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5 Major Barcode Formats Explained

Learn about Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, ITF, and Code 39 — their data capacity, use cases, and industry applications.

5 Formats · Data Capacity · Use Cases · Industry Applications

Choosing the Right Barcode Format

Not all barcodes are the same. Different barcode formats are designed for different industries and use cases — from retail checkout to warehouse logistics and industrial manufacturing.

QRastra supports 5 major 1D barcode formats: Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, ITF, and Code 39. Here's everything you need to know about each format.

Pro tip: Choose the right format for your industry. Retail → EAN-13/UPC-A. Logistics → Code 128/ITF. Industrial → Code 39.

Code 128

Logistics

Data Type Alphanumeric

Character Set All 128 ASCII characters

Use Cases Shipping, logistics, inventory

Example ABC-123-789

Code 128 is a high-density alphanumeric barcode format that can encode all 128 ASCII characters. It's the most versatile 1D barcode and is widely used in shipping, logistics, and inventory management. Code 128 is ideal for applications that require encoding both letters and numbers.

EAN-13

Retail

Data Type Numeric (13 digits)

Country Code First 2-3 digits identify country

Use Cases Retail products (global)

Example 5901234123457

EAN-13 (European Article Number) is the global retail standard. It contains 13 digits — including a country code, manufacturer code, product code, and a check digit. EAN-13 is used in supermarkets, bookstores, and consumer goods worldwide (except North America).

UPC-A

Retail

Data Type Numeric (12 digits)

Structure Manufacturer (6) + Product (5) + Check (1)

Use Cases Retail products (US/Canada)

Example 036000291452

UPC-A (Universal Product Code) is the North American retail standard. It contains 12 digits — a 6-digit manufacturer code, a 5-digit product code, and a check digit. UPC-A is used in the United States and Canada for retail products.

ITF (Interleaved 2 of 5)

ITF

Logistics

Data Type Numeric (even number of digits)

Density High-density (pairs of digits)

Use Cases Warehousing, pallet labels

Example 1234567890

ITF (Interleaved 2 of 5) is a high-density numeric barcode format that encodes data in pairs of digits. It's commonly used in logistics and warehousing for pallet labels, packaging, and distribution. ITF is ideal for applications that require encoding large amounts of numeric data.

Code 39

Industrial

Data Type Alphanumeric

Character Set A-Z, 0-9, and 7 special characters

Use Cases Industrial, military, automotive

Example PART-123

Code 39 is a alphanumeric barcode format that encodes uppercase letters (A-Z), digits (0-9), and 7 special characters. It's widely used in industrial, military, automotive, and defense applications. Code 39 is ideal for applications that require encoding both letters and numbers in industrial settings.

Quick Comparison

A side-by-side comparison of all 5 barcode formats to help you choose the right one for your application.

Format	Data Type	Character Set	Best For	Industry
Code 128	Alphanumeric	128 ASCII	Shipping, logistics, inventory	Logistics
EAN-13	Numeric	13 digits	Retail products (global)	Retail
UPC-A	Numeric	12 digits	Retail products (US/Canada)	Retail
ITF	Numeric	Even digits	Warehousing, pallet labels	Logistics
Code 39	Alphanumeric	A-Z, 0-9, 7 special	Industrial, military	Industrial

Quick guide: Use Code 128 for logistics, EAN-13/UPC-A for retail, and Code 39 for industrial applications. QRastra supports all formats for free.

Summary

QRastra supports 5 major 1D barcode formats — Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, ITF, and Code 39. Each format is optimized for specific industries and use cases.

Whether you're in retail, logistics, or industrial manufacturing, there's a barcode format for your needs. And with QRastra, you can generate all of them — for free, privately, and entirely in your browser.

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