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Codabar Generator — Free Codabar Barcodes

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PNG for documents & web, SVG for print & designers — always free, no watermark, no signup.

Enter your number framed by start/stop letters — e.g. A123456B — and the Codabar barcode renders instantly. The generator validates the format: Codabar must start and end with A, B, C or D, with digits and a few symbols in between.

Download PNG up to 4x or SVG vector. Free, no signup, no watermark.

What is Codabar?

Codabar (also NW-7, or Code 2 of 7) is one of the oldest linear barcodes still in service — developed in 1972, it encodes digits plus six symbols (- $ : / . +) with four letter start/stop characters (A, B, C, D). Its bars are self-checking and it tolerates miserable print quality, which is exactly why it embedded itself in libraries and blood banks fifty years ago and never fully left.

Codabar has no built-in checksum; the start/stop letters define the reading direction and framing, and many installations fold a check digit into the data itself. It's a symbology you choose for compatibility with an existing system, not for greenfield projects — for those, Code 128 is strictly better.

Where Codabar is still used

  • Libraries — patron cards and item barcodes in long-running circulation systems
  • Blood banks — ISBT 128's predecessor; many blood centers still run Codabar donor/unit labels
  • Photo labs and overnight logistics — legacy FedEx airbills used Codabar for decades
  • Membership cards and door access in older installations

Codabar specifications

PropertySpecification
StandardAIM BC3 (USS-Codabar)
Character set0–9 plus - $ : / . + and start/stop A–D
ChecksumNone built in — optional data check digit per installation
FramingMust start and end with A, B, C or D (validated above)
DensityModerate — roughly 10 digits per inch
Quiet zone10 module widths each side
Also known asNW-7, Code 2 of 7, USD-4

Printing & scanning tips

  • Codabar forgives bad printers — dot matrix and thermal both work — but still test with your actual scanners
  • Keep the human-readable text on: Codabar labels are read by people constantly (library staff key them in)
  • Don't put A–D letters in the middle of the data — they're framing characters only
  • Migrating to Code 128 later? Keep the same numbering scheme and both symbologies coexist during transition

Frequently asked questions

Is this Codabar generator free?

Yes — unlimited Codabar barcodes, PNG up to 4x and SVG downloads, no account, no watermark. Codabar is an open standard with no licensing.

Why must Codabar start and end with A, B, C or D?

Those letters are the start/stop framing characters — the scanner uses them to find the symbol boundaries and reading direction. Different letter pairs conventionally signal different record types (blood banks use them to distinguish donors, units and products). The generator validates this automatically.

Codabar vs Code 128 — which should I use?

Code 128 for anything new: higher density, full ASCII, built-in checksum, universal scanner support. Codabar only when you're feeding an existing library, blood-bank or legacy logistics system that expects it.

Does Codabar have a check digit?

Not in the symbology itself. Many Codabar installations (especially blood banking) append their own mod-10 or mod-43 check digit inside the data — follow your system's convention and include it in the number you enter.

What's the difference between Codabar and NW-7?

None — NW-7 is the Japanese name for the same symbology. You'll also see it called Code 2 of 7 or USD-4 in old scanner manuals.

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