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7 Free UPC Barcode Generators for Shopify: Everything You Need to Know
Efficient inventory control and seamless checkout experiences on Shopify are essential to ensuring the best sales results. That is when you need to consider the role of UPC barcodes. They are product identifiers that can help reduce stocking, packaging, and shipping mistakes.
So, what should we do to start with UPCs effectively?
Shopify sellers used to spend a lot of effort on designing and printing UPC barcodes manually. However, we can optimize this process with numerous free UPC barcode generators today. This article will demystify UPC barcodes, explain why they’re crucial for your Shopify store, and introduce you to 7 top-rated free online UPC barcode generators. Now, let’s discover with us!
A Summary Of UPC Barcodes
What are UPC barcodes?
A Universal Product Code (UPC) is a 12-digit numeric barcode that serves as a unique identifier for products and their manufacturers. When scanned, a UPC instantly populates product information, facilitating fast checkouts and accurate inventory tracking. UPCs are standardized by the Global Standards Organization (GS1) and are often technically called “UPC-A barcodes.” You can also find UPCs under “EAN” but with 13 digits, strictly following the European standard.
The GS1 system offers varied globally recognized product codes, including UPCs
3 Key Components in UPCs
Every 12-digit UPC is comprised of three distinct sections, each encoding vital information:
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UPC company prefix: The initial 6 digits represent a unique manufacturer identification number assigned by GS1. This prefix identifies the company that produced the product.
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Item number: The subsequent 5 digits are the item number, which is unique to a specific product variant. For instance, a coffee brand's 12-oz bag of "Dark Roast" would have a different item number than their 12-oz bag of "Light Roast”. Similarly, a 24-oz bag of "Dark Roast" would carry a distinct item number compared to its 12-oz counterpart.
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Check digit: The final digit in the UPC is the check digit. This digit is calculated using a complex algorithm based on the preceding 11 digits and is known as a validation tool. Once the check digit is incorrect, the UPC will not scan properly, preventing mistakes.
Learn more: Shopify QR Codes: The Key to Elevating Customer Experience
When to use UPC barcodes?
Sellers can use free UPC barcode generators to create tailored UPCs for various purposes. Here’s when you will find these barcodes most useful to streamline your operational process:
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Sell on eCommerce platforms and marketplaces
Most eCommerce platforms (e.g., Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce) and online marketplaces (e.g., Amazon, eBay, Google Shopping) require your products to have unique UPCs for listing. This is essential to maintain product authenticity and categorization across their vast catalogs.
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Start in-person retail and wholesale operations
If you plan to sell your products in physical retail stores or through wholesale distributors, UPCs are virtually mandatory. They help you enable quick and accurate scanning at the point of sale, making UPC-A free barcode generators a perfect fit with Shopify POS apps or Shopify POS Go.
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Streamline your supply chain
UPCs allow for precise tracking of product movement from the warehouse to customers. As a result, sellers can easily monitor stock levels, identify fast-moving items, and control reordering. It is known as one of the most widely used Shopify inventory management strategies nowadays.
Moreover, ensuring that the correct products are picked and packed for each order can minimize errors and improve customer satisfaction, which further optimizes order fulfillment. Once inventory management and order fulfillment are efficient, they contribute to a successful supply chain. From that, Shopify sellers can easily boost their overall operational performance.
What is the difference between SKU and UPC?
While both SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) and UPCs are used for product identification, they serve fundamentally different purposes and are created in distinct forms. Therefore, you need to understand their differences to ensure effective inventory management in your Shopify store. Below is a quick comparison table between SKU vs. UPC so that you can easily review it shortly:
|
Feature |
UPC (Universal Product Code) |
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) |
|
Purpose |
External tracking |
Internal tracking |
|
Creator |
Assigned by GS1 |
Assigned by individual businesses |
|
Format |
Numeric code (12 characters) |
Alphanumeric code (8-12 characters) |
|
Uniqueness |
Globally unique for each product type/variant. |
Unique within a single business's inventory system. |
|
Portability |
Universal, recognized by all retailers and systems worldwide. |
Not universal; specific to one company's system. |
|
Example |
012345678905 (for a particular brand of shampoo) |
SHAM-CITRUS-8OZ (for citrus-scented shampoo, 8oz bottle) |
What Are UPC Barcode Generators?
UPC barcode generators are software, online tools, or services that can help convert product data into a scannable barcode image. These generators simplify the process of creating UPCs (and other barcode types) without the need for complex installation or specialized knowledge. Notably, sellers can take advantage of free UPC barcode generators to save on their budget.
They essentially take the numerical data you provide (which ideally corresponds to a legitimate UPC purchased from GS1 or a placeholder if you're using them for internal tracking before official allocation) and precisely transform it into the familiar black-and-white barcode pattern.
Most free UPC-A barcode generators can cover variations, such as UPC-E, UPC-2, and UPC-5. Depending on your products, choose the correct format for accurate scanning and compliance.
Learn more: How to Add Products to Shopify: A 5-Step Instructional
Top 7 Free UPC Barcode Generators For Shopify Store
#1. Shopify Barcode Generator
The first UPC-A free barcode generator in our recommended list is Shopify Barcode Generator. While it’s not built directly into the Shopify Admin dashboard, it offers fast, easy-to-use access that requires only your email address and specific text, followed by clicking the “Submit” button.
Shopify offers a free-forever barcode generator for Shopify sellers
This Shopify solution seems to be working better for basic barcodes for internal use, SKUs, or QR codes. While it can technically generate UPC-style barcodes, it’s important to note that it does not verify whether the codes are GS1-registered. Therefore, it’s best suited for sellers needing temporary or internal barcoding, rather than official UPCs intended for retail distribution.
Key featuresz:
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Allows input of text or data to be encoded.
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Provides instant download of the barcode image as a PNG file.
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User-friendly interface, ideal for beginners.
Pricing: Free to use
Learn more: 200+ CRO Templates Tailor-Made for Shopify Merchants in Every Niche
#2. MS SKU & Barcode Generator
This UPC barcode generator is free for Shopify sellers to create unlimited barcodes and SKUs. It can offer multiple formats, such as GTINs, UPCs, and EANs. It is also recognized as a “Built for Shopify” app, which ensures high compatibility when you integrate it into the Shopify Admin.
MS SKU & barcode generator offers unlimited creation for UPCs and other codes
Merchants can design professional barcode labels using a drag-and-drop interface, customizing each label with key product details like names, prices, variants, and SKUs. This flexibility allows for quick, accurate labeling that aligns perfectly with both online and offline inventory systems.
Key features:
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Auto-generation and bulk generation of SKUs and barcodes.
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Support various barcode types including UPC, EAN, and GTIN.
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Customizable label templates for printing.
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Live chat and email support for advanced plans.
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Integration with Shopify's Stocky app for inventory.
Pricing: $0 - $27.99/month
#3. F: Retail Barcode Generator
The next free UPC barcode generator is F: Retail Barcode Generator. Not only simple barcode creation, but this app empowers Shopify merchants with detailed control over barcode labels. You can access the ability of bulk generation to ensure efficiency for both small and large product assortments. Basically, it works well with UPC, Avery, Dymo, and GS1-128 for retailing.
F: Retail Barcode Generator is a go-to choice for bulk generation of barcodes
Key features:
-
Auto-generation and bulk generation of barcodes.
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Supports UPC, EAN, GTIN, and QR codes.
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Fully customizable label printing with various templates.
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Option to overwrite existing barcodes.
Pricing: $0 - $49/month (includes $5 one-time charge)
#4. Yanet Retail Barcode Labels
Yanet Retail Barcode Labels offers a clean UPC-A barcode generator for free. It focuses on speed in designing and printing barcode labels, distinguishing its "three simple steps" approach. You can quickly create stunning labels that align with your brand identity and valid UPCs.
Yanet is a free UPC barcode generator, standing out with stunning code images
The app also enables a collaborative workflow by allowing you to assign staff roles for shared control. This is especially useful for larger teams managing products across multiple locations.
Key features:
-
Design and print barcode labels in three simple steps.
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Custom label template creation with no coding required.
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Supports various paper sizes, styles, and barcode formats (including UPC).
Pricing: $0 - $69.99/month
#5. BarcodeMan Barcode Labels
BarcodeMan Barcode Labels distinguishes itself with its "real canvas" drag-and-drop label designer, providing unparalleled control and flexibility over the visual layout of your barcodes. While it is a UPC/EAN barcode generator online for free, its true strength lies in the ability to connect labels with rich data attributes, including Shopify metafields, for dynamic information.
As a result, Shopify sellers can gain in-depth control over how product information is displayed, such as SKU, stock levels, or custom fields. This is also ideal for stores with complex inventory.
BarcodeMan excels in offering dynamic label content by using rich data attributes
Key features:
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Generate UPC-A, EAN, Code 128, and QR codes.
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Intuitive drag-and-drop label designer.
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Link labels to rich data attributes, including metafields.
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Supports a variety of label elements like text, images, and QR codes.
Pricing: $0 - $4.99/month (includes 7-day free trial)
#6. Scan Rabbit | Barcode Scanning
While many free UPC barcode generators mainly generate barcodes for Shopify stores, Scan Rabbit | Barcode Scanning is known as a powerful mobile-first barcode scanning solution. It can work well with both iOS and Android to turn your mobile phone into an efficient barcode scanner. This does not mean that it could not create barcodes, but it truly lacks ease of use and creativity.
ScanRabbit excels in scanning product barcodes rather than enabling UPC creation
Key features:
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Barcode scanning for accurate order fulfillment.
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Real-time validation to prevent picking errors.
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Supports unlimited team members.
-
Mobile compatibility (iOS and Android).
Pricing: $0 - $100/month (includes 30-day free trial)
#7. GS1 Assistant (GTIN/UPC/EAN)
The final UPC-A barcode generator software is free today, being GS1 Assistant. It is an expert dedicated to managing and assigning official, legitimate GTINs (including UPC and EAN) directly from your GS1 Company Prefix to your products without waiting for a long confirmation. That’s why it has been top-rated on marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Google Shopping. With Shopify stores, GS1 Assistant can offer similar functionalities to ensure the best accuracy.
GS1 Assistant is a UPC-A barcode generator for free, supported by the GS1 Prefix
Key features:
-
Assigns UPC, EAN, or GTIN barcode identifiers from your GS1 Company Prefix.
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Ensures unique assignment of codes to variants.
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GTIN validation (format & check digit).
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API Access and multi-language support.
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Checks product status with "Verified by GS1."
Pricing: $4.99 - $11.99/month (includes 7-day free trial)
Learn more: 17 Shopify Product Page Examples to Learn From
Conclusion
For Shopify sellers, leveraging free UPC barcode generators is a valuable way to streamline inventory and sales without incurring extra costs. These tools simplify product identification, enabling efficient management whether you're selling online or in physical stores (Shopify POS). However, ensuring that official and globally unique UPCs are licensed through GS1 is essential.
Let’s visit GemPages blogs to continuously learn and optimize our Shopify stores. GemPages hopes you have an in-depth understanding of UPCs and select a proper barcode creation tool.
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