How to Choose the Best Barcode Library in C#

Barcodes are everywhere from retail and logistics, to healthcare and ticketing. They remain one of the most efficient ways to store and transfer barcode data in a machine-readable format. Whether it’s QR codes, UPC-A, or Data Matrix, barcodes help businesses streamline operations, improve tracking, and reduce errors.

For developers, a modern C# barcode library is the key to unlocking this functionality in .NET applications. The best libraries allow you to generate barcodes, read them from image files or PDF documents, and even handle single or multiple barcodes at once. Advanced tools go further with features like automatic image correction, batch scanning, and the ability to embed barcodes directly into multi-page documents.

In this guide, we’ll compare five of the most widely used barcode libraries for .NET — IronBarcode, ZXing.Net, Aspose.BarCode, BarcodeLib, and Dynamsoft Barcode Reader. We’ll look at their barcode formats, ease of use, and cost, and show which option fits best for your .NET projects.

IronBarcode

IronBarcode from Iron Software is one of the most feature-rich and developer-friendly options. It supports over 50 different barcode types, including both modern linear barcodes (UPC, EAN, Code128) and 2D formats like QR codes, Data Matrix, and PDF417. Unlike libraries that only create or only read barcodes, IronBarcode excels at both — offering a complete barcode generation and recognition engine.

It also works directly with PDF documents, allowing you to write barcodes or detect them inside existing files. With its barcode reading engine, IronBarcode automatically handles imperfect scans by applying image corrections such as rotating, deskewing, and enhancing barcode images. This ensures fast and accurate scanning, even in real-world conditions. Developers can also generate barcode images in multiple image formats, or insert them into HTML documents and exported multi-page documents.

IronBarcode is built for cross-platform compatibility with .NET Framework, .NET Core, .NET Standard, and .NET MAUI. That means you can use it in Visual Studio across web, desktop, cloud, or mobile .NET projects. Installation is simple through the NuGet package manager, and the official API reference includes clear code examples for quickly building features like QR code generation, QR code writing, and scanning older linear barcodes.

Pros of IronBarcode

• Quick and straightforward installation via NuGet packages.

• Supports a wide range of both 1D and 2D barcodes.

• Reads barcodes with high accuracy, even from damaged or rotated images.

• Can be used with PDFs, JPEGs, PNGs, TIFFs, and more.

• Provides pre-built functions for generating and embedding barcodes into documents.

• Comes with commercial support, frequent updates, and long-term reliability.

• Free to use in development with flexible licensing models (monthly, annual, or lifetime).

Cons of IronBarcode

• A paid license is required for production use, starting around $749.

ZXing.Net

ZXing.Net is a .NET port of the popular Zebra Crossing (ZXing) open-source QR library. It’s free to use and supports common barcode formats like QR codes, UPC-A, and Code128. For developers who want to create barcodes or read barcodes in smaller projects, ZXing.Net can be a lightweight solution.

However, it lacks some modern barcode functionality. The barcode writing API checks are basic, and the library doesn’t provide tools for automatically avoiding encoding errors or applying image correction. Developers may also face issues with accurate scanning of imperfect scans, rotated codes, or barcode result data captured in poor lighting.

Pros of ZXing.Net

• Free and open source.

• Supports popular barcode formats including QR codes.

• Easy to add via NuGet package for small .NET projects.

Cons of ZXing.Net

• Limited support for multiple barcodes and advanced QR alignment.

• Slower updates; less active development community.

• Accuracy problems with low-quality or rotated barcode images.

• No commercial support or professional-grade features.

Aspose.BarCode

Aspose.BarCode for .NET is a commercial barcode library that focuses on enterprise use cases. It supports most barcode types and includes both barcode generation and recognition. A key strength is its integration with the larger Aspose suite — letting you embed or annotate text and barcodes in Word, Excel, or PDF documents.

For large organizations, Aspose’s barcode writing API checks and advanced QR standards support can be appealing. However, it has a steeper learning curve and higher cost compared to other libraries.

Pros of Aspose.BarCode

• Supports a wide range of 1D and 2D barcode formats.

• Integrates with other Aspose products (e.g., for embedding in Word or Excel files).

• Enterprise-level licensing available.

Cons of Aspose.BarCode

• Pricing is high compared to other options.

• Complex licensing structure can be confusing.

• Heavier learning curve due to broader Aspose ecosystem.

BarcodeLib

Unlike with IronBarcode or Aspose, BarcodeLib does not provide scanning or recognition features, it is purely for generating barcodes. That said, BarcodeLib is fast, easy to use, and works well if all you need is simple barcode creation for common formats like Code39, Code128, or UPC.

BarcodeLib has been around for years and remains a solid choice for developers who need a quick, free solution without the overhead of a larger SDK. However, it doesn’t support more advanced use cases like working with PDFs, mobile apps, or scanning barcodes from camera feeds.

Pros of BarcodeLib

• Free and open source.

• Easy to use for simple barcode generation.

• Lightweight and fast for basic needs.

Cons of BarcodeLib

• Limited to generation – no scanning or recognition support.

• Only supports a handful of formats.

• Not suitable for enterprise-grade applications.

Dynamsoft Barcode Reader

Dynamsoft Barcode Reader SDK is a commercial barcode library designed with a strong focus on speed and accuracy. It is widely used in enterprise and mobile applications, particularly those requiring real-time scanning in logistics, healthcare, and retail. Dynamsoft emphasizes support for scanning barcodes from live camera streams, making it one of the best libraries for mobile devices and embedded applications.

The SDK is well-documented and comes with strong professional support, but it is priced at the higher end of the market. For organizations where performance and reliability are critical, the cost may be justified, but smaller businesses may find it excessive.

Pros of Dynamsoft Barcode Reader

• Very accurate and optimized for real-time scanning.

• Excellent support for mobile devices and camera feeds.

• Good documentation and professional support.

Cons of Dynamsoft Barcode Reader

• Licensing costs are high – geared toward large businesses.

• Overkill for small or medium projects focused on simple barcode generation.

Conclusion

Choosing the best barcode library for C# depends largely on your project requirements:

• If you need a simple, free solution, ZXing.Net and BarcodeLib are good starting points, but they lack advanced features.

• If your project is enterprise-scale and you already rely on the Aspose ecosystem, Aspose.BarCode may integrate smoothly with your workflow.

• If your project is focused on real-time mobile scanning, Dynamsoft Barcode Reader offers unparalleled accuracy and performance, though at a high price point.

• For most developers looking for a balanced, all-in-one barcode library, IronBarcode stands out. It combines ease of use, powerful generation and scanning features, extensive format support, and flexible licensing options — making it the best overall choice for C# developers.

With IronBarcode, you can read, write, and manipulate barcodes in just a few lines of code, integrate with PDFs and images, and deploy across a variety of platforms. Whether you’re building a small desktop app or an enterprise-scale web service, it delivers the right mix of power and simplicity.

👉 Ready to give it a try? Download the IronBarcode Free Trial, free for development use, and see how easily you can add barcode functionality to your .NET applications.