How do I calculate an EAN-13 check digit?

Starting from the left, add the digits in the odd positions, then add three times the digits in the even positions. The check digit is the number that brings the total up to the next multiple of 10. For 400638133393 the total is 89, so the check digit is 1 and the full EAN is 4006381333931.

Does the EAN prefix show where a product was made?

No. The first two or three digits show which national GS1 organization issued the company's prefix. A product made in one country often carries a prefix from another, where the brand is registered.

Can I convert a UPC to an EAN-13?

Yes. Put a zero in front of the 12-digit UPC-A. The result is a valid EAN-13 for the same product, with the same check digit.

Can I use EAN-13 for books?

Yes. A 13-digit ISBN is an EAN-13 that starts with 978 or 979. Enter the ISBN digits without hyphens.

Can I create an EAN number for free?

No. You can draw the barcode for free, but the number has to come from GS1, which licenses a company prefix to your business. Marketplaces and retailers check numbers against GS1's records.

Free, no signup. Updated November 2026

Free EAN-13 barcode generator

Enter an EAN and download an EAN-13 barcode that scans.

EAN-13 is the retail barcode used in Europe and most of the world outside North America. Enter your 13-digit EAN, or the first 12 digits, and the tool draws the barcode with the correct check digit and quiet zones. Download a PDF, PNG or SVG. Numbers are rendered in your browser and never uploaded.

Barcode type

Retail product barcode with 12 or 13 digits.

Label size

2.25 × 1.253 × 14 × 6Avery 5160

Small thermal barcode labels for FNSKUs and product IDs.

Barcode values

One value per line, up to 120 barcodes per PDF.

Show readable text under barcode

Live preview

1 value

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Generate barcodes in your browser. Values are not uploaded to Simpl.

PNG and SVG save the first value. The PDF has every label.

EAN-13 at a glance

EAN-13 carries a 13-digit GTIN. It is the international counterpart of the 12-digit UPC-A.

Digits	13, numbers only. Enter 12 and the tool adds the thirteenth.
First digits	A GS1 prefix showing which GS1 office issued the number. It is not the country the product was made in.
Last digit	A check digit calculated from the first 12.
Quiet zone	11 times the narrowest bar on the left and 7 times on the right. Every download includes it.
Standard size	About 1.47 × 1.02 inches at 100%, including quiet zones. GS1 allows 80% to 200% of that.
Used for	Retail products sold outside the US and Canada, and books, which use an EAN-13 starting 978 or 979.

EAN-13 or UPC-A: which one do you need?

They are two sizes of the same numbering system, and scanners read both.

Selling in the US and Canada

Use the UPC-A that GS1 US gave you. You don't need a second barcode to sell abroad later.

Selling outside North America

If your number came from a GS1 office outside the US, it is 13 digits and prints as EAN-13. US retailers have been required to scan EAN-13 since 2005.

Converting between them

Add a zero in front of a 12-digit UPC-A and you have its EAN-13. The check digit stays the same.

Where the number comes from

Like a UPC, a genuine EAN starts with a company prefix licensed from GS1. This tool draws the barcode; it does not issue numbers.

Have a 12-digit number? Make a UPC-A barcode.

How to make an EAN-13 barcode

Three steps, about a minute, no account.

Step 1
Enter your EAN
Paste the 13-digit number, or the first 12 digits. For several products, put one number on each line.
Step 2
Check the result
The preview shows the bars and digits. If the check digit is wrong, the tool shows the correct one.
Step 3
Download or print
Take the SVG or PNG for packaging artwork, or a PDF sized to a label. Print at 100%, not fit to page.

EAN-13 FAQs

How do I calculate an EAN-13 check digit?: Starting from the left, add the digits in the odd positions, then add three times the digits in the even positions. The check digit is the number that brings the total up to the next multiple of 10. For 400638133393 the total is 89, so the check digit is 1 and the full EAN is 4006381333931.
Does the EAN prefix show where a product was made?: No. The first two or three digits show which national GS1 organization issued the company's prefix. A product made in one country often carries a prefix from another, where the brand is registered.
Can I convert a UPC to an EAN-13?: Yes. Put a zero in front of the 12-digit UPC-A. The result is a valid EAN-13 for the same product, with the same check digit.
Can I use EAN-13 for books?: Yes. A 13-digit ISBN is an EAN-13 that starts with 978 or 979. Enter the ISBN digits without hyphens.
Can I create an EAN number for free?: No. You can draw the barcode for free, but the number has to come from GS1, which licenses a company prefix to your business. Marketplaces and retailers check numbers against GS1's records.

Other barcode types

The same tool makes every type below. Not sure which one you need? The barcode maker has a chooser.

UPC Barcode GeneratorUPC-A barcodes from 11 or 12 digits, with the check digit calculated or verified. PDF, PNG and SVG.
Code 128 Barcode GeneratorCode 128 barcodes from any SKU, order number or text, one at a time or as a batch PDF.
Code 39 Barcode GeneratorCode 39 (3 of 9) barcodes for asset tags and legacy systems. PDF, PNG and SVG.
ITF-14 Barcode GeneratorITF-14 case barcodes from a GTIN-14, with bearer bars and the check digit handled.
FNSKU Label GeneratorAmazon FNSKU item labels with the barcode, title and condition, on thermal labels or Avery 5160 sheets.

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