How it works
- Type the ISBN as printed on the copyright page, with or without hyphens.
- Add a 2 or 5 digit add-on if your distributor asks for one, such as a price code.
- Check the panel: it shows the ISBN-13 the barcode encodes, and the ISBN-10 where one exists.
- Download the SVG for cover artwork, or a PNG, and scan the barcode before sending files to print.
ISBN-13 and EAN-13
Since 1 January 2007, ISBNs have 13 digits and start with 978 or 979, which makes every ISBN-13 a valid EAN-13. The bars on a book are that EAN-13. This tool prints the ISBN above the bars and the 13 digits below them.
Converting an ISBN-10
An ISBN-10 becomes an ISBN-13 by putting 978 in front, dropping the old check digit and calculating a new one. For example, 0-306-40615-2 becomes 978-0-306-40615-7. Numbers that start with 979 have no ISBN-10 form.
ISBN check digits
ISBN-13 uses the same check digit as EAN-13: weights of 1 and 3 in turn from the left, modulus 10. ISBN-10 used modulus 11 with weights from 10 down to 2, so its check digit can be 10, written as X. The check digit calculator shows the full working for both.
The price add-on
The add-on is a small second barcode to the right of the main one. In the US convention described by Bowker and the Book Industry Study Group, a 5 digit add-on starting with 5 shows a price in US dollars, so 51995 means US$19.95, and 90000 means no suggested retail price. Other markets use other conventions, so ask your distributor what to print.
Hyphens in the ISBN line
The hyphens split an ISBN into the prefix, registration group, publisher, title and check digit, and the groups vary in length from one ISBN to another. Type the ISBN with its hyphens to show them above the bars. Without hyphens, the line shows the 13 digits ungrouped rather than guessing where the hyphens go.
One ISBN for each format
The International ISBN Agency says each product form, such as a paperback, an EPUB and a PDF, should be identified separately. A hardback and a paperback of the same title therefore need different ISBNs, and so different barcodes.
More barcode formats
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool give me an ISBN?
No. It only draws the barcode for an ISBN you already have. Publishers get ISBNs from the ISBN agency for their country.
Why is my ISBN rejected?
Either a digit is mistyped, so the check digit does not match, or the number does not start with 978 or 979. The message says which, and shows the correct check digit when that is the problem.
Do I need the 5 digit add-on?
Only if your distributor or retailer asks for it. In the US, 90000 is used when a book has no suggested retail price.
Can the paperback and the ebook share an ISBN?
No. The International ISBN Agency says each product form should be identified separately, so each gets its own ISBN.
Is an ISBN barcode the same as an EAN-13?
Yes. The bars are an EAN-13 of the ISBN-13, so the EAN-13 barcode generator draws the same bars, without the ISBN line or add-on.
Does an ISBN protect my copyright?
No. The International ISBN Agency says an ISBN identifies a publication and gives no legal or copyright protection.