Free barcode generator

Type your product number. We work out the barcode type, check or calculate the check digit and draw it. Download a PNG or SVG in the size you need, or share a link. Free, no sign-up.

8, 12, 13 or 14 digits. Leave off the check digit and we'll work it out, or ask when the number could be read two ways.

Your barcode appears here.

Your barcode is made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to QRbolt unless you share the link, which carries the number and your settings.

Use your own GS1 number

A retail barcode only works if the number is yours. You get product numbers by licensing a GS1 Company Prefix from your local GS1 office. This tool checks that a number is well formed, not who owns it.

Print it at the right size

Scanners care about the width of the narrowest bar. We show the printed size at 300 DPI and whether it sits in the GS1 range. Use the SVG for print work, and always test a printed sample with a scanner.

Check digit done for you

The last digit of every GTIN is calculated from the others. Leave it off and we work it out, or ask when your number could be read two ways. Get it wrong and we show the right one, which catches most typos before they reach your packaging.

Which barcode do I need?

EAN-13
The standard retail barcode outside North America. 13 digits, scanned at checkouts worldwide.
UPC-A
The standard retail barcode in the US and Canada. 12 digits. Any UPC-A can also be shown as an EAN-13 with a leading zero.
UPC-E
A compressed UPC-A for small packs in the US and Canada. Only UPC-A numbers with a run of zeros can be printed as UPC-E, and we offer it when yours can.
EAN-8
A shorter retail barcode for small packs where an EAN-13 won't fit. EAN-8 numbers are issued separately by GS1.
ITF-14
For cases and cartons in the warehouse. Encodes a 14-digit GTIN and prints well on corrugated board.
GS1-128
A logistics barcode. Here it carries your GTIN as Application Identifier (01), the same number in a format built for shipping labels.

Questions people ask

Do I need GS1 membership to get a barcode?

To sell in most retail stores, yes. Retailers expect a GTIN that belongs to you, and you get one by licensing a GS1 Company Prefix, or in some countries a single GTIN, from your local GS1 office. This tool draws any well-formed number, but it can't make a number yours.

Can I make up my own barcode number?

Only for use inside your own business, such as stock in one shop. GS1 reserves numbers starting 02, 04 and 20 to 29 for in-store use, and the generator warns you when you use them. A made-up number on a retail product can clash with someone else's product.

UPC or EAN: which do I need?

Retailers in the US and Canada use UPC-A, and scanners worldwide read both. Outside North America EAN-13 is the norm. A UPC-A is the same number as an EAN-13 that starts with 0, so you can switch between them here.

When should I use UPC-E?

On small packs in the US and Canada where a UPC-A won't fit. Only UPC-A numbers with a run of zeros can be compressed to UPC-E. If yours can, UPC-E appears as a barcode type.

What size should I print my barcode?

At 100% an EAN-13 is about 37.3 mm wide and 25.9 mm tall, and GS1 allows 80% to 200% of that for retail. The generator shows the printed size at 300 DPI and whether the narrowest bar is inside the GS1 range. Always scan a printed proof.

Should I download PNG or SVG?

Use SVG for packaging and print artwork: it stays sharp at any size and opens at the right printed size. Use PNG for documents, websites and label software. Both downloads are set to 300 DPI.

Can the barcode have a transparent background?

Yes, tick Transparent background. The bars stay black, and whatever is behind them must be white or very light, or scanners won't read it.

Can I share a barcode?

Yes. Every barcode has its own link with your settings. Copy it, email it or post it, and whoever opens it sees the same barcode, ready to download.

Is it really free?

Yes. No sign-up and no watermark, and you can use the barcodes commercially. The barcode is made in your browser, so the number you type isn't sent to us.

How the check digit is calculated

Every GTIN ends in a check digit worked out from the other digits. Here it is for the EAN-13 that starts 590123412345:

  1. Starting from the right, multiply the digits by 3 and 1 in turn: 5×3, 4×1, 3×3, 2×1, 1×3, 4×1, 3×3, 2×1, 1×3, 0×1, 9×3, 5×1.
  2. Add the results: 15 + 4 + 9 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 9 + 2 + 3 + 0 + 27 + 5 = 83.
  3. Subtract that from the next multiple of ten: 90 − 83 = 7.

The check digit is 7, so the full number is 5901234123457. The generator does this for you: type the number without its last digit and it offers the full number.

Moving to 2D barcodes?

Retail is moving to QR codes that carry the GTIN and link to product information. Print a GS1 Digital Link QR code beside this barcode: it scans at the till and on a phone.

Start freeHow to create a GS1 QR codeFree GS1 Digital Link validator

The free Retail 2D plan covers 2 products and 52 codes.