Free tool

EAN Generator

EAN-13, EAN-8, ISBN and IMEI with a correct check digit

Numbers for testing an import, a PIM, a label template or a scanner. No sign-up, no limit, nothing stored.

Ready to generate.

About this format

Thirteen digits. The standard retail barcode in Europe: GS1 prefix, company number, product number and a check digit. This is the identifier marketplaces ask for.

Everything is calculated in your browser. No number is sent to a server.

EAN Generator

A free EAN generator for testing. Generate valid EAN-13, EAN-8, ISBN-13, ISBN-10 and IMEI numbers with a correctly calculated check digit — no sign-up, no limit, nothing stored.

Read this before you use one

A generated barcode number is structurally valid, not registered. Real retail barcodes come from GS1, under a company prefix registered to you. Numbers from this page pass a check-digit test and are perfect for testing an import, a PIM, a label template or a scanner — but they must never go on products you actually sell. Amazon, Allegro, Kaufland and most other marketplaces check barcodes against the GS1 database, and a mismatch gets listings suppressed and accounts flagged. For real products, buy a prefix from GS1.

What each format is for
EAN-13 Thirteen digits, the standard retail barcode in Europe: GS1 prefix, company number, product number, then one check digit. This is the identifier marketplaces ask for.
EAN-8 Eight digits, the short form for packaging too small to carry a full EAN-13 — cosmetics, confectionery, small parts.
ISBN-13 Books. Technically an EAN-13 starting with the 978 or 979 prefix, which is why book barcodes scan on ordinary retail equipment.
ISBN-10 The pre-2007 book format, still found in older catalogues. Its check digit uses modulo 11, so the last character can be an X.
IMEI Fifteen digits identifying a mobile device, validated with the Luhn algorithm.
How the check digit works

For EAN-13, take the first twelve digits, multiply alternate positions by 1 and 3, and add them up; the check digit is whatever brings the total to the next multiple of ten. EAN-8 uses the same method over seven digits. ISBN-10 is different: modulo 11, which is why it can end in X. This is also why a barcode with one mistyped digit usually fails validation immediately — the arithmetic stops matching.

Why we built it

We move catalogues onto marketplaces for a living, and missing or malformed EANs are the single most common reason a bulk upload fails validation. We needed valid test identifiers constantly, so we made the tool public. If your real catalogue has EAN gaps, that is a data problem worth fixing before a launch — and part of what the Store & Channel Audit checks.

Questions & answers

Is this EAN generator free?

Yes. No sign-up, no limit on how many numbers you generate, and nothing you generate is stored. It runs in your browser.

Can I use a generated EAN on products I sell?

No. A generated number is structurally valid but not registered to anyone. Real retail barcodes are issued by GS1 against a company prefix that belongs to you. Amazon, Allegro, Kaufland and other marketplaces verify barcodes against the GS1 database, and a mismatch gets listings suppressed and accounts flagged. Use generated numbers for testing only.

What is an EAN-13 number?

Thirteen digits: a GS1 prefix, a company number, a product number and one check digit. It is the standard retail barcode in Europe and the product identifier most European marketplaces require before they will let you list.

What is the difference between EAN-13 and EAN-8?

EAN-8 is the eight-digit short form, issued for packaging too small to carry a full EAN-13 — cosmetics, confectionery, small parts. Both use the same check-digit method; EAN-8 simply has fewer data digits.

Is an ISBN the same thing as an EAN?

An ISBN-13 is technically an EAN-13 that starts with the 978 or 979 prefix, which is why book barcodes scan on ordinary retail equipment. ISBN-10 is the older format and calculates its check digit modulo 11, so its last character can be the letter X.

How is the EAN check digit calculated?

Take the first twelve digits of an EAN-13, multiply alternating positions by 1 and 3, add the results, and the check digit is the number that brings the total up to the next multiple of ten. EAN-8 uses the same method across seven digits. This is why a barcode with one mistyped digit usually fails validation immediately.

Where do I get real barcodes for my products?

From GS1, the organisation that issues company prefixes. You buy a prefix, then allocate product numbers within it yourself. This is the only route that produces barcodes marketplaces and retailers will accept.

Why does my marketplace upload keep failing on EANs?

Usually one of four reasons: the EAN is missing entirely, the check digit is wrong, the number is registered to a different company, or the same EAN is reused across several variants. Bulk uploads validate every row, so one bad pattern can fail thousands of listings at once.

What is an IMEI and why is it here?

Fifteen digits identifying a mobile device, validated with the Luhn algorithm. It is included because the same catalogue and testing work that needs EANs often needs IMEIs for electronics listings.

Who made this tool?

Pleroma Commerce, a multi-channel commerce team. We move catalogues onto marketplaces for a living and needed valid test identifiers constantly, so we made the generator public.