You don't need to pay for an ISBN barcode
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R. S. Breed Founder
The barcode on a book's back cover is just your ISBN, drawn so a shop's scanner can read it. Once you have an ISBN, you can make the barcode yourself. Some sites charge for this. You don't need to pay.
Free generator: https://bervet.com/tools/isbn-barcode-generator
Type your ISBN, choose the size, and download it as an SVG (sharp at any size, best for designers) or a PNG at the resolution you need. You can add the optional price add-on, the small second barcode beside the main one.
Do you need one at all?
- KDP paperbacks: KDP's help says it adds a barcode free if you leave the barcode area of your back cover blank. Many authors just let it.
- Your own barcode on KDP: its help asks for 100% black on a solid white background, at least 1.4 x 0.8 in, and 0.25 in from the spine and the edges.
- The price add-on: KDP's barcode page notes that some large bookshops, like Barnes & Noble, want the price in the barcode for books stocked in their stores, but not for books sold on their website.
Only use an ISBN that's yours. A barcode doesn't make a number valid: it has to be registered to you or your imprint.
It's made in your browser; your ISBN isn't sent anywhere. Free for members.