EAN / GTIN
EAN barcode: create product barcodes
To sell a product in stores, pharmacies or on Amazon you need an EAN barcode. Creating the image is the easy part – the number behind it is what matters. Here is both: where the number comes from and how to get the barcode onto your packaging at the right size.
Already have your number? Enter 12 digits in the Barcode Generator – the check digit is added and the code is saved as SVG or PDF at nominal size.
Create an EAN barcodeThe short version
- To sell in retail, get a GTIN from GS1 (your local GS1 member organization). For stock or inventory, your own number is fine.
- In the Barcode Generator, choose EAN-13 and enter the first 12 digits.
- The check digit is added. Keep the size at 100% (module width 0.33 mm).
- Save as SVG or PDF and place it in your packaging design.
Where does the EAN number come from?
The number behind the barcode is officially called a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number); “EAN” is the old but still common name. To keep GTINs unique worldwide, they are managed centrally by GS1. Companies get a company prefix from their national GS1 organization and assign numbers to their products from it.
| Use | Which number? |
|---|---|
| Selling in retail, drugstores, pharmacies | A GTIN from GS1 – retailers check it. |
| Amazon and other marketplaces | A GTIN from GS1. Amazon verifies numbers against the GS1 database; brand owners can sometimes apply for an exemption. |
| Your own web shop, farm shop, market stall | Not required – but a GTIN doesn’t hurt if retailers come later. |
| Stock, inventory, library, workshop | Your own numbers are fine – Code 128 is often more practical. |
Avoid “cheap EANs”. Single EAN numbers are resold online. They belong to the original company prefix holder, so you are not listed as the brand owner in the GS1 database. Marketplaces and retailers regularly reject such numbers.
How an EAN is structured
An EAN-13 has 13 digits, for example 4006381333931:
- Prefix (e.g. 400–440 for GS1 Germany, 50 for GS1 UK): shows which GS1 organization issued the number – not where the product was made.
- Company and item number: the company prefix plus a sequential item reference.
- Check digit (last digit): calculated from the other 12 digits to catch typos. See the EAN check digit guide.
Step by step
- Choose the type. In the Barcode Generator, click EAN-13.
- Enter the number. 12 digits are enough – the check digit is added. If you enter all 13, the check digit is verified and a swapped digit shows up immediately.
- Check the size. The nominal size is preset: module width 0.33 mm, bar height 22.85 mm.
- Wait for the readability check. The code is read back in your browser; warnings about color, size or truncated bars appear right below.
- Export. SVG for design software, PDF at exact size for layouts, PNG at 600 dpi if it has to be an image.
- Several products? Under “Batch & labels” paste a list or number codes sequentially – the check digit is recalculated for each code.
Enter your number, keep the nominal size, wait for the readability check – and send a vector PDF to your printer.
Size, color and placement
| Magnification | Module width | Width × height (with digits) |
|---|---|---|
| 80% (minimum) | 0.264 mm | approx. 29.8 × 20.7 mm |
| 100% (nominal) | 0.330 mm | 37.29 × 25.93 mm |
| 150% | 0.495 mm | approx. 55.9 × 38.9 mm |
| 200% (maximum) | 0.660 mm | approx. 74.6 × 51.9 mm |
- Don’t truncate. Reducing only the bar height to save space can cause trouble with omnidirectional checkout scanners. Scale the whole symbol down instead (at least 80%).
- Keep the quiet zone clear. 11 modules left and 7 right without text, lines or image edges. The generator includes it by default.
- Color: black on white is ideal. Dark blue, dark green or dark brown on a light background also work. Red, orange or yellow bars are invisible to scanners using red light.
- Placement: on a flat surface, usually at the bottom right of the back; never across folds, seams or strongly curved areas.
EAN-8, UPC-A and ISBN
EAN-8
A short form for very small packages. The numbers are assigned individually by GS1 and only meant for cases where an EAN-13 truly doesn’t fit.
UPC-A
The North American counterpart with 12 digits. Modern checkouts read both; some US retailers still ask for UPC.
ISBN
Books carry their ISBN-13 as an EAN-13 (prefix 978 or 979). Enter it with hyphens under “ISBN” to print the ISBN above the barcode too.
ITF-14
An outer carton holding several items gets its own GTIN, printed as ITF-14 with a thick bearer frame.
Create your EAN barcode
Automatic check digit, nominal size in millimeters, readability check and export as SVG, PDF or PNG – free and with no upload.
Frequently asked questions
Is the EAN barcode generator free?
Yes. Creating barcodes, exporting SVG, PDF and PNG and printing label sheets is free, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Can I make up my own EAN number?
For internal use, yes. To sell in retail or on marketplaces you need a GTIN with your own GS1 company prefix – made-up numbers can clash with real products and get rejected.
How much does an EAN number cost?
Your local GS1 organization charges a joining fee and an annual fee that usually depends on company size or revenue. Current prices are on its website.
How big does an EAN-13 barcode have to be?
At nominal size 37.29 × 25.93 mm. 80% to 200% of that is allowed, i.e. module widths from 0.264 to 0.66 mm.
Does the prefix show the country of origin?
No. The prefix only shows which GS1 organization issued the number, not where the product was made.
Which file format does my printer need?
Ideally SVG or PDF – both are vector files and stay sharp at any size. Use PNG only at high resolution (600 dpi or more).
Sources
- Get barcodes, GS1 – how companies obtain GTINs from their local GS1 organization.
- GS1 General Specifications, GS1 – rules for symbol sizes, quiet zones and application identifiers.
- Barcode Writer in Pure PostScript and bwip-js – the open-source libraries the generator uses to draw the codes.