A quick reference for which barcode format holds what, and what it’s normally used for. For a working generator, go to the barcode generator.
Retail products use EAN-13 or UPC-A; almost everything else uses Code 128 or Code 39. The retail formats require a GS1-issued number to be valid for resale. The general-purpose formats encode any text and have no registration requirement, which is why they’re the default for internal stock and logistics.
| Format | Holds | Digits/length | Typical use | Registration needed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAN-13 | Numeric | 13 digits | Retail products outside North America | Yes (GS1) |
| UPC-A | Numeric | 12 digits | Retail products in North America | Yes (GS1) |
| Code 128 | Any printable ASCII | Variable | Internal stock, logistics, shipping labels | No |
| Code 39 | A-Z, 0-9, - . $ / + % space | Variable | Older scanning equipment that can’t read Code 128 | No |
| ITF-14 | Numeric | 14 digits | Cartons and pallets (shipping units, not individual products) | Yes (GS1) |
| GS1-128 | Numeric + application identifiers | Variable | Logistics labels carrying batch, date or quantity data | Yes (GS1) |
| SSCC | Numeric | 18 digits | Tracking a single shipping unit (pallet, case) through a supply chain | Yes (GS1) |
| Data Matrix | Any text (2D) | Variable | Small parts and electronics, where space is too tight for a linear barcode | No |
We’ve directly measured this for the four most common formats (EAN-13, UPC-A, Code 128 and Code 39) by printing each at six sizes and scanning the results with a phone camera. We haven’t run the same test on ITF-14, GS1-128, SSCC or Data Matrix, so no minimum size is claimed for those here.
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Full method and results: barcode generator.