Photos are analyzed to identify the item, then deleted. How we use photos
Barcode Lookup and Price Checker
Type the number under the bars. PriceSnap has no barcode database, so it only knows codes it has matched to a product before, and most are new to it. If it does not know yours, type the product name or take a photo of the item instead.
What do you want to know?
Each one starts the same valuation, and your result opens on the part you picked.
You asked: What’s it worth?
If PriceSnap does not know your code
The result says so and asks for the product name instead. Type the name printed on the box or label.
You can also skip the code: choose Describe, or snap a photo of the item or its label.
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What typing a barcode does here
PriceSnap checks the number against the codes it has already matched to a product. If it knows yours, it goes straight to a price check for that product.
It has no barcode database and does not search the web for the digits, so most codes are not known.
The barcode field takes 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits. A model number or SKU is not a barcode: type that in Describe, with the product name.
How to get a price without the barcode
- Type the product name. Choose Describe and type the brand, model and size from the box or label. If the item is used, say so.
- Take a photo. Choose “Snap or upload a photo” and get the item or its label in the picture, not just the bars.
The result is a market estimate from public web listings and any dated sales PriceSnap can cite. It is not a formal appraisal, and with fewer than two usable prices it shows no number.
Why a barcode is often not enough to price a used item
A barcode names a product as it left the factory. It says nothing about the one in your hands.
- Condition. A used, worn or damaged item usually sells for less than a sealed one with the same code.
- What comes with it. A missing box, charger or game piece lowers the price. A bundle with extras can raise it.
- Edition. A reprint or later version can keep the same code and still sell for a different price.
What a UPC or EAN is
A UPC is the 12-digit number under the barcode on most products sold in the United States and Canada. An EAN is the 13-digit kind used in most other countries. On a book, the barcode number is its 13-digit ISBN.
The number identifies the product, not its price. A store’s price checker matches it to that store’s own price list, which is why the same barcode can cost more in one store than another.
Where to find the barcode number
- Look under the bars, usually on the back or bottom of the box.
- Count every digit, including any printed outside the bars at each end. A UPC has 12 and an EAN has 13.
Frequently asked questions
Can I scan a barcode to check the price?
Not with your camera on this page. There is no barcode scanner here, so type the digits, or take a photo of the item or its label.
Can I look up a grocery barcode?
You can type one, but PriceSnap no longer compares grocery prices, so you will not get store prices. The grocery price comparison page explains what changed.
Is the barcode price checker free?
Yes, and you do not need an account. Only a result that shows a price uses one of your free valuations, so a code PriceSnap does not know costs nothing. The plans page has the current allowances.
Keep exploring
- UPC lookup: what the 12 digits of a UPC mean.
- Scan an item: price something from a photo, a description or a listing link.
- Compare prices: find an item cheaper from a photo or a description.
- Price tracker: watch an item you have checked and get an email when its value moves.