Common Types of Barcodes, Explained
A quick, plain-language guide to the barcode types you'll actually run into — what each one is for, and which one to reach for.
Linear (1D) barcodes
A 1D barcode is a line of parallel bars of varying width, read in one direction by a scanner. Different "symbologies" (formats) exist for different purposes:
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EAN-13
The international retail standard — 13 digits, printed on the packaging of most products sold in stores outside North America. Needs an officially registered GS1 number to be globally unique.
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UPC-A
The retail standard in the US and Canada — 12 digits. Functionally the same idea as EAN-13, just one digit shorter and used in a different region.
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CODE128
A flexible, general-purpose format that encodes letters, numbers, and symbols, not just digits. The default choice for internal tracking, shipping labels, and anything that isn't a retail product.
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CODE39
An older, simpler alphanumeric format still common in logistics, government, and some industrial settings — lower data density than CODE128, but very widely supported by older scanners.
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ITF (Interleaved 2 of 5)
Encodes only digits, in pairs, and is common on shipping cartons and outer packaging (as opposed to the individual retail unit inside).
2D barcodes
A 2D barcode arranges data in a square grid instead of a single line, so it can hold far more information — a full web address instead of just a short ID number.
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QR code
A 2D (square) code that stores far more data than any 1D barcode — a full URL, WiFi credentials, contact details — and is readable by any phone camera, not a dedicated scanner.
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Data Matrix
Another 2D format, common in electronics and pharmaceutical marking where space is extremely tight — it can encode a useful amount of data in a very small square.
Which one should you use?
For a product sold at retail, the format isn't really a choice — it's EAN-13 almost everywhere, or UPC-A in the US and Canada, and either requires an officially registered GS1 number to work at a real checkout. For internal tracking, inventory, or asset labels where you control both the printing and the scanning, CODE128 is the simplest general-purpose option, since it accepts letters and numbers in whatever format you already use. For anything meant to be scanned by an ordinary phone camera rather than a dedicated barcode scanner — a link, a WiFi network, a contact card — a QR code is the right tool, since 1D barcodes were never designed to hold that much data or be read by a phone.
Frequently asked questions
- What does "barcode without numbers" mean?
- It usually means one of two things: a barcode that doesn't print the human-readable digits underneath the bars (a display option most generators — including ours — turn on by default, but can turn off), or a non-retail format like CODE128 that can encode letters and symbols instead of only digits. Standard retail barcodes (EAN-13, UPC) always encode a number by design, even if the printed digits underneath are hidden.
- What's the actual difference between a barcode and a QR code?
- A barcode (1D) is a line of parallel bars that stores a relatively short number or string, read in one direction. A QR code (2D) arranges data in a square grid read both horizontally and vertically, so it can hold thousands of characters — enough for a full link, not just an ID number.
- Which barcode type should I use for a product I'm selling in stores?
- EAN-13 outside North America, or UPC-A within the US/Canada — and for either to work at a real checkout, the number itself needs to be officially registered with GS1 so it's globally unique. Generating the image is the easy part; registering the number is the part that makes it a real, sellable barcode.
- Which barcode type should I use for internal tracking (not retail)?
- CODE128 — it accepts any letters, numbers, and most symbols, so you can encode your own internal SKU, asset tag, or reference format directly, without needing to register anything.
- Can I put a barcode on a document or file instead of a link?
- For a document, a QR code is usually the better fit, since it can encode a full link (to a PDF, a Google Drive file, and so on) rather than just a short numeric ID — see our guide on creating a QR code for a PDF or document.
- Do I need special software to create any of these?
- No — our Barcode Generator creates CODE128, EAN-13, and UPC images directly in your browser, and our QR Code Generator covers the 2D side, both free with no sign-up.