QR Code vs Barcode: Which Should You Use?
By ScanHatch · Published · 3 min read
QR codes and traditional barcodes are both barcodes: one draws data in a line of bars, the other in a grid of squares. The right one depends less on the technology than on who or what will scan it, and what they expect.
The key differences
| Linear barcode (e.g. EAN-13, Code 128) | QR code | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Bars in one row | Square grid of modules |
| Typical content | A number or short code (8–30 characters) | A link, text, WiFi login or contact, up to thousands of characters |
| Error correction | Check digit detects errors but can't fix them | Reed-Solomon, which can rebuild up to about 30% of the data |
| Scanning direction | Scanner must cross the bars | Any angle |
| Scanners | Laser, linear and camera scanners | Camera-based scanners and phones |
| Space needed | Long and thin | Compact square |
| Public familiarity | Checkout scanners | Phone cameras open it directly |
When a linear barcode is the right choice
- Retail products: shops' checkout systems expect an EAN-13 or UPC-A carrying a GS1 GTIN. See EAN-13 vs UPC-A.
- Shipping cartons: warehouses scan ITF-14 or GS1-128. See what ITF-14 is.
- Existing systems: stock rooms, libraries and asset registers often use laser scanners that can't read QR codes.
- Simple IDs on narrow labels, where a thin strip fits better than a square.
When a QR code is the right choice
- Anything the public scans with a phone: links, menus, WiFi, contact details, tickets.
- More data than a short code: a full address, a URL with parameters, a serial number plus a batch code.
- Rough conditions, where error correction helps a damaged code still scan.
- Small spaces that are square rather than long.
Other 2D options
QR isn't the only 2D code. Data Matrix is common for marking small parts and on healthcare packaging, PDF417 on ID cards and printed boarding passes, and Aztec on rail tickets. For codes the public scans with their own phones, QR is the safest choice because every phone camera recognises it.
Are QR codes replacing retail barcodes?
Gradually, and alongside rather than instead. GS1, the organisation behind EAN and UPC, is promoting 2D barcodes on product packaging that carry the GTIN plus extra data such as batch and expiry, and has an industry goal (“Sunrise 2027” in the US) for retail checkout systems to be able to scan them. Until checkouts everywhere can, products keep a linear EAN or UPC barcode, and any 2D code is added next to it, not instead.
Using both
Many products carry both: the EAN-13 for the checkout, and a QR code linking customers to instructions or recipes. They serve different scanners and don't interfere, as long as each has its own quiet zone. Create them with the Barcode Generator and the QR Code Generator.
Frequently asked questions
Can a phone read ordinary barcodes?
Yes, with a scanning app or a browser-based scanner. Most phones' built-in camera apps recognise QR codes but not linear barcodes.
Can I use a QR code instead of an EAN-13 on my product?
Not for selling in shops today. Retail checkouts expect an EAN-13 or UPC-A. Add a QR code alongside it if you want to link to more information.
Which holds more data?
QR codes, by a wide margin: up to thousands of characters, against a few dozen for linear barcodes.