Free GS1-14 Barcode Generator — Create, Preview & Download Instantly

These four terms refer to closely related but distinct concepts. GTIN-14 is the 14-digit Global Trade Item Number data structure — a number, not a barcode symbol. EAN-14 is an older term for the same 14-digit number, now superseded by GTIN-14 in GS1 standards. GS1-14 refers to a GTIN-14 number encoded in a GS1-compliant barcode symbol. ITF-14 is the most common physical barcode symbol used to carry GS1-14 / GTIN-14 data — it is an Interleaved 2 of 5 (ITF) barcode printed at 14 digits with mandatory bearer bars, specifically designed for corrugated cardboard packaging. The same GTIN-14 data can also be encoded in a GS1-128 barcode using Application Identifier (01), which is used for pallet labels and when additional supply chain data elements are required.

The GS1-14 check digit is a Modulo-10 value calculated from the first 13 digits of the GTIN-14. Write out the first 13 digits left to right. Multiply each digit alternately by 3 and 1, starting with 3 for the leftmost digit (position 1). Sum all 13 products. Round the total up to the next exact multiple of 10. The check digit is the difference between that multiple of 10 and the sum. For example: for the 13-digit stem 0952123454321, the weighted sum is 87, the next multiple of 10 is 90, and the check digit is 3 — giving GTIN-14 09521234543213. This generator performs this calculation automatically when you enter 13 digits.

The first digit of a GTIN-14 is the packaging indicator, which distinguishes different packaging levels of the same underlying consumer trade item. Indicator digit 0 is reserved for GTIN-14s derived directly from a 13-digit EAN-13 (by prepending 0). Indicator digits 1–8 represent different packaging configurations of the same base item — for example, 1 = inner pack of 6, 2 = case of 12, 3 = display shipper of 24. Indicator digit 9 is reserved for variable-measure trade items (products sold by weight or length). Each indicator digit combined with the same base item number creates a unique GTIN-14 that must be registered separately in your retailer's product database or the GS1 GEPIR registry.

GS1 specifies ITF-14 symbol sizes in 10 magnification grades from SC0 (62.5% of nominal, X-dimension 0.495mm, symbol width approximately 100mm) to SC9 (125% of nominal, X-dimension 0.99mm, symbol width approximately 200mm). The nominal (100%) size has an X-dimension of 0.794mm and a symbol width of approximately 135mm. For corrugated cases shipped to major retailers, SC2 (70%) to SC5 (85%) is the typical range, delivering symbol widths of 112–145mm. Minimum symbol height is 32mm at nominal magnification. Always verify retailer-specific barcode specification documents, as Walmart, Amazon, and other major retailers publish their own ITF-14 size and placement requirements.

Bearer bars are the thick horizontal lines printed above and below the vertical bars of an ITF-14 symbol. Their function is to prevent misreads caused by the scanner beam grazing the top or bottom edge of the barcode on a compressed, bent, or damaged corrugated carton. Without bearer bars, a scanner reading across the top edge of an ITF-14 symbol might decode an incorrect partial read. GS1 mandates bearer bars on all ITF-14 symbols printed on corrugated and kraft paper packaging and specifies a minimum bearer bar height of 4.8mm at nominal magnification. This generator includes bearer bars by default in all ITF-14 output.

No. GS1-14 / GTIN-14 barcodes are specifically for trade items at the case, carton, inner pack, and logistics unit level — not for individual retail consumer units. Individual retail items (the products consumers pick off a shelf and bring to a checkout) must use a 13-digit EAN-13 or 12-digit UPC-A barcode. If you encode a GTIN-14 on a retail consumer unit and scan it at a point-of-sale terminal, the POS system will typically reject it because GTIN-14 numbers are not registered in retail POS item databases. Use EAN-13 or UPC-A for consumer unit barcodes and GS1-14 / ITF-14 for all outer packaging and logistics units.

A quiet zone is the blank white space that must surround a barcode symbol on all sides so that scanners can reliably locate the beginning and end of the bars. For ITF-14, GS1 specifies a minimum quiet zone of 10× the X-dimension (minimum bar width) on both the left and right sides of the symbol, and at least the bearer bar height (4.8mm minimum) of blank space above and below the symbol. At the nominal SC5 magnification (X = 0.794mm), the left and right quiet zones must each be at least 7.94mm wide. Printing another design element, text, or logo within the quiet zone is a common cause of barcode scan failures at retail receiving docks.

Yes. All GS1-14 barcode encoding is performed entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your GTIN numbers, company prefix data, item reference numbers, and any other input are never transmitted to any server and never stored or logged. Closing the browser tab clears all data immediately. This is particularly important for brand owners and manufacturers generating barcodes for new products that have not yet been publicly announced.