LibreQR lets you generate barcodes in several industry-standard formats, each suited to a different use case. Before generating yours, it's worth choosing the right format for where you'll be using it, since scanners and retail systems generally expect a specific standard.
Available formats
- EAN-13 and EAN-8: the most common formats for retail products in Europe. EAN-13 is used on most consumer goods, while EAN-8 is designed for small packaging that can't fit a longer code.
- UPC-A and UPC-E: equivalent to the EAN formats but used mainly in the United States and Canada. UPC-E is a compressed version for smaller products.
- Code 128: a highly flexible alphanumeric format, common in logistics, warehousing, and inventory management, since it can encode both letters and numbers.
- Code 39: also used for inventory and logistics, especially in industrial and military settings thanks to its simplicity and reliability.
- ITF-14: designed for shipping cartons and transport units rather than individual products.
- Codabar: traditionally used in libraries, blood banks, and laboratories to identify documents and samples.
If you're not sure which format you need, consider the industry and region where the code will be used, along with the type of scanner that will read it — that usually determines the required standard.