Free online barcode generator

Professional label tools like the TEC-IT Barcode Generator expose long lists of symbologies grouped by use case—linear retail codes, postal formats, GS1 composites, and 2D matrix symbols. Our free online barcode generator follows that same idea: pick a category, choose the symbology your scanner or retailer expects, enter valid data, and export a PNG you can drop into Word, Illustrator, or a label template.

Unlike server-based demos, everything renders locally with bwip-js. That means SKUs, GTINs, HIBC license numbers, and internal warehouse IDs never leave your machine—useful when you are prototyping packaging before launch or testing check digits on unreleased products.

The tool supports single-code preview for fine-tuning scale and height, plus batch mode when you need many labels at once: set a count, build values with prefix, suffix, start, step, and zero-padding, then edit any line before export.

• Linear: Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, Codabar, ITF-14, Pharmacode, MSI, Telepen, and more
• Retail EAN/UPC: EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, ISBN, ISMN, ISSN, GS1-128, SSCC-18
• GS1 DataBar: omnidirectional, stacked, truncated, limited, and expanded variants
• Postal: USPS POSTNET, PLANET, Intelligent Mail, Royal Mail, AusPost, KIX, Japan Post, Deutsche Post
• 2D matrix: QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec, MaxiCode, DotCode, Han Xin, Swiss QR
• Healthcare HIBC: Code 39, Code 128, Data Matrix, PDF417, QR, Aztec, and Codablock F

A barcode generator is only useful when the symbol matches what your hardware reads. Grocery laser scanners expect EAN-13 or UPC-A with a valid check digit; warehouse wedge scanners often read Code 128 or ITF-14 on cartons; pharmacy lines may require Pharmacode or HIBC-wrapped Data Matrix.

If you are building a Shopify or Amazon listing, you still need GS1-registered GTINs—the UPC barcode generator mode validates structure but does not replace prefix allocation. For internal bins, event badges, or asset tags, Code 128 is usually the fastest barcode maker choice because it accepts ASCII SKUs without fixed length rules.

2D codes store more data in less space. QR Code and Data Matrix appear on healthcare unit-of-use packs, electronics, and marketing pieces. PDF417 shows up on government IDs and logistics documents. Pick 2D when cameras scan the label; stay with 1D when legacy POS hardware is involved.

The UPC code generator and UPC maker paths use UPC-A for 12-digit North American item numbers. EAN-13 extends that with a leading digit for country or packaging level. Both include a modulo-10 check digit—if your string fails validation, fix the digit before printing; unscannable art on packaging is expensive to recall.

EAN-8 compresses very small products. Add-on symbols EAN-2 and EAN-5 encode magazine issue or price variants alongside a main EAN. GS1-128 and EAN-14 express logistics trade items with application identifiers—use the format hints and sample payload when learning the parentheses syntax.

For upc label generator and barcode maker online workflows, export PNG at the scale your template needs, keep quiet zones white, and test with a phone scanner app before mass print. Pair printed codes with a spreadsheet mapping GTIN to product name so fulfillment does not confuse similar numbers.

Batch barcode generator workflows start with a list of values. Switch to Batch mode, paste one SKU or serial per line (up to 100 per run), and the grid preview renders each image. Download individual PNGs or ZIP the whole set for import into label software.

Batch count automates numeric runs: set prefix SKU-, count 50, start 1, step 1, zero-pad to three digits, and you get SKU-001 through SKU-050 without typing each row. That mirrors mass barcode generator patterns used for conference badges, sample inventory, or test fixtures.

Very large catalogs still belong in dedicated print systems or APIs, but for dozens of warehouse labels or a pilot product line, client-side batch generation stays private and instant.

GS1 DataBar family symbols squeeze more GTIN information into small packages—common on produce and healthcare consumer units. Stacked and expanded variants exist for different print heights; choose the symbology your trading partner specifies in their implementation guide.

Postal barcodes encode routing and tracking for national carriers. USPS Intelligent Mail, POSTNET, and PLANET serve US mail; Royal Mail 4-State and Mailmark cover UK services; KIX and Deutsche Post Identcode/Leitcode serve European posts. Payload rules differ per standard—use carrier documentation for live mail, and test with their verification tools.

ISBN, ISMN, and ISSN modes help publishers validate book and serial numbers before print. HIBC modes wrap healthcare identifiers with the plus-sign license structure required on medical device labeling in several markets.

This page includes QR Code, Micro QR, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec, and related GS1 2D formats—not only linear bars. QR remains the default for URLs and Wi-Fi payloads; Data Matrix is common on small medical and electronics parts; PDF417 fits more text on a badge.

GS1 Digital Link QR and Data Matrix encodings bridge physical products to web resources under GS1’s resolver model. Swiss QR encodes payment slips for Swiss banking. These formats have strict field layouts—start from the sample data, then replace with values from your compliance team.

For marketing QR with custom colors and Wi-Fi templates, our dedicated QR Code Generator offers richer styling controls. Use this barcode generator when you need industrial symbologies alongside linear codes in one place.

Scannability beats aesthetics. Maintain high contrast between bars and background; the preview uses dark bars on white for that reason. Increase scale or height when labels print small—tiny modules blur below about 10 mil on consumer inkjets.

Quiet zones are blank margins around the symbol. Trimming them in design software is a common cause of rejected labels at retail. After export, avoid heavy JPEG recompression; PNG preserves sharp edges for thermal printers.

Test with the same device class that will scan in production: laser for checkout, imager for warehouses, phone camera for 2D. Rotate settings if your printer driver scales images unexpectedly.

Generation is client-side—no barcode API round trip. That is appropriate for confidential SKUs, unreleased UPC assignments, and HIBC license strings. Clear the page when finished on shared computers.

GS1 company prefixes, official ISMN allocations, and regulated HIBC data still require proper registration with the relevant authority. This tool renders symbols; it does not issue GTINs or legal identifiers.

Exported images are yours to place on labels, slides, or internal docs. Verify retailer-specific rules (Amazon, Shopify, big-box mandates) before going live with consumer packaging.