ActiveBarcode

What ActiveBarcode does

ActiveBarcode is a privately held German barcode software company founded in 1994 and headquartered in Timmendorfer Strand, operating with a 1-10 person team. It develops tools for generating high-precision 1D and 2D barcodes across a wide set of symbologies (GS1, EAN, UPC, Code 128, QR Code, DataMatrix, PDF417, ITF-14, ISBN/ISSN, and more), including automatic check-digit calculation and both raster and vector output. The portfolio spans a Windows desktop application, a REST API for platform-independent cloud-based generation, Microsoft Office Add-ins (Excel 365, Excel for the Web, Word, Access, PowerPoint), a cross-platform Command Line Interface (Linux, macOS, Windows), an OCX/ActiveX barcode component for developers, and a browser-based Label Generator.

Name

ActiveBarcode

Legal name

ActiveBarcode

Website

https://pt.activebarcode.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ActiveBarcode (founded 1994, Germany) is a small independent software vendor that builds barcode generation tools for 1D and 2D symbologies, delivered as Windows desktop software, a REST API, Microsoft Office Add-ins, and developer components, serving SMBs, enterprises, and developers in retail, logistics, manufacturing, and document automation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Barcode Generation Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Barcode Scanners & Data Capture Devices (1D/2D/RFID Readers) (HDACAKAC)

Keywords

• Barcode generation software
• Barcode REST API
• Microsoft Office add-ins
• 1D 2D barcode symbologies
• Command line barcode tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Timmendorfer Strand

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Desktop Software License: One-time perpetual license for Windows desktop applications. Single installation with 32-bit and 64-bit support. Users install once, activate license, and use indefinitely.
2. REST API / SaaS Subscription: Cloud-based barcode generation as a service. Provides ActiveBarcode functionality without local installation or maintenance. Billed as software-as-a-service subscription.
3. Developer/Redistributable License: Licensing for developers to embed barcode functionality in their own applications. Redistributable components included without additional costs for exe creators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ActiveBarcode provides barcode generation software for desktop (Windows), server, and cloud environments, supporting all common 1D and 2D barcode symbologies including GS1, EAN, UPC, Code 128, QR Code, DataMatrix, and PDF417. The product portfolio includes Microsoft Office Add-ins for Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access, a cloud-based REST API, a cross-platform Command Line Interface, a Barcode Object/OCX component for developers, and an online Label Generator. The software is designed for product labeling, inventory management, logistics, document automation, and integration into custom applications.

Product overview

ActiveBarcode is a barcode generation software company established in 1994, offering a multi-product portfolio comprising desktop software for Windows, a REST API for cloud-based barcode generation as a service, and multiple integration modules including Office Add-Ins (Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint), a Command Line Interface for cross-platform scripting, a Barcode Object (OCX) component for developers, and an online Label Generator. The desktop software serves general users for direct barcode creation and printing, while the REST API targets developers and enterprises requiring programmatic, platform-independent barcode generation. Office Add-Ins extend barcode functionality within Microsoft Office workflows, the CLI enables automation in scripting environments, and the OCX component allows custom application integration. Together, these products address use cases from product labeling and logistics to document automation and large-scale barcode generation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ActiveBarcode Desktop Software Desktop application for Windows for generating high-precision 1D and 2D barcodes as bitmap images or vector graphics. Features barcode generator for printing and exporting barcodes with flexible layout options, available via one-time perpetual license.
• ActiveBarcode REST API Cloud-based barcode generation API providing platform-independent barcode generation as a service (SaaS). Enables automation without local software installation or maintenance, billed as a subscription service with source code examples provided.
• Microsoft Office Add-Ins Add-in suite for Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint) that provides additional menu ribbon for embedding and automating barcodes directly within Office documents and spreadsheets. Includes Excel 365 Add-In and Word Mail Merge integration.
• Command Line Interface (CLI) Command-line tool for creating barcodes from the command line, within batch programs or scripts. Supports Linux, macOS, and Windows for cross-platform automation.
• Barcode Object (OCX) ActiveX/COM component for developers to integrate high-performance barcode generation into custom applications as a custom control. Redistributable components included without additional costs for developers creating exe files.
• Online Label Generator Online web-based tool for creating barcodes and labels using the label generator, accessible directly from the website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Automatic check digit calculation eliminates manual calculation errors

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationDeep integration partnership with Microsoft Office suite. ActiveBarcode provides Add-ins for Excel 365, Word, PowerPoint, and Access. Add-ins provide ribbon menu integration for seamless barcode creation within Office applications. Link barcodes to cell contents in Excel, automate mail merge in Word, and integrate with Access databases.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Iron Software: Iron Software sells IronBarcode, a .NET barcode generation and reading library. It competes with ActiveBarcode's developer-facing products in the same language and use-case envelope (document/inventory automation in C#/VB).
• IDAutomation: IDAutomation sells barcode fonts, generators, and components supporting the same GS1/EAN/Code 128/2D symbologies as ActiveBarcode, with comparable desktop and developer licensing models. It is one of the most direct US-based competitors in barcode generation software.
• TEC-IT: TEC-IT (Austria) sells TBarCode, a barcode generation software suite that overlaps directly with ActiveBarcode across 1D/2D symbologies, Office integration, and developer SDKs. Both target end-users and developers needing cross-platform barcode creation.
• Aspose: Aspose provides barcode generation and recognition APIs/libraries across .NET, Java, and cloud, similar to ActiveBarcode's REST API and OCX components. Both target developers needing programmatic barcode creation in document and enterprise workflows.
• Dynamsoft: Dynamsoft offers barcode reader and generation SDKs and a cloud barcode service, targeting developers and ISVs. It overlaps with ActiveBarcode's developer/API motion, though with stronger emphasis on barcode reading.
• ByteScout: ByteScout offers barcode generation and reader SDKs (including a SaaS API) targeting developers in .NET, Java, and web stacks. It overlaps with ActiveBarcode's developer/API go-to-market and barcode symbology coverage.
• Softek Software: Softek Software (Barcode Generator SDK) provides barcode generation libraries and Windows tools for 1D/2D symbologies, with similar Office and developer integration angles as ActiveBarcode.

Broad incumbents

• Datalogic: Datalogic manufactures barcode scanners, mobile computers, and vision systems with associated labeling software, serving retail, logistics, and manufacturing customers that overlap with ActiveBarcode's core verticals.
• Zebra Technologies: Zebra is the dominant enterprise barcode hardware and label-printing company, also offering barcode generation/label-design software. It addresses the same retail/logistics/manufacturing customers as ActiveBarcode but as a much broader solutions provider.
• Honeywell Productivity Solutions: Honeywell provides industrial barcode scanners, printers, and mobility solutions with embedded barcode label software. It competes indirectly with ActiveBarcode at the high end of the same enterprise barcode workflows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/activebarcode

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ActiveBarcode