px and a height of 60 px, keep the text on, and download the SVG. Print it on a label at 100% scale. A standard USB or Bluetooth barcode scanner types the value into whatever field has focus, so it works with a spreadsheet or most inventory apps with no set-up.

Tips

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell in shops with a barcode made here?

Only if the number inside it is yours. Retailers and marketplaces that ask for UPC or EAN codes check them against the GS1 database, where each number is licensed to one company. This tool draws a correct barcode for any number you give it, but a made-up number will not belong to you and will be rejected or cause mix-ups. Get your numbers from GS1 US (gs1us.org) or the GS1 organisation in your country (gs1.org), then use this tool to draw them.

What is a check digit?

The last digit of an EAN or UPC number. It is calculated from the other digits (alternately multiplied by 3 and 1, summed, then rounded up to the next 10), so a scanner can spot a misread. For 400638133393 the check digit is 1, giving 4006381333931. This tool adds it for you, or tells you if the one you typed is wrong.

Which barcode type should I use?

For retail products, whatever your GS1 licence gives you: UPC-A is common in the US and Canada, EAN-13 elsewhere, EAN-8 on very small packs. For inventory, shipping labels, library books, asset tags and anything internal, Code 128: it needs no licence and can hold letters.

Is UPC-A the same as EAN-13?

Nearly. A UPC-A number is an EAN-13 number that starts with 0, and scanners read both. The bar pattern for 036000291452 as UPC-A is the same as 0036000291452 as EAN-13; only the digits printed under the bars are grouped differently.

Why will my barcode not scan?

The usual causes are a missing quiet zone, bars printed too small or blurred, low contrast, a curved or glossy surface, or a PNG that was stretched. Download the SVG, print at 100% scale with black on white and leave the margins.

Is this barcode generator free?

Yes. No signup, no watermark and no limit. The barcode is drawn in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

Related: QR Code Generator, Business Card Maker, Product Description Generator, Shipping Policy Generator, Invoice Generator.

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