Your Fast & Easy Barcode Receipt Guide with FAQs, Answered!

If you’ve ever looked closely at your receipt details, you may have noticed a barcode. While they might not seem like much, barcodes hold important receipt information for businesses and customers.

In this guide, we’ll be discussing barcodes on receipts, barcode scanners, and barcode generators.

Stick around if you want to learn more about what these devices and apps are for along with the best barcode receipt scanners and generators out there!

What is the barcode on a receipt for?

Barcodes are printed on transaction receipts to store important details of the purchased product in one place.

Details such as the receipt number, purchase date and price(s), and store ID are all coded into the barcode on a receipt.

Barcodes help businesses manage their inventory, and customers use them to prove that the purchase was made for a certain item or items.

Watch this video for more on how barcodes work:

Can I scan the barcode from a receipt?

Yes, you can scan the barcode from a receipt.

You’ll need a barcode scanner to do this, but if you’re curious about the product information of your recent purchase, it’s definitely possible.

What is a barcode receipt scanner?

A barcode receipt scanner is an app that scans the barcodes on different types of receipts or products and translates the code into legible text.

Barcode scanner apps are great for customers who want to cross-reference the price or other details of a product before or after they buy.

Barcode receipt scanners can also be the handheld barcode reader you see being used by employees at the grocery store.

These barcode receipt scanners allow the employees and the company to keep track of inventory and the details of any particular item in their shop.

What are the best barcode scanner apps?

If you’re a customer, a barcode scanner app can help you find the information you need regarding a product, such as reviews and price comparisons.

Below are the best barcode scanner apps.

1. CozZo

CozZo on the Apple App store

CozZo is a free receipt reader and barcode scanner.

CozZo uses commercial databases to read over 500 million barcodes on products and call up information such as package size (grams, for example) and images.

This barcode scanner app is easy to use and can read the barcodes of items you scan in seconds regardless of where the barcode is located on the product.

2. QR Code Reader

QR Code Reader on the Google Play Store

QR Code Reader is one of the most popular barcode scanners on the Play Store.

With over 1 million downloads, consumers from all over use QR Code Reader to scan QR codes and barcodes on products and receipts.

You can even create unique QR codes for your business!

If QR Code Reader can’t locate additional information on the product you’re looking for, it will redirect you to Google or Amazon so you can find out more.

You can purchase the QR Code Reader for $2.99.

3. ShopSavvy

ShopSavvy on the Google Play Store

ShopSavvy is a go-to shopping app with over 10 million downloads. This barcode scanner is designed with savings in mind.

Not only can ShopSavvy read the barcodes of products to reveal important details, but this app can also compare prices, alert you when items go on sale, suggest stores near you that have the product you’re looking for (at the best price), and more!

ShopSavvy is free to download and use with ads, or you can purchase one of the subscriptions.

Subscription options include the following:

• $2.99/month for no ads and faster Watchlist refreshes

• $29.99/year for no ads and faster Watchlist refreshes

What is a barcode receipt generator?

A barcode receipt generator is an app that creates a receipt template for customers.

Barcode receipt generators are great for small business owners and allow transactions to run more smoothly, rather than the business owner having to write up individual receipts by hand.

With a barcode receipt generator, you can create a standardized receipt for your company to be used for taxes and other accounting purposes.

What are the best barcode receipt generators?

If you’re a small business owner, a barcode receipt generator can be a helpful tool to keep track of your company’s inventory and sales made.

The following are the best barcode receipt generators.

1. NeedReceipt

NeedReceipt home page

NeedReceipt is an online resource that allows you to select from a collection of receipt templates.

Starting out is free, but if you need to make and print receipts often or on a larger scale, you’ll have to choose one of the subscription plans.

NeedReceipt offers 2 subscription plans that will benefit a small business, listed below:

• Silver: $3.99/month with unlimited access to templates and premium features.

• Gold: $35.99/year with unlimited access to receipt templates and premium customization features.

Once you find a receipt template you like, you can edit it to create personalized receipts for your business, and print or download your new receipts!

2. ExpressExpense

ExpressExpense home page

ExpressExpense is a barcode receipt generator that allows you to create customized receipts for your business using premade templates.

This barcode receipt generator has a search function that you can use to find a template tailored to your business, whether you are a taxi driver or restaurant owner.

A single receipt template is available to use for free, but to access advanced features you’ll need to choose one of ExpressExpense’s subscription options.

The subscriptions are as follows:

• Standard: $7.99/month OR $4.79/month (billed annually)

• Pro: $12.79/month OR $7.99/month (billed annually)

• Enterprise: 39.99/month OR $23.99/month (billed annually)

Frequently asked questions

What type of barcode is a receipt?

Receipts are Universal Product Codes (UPCs). These types of barcodes are used to print receipts and track inventory of retail products. Found primarily on retail products, these barcodes were originally created for grocery stores to print receipts and track item inventory. Once they have a UPC number, manufacturers receive a company number to combine with their individual product numbers.

How do you decode data from a barcode?

In order to decode data from a barcode, you’ll need a barcode reader. Barcode readers can be barcode scanners, RFID sensors, or your smartphone through a barcode scanning app. How do I scan a barcode with Google? Go to Google and open the camera. Position your phone’s camera over the QR code and tap the banner that pops up. NOTE: You won’t be able to scan a QR code if your phone’s camera is in video or portrait mode.

How do I scan a barcode with my phone?

Scanning a QR code with your phone is the same as scanning with Google. Open the camera on your phone, point the camera at the QR code, and tap on the banner.

Can you scan a barcode without an app?

You can scan QR codes with your phone’s camera without an app, but you won’t be able to scan a barcode and have it translated into text without a barcode scanner app.

Final thoughts

Barcodes on receipts hold essential information about a purchase such as the date sold, the store number, and product details.

Barcode scanners allow customers to find additional information about the products they bought or are looking to buy and help businesses keep track of their supply and sales.

For business owners, barcode receipt generators can be an easy way to drum up receipts for customers and keep an organized record of transactions.

Hannah DeMoss is a staff writer for Shoeboxed covering organization and digitization tips for small business owners. Her favorite organization hack is labeling everything in her kitchen cabinets, and she can’t live without her mini label maker machine. 

About Shoeboxed!

Shoeboxed is a receipt scanning service with receipt management software that supports multiple methods for receipt capture: send, scan, upload, forward, and more!

You can stuff your receipts into one of our Magic Envelopes (prepaid postage within the US). Use our receipt tracker + receipt scanner app (iPhone, iPad, and Android) to snap a picture while on the go. 

Auto-import receipts from Gmail. Or forward a receipt to your designated Shoeboxed email address.

Turn your receipts into data and deductibles with our expense reports that include IRS-accepted receipt images.

Join over 1 million businesses scanning & organizing receipts, creating expense reports, and more—with Shoeboxed.

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