Barcodes
UPC vs EAN Barcodes: Which One Does Your Product Need?
UPC-A and EAN-13 compared: digits, where each is used, whether US stores accept EAN, and how GS1 numbers work. Plain-English guide for sellers.
UPC and EAN are the two barcodes you see on retail products. They are close relatives, both managed by GS1, and modern checkout scanners read both. The choice comes down to where you sell.
The difference in one table
| UPC-A | EAN-13 | |
|---|---|---|
| Digits | 12 | 13 |
| Main region | United States, Canada | Rest of the world |
| Issued by | GS1 US / GS1 Canada | Local GS1 office |
| Read in US stores? | Yes | Yes (since 2005) |
A UPC-A is effectively an EAN-13 with a leading zero, which is why scanners treat them as the same family (GTIN).
Which should you use?
- Selling mainly in the US or Canada: UPC-A from GS1 US is the safe choice.
- Selling in Europe, Asia, Africa or Latin America: EAN-13 from your country's GS1 office.
- Selling everywhere: either works technically; use the one your GS1 membership issues.
The part people get wrong: the number
The barcode is just a picture of a number. What retailers check is whether that number (the GTIN) is licensed to your company in the GS1 database. Amazon and large chains verify this. Cheap numbers from resellers may belong to someone else and can get listings removed.
Creating the barcode image
Once you have your number, enter it in the UPC or EAN-13 generator. Type 11 digits for UPC-A or 12 for EAN-13 and the check digit is calculated automatically. Print black bars on white, at 80–200% of the standard size, and keep the white margins on both sides.
GS1 magnification range 80–200% of the 37.29 mm nominal width.
Make it yourself in under a minute
Open the generator
The UPC barcode generator opens with the right code type already selected.
Enter your data
Type your number or text. Check digits are added automatically and invalid data is flagged.
Adjust the layout
Set bar height, quiet zone and whether to show the human-readable text.
Download and print
Download a PNG for free. Print black bars on white and keep the margins clear.
