BarTender vs Loftware Desktop Designer

BarTender7.9Visit Loftware Desktop Designer7.9Visit

BarTender #6 in Barcoding Software 7.9/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 2 of 3 features Visit BarTender

vs

Loftware Desktop Designer #7 in Barcoding Software 7.9/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Loftware

• BarTender fits best

  Teams needing versatile label design and printing

• Loftware Desktop Designer fits best

  Windows teams designing labels with variable data

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Side by side

Feature	BarTender 7.9/10 Visit ↗	Loftware Desktop Designer 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	7.9	7.9
Ranking	#6 in Barcoding Software	#7 in Barcoding Software
Best for	Teams needing versatile label design and printing	Windows teams designing labels with variable data
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	$199/yr	Not checked yet
Free plan	—	Not checked yet
Free trial	30 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, Web, iOS, Android	Windows
Support	Email, Live chat, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs · 24/7	Docs
Integrations	6 integrations	5 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features BarTender 2/3 · Loftware Desktop Designer 0/3
Label design	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Label printing	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Mobile scanning	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Barcode formats	100+ symbologies, including UPC-A/UPC-E, EAN-8/EAN-13, Code 39, Code 128, Interleaved 2-of-5, GS1 DataBar, Codabar, QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec, MaxiCode, and Han Xin	Not checked yet
Tracking focus	Products	Not checked yet
Deployment	Not checked yet	Desktop
Our review
Pros	Design labels with more than 100 barcode symbologies and templates Print from workstations, browsers, and mobile devices Automate workflows with REST APIs, File Drop, and no-code builders	Drag-and-drop objects for text, barcodes, and pictures Variable fields for counters, dates, weights, times, and images ODBC, Excel, Google Sheets, OneDrive, and Control Center connectivity
Cons	No free plan; paid editions start at $199 per year Pricing and features vary across several on-premises and cloud editions Some advanced integrations and centralized controls require higher editions	Windows-only desktop deployment Support is provided through documentation No AI features or mobile deployment
Our verdict	BarTender is labeling software for organizations that design, manage, automate, and print barcode and RFID labels. Its WYSIWYG designer, label templates, and support for more than 100 barcode symbologies suit teams in warehouse,… Read the review →	Loftware Desktop Designer is Windows desktop software for creating, editing, and printing label templates. It targets small, mid-market, and enterprise organizations managing operational labeling workflows, especially teams that need… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• BarTender — where it wins

  • Design labels with more than 100 barcode symbologies and templates
  • Print from workstations, browsers, and mobile devices
  • Automate workflows with REST APIs, File Drop, and no-code builders

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan; paid editions start at $199 per year
  • Pricing and features vary across several on-premises and cloud editions
  • Some advanced integrations and centralized controls require higher editions

• Loftware Desktop Designer — where it wins

  • Drag-and-drop objects for text, barcodes, and pictures
  • Variable fields for counters, dates, weights, times, and images
  • ODBC, Excel, Google Sheets, OneDrive, and Control Center connectivity

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows-only desktop deployment
  • Support is provided through documentation
  • No AI features or mobile deployment

• BarTender7.9/10 · 30-day trial

  Flexible label design and printing, with on-premises and cloud editions.

  Visit BarTenderFull verdict →
• Loftware Desktop Designer7.9/10 · Paid

  A Windows label designer with variable data, database links, and printer tools.

  Visit LoftwareFull verdict →