Barcode vs QR Code: What's the Difference and Which to Use
Quick answerA barcode is one row of bars holding a short product number that shops scan at the till. A QR code is a square that holds a link, message or contact details that people scan with a phone. Use a barcode to sell through shops and a QR code to send customers somewhere; many food packs carry both.
Both are patterns a machine reads, and both are free to make. But they do different jobs, and picking the wrong one is a common, expensive mistake on packaging. Here is the difference in plain English, and how to choose.
The short answer
A barcode is a single row of bars that holds a short number, usually a product number. Shops scan it at the till and in the warehouse. A QR code is a square of small dots that can hold a whole link, a message or contact details. People scan it with a phone camera. Use a barcode to sell through shops; use a QR code to send people somewhere.
Side by side
- Shape. Barcode: one row of bars (1D). QR code: a square grid (2D).
- How much it holds. An EAN-13 barcode holds 13 digits. A QR code can hold up to about 4,000 letters, or over 7,000 digits, though shorter is always easier to scan.
- Who scans it. Barcode: the shop's till and warehouse scanners. QR code: your customers' phones (and some newer tills).
- What the scan does. Barcode: looks up the number in the shop's own system to find the price and stock. QR code: the phone acts on what's inside, such as opening a link or joining Wi-Fi.
- Damage. A barcode with a scratched or cut bar often fails. A QR code has built-in error correction: depending on the level you choose, it can still be read with 7% to 30% of it damaged or covered.
- Do you need to register? A retail barcode number must come from GS1 if shops are to accept it. A QR code needs no registration at all.
Which one do you need?
Selling in supermarkets or online marketplaces: a barcode
Retailers need an EAN-13 (or UPC in North America) on every pack, with a number your company owns through GS1. A QR code can't replace it at the till today. In Malaysia, see how to get a barcode for your food product.
Menus, posters, business cards, packs that link to a recipe: a QR code
Anything where you want a customer to open a page, message you on WhatsApp, follow you or join your Wi-Fi is a QR code job. Make it static so it never expires.
Stock, shelves and your own warehouse: either
For your own stock labels and shelf tags, a Code 128 barcode is a simple, widely readable choice, because it holds letters as well as numbers. If a label needs more detail (a batch, an expiry date and a product number together), a 2D code such as Data Matrix or a GS1-128 barcode carries it. These are for internal use, so no GS1 number is needed unless a customer asks for one.
Most food packs: both
The barcode on the back is for the shop. A QR code on the side or front can take customers to a recipe, your story or a reorder page. Keep them apart so a till scanner doesn't catch the wrong one.
Is the QR code replacing the barcode?
Slowly, and not yet. GS1, which runs the retail barcode system, is working with retailers on tills that can read 2D codes, with an industry target of the end of 2027 (they call it Sunrise 2027). A 2D code in the GS1 Digital Link format can carry the product number for the till and a link for the shopper in one square. For now, the EAN-13 is still what shops ask for, and it will be on packs for years.
Make either one free
- Free barcode generator: EAN-13, UPC, Code 128, GS1-128, Data Matrix and 100+ other types. It works out the check digit for you.
- Free QR code generator: links, WhatsApp, Wi-Fi, email, phone, SMS, location and contact cards.
Both run in your browser with no limit and no sign-up, and download as PNG or SVG. Nothing you type is sent to us or stored by us.
Want to understand the numbers under a retail barcode? Read EAN-13 barcode explained.
Make a barcode → Make a QR code →
Questions
What is the main difference between a barcode and a QR code?
A barcode stores a short number in one row of bars; a QR code stores much more, such as a whole link, in a 2D square that phones can read.
Can a QR code replace a barcode on my product?
Not yet for most shops. Retailers still ask for an EAN-13 or UPC barcode. GS1 is working toward 2D codes at the till by the end of 2027 (Sunrise 2027).
Which holds more data, a barcode or a QR code?
A QR code. An EAN-13 barcode holds 13 digits; a QR code can hold thousands of characters.
Do I need to register a QR code?
No. Anyone can make a QR code for free. Only retail barcode numbers need to come from GS1.
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