EAN-13 vs Data Matrix
Retail EAN-13 vs industrial Data Matrix: the quintessential 1D-vs-2D comparison. EAN-13 for product identification at checkout, Data Matrix for manufacturing traceability.
Specification comparison
| Specification | EAN-13 | Data Matrix |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | 1D Linear | 2D Matrix |
| Symbology family | EAN/UPC Family | 2D Matrix Family |
| Year introduced | 1977 | 1987 |
| Developer | GS1 (EAN International) | RVSI Acuity CiMatrix |
| Data length | 13 digits | variable |
| Variable length | No | Yes |
| Character set | 0-9 | ASCII completo + datos binarios |
| Maximum capacity | 13 numeric digits | 2,335 alphanumeric or 3,116 numeric characters |
| GS1 data carrier | Yes | No |
| Unicode encoding | No | No |
| Binary data | No | Yes |
| Minimum X-dimension | 0.264 mm | 0.254 mm |
| Nominal height | 22.85 mm | — |
| Quiet zone | 11X / 7X | 1 module |
| Aspect ratio | 1:1.5 | 1:1 (square) or rectangular |
| Example payload | 5901234123457 | DataMatrix2026 |
Highlighted rows mark specifications where the two symbologies differ.