BarTender vs ZebraDesigner
BarTender
bartendersoftware.comZebraDesigner
zebra.comSide by side
| Figure | BarTender | ZebraDesigner |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $16.58/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 4 | 5 |
| Spec score · Packaging Design Software | 8.5 (#2) | 8.5 (#3) |
| Spec score · Label Design Software | 8.5 (#4) | 8.5 (#5) |
| Spec score · Barcode Labeling Software | 8.5 (#6) | 8.5 (#7) |
| Purpose | BarTender creates, manages, and prints labels, barcodes, RFID tags, and other product identifiers. | ZebraDesigner offers editions for designing labels, tags and receipts, from basic text labels to designs with RFID or fixed and variable data. |
| Security | The on-premises product offers role-based security and permissions, document encryption, license server redundancy, and printer failover options. | Zebra says security is a core part of its culture and engineering processes. |
Plans
BarTender
- Starter$199 a year
- Professional$299 a year
- Automation$575 a year
- EnterprisePriced on request
ZebraDesigner
- ZebraDesigner Essentials 3Free
- ZebraDesigner Essentials 3Free
- ZebraDesigner for Developers 3Free
- ZebraDesigner Professional 3 for Windows$345, paid once
- ZebraDesigner Professional 3 for Windows$345, paid once
In their own words
BarTender
BarTender creates, manages, and prints labels, barcodes, RFID tags, and other product identifiers. Its design tools support more than 100 linear and 2D barcode symbologies and standards, RFID encoding, and a library of more than 400 label templates. The on-premises product can print from local workstations, browsers, and mobile devices, with more than 11,000 printer drivers. The Automation edition adds REST APIs, File Drop, no-code builders, and more than 70 trigger actions. Listed connectors include SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, and Workday, alongside REST APIs and custom integrations for more than 20 enterprise platforms. On-premises security features include role-based permissions, document encryption, license server redundancy, and printer failover options. BarTender can operate without an internet connection and supports 21 CFR Part 11-compliant audit trails and electronic signatures. The on-premises operating-system requirements are 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 and Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, or 2025. Starter costs $199 a year; a 30-day Enterprise Edition trial supports up to three printers.
ZebraDesigner
ZebraDesigner provides Windows software for designing labels, tags, and receipts, from basic text layouts to designs using RFID or fixed and variable data. Essentials includes text, barcode, and graphic objects, keyboard, date, time, and counter data sources, plus a GS1-128 barcode wizard. Professional adds connections to Excel, Access, text files, and other databases through ODBC, and supports printing and encoding RFID labels. Developer tools create ZPL templates for integration with other applications; listed options include Enterprise Connector for Oracle apps, PrintConnect, Print Station, and Zebra's XML-enabled printing solution. ZebraDesigner 3 can open legacy label formats from ZebraDesigner 2, and its interface is available in 20 languages. Supported systems are Windows 10 and 11 desktop editions and Windows Server 2019, 2022, and 2025. Remote Desktop Services and virtual machines are not supported, except Hyper-V technologies. Essentials and Developer editions cost nothing. Professional costs $345, paid once as an activation license key, limited to one computer.