About Plain Barcode
Free barcode tools, plus the plain explanations that keep a barcode from failing at the register, the dock or the stockroom.
Who runs this site
Plain Barcode is written and edited by Toma Tomov, an individual publisher based in Georgia, United States. There is no company behind it, and it is not affiliated with GS1, any retailer, marketplace, label maker or scanner manufacturer.
You can reach Toma directly at [email protected].
Why it exists
Drawing a barcode is easy, and free generators are everywhere. The expensive mistakes happen around the drawing: using a number a retailer will reject, printing a UPC too small, using a red background, or choosing a barcode type the warehouse scanner was never set up to read. Plain Barcode pairs the tools with short, specific guides that explain those decisions in plain English.
The site is written for small-business owners, makers, online sellers and the people who run their stockrooms. Most readers know what a barcode is but not which type, number, size or printer they need.
How the guides are made
- Each guide answers one question a reader actually has, such as “Do I need a new GTIN for a new size?”
- Facts come from primary sources wherever possible: the GS1 General Specifications and other GS1 standards, GS1 US, ISO standard pages, DENSO WAVE for QR codes, and official vendor documentation. Each guide lists its sources.
- Drafts may be prepared with the help of AI writing tools. Every guide is checked against its cited sources and edited by Toma before it is published. Guides never claim hands-on testing that did not happen.
- Every guide shows when it was published and when it was last updated.
- Factual corrections are shown on the guide itself, with the date.
The full process is in the Editorial Policy.
How the tools work
The barcode generator, QR code generator, label sheet tool, SKU generator and check digit calculator are free to use, with no account and no watermark, for personal and commercial work. They all run in your browser. What you type is not uploaded to this site or stored by it. The tools draw and check barcodes. They do not issue, sell or license barcode numbers.
How the site is funded
Plain Barcode is free to use and is supported by advertising from Google AdSense. Ads are labeled “Advertisements”, are kept visually separate from the guides and tools, and do not influence what the guides say. The site does not sell barcode numbers, accept payment for coverage, or use affiliate links. If that ever changes, it will be disclosed on the page where it happens. See the Privacy Policy for how advertising uses data and how to opt out.
Get in touch
Found a mistake, a broken tool or a question a guide doesn't answer? Use the contact page or email [email protected].