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Which barcode should you choose?

You need the right barcode for the content type you’re sharing, whether it’s information for business cards or a barcode for product identification. Browse the types below to see which codes follow the industry standards you need or can hold the content type you need.

• Code 3 of 9 Standard (Also called Code 39) Code 39 Standard is the most common type of barcode. Use Code 39 to store any of the 43 standard alphanumeric characters, including capital letters A-Z, numbers 0-9, and some special characters such as punctuation.
• Code 128 Code 128 is the most easily read barcode and can be used to store any alphanumeric characters. If you are considering using alphanumeric codes in your company, Code 128 is a good choice for individual barcodes.
• Interleave 2 of 5 This barcode can only contain numeric information, and is typically used in industrial and master carton labeling.
• Codabar Codabar is often used in libraries and blood banks.
• Code 93 Code 93 is similar to Code 39, but allows you to store more characters per inch.
• MSI Plessey This numeric-only barcode is commonly used in warehousing and inventory stock control.
• UPC-A UPC-A is a 12-digit fixed-length barcode. This is the most commonly used barcode in retail product labeling. The first 6 digits are unique to your business, and must be assigned to you by GS1 US.
• UPC-E UPC-E is a 6-digit fixed-length barcode. This barcode is a compressed code that is used to mark small packages and paperback books and magazines in retail.
• EAN/JAN-13 EAN/JAN-13 can only store 12, 14 or 17 characters. The barcode is similar to UPC-A, but allows you to include the first two digits of a country code.
• EAN/JAN-8 EAN/JAN-8 requires the use of 7, 9 or 12 characters. EAN/JAN-8 is similar to the UPC-E, but also allows you to store the first two digits of a country code.
• US Postal Code The US Postal Code barcode is also called POSTNET, and is used by the US Postal service for mail delivery.
• QR Code A QR code, or Quick Response code, is a type of 2D barcode that can hold more than 4,000 alphanumeric characters. It’s called a two-dimensional barcode because the whole area is scanned, and a one-dimensional barcode has a single line that code readers scan. This gives you the ability to store a significant amount of information in a small space.