Professional EAN-13 Barcode Generator
EAN-13 is the number sitting under almost every product on a shop shelf outside North America. If you plan to sell through a retailer or a marketplace like Amazon, this is usually the code they ask for — it is how the till knows what you just put on the belt.
What the thirteen digits mean
An EAN-13 breaks down into a GS1 prefix (which reflects the member organisation that issued the number — 590 for Poland, 40–44 for Germany, 50 for the UK), your company number, your item reference, and a final check digit. The scanner recalculates that check digit on every read and rejects the scan if the maths does not add up, which is why a mistyped EAN fails at the till instead of charging for the wrong product.
One thing the prefix does not tell you is where the product was made — it identifies the issuing organisation, not the factory. A common misconception worth clearing up before a buyer asks.
Technical specification
| Character set | Digits only |
| Length | Fixed: 13 digits (12 data + 1 check digit) |
| Check digit | Mandatory, modulo 10 — the generator computes it if you enter 12 digits |
| Nominal size | 37.29 × 25.93 mm at 100% magnification (X-dimension 0.33 mm) |
| Allowed magnification | 80% to 200% of nominal — do not scale outside that range for retail |
| Quiet zone | 11× X-dimension on the left, 7× on the right |
Printing notes
Retail scanners are calibrated for the nominal proportions, so resist the urge to squash an EAN-13 to fit a label design. Reducing height ("truncation") is the most common compliance failure at big-chain intake checks. If space is genuinely tight, the correct answer is EAN-8, not a shrunken EAN-13.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just make up an EAN number for my product?
For internal use — a stockroom, a test environment, your own POS — yes, and this generator will produce a structurally valid code. For selling through actual retailers or marketplaces, no: the number must be registered with GS1 so it is globally unique. Here is how a GS1 company prefix works and what it costs.
What is the difference between EAN-13 and UPC-A?
UPC-A is the 12-digit North American equivalent; an EAN-13 starting with 0 contains a UPC-A. Modern scanners read both, but US retailers historically expect UPC. The details are in EAN-13 vs UPC-A.
Why does my EAN say "invalid" in the generator?
Almost always the check digit: if you type 13 digits, the last one has to match the modulo-10 calculation. Enter the first 12 and let the generator append the correct check digit for you.
Selling online? See the Amazon FBA barcode compliance guide and the Shopify/WooCommerce labelling walkthrough.