GS1 · Planning
GS1 company prefix capacity calculator.
A longer company prefix leaves fewer digits for your own item numbers. See how many product numbers a prefix gives you, and how long a prefix you could live with for your catalogue.
Inputs
Result
Enter a prefix length, or products and variants, and press Calculate.
The arithmetic
GS1 defines a GS1 Company Prefix as “a unique string of four to twelve digits”. A GTIN-13 is the prefix, then your item reference, then one check digit, 13 digits in all. So an n-digit prefix leaves 12 − n digits for item references: capacity is 1012−n. A GTIN-12 uses a U.P.C. Company Prefix, which is the same prefix without its leading zero, leaving 11 − m digits.
| U.P.C. prefix digits | Item reference digits | Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 5 | 100,000 |
| 7 | 4 | 10,000 |
| 8 | 3 | 1,000 |
| 9 | 2 | 100 |
| 10 | 1 | 10 |
| 11 | 0 | 1 |
What this does not tell you
GS1 Member Organisations license the prefix and decide the lengths and fees they offer; this page does not quote prices or tell you which length you will be sold. Variants are counted one number each as a planning assumption, not a GS1 rule. GS1 also notes that once a company prefix is issued, no other prefix beginning with the same digits is issued.
Sources retrieved October 2026. GS1 General Specifications, Release 26.0 (ratified January 2026), section 1.2.3.3 (GS1 Company Prefix), 1.2.3.5 (U.P.C. Company Prefix), Table 2-4 (GTIN-12/GTIN-13 data structure).
Frequently asked questions
How many barcodes does a GS1 company prefix give me?
For a GTIN-12 it is 10 to the power of (11 minus the prefix length); for a GTIN-13 it is 10 to the power of (12 minus the prefix length). A 7-digit U.P.C. prefix gives 10,000.
Do I need a new number for each colour and size?
Each separately sold variant is normally given its own GTIN. This tool counts products times variants for planning.
Is a UPC company prefix the same as a GS1 company prefix?
GS1 derives the U.P.C. Company Prefix by removing the leading zero from a GS1 Company Prefix that starts with zero.
Can I pick my own prefix length?
The length is set by the GS1 Member Organisation that licenses the prefix. Ask them what is on offer for your expected catalogue.
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