QR codes vs barcodes — what to use, and when.

Barcodes (1D) — fast, narrow, point-of-sale friendly

Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A and GS1-128 are linear (1D) symbologies. They are dense in one direction, scan instantly at POS, and print well at small heights on thermal printers.

• Best for: SKU labels, shipping cartons, shelf-edge
• Scanner: laser or imager — both work
• Print size: as narrow as 25mm tall when DPI is right

QR & DataMatrix (2D) — dense, square, phone-friendly

2D codes pack hundreds of characters in a small square and are forgiving of damage. They also encode URLs, making them ideal for customer-facing verification.

• Best for: asset tags, verification links, traceability
• Scanner: any phone camera
• Robust: still scans with up to ~30% damage

The SmartTagPro rule of thumb

Use 1D barcodes where you already have POS or warehouse scanners. Use QR or DataMatrix everywhere a phone might scan. When in doubt, print both — Label Studio supports stacked symbologies on one label.