ISBN Barcode Generator

Make an ISBN barcode for your book online for free. Enter the ISBN-13 or an old ISBN-10, with or without hyphens: the generator places the hyphens from the official ISBN ranges, prints the ISBN above the bars and adds the 5-digit US price add-on if you want one. Download SVG, PNG, PDF or EPS for your cover.

Valid

45.4 × 30.8 mm at 300 DPI

Barcode

17 characters

ISBN-13 or ISBN-10, with or without hyphens; the check digit is optional. The hyphens are placed from the official ISBN ranges.

2 digits (EAN-2, such as an issue number) or 5 digits (EAN-5, such as a book price: 52495 is US$24.95).

Barcode.codes draws the barcode for the number you enter; it does not issue numbers. ISBNs come from your national ISBN agency: find yours at the International ISBN Agency.

Size and resolution

Output DPI

300 DPI · Thermal / offset

Sets the X-dimension and the minimum bar height together. 100% is a 0.33 mm X-dimension.

4 px per module at 300 DPI. Print size: 45.4 × 30.8 mm (1.79 × 1.21 in). PNG, WebP and JPEG: 551 × 374 px.

Human-readable text

Text size and alignment

Alignment

UPC, EAN, ISBN, ISSN and ISMN keep the standard digit layout in OCR-B, with the outer digits beside the bars.

Label textNew

Font

Alignment

Printed in the file with the barcode, outside the quiet zone, in Helvetica or Courier so it looks the same in every format.

Colors

Contrast 21.0:1; estimated symbol contrast 100%.

PreviewOff
Quiet zone (modules)2 · 7 · 2 · 11

Bar width reduction0 mil

Makes each bar thinner by this amount, to make up for ink that spreads on paper. Ask your printer for the value, or leave 0 for laser and thermal printing.

Rotation and backgroundNew0° · Filled

Rotation

In the preview, a checkered pattern shows the transparent areas. Print a transparent barcode only on a white or very light surface: scanners need the light quiet zone around it.

Margin and borderNew0 mm · no border

The margin is blank space outside the quiet zone, for cutting; the border is drawn at the outer edge. Both count in the print size.

Data inspectorNew17 chars
PresetsNew0 saved

No presets yet. Save the current settings to reuse them.

    Presets stay in this browser. They keep the type, size and style; the data and the logo are not saved.

    Recent barcodesNew0

    The barcodes you download appear here, newest first.

      The last 10 downloads, kept in this browser only.
      ISBN · Live previewValid
      ISBN barcode encoding 978-1-56581-231-4
      New

      Scaled to fit. Actual size shows the print size on screen.

      Print simulationNew

      Shows how a worn print looks and tests it with the decoder.

      Type
      ISBN · 1D
      Print size
      45.4 × 30.8 mm
      Raster
      551 × 374 px
      Modules
      95 wide
      GS1 prefix
      978 · Bookland (ISBN)

      Download

      Vector drawing, 45.4 × 30.8 mm. Design and label programs place it at its print size.

      New
      More export optionsNewTest sheet · size set · embed code

      Print test sheet (PDF)

      The code at 80%, 100% and 150% with 100 mm and 4 in rulers. Print it at actual size and scan each copy before printing many.

      Size set (ZIP)

      Magnification

      Embed code

      Nothing you type is uploaded.New

      How to Create an ISBN Barcode

      Enter your ISBN, add the price if you sell in the United States or Canada, and download the file for your cover.

      1. Type your ISBN-13, or an ISBN-10 that the generator converts to ISBN-13.
      2. Check the line under the field: it shows the ISBN exactly as it will print above the bars, with its hyphens.
      3. For books sold in the United States or Canada, enter the price add-on, such as 52495 for US$24.95, or 90000 for no price.
      4. Download SVG for your cover designer, or PNG at the printer's DPI.

      ISBN Barcodes With a Price

      In the United States and Canada, the 5-digit add-on to the right of a book barcode carries the cover price in US dollars.

      How the Price Add-On Works

      • First digit 5: means US dollars: 52495 is US$24.95, from 50001 (US$0.01) to 59998 (US$99.98).

        ISBN barcode 978-0-306-40615-7 with the price add-on 52495, a US$24.95 cover price, to the right of the main bars.

      • 90000: means no US$ price is encoded, or the book has no cover price.

        ISBN barcode 978-0-306-40615-7 with the add-on 90000, which encodes no US dollar price.

      • 59999: was used in the past for prices above US$99.98.

        ISBN barcode 978-0-306-40615-7 with the add-on 59999, used in the past for prices above US$99.98.

      Books Sold Outside North America

      The ISBN manual says the 5-digit add-on should not carry a price in other countries. Publishers there may use it for their own codes from 90000 to 98999, such as for handling returns.

      ISBN Barcode Specifications

      An ISBN barcode is an EAN-13 with the 978 or 979 book prefix, printed to the GS1 retail rules.

      ISBN (Bookland EAN-13) at a glance
      PropertyISBN (Bookland EAN-13)
      Digits13 digits: prefix 978 or 979, registration group, registrant, publication and check digit
      CharactersDigits 0 to 9; the old 10-character ISBN-10 could end in X
      Check digitGS1 mod 10 for the 13-digit ISBN; ISBN-10 used mod 11
      X-dimension (narrowest bar)0.33 mm (0.0130 in) standard; 0.264 to 0.66 mm allowed
      Minimum bar height22.85 mm (0.900 in) at the standard X-dimension; 18.28 mm at the smallest and 45.7 mm at the largest
      Quiet zone11 modules left, 7 modules right
      Human-readable textThe ISBN is printed above the bars, preceded by "ISBN", with hyphens between its elements
      Add-onsIn the United States and Canada a 5-digit price add-on: 5 + the US$ price (52495 = US$24.95), or 90000 for no US$ price
      Where the numbers come fromYour national ISBN agency (directory at isbn-international.org)
      Example978-1-56581-231-4

      GS1 prefixes 978–979 (GS1 General Specifications page 26); ISBN Users' Manual §13.2 (human-readable ISBN above the barcode) and §13.3 (price add-on in the US and Canada); BISG guidelines for the price ranges.

      Sources, checked 2026-10-04: GS1 General Specifications, Release 26.0 (ratified January 2026); ISBN Users' Manual, seventh edition (International ISBN Agency, 2017); ISBN range message (International ISBN Agency); Find an ISBN agency (International ISBN Agency); Barcoding Guidelines for the U.S. Book Industry (BISG, August 2025).

      ISBN-10 and ISBN-13

      Every ISBN today has 13 digits; an older 10-digit ISBN becomes an ISBN-13 by adding 978 and recalculating the check digit.

      Converting an ISBN-10

      Drop the ISBN-10 check digit, put 978 in front of the other nine digits, and calculate a new GS1 check digit. The generator does this when you type an ISBN-10, so 0-306-40615-2 becomes 978-0-306-40615-7.

      ISBN barcode 978-0-306-40615-7, drawn from the ISBN-10 0-306-40615-2 with its new check digit 7.
      Typed as 0-306-40615-2, drawn as ISBN 978-0-306-40615-7.

      ISBNs That Start With 979

      ISBNs with the 979 prefix were never issued as ISBN-10 and have no 10-digit form. Part of 979, the range 979-0, is used for printed music (ISMN) rather than books.

      What is an ISBN? the number itself, its parts and ISBN-10 vs ISBN-13 compared.

      Where the Hyphens in an ISBN Go

      The hyphens separate the five parts of an ISBN, and their places depend on ranges published by the International ISBN Agency.

      The Five Parts of an ISBN

      • Prefix: 978 or 979.
      • Registration group: a country, region or language area, from 1 to 5 digits.
      • Registrant: the publisher, of a length set by the group's ranges.
      • Publication: the title or edition.
      • Check digit: the last digit, calculated from the others.

      Printed Above the Barcode

      The ISBN manual asks for the ISBN to appear in human-readable form directly above the EAN-13 bars, preceded by "ISBN". The generator prints it that way, hyphenated from the agency's current range list.

      ISBN barcode with ISBN 978-0-306-40615-7 printed above the bars and the 13 digits 9780306406157 under them.
      ISBN 978-0-306-40615-7 above the bars, hyphenated by the agency's range list.

      Placing the Barcode on Your Book

      The ISBN manual recommends the lower right of the back cover, near the spine.

      Size and Quiet Zone

      Print the barcode at 100% where you can, with the quiet zones clear of artwork: 11 modules on the left and 7 on the right of the main bars. A white box behind the barcode keeps the contrast high on dark covers.

      Frequently Asked Questions

      Is This ISBN Barcode Generator Free?

      Yes. There is no account, no watermark and no download limit, and you may print the barcode on books you sell.

      Do I Need to Type the Hyphens?

      No. Type the digits with or without hyphens; the generator places the hyphens from the International ISBN Agency's ranges and shows the result before you download.

      What Does 90000 Mean on a Book Barcode?

      It means no US$ price is encoded. US book industry guidelines recommend it when the publisher does not encode the cover price or the book has none.

      Can I Use One ISBN for the Paperback and the Ebook?

      No. An ISBN identifies one edition in one format from one publisher, so the paperback, hardcover and ebook each need their own ISBN.

      Where Do I Get an ISBN?

      From the ISBN agency of your country or language area; the International ISBN Agency lists them. The generator draws the barcode for an ISBN you already have; it does not issue ISBNs.

      Why Does the Generator Say My ISBN Range Is Not Assigned?

      The digits after 978 or 979 do not fall in a range the International ISBN Agency has published, so the ISBN cannot be valid as typed. Check the number on your ISBN agency's record.

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