Direct comparison
GTIN vs UPC: What Is the Difference?
GTIN vs UPC from GS1 US: a UPC is the 12-digit GTIN-12, EAN is GTIN-13, and GTIN-14 case codes are not for POS scanning. Side-by-side table.
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How do GTIN, UPC (GTIN-12) compare side by side?
The table below compares GTIN, UPC (GTIN-12) across 10 procurement-relevant dimensions, from what it is through source.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | GTIN | UPC (GTIN-12) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | GTIN (Global Trade Item Number): the GS1 identification key used to identify a trade item. It is the number, not a barcode. | UPC: the name for the GTIN-12 structure. The UPC-A is the barcode that encodes a GTIN-12. |
| Relationship | The umbrella term. It has four structures: GTIN-8, GTIN-12, GTIN-13 and GTIN-14. | One of those four. GS1 US calls GTIN-12 "synonymous with UPC". |
| Length | 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits, depending on the structure. | 12 digits. |
| Main region of use | Global. GTIN-12 is used mainly in North America; GTIN-8 and GTIN-13 mostly outside it. | Mainly North America. |
| Barcode symbol that carries it | Depends on the structure: UPC-A (GTIN-12 only), EAN-13 (GTIN-13 only), or ITF-14, GS1-128, GS1 DataBar and GS1 DataMatrix for other uses. | UPC-A is the only EAN/UPC symbol that can hold a GTIN-12. A GTIN-14 cannot be used in EAN/UPC barcodes. |
| Case and carton codes | GTIN-14 identifies groupings such as cases. It is always 14 digits, never starts with a zero, and is not for POS scanning. | A UPC is not a case code. GS1 US shows a case-level GTIN built from a GTIN-12 item by adding an indicator digit in front of it, which gives a new 14-digit GTIN. |
| Leading zeros | GS1 US recommends systems store every GTIN in a 14-digit format; shorter GTINs are right-justified and zero-filled (for example 614141000005 is stored as 00614141000005). | The 12-digit UPC is the same number as its 14-digit zero-filled form; padding does not turn it into a GTIN-14 case code. |
| Relationship to EAN | GTIN-13 is the structure that GS1 US calls synonymous with EAN (European Article Number); GS1 GO also lists JAN. | GTIN-12 (UPC) and GTIN-13 (EAN) are two different GTIN structures, not two names for one number. |
| When to use which term | Use GTIN when the context is any trade item identifier, a database field, or a number that may be 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits. | Use UPC when the number is specifically the 12-digit North American GTIN-12 or its UPC-A barcode. |
| Source | GS1 US, "What is a GTIN?" (gs1us.org/upcs-barcodes-prefixes/what-is-a-gtin), read 2026-10-30; GS1 US, "An Introduction to the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)", R2 July 2021 (gs1us.org), read 2026-10-30 | GS1 GO support, "What is the difference between a GTIN, barcode, EAN and UPC?" (support.gs1.org), read 2026-10-30; GS1 US, "What is a GTIN?" (gs1us.org/upcs-barcodes-prefixes/what-is-a-gtin), read 2026-10-30 |
Common questions
Common questions about GTIN vs UPC (GTIN-12)
Is GTIN the same as UPC?
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Not exactly. GTIN is the umbrella term for GS1 trade item numbers of 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits. A UPC is the GTIN-12 structure: GS1 US calls GTIN-12 synonymous with UPC and the only GTIN type that can be encoded in a UPC-A barcode. Every UPC is a GTIN, but a GTIN may be an EAN (GTIN-13) or a case code (GTIN-14) instead. Source: GS1 US, read 2026-10-30.
What is a GTIN-14 case code?
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A GTIN-14 is a 14-digit GTIN used for groupings of items such as cases, not for point-of-sale scanning. It is always 14 digits and never starts with a zero. Its first digit is an indicator digit (1-8 for packaging levels, 9 for variable measure products) in front of the item number and check digit, and it is usually carried in an ITF-14 or GS1-128 barcode rather than a UPC. Source: GS1 US, read 2026-10-30.
What is the difference between GTIN and EAN?
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GTIN-13 is the structure GS1 US calls synonymous with EAN (European Article Number) and the only GTIN type that can be encoded in an EAN-13 barcode. EAN is therefore one kind of GTIN, as UPC is. Source: GS1 US, read 2026-10-30.
Does a GTIN replace the UPC?
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No. GS1 US states a GTIN does not replace a UPC: companies that place a GTIN-12 (UPC) on products should continue to do so. The GTIN is the number that identifies the trade item, and the UPC-A is the barcode that encodes a GTIN-12. Source: GS1 US introduction to the GTIN, July 2021, read 2026-10-30.
Going deeper
