Head-to-head · Product Label Makers
BarTender vs PaperReady Label Designer
BarTender leads on 0 checks, PaperReady Label Designer on 4, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreBarTender · 7.9/10
- Free planonly PaperReady Label Designer
- Most featuresPaperReady Label Designer · 3 of 5
BarTender scores higher on our rubric for product label makers: 7.9 against 7.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #7 and #11.
PaperReady Label Designer offers free plan; BarTender doesn't. PaperReady Label Designer offers custom label sizes; BarTender doesn't publish it. PaperReady Label Designer offers print-sheet templates; BarTender doesn't publish it. PaperReady Label Designer offers barcode tools; BarTender doesn't publish it.
BarTender is the better fit for teams needing scalable barcode and print automation. PaperReady Label Designer is the better fit for affordable sheet and roll printing with batch output.
- BarTender fits best
Teams needing scalable barcode and print automation
- PaperReady Label Designer fits best
Affordable sheet and roll printing with batch output
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Side by side
| Feature | BarTender 7.9/10 Visit ↗ | PaperReady Label Designer 7.8/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.9 | 7.8 |
| Ranking | #7 in Product Label Makers | #11 in Product Label Makers |
| Best for | Teams needing scalable barcode and print automation | Affordable sheet and roll printing with batch output |
| Pricing model | Paid | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | Not published | $12/mo |
| Free plan | — | ✓ (best) |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Free trial length | 30 days | 14 days · no card needed |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile | Cloud, Desktop, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Windows, Web, iOS, Android | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Email, Live chat, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs · 24/7 | |
| Integrations | 6 integrations | 1 integrations |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market |
| Features BarTender 0/5 · PaperReady Label Designer 3/5 | ||
| Custom label sizes | Not published | ✓ (best) |
| Print-sheet templates | Not published | ✓ (best) |
| Barcode tools | Not published | ✓ (best) |
| Nutrition fields | Not published | Not published |
| Print ordering | Not published | — |
| Specs | ||
| Template shapes | Not published | custom dimensions; Avery-style sheets; continuous rolls |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | BarTender is labeling software from Seagull Software for organizations that design and print barcode or RFID labels, including teams in warehouse, manufacturing, retail, and regulated labeling workflows. Its WYSIWYG designer and templates… Read the review → |
PaperReady Label Designer is a browser-based tool for people and teams creating address labels, barcodes, QR codes, price tags, and name badges for their own printers. Its editor supports text, logos, shapes, standard or custom dimensions,… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
BarTender — where it wins
- Supports more than 100 barcode symbologies and RFID label design
- Connects labels to databases, files, and cloud data sources
- Offers print automation through REST APIs, File Drop, and no-code builders
Where it doesn't
- There is no free plan; the On-premises Starter plan is $199 per year
- Cloud Automation costs $1,750 per year, compared with Cloud Essentials at $390
- Advanced capabilities such as RFID design and automation appear on higher-tier plans
PaperReady Label Designer — where it wins
- Design standard or custom labels for Avery-style sheets and continuous rolls
- Free plan includes unlimited printing and spreadsheet batch output
- Print Bridge enables direct local printing; labels can also export as PDFs
Where it doesn't
- Free plan limits users to one workstation and one saved design
- Direct printing requires the optional desktop Print Bridge
- Shopify is the only named integration
- BarTender7.9/10 · From $199/yr · 30-day trial
Label design and print automation span on-premises, cloud, desktop, browser, and mobile.
Visit BarTenderFull verdict → - PaperReady Label Designer7.8/10 · Free plan · paid from $12/mo · 14-day trial
A flexible label designer with free batch printing and paid Shopify auto-print.
Visit PaperReadyFull verdict →
More comparisons
All product label makers comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update