Ёмкость данных штрих-кода: сколько может хранить каждый формат?
A comparative reference of data capacity across 30 barcode symbologies — from 8-digit UPC-E to 7,089-character QR codes.
Barcode Data Capacity: How Much Can Each Format Store?
Data capacity varies dramatically across barcode formats, from 8 digits in UPC-E to thousands of characters in 2D symbologies. Understanding these limits ensures you choose a format that fits your data requirements.
1D Barcode Capacities
Linear barcodes store data in a single row of bars, which inherently limits capacity. The practical maximum depends on label width and minimum X dimension:
| Symbology | Data Type | Typical Capacity | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPC-E | Numeric | 8 digits (fixed) | 8 |
| EAN-8 | Numeric | 8 digits (fixed) | 8 |
| UPC-A | Numeric | 12 digits (fixed) | 12 |
| EAN-13 | Numeric | 13 digits (fixed) | 13 |
| ITF-14 | Numeric | 14 digits (fixed) | 14 |
| Code 39 | Alphanumeric | 20-30 chars practical | ~50 |
| Code 128 | Full ASCII | 20-30 chars practical | ~80 |
| GS1-128 | Full ASCII + AIs | 48 chars typical | ~80 |
2D Barcode Capacities
Two-dimensional codes store far more data by using both axes:
| Symbology | Numeric | Alphanumeric | Binary (bytes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Matrix | 3,116 | 2,335 | 1,556 |
| QR Code | 7,089 | 4,296 | 2,953 |
| PDF417 | 2,710 | 1,850 | 1,108 |
| Aztec Code | 3,832 | 3,067 | 1,914 |
| Micro QR | 35 | 21 | 15 |
Capacity vs Practical Size
Maximum capacity rarely equals practical usage. A Data Matrix encoding 3,116 digits would be approximately 144x144 modules. At a typical X dimension of 0.25mm, that is 36mm square, which is impractical for most labels. Real-world Data Matrix symbols typically encode 20-50 characters in sizes from 10x10 to 24x24 modules.
Factors That Reduce Capacity
- Error correction level: Higher levels consume more capacity. A QR Code at Level H (30% correction) holds roughly half the data of Level L (7%)
- Character set: Binary data consumes more modules than numeric data
- GS1 overhead: Application Identifiers and FNC1 separators reduce payload space
- Symbol structure: Finder patterns, alignment patterns, and format information consume fixed capacity
Matching Capacity to Application
For most applications, you do not need maximum capacity:
- Retail products: 13 digits (EAN-13 is sufficient)
- Shipping labels: 30-48 characters (GS1-128 handles SSCC + AI data)
- Healthcare serialization: 25-35 characters (GS1 DataMatrix with GTIN + serial + lot + expiry)
- Digital links: 50-80 characters (QR Code or Data Matrix for URLs)