Active Barcode Generator: QR Codes and 50+ Barcode Types on Windows, Free for One at a Time
Active Barcode Generator is a Windows program that creates QR codes and more than 50 other barcode types. Making one code at a time is free. A $9.95 personal license adds batch generation from a list. It's for small businesses, labelers and anyone printing codes from their own PC.
Web-based QR sites tend to want an account or insert a redirect through their own servers. This one runs on your own computer and writes plain image files.
Quick facts
- Version: 1.25.5.30, released May 30, 2025
- Developer: GraphicRegion.com
- Platform: Windows 11 and 10, also older versions
- Barcode types: 50+ linear and 2D
- Export: SVG, EPS, EMF, BMP, GIF, PNG
- Price: free for single codes, $9.95 personal or $19.95 business for batch generation
- Languages: English, German, Italian, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Dutch, Russian
- What we checked: installer version 1.25.5.30 (3.4 MB) downloaded from the vendor and both order page prices on November 10, 2026. We read the installer's file details and did not install it or scan a generated code.
Download Free Trial
Buy Now ($9.95)
Overview
Everything sits in one window. Pick a symbology from the drop-down, type your data in Input Text, adjust the look, and the code redraws above. Choose a format beside Save As and you're done.
The main window, with a QR code preview above the symbology, color, border, scale and input settings.
Features
More than 50 symbologies
Active Barcode Generator covers Code 128, Data Matrix, USPS OneCode, EAN-128, UPC/EAN, ITF, QR Code, Code 16k, PDF417, MicroPDF417, LOGMARS, Maxicode, GS1 DataBar, Aztec, Composite Symbols and Ultracode, among others.
Control over the printed result
Active Barcode Generator lets you set foreground and background color, border, white space, scale, height, dot size and rotation. Those are the settings that decide whether a code scans once it's on a thermal label.
Vector and raster export
Active Barcode Generator writes SVG, EPS and EMF for artwork that needs to scale cleanly, and BMP, GIF and PNG for everyday use.
Batch generation from a list
Active Barcode Generator's Batch Generator takes one value per line, loaded from a file or pasted from the clipboard, and writes a code for each to the folder you choose. This is the part the $9.95 license pays for.
The Batch Generator window, with values loaded from a list, an output folder and Start.
Remembers your setup
Active Barcode Generator saves all of its program settings since version 1.25.5.30, so a label layout you tuned last week is still there.
Real-World Uses
- Printing inventory or shelf labels from a list of product numbers.
- Generating a run of QR codes for tickets, packaging or asset tags.
- Producing a vector barcode for a designer to place on a retail box.
- Making a one-off QR code for a poster, for free.
Who It's For, and Who Should Skip It
It fits anyone who needs barcode image files on Windows, particularly small operations producing batches, without paying for a label-design suite.
Skip it if you need a full label designer with text, images and printer templates, because this produces the codes only. Developers wanting to generate codes in their own applications need an SDK instead. And don't confuse it with ActiveBarcode, a separate product from another company.
Usage Guide
- Download and run the installer.
- Choose a type from Symbology.
- Type the data into Input Text.
- Adjust colors, scale and the rest while watching the preview.
- Pick a format and click Save As, or open Batch Generator with a license.
Before you buy
Try the free mode on your actual label stock and print a test sheet, then scan it. The personal license covers private use, so a business needs the $19.95 business license. Either way a serial number arrives by email after purchase.
Where it falls short
- No label layout: combining a code with a product name and price means another program.
- Batch input comes from a text file or the clipboard, not from a database connection.
- It is a very small program, and updates mostly add languages and small conveniences.
Comparisons
Free mode vs paid license
Free mode makes one code at a time. The license adds batch generation from a list. If you make a handful of codes a year, you may never need to pay.
Editions and Pricing
| Edition | Price | Use | What it adds |
|---|
| Free version | $0 | Single codes | One code at a time |
| Personal license | $9.95 (one payment) | Private use | Batch generation |
| Business license | $19.95 (one payment) | Commercial use | Batch generation |
Buy Personal License ($9.95)
Buy Business License ($19.95)
FAQs
Is Active Barcode Generator really free?
Active Barcode Generator is free for creating one barcode at a time. Batch generation requires a paid license, from $9.95.
Does Active Barcode Generator work on Windows 11?
Active Barcode Generator is described by its vendor as supporting Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Can Active Barcode Generator make QR codes that never expire?
Active Barcode Generator writes the data straight into an image file on your PC, so there is no hosted redirect behind the code to expire.
Which license do I need for Active Barcode Generator at work?
Active Barcode Generator's business license, at $19.95, is the one for commercial use. The $9.95 personal license is for private use.
How many codes can Active Barcode Generator create in a batch?
Active Barcode Generator's vendor describes generating thousands of codes from data lists in a single run.
Is Active Barcode Generator the same as ActiveBarcode?
Active Barcode Generator comes from GraphicRegion, while ActiveBarcode is a different product from a different company, aimed at developers.
System Requirements
- Windows 11, 10, 8 or 7
- Pentium-400 or better
- 32 MB of RAM
- About 3.4 MB for the installer
Conclusion
Easy to recommend, starting with the free mode. The reason to pay the $9.95 or $19.95 is batch output from a list, at a low one-time price. The main reason not to is that it only makes the codes, so anyone who needs finished label layouts will want a design program alongside it.
Download Free Trial
Buy Now ($9.95)