BarTender is a comprehensive barcode labeling software for creating, automating and managing labels, packing slips, bar codes, RFID tags and more. It will help you to improve safety, security, efficiency and compliance. With over 30 years of experience in the Auto-ID industry, BarTender is a globally trusted software to optimize customers’ labeling and printing processes.

BarTender is sold exclusively through a worldwide network of knowledgeable resellers and integrators. You can get more information on this topic from our sales department.

During the installation process, the BarTender Licensing Wizard guides you through the activation process. The wizard will request the product key code that was distributed with your software purchase. Seagull Scientific provides a secure web server for fast and easy activation. For further details please check our Technical Document.

BarTender can be downloaded here.

Up to BarTender 2022 R7, every BarTender edition utilizes printer-based licensing. Available printers can be connected to a local computer or located anywhere on a LAN or WAN network. As Bartender’s licensing method is printer-based, an unlimited number of users/computers is allowed per license. For further information see our Technical Document.

BarTender 2022 R8 introduces the Workstation license type for Starter and Professional editions of BarTender. Workstation licenses are user-based, meaning that they are single-user/computer licenses and support an unlimited number of printers. Starter edition offers Workstation licensing only while Professional edition offers both license types. 

BarTender is available in 4 clearly defined and simple to choose Editions: Starter, Professional, Automation and Enterprise. As your business grows, you will be able to straightforwardly upgrade to a higher Edition.

More information available in our edition comparison and feature chart.

An active maintenance and support plan give you access to exclusive customer benefits:

• Legendary Live Support
• Free Version Updates
• Edition and Printer Upgrades.

For further details, please check Maintenance and Support.

A full list of operating system and BarTender compatibility can be found here.

If you're looking for detailed hardware and software requirements and specifications, check the technical specifications.

No, neither BarTender nor Drivers by Seagull can be installed on computers using an ARM-based processor. Make sure that you check your computer's System Information before purchasing and installing BarTender.

If you are a new customer, you can get the BarTender 30 day trial here.

If you are an existing customer and are under an active maintenance and support contract, choose between getting the BarTender 30 day trial or provisionally activating BarTender.

BarTender can be used with any printer that has a Windows printer driver, including laser and ink jet printers.

Seagull Scientific is the world's largest developer of Windows printer drivers for thermal printers, supporting over 3000 models from over 100 printer companies.

Download Drivers by Seagull™

Read our Technical Document to learn more.

Unfortunately, there is no tool to convert documents designed in other software packages. Software applications for designing and printing barcode labels vary greatly in terms of features and methods used. The use of closed or proprietary document file formats makes support for any import feature practically impossible.

Instead, we focus on providing BarTender users with powerful document design features, such as Intelligent Templates™, template background images and BarTender components. These features combine to make BarTender the most powerful label design package on the market. To see more about template design in BarTender, visit our getting started page.

BarTender includes over 400 preformatted, ready-to-use barcode components based on 95 barcode symbologies and more than a dozen barcode standards. It also includes a large number of sample compliance label designs.

You can see a full list of supported barcodes on this page.

Yes, BarTender can integrate with your ERP system. Through the use of the Integration Platform, BarTender can fulfil the role of being the ERP's bar code / text / RFID label printing engine. Therefore, effectively extending the features and capability of the ERP with a dedicated document design and management system, combined with powerful printing features for rendering highly optimized print jobs in native print language for any make or model of printer. Choose from a wide range of Integration Methods, such as file triggers, web service requests, database triggers, TCP/IP – serial connections.

BarTender also offers a full .NET SDK that allows you to directly control BarTender from other applications. The SDK contains several APIs that allow you to control the BarTender Print Engine, Librarian, and the BarTender System Database.

• Integration Methods Technical Document
• Integration Videos

BarTender can read data from almost any existing database engine. There are many embedded database connectors at your availability, but if you don’t find your database listed in the direct connectors you will always be able to make use of an OLE DB provider or ODBC driver connection. See list of databases supported here:

• Text Files
• Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access
• Excel Online
• Google Sheets
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Oracle
• MySQL
• JSON
• SAP IDoc Files
• IBM DB2
• IBM Informix
• PostgreSQL
• Firebird
• Quickbooks Online
• SAP HANA
• OLE DB connection
• ODBC connection

BarTender can only be installed on a Windows Operating System, but there are a number of options available to you to work around this limitation, some of them apply to Mac OS only.

The following applies to Virtual Machines compatibility:

• VMWare products are fully supported, and we test extensively on this platform.
• Microsoft Virtual PC and Virtual Server should work, but we rarely test on this platform.
• Parallels for Macintosh may work, but we do not test with it, and cannot support it.
• WINE for Linux may support BarTender but will not work with Windows drivers. We cannot support it or recommend it for use in a production environment.

BarTender software is trusted across a wide range of industries to improve efficiency, safety, security and compliance. Some industries that we serve are:

• Supply chain
• Retail
• Pharmaceutical
• Medical Devices
• Food and Beverage
• Chemical
• Aerospace

For further details, please visit BarTender Solutions.

Every industry faces its own evolving regulations and standard practices. BarTender helps to meet those requirements with its ease of deployment and secure, configurable technology. Examples of regulations BarTender will help you to comply with:

• EU food allergen labelling (FIC)
• FDA 21 CFR part 11
• GHS
• UDI

The following support page includes our Support Policies and Plans.

We offer complementary professional services to those offered by your BarTender partner. If you are interested in additional training, consultation or design send us an email to ProfessionalServices@SeagullScientific.com