Commercial editions for professional and enterprise use. Both editions
include direct access to a HTTP API for programmatic barcode generation, and
an MCP server that lets AI assistants make barcodes for you.
The Online Barcode Generator is available in an "offline" flavour as a
set of scalable microservices (containers) that you can self-host.
- Available even when your Internet connection isn't!
- Same codebase as the trusted Online Barcode Generator.
- Create an unlimited number of barcode images. No rate limits!
- Scalable microservices architecture with multiple hosting options:
- Amazon Web Services Elastic Container Service
- Multi-container Azure Web App
- Kubernetes pods on Google Cloud Platform, AWS or Azure
- Multi-node Docker Swarm cluster
- Single host running Docker Compose
- You have unrestricted access to the code and can change it.
- Adapt the page layout to simplify the workflow.
- Translate into your language.
- Enable only barcodes that match your internal standards.
- Perform input validation for your custom data formats.
- Create barcode images by calling a HTTP API endpoint.
- Professional services available.
- Guided installation via screenshare.
- Walkthrough customising your page template.
The Online Barcode Generator is available as a managed service —
activate it by simply passing a license key parameter when browsing to the page.
No hosting expertise or infrastructure required.
Shared SaaS
- Same reliable infrastructure as the Online Barcode Generator.
- No ads or interruptions!
- Basic Service Level Agreement.
- Increased rate limits. Tiered monthly plans to match your volume.
- Present the service on your own domain and brand.
- Professional services to customise the page layout, barcode formats, input validation, overlays, colour spaces and translations.
- Create barcode images by calling a HTTP API endpoint.
Dedicated SaaS
- All the benefits of the shared service, with dedicated infrastructure and guaranteed capacity.
- Robust, money-back Service Level Agreement.
- Reseller and white-label licensing available.
The Online Barcode Generator's world-class barcode generation engine is made
available as a "HTTP API" endpoint that you can access directly using the
self-hosted and managed service products.
- Generate a barcode image using a single HTTP request.
- Supports GET and POST methods: URL encoded, form data or JSON.
- Engine written by a recognised subject matter expert.
- Integrate with your off-the-shelf or in-house applications.
- Professional services available to develop the API to meet bespoke requirements.
- Example use cases:
- Add unique barcodes to subscriber bills by a real time document manager.
- Insert barcodes into an Excel spreadsheet using a VBA macro.
- Insert barcodes into a Google Sheet using the IMAGE() function.
- Output formats: PNG, JPEG, TIFF, PDF, SVG, EPS and EMF.
- Supports 100+ barcode symbologies including QR Code, Data Matrix, GS1 Digital Link and postal formats.
- Either host it yourself or use the managed service (shared or dedicated).
- Highly scalable: Can deploy to an auto-scaling Kubernetes cluster.
Ask your AI assistant for a barcode and get one made to the standard.
You: I need an EAN-13 for GTIN 9520123456788 on outer cartons that are only ever scanned in warehouses, never at a till. Make a print-ready SVG.
Assistant: Cartons scanned only in general distribution are covered by GS1 Symbol Specification Table 2, so I used includetext guardwhitespace strictspec ast=gs1.sst2: an X-dimension of 0.66 mm (permitted 0.495–0.66 mm) and a bar height of 45.7 mm. Here is the SVG, at that size.
The Online Barcode Generator is an MCP server (Model Context Protocol),
so Claude, Cursor, VS Code and other AI assistants can make barcodes for you
with the same engine as the
HTTP API.
- Describe what the barcode is for, in your own words: the assistant chooses the symbology and the right size for where it will be scanned, from the GS1 Symbol Specification Tables and other application standards.
- GS1 data built correctly: each Application Identifier's meaning, format and required companions, and GS1 Digital Link URIs.
- Use your managed service license key or host this tool yourself.
Setting it up (click to expand)
Add the server to any MCP client that supports remote (Streamable HTTP) servers. The address is:
https://www.terryburton.co.uk/barcodewriter/generator/mcp
For example, in Claude Code:
claude mcp add --transport http barcodes https://www.terryburton.co.uk/barcodewriter/generator/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR-LICENSE-KEY"
Clients configured with JSON (Cursor, VS Code and others) take the address and the same header:
{ "url": "https://www.terryburton.co.uk/barcodewriter/generator/mcp",
"headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR-LICENSE-KEY" } }