ISBN Barcode Generator for US Authors
Generate the retail barcode before cover production starts
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.
Generate print-ready ISBN barcodes with USD price encoding for the US market. American authors use Bowker-assigned ISBNs and EAN-5 supplement codes starting with prefix 5 to encode dollar prices on back covers.
- Freetool access
- United Statesmarket context
- Instantinteractive result
- 2026publishing guidance
How it works
Run the tool before you read the local guidance.
Enter the book details
Start with the details the publishing platform or reader will actually see.
Tune the market settings
Use the local version when pricing, compliance, metadata, or platform expectations change by region.
Run the isbn barcode generator
Generate the output while the publishing decision is still easy to change.
Apply the result
Use the recommendation before you lock the listing, cover file, or launch plan.
Local guidance
ISBN Barcodes for the US Market
Use this context after the tool output so the result matches the market you are publishing into.
In the United States, ISBNs are administered exclusively by Bowker (myidentifiers.com). A single ISBN costs $125, a block of 10 costs $295, and 100 ISBNs cost $575. For self-published authors planning to release multiple titles, purchasing in bulk significantly reduces per-ISBN costs. Note that ISBNs purchased through Bowker are non-transferable and tied to the publisher of record — once assigned, the imprint name cannot be changed.
US ISBN barcodes use the Bookland EAN format: a standard EAN-13 barcode encoding the ISBN-13, optionally followed by an EAN-5 add-on encoding the price. For USD pricing, the EAN-5 supplement starts with the digit 5, followed by four digits representing the price in cents. For example, a $14.99 book would have the EAN-5 code 51499. Prices above $99.98 use the special code 59999 to indicate 'consult publisher for price'.
Barcode placement on US book covers follows industry standards established by the Book Industry Study Group (BISG). The barcode should appear in the lower-right corner of the back cover, with at least 0.25 inches of quiet zone (clear space) on all sides. The recommended minimum size is 1.46" wide × 1.02" high for the EAN-13 alone, or 2.04" wide with the EAN-5 price supplement. Most US distributors and retailers require the price supplement.
For Amazon KDP authors, note that Amazon generates its own barcode during the cover creation process. However, if you design your own cover or use a professional designer, you need to supply a high-resolution barcode. Generate your barcode at 300 DPI minimum using the tool above, and export as PDF or SVG for scalable vector output. PNG at 300 DPI is acceptable but may lose quality if the cover template requires resizing.
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication (CIP) programme is separate from ISBN registration but relevant for US authors seeking library distribution. While self-published books are not eligible for the full CIP programme, you can obtain a Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) through the Preassigned Control Number programme. Having both an ISBN with proper barcode and an LCCN maximises your book's discoverability in US library systems.
FAQ
ISBN Barcode Generator FAQs for United States
Next step
Use the result before the next publishing decision
The local notes below explain what changes for this market. Run the tool first, then use the guidance to avoid rework later.