Listed below are barcode types we offer in our Design & Print Online Software:
2/5 Interleaved: Commonly found in warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing, Code 2/ 5 is a numeric-only barcode used to encode pairs of numbers. Every two digits are paired to create one symbol. The number of digits used must be even for this format to work. A zero is commonly added at the end of an odd set of numbers.
Note: we currently have a bug where the check digit will appear in the barcode but not in the numbers below.
Codabar: Also known as USD-4 and ABC Codabar. Capable of encoding up to 16 characters plus an additional four start/stop characters. Codabar is often used by blood banks in the U.S., photo labs, and on FedEx airbills. While the four possible start/stop characters include A, B, C, and D, the primary characters are numeric
Code 128: Derived from the American Standard Code Information Interchange, 128 character set (0-9, a-z, A-Z, and some special characters), this compact barcode is used extensively in packaging and shipping applications worldwide. Code 128 features an automatic switching setting that allows users to optimize it for barcode length.
Code 39: A common barcode type used with electronics, healthcare, and government. It is a lineal, 1D, alphanumeric code with the ability to include the entire 128 character set and extend to any length and is only limited by the size of the label. If space is a concern, Code 128 would be a better choice to consider.
Data Matrix: This has become one the most common 2D barcodes. It is a square in shape code and can encode large amounts of information in a very small space. It is very popular in electronics manufacturing and healthcare.
Deutsche Post IdentCode: Is used by the German postal system for mail routing. It is a variant of the Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode; only the check digit is different.
EAN Codes: Similar to UPC codes, EAN codes are used to identify consumer products worldwide and are designed for Point-of-Sale (POS) scanning. There are a few different variations of the EAN barcode including EAN-13, EAN-8
Intelligent Mail: Is a 65-bar Postal Service barcode used to sort and track letters and flats. It allows mailers to use a single barcode to participate in multiple Postal Service programs simultaneously. It expands mailers’ ability to track individual mail pieces, and provides greater mail stream visibility.
ITF-14: Is the GS1 implementation of an Interleaved 2 of 5 (ITF) bar code to encode a Global Trade Item Number. ITF-14 symbols are generally used on packaging levels of a product, such as a case box of 24 cans of soup. The ITF-14 will always encode 14 digits.
MaxiCode: Is a public domain machine-readable symbol system originally created and used by United Parcel Service. Suitable for tracking and managing the shipment of packages. It resembles a barcode but uses dots arranged in a hexagonal grid instead of bars.
PDF417: This stacked linear 2D barcode can be found in many types of identification such as your driver’s license. It is the also the chosen standard by the USPS and Department of Homeland Security due to its advanced capabilities, such as encoding links to more than one data file. However, it can be expansive in size – 4 times larger than other 2D barcodes such as Datamatrix and QR Codes.
Postnet: Is used by the United States Postal Service to encode ZIP codes and ZIP+4 codes to assist in efficiently directing mail and flagging errors. POSTNET codes have a variable length ranging from 32 to 62 bars, which vary in height with both short and tall bars to encode information. Each digit is encoded in a set of five bars.
QRCode: Are used as marketing tools to link to web based information. Not as compact as Data Matrix, you will find them often used on advertising materials and storefronts, linking to special promotions or details about a certain product.
RM4SCC: Royal Mail 4-State Customer Code is the name of the barcode character set based on the Royal Mail 4-State Bar Code. The RM4SCC is used for the Royal Mail Cleanmail service. It enables UK postcodes as well as Delivery Point Suffixes (DPSs) to be easily read by a machine at high speed.
UPC-A: The most recognized barcode type due to the widespread use of UPC codes in retail settings. 12-digit UPC codes (UPC-A) contain basic information about the manufacturer’s identity and the identification number for the product, but more information can be gained by looking up UPC codes with a service such as UPC Database or GTIN, which is the official bar code assignment organization in the United States. Each digit’s position reveals the type of information those numbers refer to, a standardized process that makes it possible to decipher UPC codes that did not originate within a specific company.
GS1-128: Developed to provide a global standard for exchanging data between different companies. GS1-128 not only encodes the data, but it also provides a method of defining the meaning of the data by defining a list of “Application Identifiers” (AI’s).