Types of Barcodes: Every 1D and 2D Barcode Type Explained
There are two types of barcodes: 1D barcodes, such as UPC, EAN, Code 128 and ITF-14, and 2D barcodes, such as QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec. This guide compares every type the Barcode.codes generator makes, what each one holds, who issues its numbers and how to identify a barcode.
By the Barcode.codes editorial teamReviewed
Barcode Types at a Glance
Barcode types fall into two families: 1D barcodes, read across their bars, and 2D barcodes, read as a grid or as stacked rows.
| Type | Family | Data it holds | Who issues the numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPC-A | 1D | 12 digits: a GTIN-12 | GS1 US |
| UPC-E | 1D | 8 digits: a GTIN-12 with zeros left out | GS1 US |
| EAN-13 | 1D | 13 digits: a GTIN-13, ISBN or ISSN | A GS1 office, the ISBN or the ISSN agency |
| EAN-8 | 1D | 8 digits: a GTIN-8 | A GS1 office |
| ITF-14 | 1D | 14 digits: the GTIN of a carton | A GS1 office |
| GS1-128 | 1D | GS1 data such as GTIN, batch, dates and SSCC | A GS1 office |
| Code 128 | 1D | All 128 ASCII characters | You |
| Code 39 | 1D | Digits, capital letters, space and - . $ / + % | You |
| Code 93 | 1D | The Code 39 characters, more compact | You |
| Interleaved 2 of 5 | 1D | An even number of digits | You |
| QR Code | 2D | Up to 7,089 digits, or text and links | You |
| Data Matrix | 2D | Up to 3,116 digits, or text | You |
| PDF417 | 2D, stacked | Up to 2,713 digits in this generator | You |
| Aztec Code | 2D | Up to 3,832 digits | You |
| MaxiCode | 2D | Up to 138 digits, fixed size | You or your carrier |
1D Barcode Types
1D barcodes, also called linear barcodes, are the familiar bars and spaces; they hold a short number or text and are read by every kind of scanner.
Retail Barcodes: UPC and EAN
- UPC-A: the 12-digit product barcode of the United States and Canada.
- UPC-E: a compressed UPC-A for small packs, only for numbers with enough zeros.
- EAN-13: the 13-digit product barcode used in most other countries, and for books and magazines.
- EAN-8: an 8-digit barcode for packs too small for an EAN-13.
GS1 requires a barcode of this family on every item scanned at a store checkout. The numbers come from GS1, so these barcodes always carry a GTIN.
Logistics Barcodes: ITF-14 and GS1-128
ITF-14 carries the GTIN of a carton and is printed straight onto corrugated board. GS1-128 carries several pieces of GS1 data, such as the batch, the expiry date and the pallet's SSCC, each marked by an Application Identifier.
Barcodes for Your Own Labels
Code 128, Code 39, Code 93 and Interleaved 2 of 5 hold data you choose, such as asset tags, bin locations or part numbers. Code 128 holds all ASCII characters and packs digits two to a character, while Code 39 holds capitals, digits and a few symbols. None of them needs a GS1 number.
Code 128 vs Code 39 the two barcodes for your own labels compared.
2D Barcode Types
2D barcodes store data in two directions, so they hold far more than a 1D barcode in the same space, but they need an image-based scanner or a phone camera.
Matrix Codes: QR, Data Matrix, Aztec and MaxiCode
- QR Code: 21 × 21 to 177 × 177 modules, with four error correction levels; phone cameras open the links in it.
- Data Matrix: 10 × 10 to 144 × 144 modules, or rectangular, so it fits very small labels.
- Aztec Code: from 15 × 15 modules, with error correction set as a share of the data.
- MaxiCode: a fixed-size code of hexagons around a central bull's-eye, also known as UPS Code.
Stacked Codes: PDF417
PDF417 stacks 3 to 90 rows of codewords, so it is wide and short like a 1D barcode but holds as much as a 2D one. Its size and error correction level can be set for the space and the print quality.
How to Identify a Barcode Type
Count the digits and look at the shape: most retail barcodes can be told apart by their length, and most 2D codes by their finder patterns.
- 12 digits: a UPC-A.
- 13 digits: an EAN-13; one starting with 978 or 979 is a book's ISBN, and with 977 a magazine's ISSN.
- 8 digits: an EAN-8, or a UPC-E if it starts with 0 or 1 and the generator expands it to a UPC-A.
- 14 digits in a thick frame: an ITF-14 on a carton.
- Three squares in the corners: a QR code.
- A solid L along two edges: a Data Matrix.
Try it: barcode number check
A UPC, EAN, GTIN-14 or ISBN number, with its check digit.
- Type
- EAN-13 (GTIN-13)
- GS1 Prefix
- 590: Issued by GS1 Poland.
- Check digit
- 7, correct
Barcode reader names the type of any barcode in a photo or a scanned page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Most Common Barcode Type?
On products in stores it is the UPC and EAN family, because GS1 requires it for items scanned at retail checkouts. Outside retail there is no single answer: the table above shows which type fits which data.
How Many Types of Barcodes Are There?
There is no single count: standards bodies define dozens of symbologies, many with variants. The Barcode.codes generator makes 23 types, which cover retail, books, logistics, internal labels and 2D codes.
Which Barcode Type Holds the Most Data?
Among the types here, a QR code at version 40 with low error correction holds the most: 7,089 digits. Aztec Code holds up to 3,832 digits and Data Matrix up to 3,116.
What Type of Barcode Has 12 Digits?
A UPC-A. Its 12 digits are a GTIN-12: the company prefix, the item reference and a check digit.
What Type of Barcode Is a QR Code?
A 2D matrix barcode. It stores data in a square grid of modules, found by the three squares in its corners.
Sources
The facts in this guide come from these sources, checked on October 8, 2026.
GS1 General Specifications, Release 26.0, ratified January 2026 defines the GS1 identification keys, barcodes and Application Identifiers; the text names the sections used.
BWIPP symbology references (Code 128, Code 39, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec Code, MaxiCode) documents the character sets, sizes and standards of the encoder the generator uses.
GS1 US: How to get a UPC barcode describes the single GTIN and GS1 Company Prefix options and their limits.
Related Barcode Guides
- What is a barcode?
What a barcode is, what it holds and where it is used.
- How do barcodes work?
How bars and modules hold data and how scanners read them.
- EAN vs UPC
The difference between UPC-A and EAN-13, and how to convert.
- Data Matrix vs QR code
Size, capacity and error correction of the two 2D codes.
- What is a GS1 barcode?
GS1 barcode types, keys and data.