Choosing a barcode type
| Use | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Retail products | EAN-13 (most countries), UPC-A (US and Canada) |
| Books | ISBN (EAN-13) |
| Shipping cartons | ITF-14, GS1-128 |
| Internal inventory and assets | Code 128, Code 39 |
| Small parts and medicine | Data Matrix |
Retail barcode numbers must be licensed
You can draw any barcode here for free, but EAN-13 and UPC numbers for products sold in stores must come from GS1, the organization that assigns company prefixes in each country. For internal use, Code 128 lets you use any numbering you like.