Knowledge Mark G
Hire Me

Free business tool

Barcode Generator

Create Code 128, EAN-13 and UPC-A barcodes with the check digit worked out for you - download as SVG or PNG.

  • No sign-up
  • Instant results
  • Runs in your browser

Barcode data

Letters, numbers and symbols - shipping labels, SKUs, asset tags.

Appearance

Scanners need contrast: keep dark bars on a light background. Light-on-dark and red bars often fail to scan.

Barcode

SKU-2026-00417

SKU-2026-00417

SVG stays sharp at any size - best for print. The PNG is exported at 3× for labels.

Which barcode type should I use?

Code 128 encodes letters, numbers and symbols and is the usual choice for shipping labels, SKUs, asset tags and anything internal. UPC-A is the 12-digit retail barcode used in the US and Canada; EAN-13 is the 13-digit version used in the UK, Europe and most of the world. A UPC-A code is an EAN-13 code with a leading zero, so scanners everywhere read both.

Check digits, worked out for you

The last digit of a UPC or EAN is a check digit calculated from the others, so a scanner can tell when it has misread a bar. Enter the first 11 (UPC-A) or 12 (EAN-13) digits and the generator adds it. Enter the full code and it verifies the check digit instead, and tells you the correct one if it is wrong. Code 128 carries its own checksum inside the bars.

Retail barcodes need real numbers

You can generate any UPC or EAN here, but to sell through retailers or Amazon the number must be registered to your company through GS1. A made-up number may already belong to someone else’s product. For internal use, Code 128 has no such restriction.

Printing tips

Use the SVG for print - it stays sharp at any size. Keep dark bars on a light background, leave the white margin either side (the quiet zone) and do not squash the barcode horizontally. Making invoices for the same products? The invoice generator is free too.

Questions people ask

Are these barcodes free to use commercially?+

The images are yours to use however you like. For retail UPC or EAN numbers, though, the number itself must be licensed from GS1 if you sell through stores or marketplaces.

What is the difference between UPC and EAN?+

UPC-A has 12 digits and is used in North America; EAN-13 has 13 and is used almost everywhere else. A UPC is an EAN with a leading zero, so modern scanners read both.

What can Code 128 encode?+

Any printable ASCII character - letters, digits, spaces and punctuation. Long runs of digits are packed two per symbol automatically, which keeps the barcode short.

SVG or PNG?+

SVG for print and design software, because it is vector and stays sharp at any size. PNG for label printers, spreadsheets and anything that only takes images.

Why won't my barcode scan?+

Usually low contrast (light bars, dark backgrounds, red bars), a missing white margin, or the image being stretched. Print it at 100% scale with dark bars on white.