If you're going to sell products on marketplaces like Amazon, AliExpress or eBay, or in your own online store, sooner or later you'll come across EAN barcodes. In this guide we explain what they are, how they work, how they differ from UPC and GTIN, and how to get your own.
What is an EAN barcode?
The EAN (European Article Number) is a coding system that uniquely identifies each consumer product through a numeric barcode. It was created in Europe as an evolution of the US UPC and is now an international standard managed by the GS1 organisation, adopted in more than a hundred countries.
Its function is simple but essential: it lets any optical reader (a checkout scanner, a warehouse scanner or a marketplace's system) identify the product at high speed and retrieve its associated information —name, price, stock— without typing anything.
How is an EAN-13 code structured?
The most common format is the EAN-13, made up of 13 digits organised as follows:
- Country prefix (2-3 digits): identifies the GS1 organisation that issued the number range, not necessarily where the product is made.
- Company number: identifies the brand owner or manufacturer.
- Product number: assigns a unique identifier to each item within that company.
- Check digit (1 digit): calculated mathematically from the previous ones to detect reading errors.
EAN-13 vs EAN-8: which do I need?
There is a reduced version, the EAN-8, of just 8 digits, designed for very small products where a 13-digit code physically doesn't fit (cosmetics, gum, pens…). For the vast majority of products and for selling on marketplaces, the standard is the EAN-13.
EAN, UPC and GTIN: differences
These terms are often confused, but the relationship is simple:
- UPC (Universal Product Code): the 12-digit standard used mainly in the United States and Canada.
- EAN: the 13-digit standard used in the rest of the world. An EAN-13 actually contains a UPC with an extra leading digit.
- GTIN (Global Trade Item Number): the umbrella term covering them all. An EAN-13 is a GTIN-13 and a UPC is a GTIN-12. When Amazon asks you for a "GTIN", your EAN-13 code works perfectly.
Why do I need an EAN code to sell online?
Most marketplaces require a GTIN/EAN to list a product, because it's how they identify it unambiguously within their global catalogue:
- Amazon: requires an EAN/UPC to create most product listings (except brands with a GTIN exemption).
- AliExpress, eBay, Google Shopping, Rakuten: use the EAN to match your offer to the product and improve its visibility.
- Physical stores and your own e-commerce: they streamline inventory, checkout and logistics.
Remember: each product (and each variant) needs its own unique code. If you sell a t-shirt in three sizes, that's three different EANs.
How do I get my EAN barcodes?
With EAN CODA the process is instant: you choose how many codes you need, pay securely and receive your EAN codes by email within minutes, in the formats you need (JPEG, EPS or TIFF). They're official codes issued from the GS1 database, with no annual fees: pay once and they're yours forever.
You'll also get free tools to manage, label and invoice your codes from your panel.