QR Code vs Barcode: What Is the Difference and Which Do You Need?
Published 23 October 2026 by the QRCodeBarn team.
A QR code is a type of barcode, but when most people say "barcode" they mean the row of black stripes on a tin of beans. The two look different because they work in different ways and were built for different jobs. This guide explains how each one stores information, what they are good at, the other 2D codes you see on tickets and medicine packs, and how to choose the right one for your product or business.
The short answer
A traditional barcode stores a short number in one direction, as a row of bars, and is read by a checkout scanner that looks the number up in a database. A QR code stores much more information in two directions, as a grid of squares, and can be read by any smartphone camera. That means it can carry a whole web address, a WiFi login or a contact card on its own.
How a traditional barcode works
The stripes on a product are called a linear or 1D (one-dimensional) barcode. Information is stored only from left to right, in the widths of the black bars and the white gaps between them. A scanner sweeps a line of light across the bars and turns the pattern back into digits. Because the data runs in one direction, the bars can be as tall as you like without storing any more.
The first product scanned at a shop till with a Universal Product Code (UPC) was a pack of chewing gum, at a supermarket in Troy, Ohio, on 26 June 1974. Today there are several common formats.
- EAN-13 is the 13-digit barcode on most retail products in the UK and Europe. UPC-A, with 12 digits, is its North American equivalent, and modern tills read both.
- Code 128 can hold letters as well as numbers, and is widely used on parcel labels and in warehouses.
- Code 39 is an older format that still turns up on ID badges, equipment tags and some industrial labels.
The important thing about a retail barcode is that it usually holds only a product number, called a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number). The name, price and stock level live in the shop's own system. The barcode is just the key that looks them up.
How a QR code works
A QR code is a 2D (two-dimensional) barcode. It stores information across and down, in a grid of small squares called modules. The three large squares in the corners, called finder patterns, let a camera find the code and straighten it from almost any angle, so you don't need to line it up the way you would with a striped barcode.
Because it uses both directions, a QR code can hold far more. The largest standard QR code can store up to 7,089 digits, 4,296 letters and numbers, or 2,953 bytes of other data. In practice most codes hold something much shorter, like a web address, but even a short address is too long for a retail barcode.
QR codes also have built-in error correction. Extra recovery data is spread across the code, so it can still be read if part of it is dirty, torn or covered by a logo. There are four levels, from L (about 7% recoverable) to H (about 30%). Our guide to QR code error correction explains the trade-offs.
If you want to know what all the squares inside the pattern do, read how QR codes work.
Side by side
| Traditional barcode (EAN-13, UPC) | QR code | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Row of vertical bars | Square grid of modules |
| Data direction | One (left to right) | Two (across and down) |
| Typical content | A product or reference number | A web address, text, WiFi login, contact card and more |
| Maximum capacity | 12 or 13 digits for retail barcodes | Up to 7,089 digits or 2,953 bytes |
| Read by | Checkout and hand-held scanners | Smartphone cameras and image-based scanners |
| Damage tolerance | Low, a damaged barcode often fails | Built-in error correction (up to about 30%) |
| Scanning angle | Must be roughly lined up | Any angle |
| Who issues the number | GS1 for retail product numbers | Anyone can create one for free |
Other 2D codes you will see
QR codes are the best known 2D code, but not the only one. You have probably scanned a few of these without noticing.
- Data Matrix is a small square or rectangular code with a solid L-shaped border on two sides. It can be printed very small, so it is used to mark electronic parts, surgical instruments and medicine packs. In the EU, prescription medicine packs carry a Data Matrix code so pharmacies can check each pack is genuine.
- PDF417 looks like a stack of tiny barcodes. It is common on airline boarding passes and on many driving licences and ID cards, because it can hold a fair amount of text and is easy to read with simple scanners.
- Aztec codes have a bullseye in the centre instead of corner squares, and don't need a blank margin. Many rail and airline mobile tickets use them, because they read well from a phone screen at the ticket gate.
QR codes have also had their own spin-offs, such as Micro QR and the rectangular rMQR, which squeeze the idea into smaller spaces. We cover those in our guide to QR code types and variants.
Why barcodes and QR codes are starting to merge
For decades, shops could only read striped barcodes at the till. That is changing. GS1, the organisation that manages retail barcode numbers worldwide, is running a programme called Sunrise 2027, which aims for checkouts to be able to read 2D barcodes by the end of 2027.
The idea is a single QR code on the pack, in a format called GS1 Digital Link, that does two jobs. The till reads the product number from it, just as it would from a striped barcode, while a shopper's phone can open a web page with ingredients, allergens, recycling advice or instructions. Some brands already print these codes alongside the familiar stripes, and you can expect to see more of them over the next few years.
Which one do you need?
It depends on who or what will scan the code.
- Selling a product through shops or online marketplaces? You need a proper retail barcode with a GTIN registered to your business. In the UK these come from GS1 UK. A QR code from a free generator cannot replace it, because the shop's system won't recognise the number. You can still add a QR code to the pack for customers. See our guide to QR codes on product packaging.
- Want customers to open a web page, menu, review form or WiFi network? Use a QR code. Any phone can read it, and it can carry the full web address or login details.
- Tracking stock or assets inside your own business? Either can work. Code 128 barcodes are cheap and read instantly by basic scanners. QR codes hold more detail and can be read with a phone, which can save buying dedicated scanning equipment.
- Marking something very small? A Data Matrix code is usually a better fit than a QR code, but you will need a scanner or app that reads it.
Frequently asked questions
Is a QR code a barcode?
Yes. A QR code is a two-dimensional barcode. People usually use "barcode" to mean the striped, one-dimensional kind, which stores far less information.
Can I use a QR code instead of a barcode on my product?
Not for selling through most shops yet. Retailers need a registered GS1 product number, which is usually printed as an EAN-13 barcode. GS1's Sunrise 2027 programme is moving tills towards reading 2D codes, but the product number still has to be registered.
Can my phone scan a normal barcode?
Often, yes. Google Lens and some shopping apps can read product barcodes, but they only get the number. They then search for it online to show you what the product is.
Which holds more information, a barcode or a QR code?
A QR code, by a long way. A retail barcode holds 12 or 13 digits, while a large QR code can hold over 7,000 digits or nearly 3,000 bytes of text.
Do QR codes cost money?
A standard QR code is free to create and use, and it never expires on its own. Retail barcode numbers are different, as they are licensed through GS1 for a fee. Read more in are QR codes free?
Ready to make a QR code? Use the free QR code generator, or start with what a QR code is if you are new to them.
This article was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy. Read our editorial policy and AI content policy.