Two formats, one numbering system
The number inside a retail barcode is a GTIN, a Global Trade Item Number. GS1 US defines it as a GS1 identification key used to identify a trade item, and lists four lengths: 8, 12, 13 and 14 digits. The two you see on shelves:
| UPC-A | EAN-13 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number inside | GTIN-12 | GTIN-13 |
| Digits | 12 | 13 |
| Used mainly | North America | Outside North America |
| Check digit | Printed outside the bars, right | Printed inside the bars |
| Accepted abroad | Yes | Yes |
GS1 US calls GTIN-12 "synonymous with UPC" and the only GTIN type that a UPC-A barcode can hold, and GTIN-13 synonymous with EAN and the only type for EAN-13. It also states that both can be used internationally, without registering a product under more than one code. So the choice is about the format your retailers expect, not about getting two numbers.
Where it does not help is the place of manufacture. GS1 US states that the numbers do not indicate a product's country of origin. The leading digits reflect the country where the prefix was licensed, which is often, but not always, where the brand owner is based. The QR code vs barcode guide covers when a QR code is the better choice and the planned move to 2D codes at checkouts.
How to get a number
In the US, numbers come from GS1 US in one of two ways. Its fees, as listed on gs1us.org on October 30, 2026:
| Option | Initial fee | Yearly renewal | Per number, year 1 | Per number, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS1 US GTIN (one number) | $30 | $0 | $30 | $30 |
| Company Prefix, 10 numbers | $250 | $50 | $25 | $45 |
| Company Prefix, 100 numbers | $750 | $150 | $7.50 | $13.50 |
| Company Prefix, 1,000 numbers | $2,500 | $500 | $2.50 | $4.50 |
| Company Prefix, 10,000 numbers | $6,500 | $1,300 | $0.65 | $1.17 |
| Company Prefix, 100,000 numbers | $10,500 | $2,100 | $0.11 | $0.19 |
The last two columns are computed: the initial fee, plus four renewals for five years, divided by the numbers in the tier. A single GTIN for $30 has no renewal, so it is the cheapest start for one or two products. GS1 US lists exceptions: a single GS1 US GTIN cannot be used for pharmaceutical products, variable measure products, mixed cases or coupons. GS1 US also lists a prefix that includes an FDA NDC Labeler Code, at $2,100 initially and $2,100 a year, which is not in the table.
A GS1 Company Prefix is a number unique to your company that identifies you as the brand owner; you build product numbers from it. The renewal matters. GS1 US states that if the prefix license expires, the prefix is terminated and the company is removed from the GS1 Company Database, so customers can no longer verify its UPCs.
How many numbers you need depends on your range, because GS1 US says each variation of each product needs its own barcode. A T-shirt in 3 colors and 5 sizes is 15 numbers, not one. Ten such shirts already need 150, more than the 100-number prefix holds.
How the check digit works
The last digit of every GTIN is calculated from the others, so a scanner can catch a misread. GS1 US describes the method: multiply the digits alternately by 3 and 1, add the results, and subtract the sum from the nearest equal or higher multiple of ten. The weight 3 always goes on the digit next to the check digit. Its own worked example is the UPC number 61414121022:
| Position | Digit | Weight | Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | ×3 | 18 |
| 2 | 1 | ×1 | 1 |
| 3 | 4 | ×3 | 12 |
| 4 | 1 | ×1 | 1 |
| 5 | 4 | ×3 | 12 |
| 6 | 1 | ×1 | 1 |
| 7 | 2 | ×3 | 6 |
| 8 | 1 | ×1 | 1 |
| 9 | 0 | ×3 | 0 |
| 10 | 2 | ×1 | 2 |
| 11 | 2 | ×3 | 6 |
| Sum | 60 |
The products add up to 60. That is already a multiple of ten, so the check digit is 60 − 60 = 0 and the full GTIN-12 is 614141210220.
An EAN-13 works the same way with one more digit; the weights still start with 3 at the right end, so the first digit gets weight 1. For the made-up number 629104150021:
The full GTIN-13 is 6291041500213. Change any single digit and the sum no longer works out, which is how a typo or a misread bar is caught. The barcode generator adds the check digit when you enter the number without it and refuses a number whose check digit does not match.
From number to printed barcode
Once you have the GTIN, the image is the easy part. The barcode generator draws UPC-A and EAN-13 as SVG or PNG at print resolution, with the quiet zones that GS1 requires on each side of the bars; its page lists the module counts and the target sizes. Before you send packaging to print:
- Use the number GS1 assigned, never one copied from another product or bought without a GS1 license behind it.
- Keep the quiet zones clear of text and graphics.
- Test a printed proof with a scanner app before the full run.
- Record which number belongs to which product variant, so no number is used twice.
- Set the prefix to renew, or the numbers stop verifying.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a UPC and an EAN?
A UPC carries a 12-digit GTIN-12 and an EAN-13 carries a 13-digit GTIN-13. GS1 US says GTIN-12 is used mainly in North America and GTIN-13 mainly outside it. Both are GS1 product numbers ending in a check digit, and GS1 US states that both can be used internationally.
Do I need both a UPC and an EAN?
No. GS1 US says UPCs and EANs can both be used internationally, without registering a product under more than one code. Choose the format your main market's retailers expect; the number is what identifies the product.
How much does a barcode cost from GS1 US?
On October 30, 2026, gs1us.org listed a single GS1 US GTIN at $30 with no annual renewal fee, and GS1 Company Prefixes from $250 for 10 numbers ($50 a year after the first year) to $10,500 for 100,000 numbers ($2,100 a year). Check the site before buying, since prices can change.
Does the barcode show where a product was made?
No. GS1 US states that the numbers do not indicate a product's country of origin. The first digits reflect the country of the GS1 office that licensed the prefix, which is often, but not always, where the brand owner has its headquarters.
Can I make the barcode image myself?
Yes. Once you have the number, any barcode generator that follows the GS1 symbol rules can draw it. What you cannot make yourself is the number: retail product numbers come from a GS1 organization, and a prefix that is not renewed is terminated.
Sources
- GS1 US: What is a GTIN? (GTIN identifies a trade item; GTIN-12 is synonymous with UPC and the only GTIN in UPC-A, mainly North America; GTIN-13 synonymous with EAN, the only GTIN in EAN-13, mainly outside North America; lengths 8, 12, 13, 14)
- GS1 US: EAN numbers and UPCs, what is the difference? (an EAN is one digit longer; UPC check digit outside the bars, EAN inside; both usable internationally without more than one code)
- GS1 US: How to get UPC barcodes, read on October 30, 2026 (GS1 US GTIN $30 with no renewal fee and its exclusions; Company Prefix fee table from $250 to $10,500 and renewals from $50 to $2,100)
- GS1 US: What is a Company Prefix? (unique to each member, identifies the brand owner; cost set by how many numbers it can create)
- GS1 US: How to calculate a check digit manually (multiply by 3 and 1, add, subtract from the nearest equal or higher multiple of ten; the GTIN-12 example 61414121022 with check digit 0)
- GS1 US: Fact: U.P.C. barcodes don't reveal where products are manufactured, May 4, 2020 (no country of origin; the prefix reflects where it was licensed)
- GS1 US: FAQ on GS1 Company Prefix, barcodes and identification (an expired prefix license is terminated and the company leaves the GS1 Company Database)
- GS1 US: Why use GS1 US? (each variation of each product needs a unique barcode)
General information based on the sources above, not tax, legal or financial advice.