How to Scan a Barcode to Check Price (Free Online Barcode Reader)
You're in a shop, holding a speaker with a price tag that feels a bit too high. You wonder if it's cheaper online. Or you're clearing a shelf of old books and want to know what they might sell for.
In both cases the quickest place to start is the barcode. Every packaged product has one, and with a free online barcode reader you can turn it into a number you can search in about a minute. No app to download, and it works on a phone or a laptop.
Here's how to do it, where to look the number up, and what to do when nothing shows up.
How to scan a barcode and check the price in 3 steps
- Open our online barcode reader: Launch our free online barcode reader in any browser. It decodes images completely in-browser without uploading them to any server.
- Scan or upload: Point your camera at the barcode, or upload a photo of it. The online barcode reader shows the number printed under the bars, usually 12 or 13 digits.
- Compare prices: Copy the number and paste it into Google, a shopping site, or your local marketplace. Compare what comes up.
That's the whole method. The rest of this post covers where to paste the number and why it sometimes finds nothing.
Where to paste the barcode number
Once your online barcode reader gives you the number, you have a few good places to try.
Search engines and shopping sites
Paste the number into Google or Google Shopping. For many products it brings up listings with prices from several sellers. You can also try the search box on Amazon, and eBay is handy for used or older items.
Your local marketplace
Prices and stock change from country to country, so use the shops people near you actually buy from. For example, Daraz in Bangladesh, Flipkart in India, or Shopee in Southeast Asia. If a site doesn't find the number, search the product name and size instead.
Free product databases
For food and drinks, Open Food Facts is a free, open database that can show the product name, brand, ingredients and more. UPCitemdb covers general products, and it has free and paid plans with limits. These are best for identifying a product, not for current shop prices.
One extra tip: if the item is sold on Amazon, a price history site such as CamelCamelCamel shows whether today's price is close to the usual one.
Why a barcode doesn't contain the price
This surprises a lot of people. A normal product barcode holds only an identification number, a bit like a name tag. The price isn't in it.
The price lives in each shop's own system. When a cashier scans the code, the till looks up that number and finds the price. When you scan it with an online barcode reader, you get the number, and you then do the lookup yourself.
That's why you'll sometimes see these problems:
- A local or niche product may not appear in any online catalog.
- Store-brand items often aren't listed in public databases.
- The same product in a different size or pack usually has a different barcode, so make sure the numbers match the exact one in your hand.
- Different shops can charge different prices for the same barcode.
Three ways to scan a barcode on your phone
Use an online barcode reader in your browser
This is the simplest way, and it works on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac. Open the online barcode reader, allow camera access, and hold the barcode steady inside the frame. There's nothing to install and nothing to update. You also get the plain number, so you can paste it into any site you like.
Use Google Lens on Android
If you have Google Lens, open it, frame the barcode, and it can often show product matches with shopping results. It's quick, but the results arrive inside Google's own view. If you want the raw number to use somewhere else, an online barcode reader is the cleaner option.
Scan from a photo or screenshot
Maybe a friend sent you a picture of a box, or you took a photo in a shop with weak signal and want to look it up later. Upload that image to the online barcode reader instead of scanning live. For the best result, use a sharp photo with the whole barcode visible, include a little blank space on each side, and avoid glare across the bars.
If a QR code is the thing stuck in an image, our guide to scanning a QR code from a screenshot walks through it.
Barcode types you'll see on products
| Format | Where you'll see it | Length |
|---|---|---|
| UPC-A | Retail in North America | 12 digits |
| UPC-E | Small packages in North America | 8 digits |
| EAN-13 | Retail in most of the world | 13 digits |
| EAN-8 | Very small packages | 8 digits |
| ISBN-13 | Books | 13 digits, starts with 978 or 979 |
| Code 128 | Shipping and warehouse labels | Varies |
| Code 39 | Industrial and automotive labels | Varies |
A 12-digit UPC-A is the same as a 13-digit EAN-13 with a zero added at the front, so many shop systems treat them as the same thing.
A good online barcode reader should read all of these. If you get no result, check that you scanned the product barcode and not a shelf label or a batch sticker.
Real examples (the prices here are made up)
Comparing a gadget price in a shop
You're holding a Bluetooth speaker priced at 4,000 in the shop.
- Scan its barcode with the online barcode reader.
- Paste the number into Google and your local marketplace.
- You find the same model for 3,200 online.
Before you buy online, check the delivery fee, the warranty, and the seller's reviews.
Pricing a used book
You want to sell an old textbook. Scan the barcode on the back cover (ISBN starts with 978 or 979), search that number on a marketplace, and compare listings in similar condition.
Checking what's in a snack
Scan the barcode with the online barcode reader, search the number on Open Food Facts, and view ingredients and nutritional values.
What a barcode can't tell you
- The price in the shop you're standing in: The barcode doesn't contain it.
- Whether the item is genuine: A barcode number can be copied onto a fake product, so a matching number isn't proof.
- Expiry date or batch: A standard product barcode doesn't carry them.
- Where the item was made: The first digits show which barcode office issued the code, not the country of manufacture.
Frequently asked questions
Can I scan a barcode to check the price?
Yes, with one extra step. Scan the barcode with an online barcode reader to get the number, then paste it into Google, a shopping site, or your local marketplace to see prices.
Is there a free online barcode reader that works without an app?
Yes. Our online barcode reader runs in your browser on phones and computers, so there's nothing to install.
What is the difference between a UPC and an EAN?
UPC is the 12-digit standard used mainly in North America. EAN is the 13-digit standard used in most of the world. A UPC-A is the same as an EAN-13 with a zero at the front.
Can I use an online barcode reader on a photo?
Yes. Upload a clear photo of the barcode and the reader decodes it.
Why does my barcode search show no results?
The product may be local, new, or sold only in certain regions, so it isn't in public catalogs. Try searching the product name and size instead.
How do I know if an online price is a good deal?
Compare the exact same model and size, add the delivery fee, and check the seller and warranty.
Related reading
Final thoughts
Checking a price from a barcode is a small trick that saves real money. Scan the code with an online barcode reader, copy the number, and let a few quick searches do the rest. Just remember that the barcode gives you an identity, not a price, and it can't prove that an item is the real thing.
Ready to try it? Open our free online barcode reader and scan the next product you're unsure about.