ISBN Barcode Generator (Bookland EAN)
Every book sold through shops and distributors carries its ISBN as an EAN-13 barcode on the back cover, sometimes called Bookland EAN. Paste your ISBN-13 (it starts with 978 or 979) and QRPebble checks its digits and draws the barcode. If you still have an older 10-digit ISBN, paste that instead: QRPebble validates its mod-11 check character, adds the 978 prefix and recalculates the check digit for the 13-digit version. This is useful for self-publishers who need print-ready cover artwork. The ISBN itself must be assigned by your national ISBN agency.
How to make it
- Paste your ISBN-13 or ISBN-10 into the Data field; hyphens and spaces are fine.
- If you entered an ISBN-10, check the preview shows the converted 978… number.
- Download SVG and place it on the back cover, usually lower right.
- Print a cover proof and scan the barcode with a phone scanner app or a bookshop-style scanner.
What gets encoded
The barcode is a standard EAN-13 whose 13 digits are the ISBN-13. ISBN-10 input is converted by dropping its mod-11 check character, prefixing 978 and computing a new GS1 mod-10 check digit, so 0-306-40615-2 becomes 9780306406157. ISBNs starting with 979 have no ISBN-10 equivalent. This generator produces the main EAN-13 symbol only. The optional 5-digit price add-on some markets expect isn't included, so check your distributor's requirements.
Where people use it
- Back covers of self-published paperbacks
- Updating old covers from ISBN-10 to ISBN-13
- Book packaging and slipcases
- Library and bookshop inventory labels
Tips before you print
- Get ISBNs from your national ISBN agency (for example Bowker in the US or Nielsen in the UK); a barcode can't make an ISBN valid.
- Each format (paperback, hardback, ebook) needs its own ISBN and therefore its own barcode.
- Place the barcode on a white box on the back cover, printed in black, and don't scale it below about 80% of nominal EAN-13 size.
- Ask your printer or distributor whether they need the price add-on; some markets require it and others ignore it.
FAQ
How is an ISBN-10 converted?
We add the prefix 978 to its first nine digits and calculate a new EAN check digit. The old mod-11 check character (which could be X) is dropped.
Does the barcode include the price?
No. This generator draws the EAN-13 only, without the 5-digit price add-on.
Can I use one ISBN for the paperback and the ebook?
No. ISBN agencies require a separate ISBN for each format and edition.