The difference in one line
A UPC-A has 12 digits and is issued by GS1 US (and GS1 Canada). An EAN-13 has 13 digits and is issued by GS1 organisations everywhere else. A UPC is an EAN-13 with an invisible leading zero.
| UPC-A | EAN-13 | |
|---|---|---|
| Digits | 12 | 13 |
| GS1 number name | GTIN-12 | GTIN-13 |
| Issued in | USA, Canada | Rest of the world |
| Small version | UPC-E (8 digits) | EAN-8 |
| Read by tills worldwide | Yes | Yes (US tills since 2005) |
Converting a UPC to an EAN
Put a 0 in front: UPC 036000291452 is EAN 0036000291452. The check digit stays the same, because a leading zero doesn't change the calculation. Many marketplaces outside the US ask for a 13-digit EAN; give them this.
The reverse only works if the EAN starts with 0. An EAN like 5901234123457 has no UPC version, and doesn't need one, since US systems read it as it is.
What it looks like
The bars of a UPC-A and the matching EAN-13 are identical. The difference is in the printed digits: a UPC prints its first and last digits small, outside the bars, while an EAN-13 prints its first digit outside on the left and the rest in two groups of six.
Which one should you get?
- Based in the US or Canada: GS1 US or GS1 Canada will issue numbers you can print as UPC-A. They work worldwide.
- Based anywhere else: join your national GS1 and you'll get EAN-13s. They work in the US too, including on Amazon.com and in US shops.
- Selling in both: one number is enough. Don't get two barcodes for the same product.
Make either with our UPC generator or EAN-13 generator.
