📘The Barcode is NOT the ISBN

We’ve got a quick post for you today — but it’s an important one!

There’s often some confusion when it comes to ISBNs and barcodes, so let’s clear it up once and for all. While they often appear together on the back of a book, they’re actually not the same thing.

✨ ISBN vs. Barcode

An ISBN is your book’s unique 13-digit identifier — see our last blog for details!

A barcode, on the other hand, is the set of lines and numbers printed on your physical book’s back cover. It’s what allows your book to be scanned at checkout by a pos scanner. Barcodes are only for printed books, not digital editions, and they are separate from the ISBN itself.

💵 How to Get a Barcode

Barcodes can be purchased for around $25 each, but if you’d like a more budget-friendly option, we can create one for you for just $10. You can also generate your own if you’re comfortable with design tools.

We recommend including the book’s price on your barcode, especially if you plan to sell in brick-and-mortar bookstores — it helps retailers and readers alike.

🛍️ When You Don’t Need to Buy a Barcode

Depending on where you’re selling your physical copies, you might not need to purchase your own barcode at all. Many major platforms — like Ingram Sparks, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon KDP — automatically provide barcodes for titles published through their systems.

Just be sure to read your point-of-sale (POS) agreements and publishing platform guidelines carefully to understand what’s included and what’s required on your end.

Short, simple, and essential — now you know the difference between an ISBN and a barcode, and how each plays a role in getting your book into readers’ hands.

Until next time- happy writing, happy reading, happy living! 💛