ISBN Barcode Generator for UK Authors
Generate print-ready ISBN barcodes with GBP price encoding for the UK market. British authors obtain ISBNs through Nielsen, and UK barcodes use EAN-5 supplement codes starting with prefix 4 to encode sterling prices.
ISBN Barcode Generator
Generate print-ready ISBN barcodes. Download PNG, JPG, PDF, or SVG at 300 DPI.
Generate print-ready ISBN-13 Bookland EAN barcodes for your book's back cover. Download high-quality PNG, JPG, PDF, or SVG files—perfect for professional printing.
100% Free Forever
No hidden fees or premium tiers
4 Download Formats
PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG
300 DPI Print Quality
Professional-grade output
No Watermarks
Clean, commercial-ready
Enter ISBN and Price
Must be a valid ISBN-13 starting with 978 or 979. Dashes are automatically formatted.
Leave blank for no price, enter 90000 for a price placeholder, or use a price like 6.99 (max $99.99). You can also enter a direct add-on code (2 or 5 digits).
Select the currency for your book's retail price encoding.
About This Tool
About This Tool
- •Creates professional ISBN-13 Bookland EAN barcodes at 300 DPI
- •Includes optional 5-digit price addon barcode (EAN-5)
- •Server-side generation for maximum quality
- •Perfect for book covers, back covers, and commercial printing
About This Tool
- •Creates professional ISBN-13 Bookland EAN barcodes at 300 DPI
- •Includes optional 5-digit price addon barcode (EAN-5)
- •Server-side generation for maximum quality
- •Perfect for book covers, back covers, and commercial printing
Barcode preview
Barcode preview will appear here
Enter a valid ISBN-13 and click Generate preview
Generated at 300 DPI for professional printing. Designers can place this barcode file directly on the back cover at the required size.
Quick Answer
HMD Publishing's ISBN Barcode Generator is a free tool that creates print-ready ISBN-13 Bookland EAN barcodes. Download in PNG, JPG, PDF, or SVG at 300 DPI—perfect for book back covers. No registration required.
How to Use This ISBN Barcode Generator
Creating a professional ISBN barcode for your book takes less than 2 minutes with our free tool:
Enter Your ISBN-13
Type in your 13-digit ISBN number with or without dashes. It must start with 978 or 979. The tool automatically validates and formats your ISBN correctly.
Add Book Price (Optional)
Enter your book's retail price to encode it in the barcode. Use 90000 for a price placeholder, or leave blank if you don't want price encoding.
Choose Download Format
Select from PNG (universal), JPG (common), PDF (print production), or SVG (vector scalability). All formats are 300 DPI quality.
Generate and Download
Click "Generate preview" to see your barcode, verify it looks correct, then click the download button to save your file.
What is an ISBN Barcode?
An ISBN barcode is a scannable graphic representation of a book's ISBN-13 number, also known as a Bookland EAN barcode. It consists of:
- EAN-13 barcode: The main barcode encoding your 13-digit ISBN
- Human-readable text: Your ISBN displayed above and below the barcode
- 5-digit addon (optional): A smaller barcode on the right encoding the book's price
While an ISBN is just a number that identifies your book, an ISBN barcode makes that number machine-readable so bookstores and distributors can scan it at point-of-sale and track inventory.
When Do You Need an ISBN Barcode?
You NEED a barcode if:
- •Publishing a print book
- •Selling through bookstores or retailers
- •Using distributors like IngramSpark
- •Selling at physical events (fairs, signings)
- •You purchased your own ISBN (not using KDP's free ISBN)
You DON'T need a barcode if:
- •Publishing eBooks only
- •Selling exclusively online (Amazon, etc.)
- •Using KDP Print with their free ISBN
- •Creating personal/family books not for retail
ISBN Barcode Pricing Options
Barcode Without Price
Choose this if most sales will be online or at author events where you set prices yourself.
- Pros: Change price anytime without reprinting, smaller barcode, maximum flexibility
- Cons: Bookstores may prefer barcodes with prices
Barcode With Price Placeholder (90000)
Use 90000 as a standard placeholder that signals "no fixed price" to retailers while still including the 5-digit addon format.
- Pros: Bookstore-compatible, price flexibility, industry standard
- Cons: No visible price on book cover
Barcode With Actual Price
Encode your retail price directly into the barcode so it's visible and scannable.
- Pros: Price displays on book, traditional retail standard
- Cons: Must reprint covers to change price
Currency Codes
Simply enter your price (e.g., 6.99) and select your currency from the dropdown. The tool automatically handles the encoding for you.
| Country | Code | Example | Display |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 5 | 6.99 → 50699 | $6.99 |
| United Kingdom | 4 | 6.99 → 40699 | £6.99 |
| Canada | 6 | 6.99 → 60699 | CAD $6.99 |
Download Formats Explained
PNG - Best for Digital Use
Recommended for: Most users, digital proofs, online submissions
- Transparent background
- Lossless compression
- 300 DPI print quality
- Widely supported by all design software
JPG - Universal Format
Recommended for: Email attachments, quick sharing
- White background
- Smaller file size
- 300 DPI quality maintained
- Opens everywhere
PDF - Print Production
Recommended for: Professional printers, IngramSpark
- Industry standard for printing
- Embeddable in cover files
- Preserves exact dimensions
- Accepted by all book printers
SVG - Vector Scalability
Recommended for: Professional designers, maximum quality
- Infinite scalability - no quality loss at any size
- Editable in Illustrator, Inkscape
- Smallest file size
- Perfect for large format printing
Barcode Best Practices
Placement on Book Cover
- Location: Bottom right corner of back cover
- Clearance: At least 0.25" (6mm) from all edges and other elements
- Size: Typically 2" wide × 1.2" tall (50mm × 30mm)
- Color: Always black bars on white/light background
Testing Your Barcode
Before printing thousands of books:
- Visual inspection: All bars should be crisp and black
- Scan test: Use a barcode scanner app to verify it reads correctly
- Print proof: Order a single proof copy and scan at your local bookstore
- Verify ISBN: Confirm the scanned number matches your ISBN exactly
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Colored backgrounds: Barcodes must be black on white/light colors only
- Too small: Minimum 80% of standard size or scanners may fail
- Low resolution: Use 300 DPI minimum for printing
- Stretched/distorted: Maintain original aspect ratio
- Overlapping elements: Keep clearance zone empty
HMD Publishing vs Other Barcode Generators
| Feature | HMD Publishing | Typical Competitors |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $5-$30 per barcode |
| Formats | PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG | PNG only |
| Resolution | 300 DPI | Often 72-150 DPI |
| Price Encoding | Full support | Limited or none |
| Registration | Not required | Often required |
| Watermark | None | Common on free tiers |
| Download Speed | Instant | Email delivery delays |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this ISBN barcode generator free?
Yes, completely free with no registration required. Generate unlimited ISBN-13 barcodes for your books at no cost.
What formats can I download?
You can download your ISBN barcode in PNG, JPG, PDF, or SVG format. All formats are generated at 300 DPI for professional printing quality.
Do I need an ISBN barcode for my book?
You need an ISBN barcode for print books sold in bookstores or through distributors. eBooks and books sold exclusively online typically don't need a barcode.
Can I add a price to the barcode?
Yes! Enter 90000 for a price placeholder, or enter an actual price like 6.99. The tool supports US Dollar, British Pound, and Canadian Dollar encoding.
What is a Bookland EAN barcode?
A Bookland EAN barcode is the ISBN-13 format used on book covers. It includes the main EAN-13 barcode plus an optional 5-digit addon for price.
Can I use this for commercial books?
Absolutely! The barcodes are professional-quality and meet industry standards for retail bookstores and distribution.
Does this tool give me an ISBN?
No, this tool generates barcodes only. You must first purchase an ISBN from your country's official ISBN agency (Bowker in the US, Nielsen in the UK).
What's the difference between ISBN and ISBN barcode?
An ISBN is the 13-digit number that identifies your book. An ISBN barcode is the scannable graphic that encodes that number for retail systems.
Related Publishing Services
Need help with other aspects of book publishing? Check out these HMD Publishing services:
- Professional Book Formatting - Interior layout for print and eBooks
- Book Cover Design - Eye-catching covers that sell
- Professional Editing Services - Polish your manuscript
- Complete Publishing Package - End-to-end publishing solution
Additional Resources
- ISBN.org - Official international ISBN agency
- Bowker - US ISBN provider
- Nielsen ISBN Store - UK ISBN provider
- GS1 - Global barcode standards organization
ISBN Barcodes for the UK Market
In the United Kingdom, ISBNs are administered by Nielsen ISBN Agency (nielsenisbnstore.com). UK publishers and self-published authors can purchase ISBNs individually or in blocks. A single ISBN costs £89, a block of 10 costs £164, and 100 ISBNs cost £369. For comparison, US ISBNs through Bowker are considerably more expensive per unit, making the UK system more accessible for indie authors publishing multiple titles.
UK ISBN barcodes use the same Bookland EAN format as the US, but with a different price encoding prefix. For GBP pricing, the EAN-5 supplement starts with the digit 4, followed by four digits representing the price in pence. For example, an £8.99 book would have the EAN-5 code 40899. Prices above £99.98 use the code 49999. UK retailers expect the price supplement to be present on all trade paperbacks and hardcovers.
The UK has a legal deposit requirement: publishers must send one copy of every publication to the British Library within one month of publication. Five other legal deposit libraries (Bodleian Library, Cambridge University Library, National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales, and Trinity College Dublin) can also request copies. Your ISBN and barcode are essential identifiers in this process — without a valid ISBN, your book cannot be properly catalogued in the UK bibliographic system.
Nielsen BookData is the UK's primary bibliographic database, and registering your book's metadata through Nielsen is essential for UK distribution. When you generate your barcode, ensure the ISBN-13 matches exactly what you have registered with Nielsen. Even a single-digit discrepancy will cause supply chain problems — wholesalers like Gardners and Bertrams use Nielsen data to match orders to products.
For UK cover design, the barcode should be placed in the lower-right area of the back cover, consistent with international standards. UK printers typically require 300 DPI minimum resolution. If your book will be sold in both UK and US markets, you may need two editions with different ISBNs and price encodings, or use the 90000 EAN-5 code (no price) and rely on the retailer's point-of-sale system to supply the correct price.