Code 128, Code 39. The barcodes for anything that is not a retail product: SKUs, serial numbers, asset tags, inventory bins, shipping references. Code 128 is the right choice for a new system; it encodes any text in the densest linear symbol and carries its own check character. Code 39 is older and wider, so use it only when a legacy industrial, automotive, defence or badge system requires it.
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SVG, PNG at 600 dpi, PDF, label sheets
2 · Content · Code 128
Any ASCII text, up to 48 characters for comfort.
3 · Size and print
At 300 dpi each bar is 4 printer dots = 0.339 mm. The PNG uses exactly that.
4 · Download
SVG and PDF are vectors at the exact millimetre size shown. The PNG uses a whole number of printer dots per bar so nothing blurs. Generated in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Click a name to read its notes; it is selected in the generator above at the same time.
| Symbology | Typical use | Encodes | Check digit | Kind | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Code 128 | SKUs, serials, asset tags, inventory. | Any ASCII text, up to 48 characters for comfort. | Yes, built in | 1D | The right default for anything new that is not a retail product. |
| Code 39 | Older industrial systems and ID badges. | A–Z, 0–9, space and - . $ / + %. Lower case is converted. | Optional (mod 43) | 1D | Wider than Code 128; use only when a legacy system requires it. |
The workhorse barcode: any letters, digits and punctuation, in the densest linear symbol there is. Inventory systems, asset tags, serial numbers, shipping. The subset is chosen automatically for the shortest symbol.
Code 128 unless an old system requires Code 39. It is denser, encodes more characters, and has a built-in check character.
It depends on the text. The generator shows the width in millimetres for your bar width. GS1 limits it to 165 mm; long values are better as Data Matrix.
Yes. Use Bulk: paste or upload a list, or generate a serial range, and download a ZIP or a label sheet PDF.
The older general-purpose barcode still required by some industrial, automotive, defence and badge systems. Uppercase letters, digits, space and a few symbols. Wide, so keep it short.
Only use Code 39 when a system requires it. Code 128 is denser and safer for anything new.
Not by default. Some systems require the optional mod-43 check character; ask the system owner.
Standard Code 39 cannot. Text is converted to upper case here.
Other barcode families