Free Online Barcode Generator

Yes, our barcode generator is completely free to use with no hidden costs or watermarks. You can generate and download as many barcodes as you need for both personal and commercial use. We don't require registration, payment information, or subscriptions.

Yes, all barcodes generated by our tool follow industry standards and should be scannable by standard barcode readers when printed correctly. Always test your barcodes with the specific scanning equipment you'll be using.

To ensure scannability:

• Print at an appropriate size (not too small)
• Ensure good print quality without distortion
• Maintain high contrast (ideally black on white)
• Include quiet zones (margins) around the barcode

For retail products in the USA and Canada, UPC-A is commonly used. For global retail products, EAN-13 is the standard. If you need an official retail barcode, you should obtain one through GS1, the official global barcode issuing organization.

Here's a quick guide:

• UPC-A: Standard retail products in USA/Canada
• EAN-13: Global retail products
• EAN-8: Small retail items with limited space
• Code 128: General purpose, non-retail applications
• Code 39: Industrial and government applications
• ITF-14: Packaging and shipping cartons

Note: For official retail barcodes to be accepted by major retailers, you must register with GS1 to obtain a company prefix and unique product numbers.

PNG: A raster image format best for web use, digital displays, and basic applications. PNG files have a fixed resolution, so they may become pixelated if enlarged too much.

SVG: A vector format that can be scaled to any size without losing quality. SVG is ideal for print materials, especially when the barcode needs to be resized. SVG files are also typically smaller in file size.

PDF: A document format that preserves formatting and is easy to print. PDFs are ideal for professional printing, documentation, and when you need to include additional information with your barcode.

For most applications, we recommend using SVG for the highest quality and flexibility.

Absolutely! Our barcode generator processes everything locally in your browser. Your data never leaves your device and is not transmitted to our servers, ensuring complete privacy and security.

Unlike many online barcode generators that send your data to servers for processing, our tool uses JavaScript to generate barcodes entirely within your browser. This means:

• Your sensitive data stays on your device
• No server logging or storage of your information
• Works even when you're offline (after the initial page load)
• Faster processing without server communication delays

Yes, our tool is perfect for creating barcodes for inventory management systems. Code 128 is typically the best choice for this purpose as it can encode all ASCII characters and is widely supported by inventory scanners.

For inventory management, we recommend:

• Using consistent formatting for your inventory codes
• Including prefix/suffix characters to identify product categories
• Testing compatibility with your specific inventory software and scanners
• Printing labels with enough quiet zone space for reliable scanning

To ensure your barcodes scan properly when printed:

1. Print Quality: Use a good quality printer with at least 300 DPI resolution
2. Size: Ensure the barcode height is at least 1 cm (0.4 inches) for most scanners
3. Contrast: Always print with high contrast, ideally black bars on a white background
4. Quiet Zones: Leave adequate white space (quiet zones) on both sides of the barcode
5. Materials: Print on non-glossy materials to reduce reflection
6. Test: Scan the printed barcode with the intended scanner to verify functionality
7. Avoid Distortion: Don't stretch or compress the barcode after generation

For best results, download the SVG format and use it in your design software without resizing the proportions.

Yes, you can use our barcode generator for creating barcodes for commercial products, but with an important caveat:

For internal commercial uses like inventory management, warehouse tracking, internal documents, and non-retail products, you can freely use any barcodes generated with our tool.

For retail products sold in stores, particularly major retailers:

• You typically need to register with GS1 (www.gs1.org) to obtain legal, unique barcode numbers
• Major retailers usually require GS1-registered barcodes for their inventory systems
• Once you have your GS1 numbers, you can use our tool to generate the actual barcode images

Our tool creates technically valid barcodes, but does not provide the registration or uniqueness guarantees required for retail distribution.