The short answer
License your numbers from GS1 US, the non-profit that issues UPCs in the United States: a single GTIN ($30, one-time) if you have only a few products, or a GS1 Company Prefix (from $250 plus $50/year for 10 numbers) if your range will grow. Give each product variant its own number, record it, then turn each number into a barcode label.
A UPC is a number first and a barcode second. The 12 digits identify one product from one company, and GS1 keeps the record of which company licensed which numbers. The barcode is just a way of printing that number so a scanner can read it. We don't issue or sell numbers and we're not affiliated with GS1; we only make the labels.
GTIN-12 UPC-A
- GS1 company prefix (6 digits here). Licensed to one company. The fewer numbers you license, the longer it is.
- Item reference. You choose it, one per product variant. No meaning is built in.
- Check digit. Calculated from the first 11 digits. It catches typos; it does not prove who owns the number.
Single GTIN vs GS1 Company Prefix
GS1 US offers two routes. Prices below are GS1 US list prices (source), checked November 1, 2026. GS1 US may change them, so check before you buy.
| Option | Numbers | Initial fee | Yearly renewal | 10-year cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single GS1 US GTIN | 1 | $30 | None | $30 per number |
| Company Prefix | Up to 10 | $250 | $50 | $700 |
| Company Prefix | Up to 100 | $750 | $150 | $2,100 |
| Company Prefix | Up to 1,000 | $2,500 | $500 | $7,000 |
| Company Prefix | Up to 10,000 | $6,500 | $1,300 | $18,200 |
| Company Prefix | Up to 100,000 | $10,500 | $2,100 | $29,400 |
A single GTIN suits you if you have one to a handful of products and don't expect many more. There's no yearly fee and GS1 US includes access to its Data Hub tool for the number. It can't be used for pharmaceuticals, variable-weight goods, mixed cases or coupons.
A Company Prefix suits you if you'll have more than a few products or variants, plan to sell through larger retailers, or want every number to trace back to your company's own prefix. The prefix becomes part of every number you create, and you must keep paying the renewal: if the membership lapses, the numbers stop being linked to your company.
A quick rule: with 9 or more products the 10-number prefix costs less up front than buying single GTINs one by one, but over ten years 10 single GTINs ($300) are still cheaper than the prefix ($700). Choose on how many products you'll really have and where you'll sell, not on price alone.
Step by step with GS1 US
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Step 1: Count your variants
List every item a customer can buy separately: each size, colour, flavour and pack count needs its own number. Add room for products you plan this year.
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Step 2: Choose single GTINs or a prefix
Buy on the GS1 US barcodes page, following its get started guide. You'll give your company details and pay online.
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Step 3: Open your welcome email
It gives you access to myGS1 US, the member area, and to GS1 US Data Hub, where your numbers live.
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Step 4: Assign numbers in Data Hub
Create one entry per product with its brand, description and size. Data Hub works out the full 12-digit number, including the check digit.
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Step 5: Keep your own list
Record each number next to your SKU in a spreadsheet. Never reuse a number for a different product.
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Step 6: Make the barcodes
Turn each number into a label (see below). Data Hub can also give you barcode image files.
Buying cheap UPCs from resellers
Search for UPC codes and you'll find sites selling numbers for a few dollars each, with no renewal. These numbers are usually taken from company prefixes that GS1 (then the Uniform Code Council) issued years ago, so the GS1 registry links them to the original company, not to you. Here is what that means in practice, as of November 2026:
- GS1's rules don't allow it. The GS1 General Specifications (Release 26.0, section 1.5) say a company prefix or a number issued from it may not be sold, leased or given to another company for its use (GS1 General Specifications).
- Amazon checks. Amazon has said since at least 2020 that GTINs are invalid if they are not issued by GS1 or not recognised by the brand owner, and recommends getting them directly from GS1 rather than from third parties selling GTIN licenses (Amazon Seller Forums announcement, posted 2020). GS1 US notes that Amazon verifies product UPCs against the GS1 database, and a mismatch can block listings or mean relabelling (GS1 US: barcodes for Amazon).
- Large retailers usually want your own prefix. Walmart, for example, lists GS1 Company Prefix numbers among the requirements for selling on its marketplace (Walmart Marketplace).
- Where they may still work: small independent shops and markets that just need something to scan at their own till often don't check who a number belongs to. That can change if you later grow into bigger channels, and re-numbering products and packaging is costly.
Resellers often argue that pre-2002 numbers are theirs to sell. Whatever the legal position, the practical test is whether the places you sell accept the number, and the big ones check GS1's records. This is general information, not legal advice. If you already sell under reseller numbers, GS1 US suggests licensing your own GTINs and working with Amazon Seller Support to switch listings over (GS1 US Amazon seller assistance).
Selling only on Amazon with your own brand? Amazon also offers a GTIN exemption for products that have no manufacturer barcode, such as private-label or handmade goods, applied for in Seller Central. Our UPC vs FNSKU for Amazon guide covers when that makes sense.
Outside the US
Every country has its own GS1 member organization (GS1 UK, GS1 Canada, GS1 Australia and so on), with its own prices and membership terms. If your business is based outside the US, license your numbers there. You'll usually get 13-digit EAN-13 numbers rather than 12-digit UPCs. That's fine for US stores: GS1 says all GTIN formats are usually accepted by marketplaces and retailers worldwide (GS1 support), and US retailers were asked to make their systems read EAN-13 by 2005 (the “Sunrise 2005” deadline). The difference between the formats is explained in UPC vs EAN vs SKU.
Our generator prints UPC-A
You have a number: now make the barcode
Once your numbers are assigned, check your UPC's check digit to catch typos (a correct check digit means the number format looks valid; it doesn't prove registration). Then make a barcode label from your UPC: type the number, add a product name if you like, choose your Avery sheet or thermal roll, and download a PDF that prints at the right size. For a whole range, create labels for every product at once from a spreadsheet, up to 250 labels per free PDF.