# BarTender Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is BarTender the right Barcoding solution for you? Explore 61 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/80556/BarTender/reviews --- BarTender 4.4 (61) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/80556/BarTender/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of BarTender Ease of use 4.0 Customer Service 3.8 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews TH Tyler H Ast. General ManagerRetail, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “database conncectivity, programming customizations, and magnetic stip encoding capability, the application is intuitive and easy to use, automarions are a plus!“ October 3, 2025 Rose W Planner BuyerTextiles, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Sometimes it can be frustrating to deal with all the ins and outs of formatting correctly to get the label I want“ September 12, 2025 TC Travis C ManagerMachinery, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Quick and simple to deploy.“ January 10, 2024 EM Engin M Supply Chain ManagerTextiles, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I didn't like the table issue.“ February 20, 2024 GA Gary A CEOE-Learning, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “This has definitely optimised my workflow and ability to keep track of my iMac. “ January 20, 2022 JJ Jessica J ParalegalLegal Services, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Set up was a bit of a pain and hard to register.“ October 6, 2021 KB Kimberly B Quality EngineerMedical Devices, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It is easy to use the set-up wizard to get started, and has high quality training videos for all levels of use. “ December 22, 2020 KB Kimberly B Quality EngineerMedical Devices, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It made label generation and review difficult. “ December 22, 2020 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 61 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Brandon A. Inventory and ERP system manager Mechanical or Industrial Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "We use bartender for all of our label printing needs. We use drop files to trigger." July 6, 2018 5.0 They play really well with the zebra printers, which a lot of other software doesn't (like SSRS reports). Also the integration builder is a really powerful way to automate a lot of things. It's a life saver. And the ease of creating labels is really nice. Don't forget you can print to a regular printer too. You can make some very good paper reports that are much easier to maintain than SSRS reports. Pros The user interface is really well defined for people that don't code. Designing label templates is as easy as power point. Setting up the fields that need to read the data is easy to set up to. There is a very short learning curve with the product. Cons We have it set up to run waiting for drop files (with the integration builder). Because we aren't using the front end for normal use, end users can't get error messages. If would be nice if it had a better monitoring system to know when something goes wrong. It's not that often that it does, but when it does it can cause some problems for our business. Review Source TH Tyler H. Ast. General Manager Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great labelling program!" October 3, 2025 5.0 Use it extensively with ERP systems to print customized labels and also use it for printing from a PVC card printer. I don't even think i've scratched the surface of how powerful the application can be! Pros database conncectivity, programming customizations, and magnetic stip encoding capability, the application is intuitive and easy to use, automarions are a plus! Cons not much, it's actually a pretty excellent label printing application. The driver interfaces could be updated Alternatives considered [Loftware NiceLabel](https://www.capterra.com/p/241190/NiceLabel/) Reason for choosing BarTender compatibility with ERP system was a primary reason Review Source LS Lisa S. Administrator Food Production Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Do not recommend" March 26, 2026 1.0 Frustrating and disappointing. Their support team is not efficient. They are in no hurry to help resolve your issues. Pros I don't like anything about Bartender. Based on my experience, it doesn’t provide any meaningful advantages over the free alternatives offered by other companies. My time with Bartender has been frustrating, and their support team has been anything but supportive. I rely on their software to print labels, yet it hasn’t worked on my computer for nearly two months, and they still haven’t identified the issue. In the meantime, I’ve been able to print labels without any problems using a free program from another company, which makes the situation even more disappointing. I recently renewed my support agreement with Bartender, but over the past two months all I’ve received is a long chain of back‑and‑forth troubleshooting emails. They simply refuse to pick up the phone and have a real conversation to help resolve the problem. Cons They don’t provide the level of support needed for a business to confidently rely on their software. I can’t understand why they haven’t simply picked up the phone to troubleshoot the issues instead of dragging things out over email. It takes them a day or two just to respond, which is ridiculous. Switched from [Loftware NiceLabel](https://www.capterra.com/p/241190/NiceLabel/) Because I thought Bartender had a lot more functionality and good support team, but was proven wrong. Review Source KB Kimberly B. Quality Engineer Medical Devices Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Labels for Med Device Manufacturer" December 22, 2020 5.0 As a med device manufacturer, we were looking for a solution to a label control issue we were having in 2016. The labeling software we were using back then didn't link fields for variable data, resulting in our label operators entering lot and date information in multiple locations in different formats for a single label. It made label generation and review difficult. One of the most cited non-conformances for med device manufacturers are related to labeling, and we have had significantly less problems since transferring our device labeling to BarTender. It is easy to use the set-up wizard to get started, and has high quality training videos for all levels of use. We use it to meet a wide range of needs - from basic labels with no variable info - all the way to automatic serialization, and printing IDs from linked databases. It has been a software that has grown with us over the last 4 years, and it looks like it will continue to do so. Pros It seems like every labeling obstacle I've come up against in the med device realm has been handled easily by BarTender. If it is a new use for the software to generate a specific label format, barcode, etc - the Seagull Scientific website has a wealth of training files that cover how to design and manage the file. Cons BarTender was a signficant upgrade from Zebra Designer, and I have no complaints about its capability or functionality in everyday use. Switched from [ZebraDesigner Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/79357/ZebraDesigner-Pro/) Improved label control features to address compliance issues Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Planner Buyer Textiles Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Use BarTender Daily" September 12, 2025 5.0 Bartender could be more user friendly by simplifying its interface, but it’s also a very powerful tool with lots of capabilities Pros BarTender designer and print station are integral at my company. We use it for label creation, barcodes, and shipping Cons Sometimes it can be frustrating to deal with all the ins and outs of formatting correctly to get the label I want Review Source Maricela G. Wholesale Sales Support Specialist Warehousing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Barcode Designer" May 1, 2019 5.0 Pros Great and easy way to design an print barcodes, whether that be on a label or a hangtag, BarTender does the job! Easy step by step process, literally walks you through printing the type of Barcode you need. Cons It's a pricey software! It would have been nice if they offered support, like a chat, after purchase. Review Source Karl O. Production Manger Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A good well rounded software for our label printing needs here" May 4, 2018 5.0 much better system for designing and printing labels than we previously had! Faster and easier to train persons in.... Pros Very easy to use, simple drag and drop and very easy to modify text boxes, etc. Love how they offer the free trial to test before buying. Also, it is compatible with just about every printer on the planet! Cons Kinda hard to come up with Cons for this software apart from the fact that they don't offer live chat, as well as pricing, hard to determine what the cost is - the website doesn't have prices on it, and when it comes down to it this is a fairly pricey software, then again - you get what you pay for, go figure :) Review Source Ryan B. Consultant Printing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best barcode creation software I've found." May 29, 2019 5.0 I absolutly love this program. If anybody ever asked me for a few suggestions about how to make barcodes, I would only point them in the direction of this program. Its all you need. Pros This program is a one stop shop for creating whatever barcode you need. I haven't been able to push it anywhere close to its limits because its always been simple to create the correct style barcode I needed for my various customers projects. I would research what kind of barcode I needed to make and when I go into the program all the settings or barcode types have always been there. Cons Its not really a con but a warning. Make sure you know the specifications of the barcode type you need to create and plug the correct information into the proper space because the program really is as good as the knowledge of the user. Review Source Ferdi B. Co Founder Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Using Bartender Pro for label printers" July 24, 2018 5.0 Pros This software is so easy to set up and configure with external data sources, I was really amazed by this. The latest implementation of Bartender was a central printing solution for label printers. The data for the labels originated from a Filemaker database and a Dynamics solution. For this purpose we've used some of Bartenders automation features. Cons The only con I've experienced so far for Bartender Professional is the lack of (written) documentation (or I just couldn't find it online besides some videos on the support sub domain). On the other hand, I didn't really need the documentation as it was so easy to configure. Review Source Melissa G. Bookkeeper Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Amazing time saver with consistent reads" November 29, 2017 5.0 Pros Love that we can print even the smallest of labels for our smaller items. Print quality is superb and can be used with many different printers. Cons Limited computer licenses and there was a bit of a learning curve when we first started using it, but customer service was great and I leave most of the design stuff up to the tech guys. Review Source BC Brayan C. Analista de sistemas IT Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "BarTender lo que todo local necesita." December 17, 2022 5.0 ha sido una herramienta muy oportuna y útil ya que muchas veces el inventario era una cosa muy extenuante y tardada de hacer, con este aplicativo todo se ha facilitado. Pros nos brinta una base de datos y la posivilidad de crear un inventario total de los productos y/o elementos con los que contamos. Cons muchas veces según el dispositivo se relentisan los códigos a la hora de imprimir. Reason for choosing BarTender porque me lo recomendaron y se que fue una muy buena eleccion. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Tecnico Machinery Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Etichettatura in ogni dettaglio " February 5, 2023 4.0 Ha permesso di etichettare automaticamente i prodotti grazie alla stampa automatica delle etichette, riducendo il rischio di errori Pros La possibilità di fare pratica qualunque cosa grazie ai tantissimi plug-in. Cons La difficoltà nel configurare le opzioni avanzate Review Source CY Cody Y. Engineer Aviation & Aerospace Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Used for printing serialization labels by integration functionality with SQL Database " December 7, 2017 4.0 Fast and easy creation of labels. Ability to track rev changes on labels. Pros The diverse functionality of creating and printing labels. Creating labels is fast and easy. Integrations is a great tool and are very powerful when wanting an action repeated easily. Librarian is a great feature to ensure label revs are tracked and managed properly. Cons The cost is based per printer. We have multiple printers for the sake of not having to travel to retrieve your label, however, for the price tag it's not worth activating a printer that only gets used once a week. The integrations is very finicky and occasionally needs to be restarted for no reason at all. The printer default settings do not save and revert back to original so I manually have to change the print speed and darkness on each label. Review Source GA Gary A. CEO E-Learning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Keeps my bar organised and optimised" January 20, 2022 5.0 This has definitely optimised my workflow and ability to keep track of my iMac. Pros The programme allows me to customise my bar to easily see the information and apps that I use all the time and hide (but still be able to access) the items I use less frequently. Cons I can genuinely say that there is nothing that I need that the app doesn't do. Review Source DS Dale S. IT Systems Engineer Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great software with enough features for our business" September 8, 2017 5.0 One solution for all site printers and standardization of labels across the company. Pros Very easy to use, wizard setups and menu-driven changes, very little coding but it is available, integration with other systems Cons Still trying to figure out how to use a label with multiple printers and not have to save the label twice, but otherwise great software. Review Source DL Dillon L. Process Engineer Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "I use this to create barcodes and labels" January 16, 2018 5.0 Pros The features that I like the most about this software include: ease of use, functionality, great customer support, easy to setup and maintain Review Source RP Raul P. QMS Admin Machinery Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Bartender " January 25, 2019 5.0 Pros Easy to use template. No need for too much tech support . Cons Licensing limitations, wish we could use the same for at least 2 computers. Review Source JS Jonathan S. Systems Admin Logistics and Supply Chain Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "A solution to a weird problem" March 29, 2019 5.0 it ended up doing what I needed without having to research too deeply. Pros I loved that anything I could think of needing to do, bartender had a way to implement, Cons I didn't like that there are so many different variations of the software with so many different things that those versions could or couldn't do. Also a lot of the functionality that you would think would be a front and center advertised feature is buried deep in weird menus Review Source JJ Jessica J. Paralegal Legal Services Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Great Product" October 6, 2021 5.0 Pros This product is very user friendly. I use it for my home bakery and print directly onto cookies. This gives me an edge over the competition as nobody in my area does this right now. Cons Set up was a bit of a pain and hard to register. Review Source JB Jennifer B. Marketing assistant Wholesale Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "BarTender 2019 is perfect for any size company" May 24, 2019 5.0 The overall experience was great. We downloaded the 2019 free trial version and worked fantastically. You can find the free trial version here - https://www.logiscenter.co.uk/bartender-free-download You can find the software on special offer at the moment at https://www.logiscenter.co.uk/pos-printers-star-sm-t300dw Definitely, recommend trying it out and download the free version first. Pros There is a sense of familiarity even if you haven't used it before. You have the option to create designs of your own! It's very efficient Cons Not as much support as we'd have liked... Review Source JM Joshua M. Warehouse Manager/Logistic Coordinator Semiconductors Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "This is a very useful software and functional" June 7, 2017 5.0 I was able to comply with our customers request to have shipments barcoded instead of just packing slips. it became a requirement for most of our customers Pros I like the way I can easily change all my fields information instead of having to recreate every label from scratch Cons There were some issues with navigation and finding the right options i wanted. i found them eventually but a editable favorits commands list would be helpful Review Source EM Engin M. Supply Chain Manager Textiles Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Could be cheaper" February 20, 2024 4.0 Generally, I think the price of the software is huge. It doesn't seem reachable. When I compare any other programs I use, I cannot say it deserves it. I'm afraid it's because of the necessity. I mean if you have a barcode printer, you have to have a software too otherwise, it's too hard to use the machine. Pros This is a program that I can use easily. There are too many tools that I can add to my stickers. Cons I didn't like the table issue. Sometimes I need to add tables and using them as a cell is very hard. Besides blank cells are also a bit trouble. Because when you delete a cell it says "BLANK" and that changes the table length if it hits the wall. Review Source JS Joshua S. Director of Information System Wholesale Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great product to give you control of your systems" October 25, 2023 5.0 I love working with BarTender. I use this daily and constantly recommend this service. This is a problem solver for me, and if there is no other way to accomplish what I need, I turn to BarTender Pros I love the ability to create and automate labels. This has been key for my company when we have some customers who have several different labels and types., We built and integration that allows this to be an automated process. Cons The only issue I have is their support, because they are impossible to deal with. Other than that they are great. Review Source JD Jonathan D. Senior Computer Specialist Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Bad" March 20, 2018 2.0 I get a paycheck for working with it twice a month Pros I didn't pay for the software or the license. The software download is free, and has a 30 day free trial. Cons Very disappointed in the new 2016 version. The new 2016 version crashes anytime I attempt to update a database connection from one of our old XML source that worked seamlessly in 10.4. (They will still work so long as you don't touch them). Bartender then restarts and attempts to recover the bad information (which will in turn crash bartender.) Was this product actually run by QA before release? I suspect there was nothing but plug and play sceanrios tested. Very little insight into customer service. Have a lot of difficulty getting answers from the tech team. This is what happens when a company cuts back on 'costs' by elimiating quality assurance and customer support. SOme of the new 'features' have absolutely destroyed Database/setup connections. After upgrading from 10.4, all tables from our XML payloads now crash bartender when you try to do ANYTHING with them (Great coding guys). As a result, the text file source has become quite useless unless you are using a csv. Field Alias for Named database connections don't store with the named connection which makes it pointless as you will need to re-alias these things every time you change datasource. This defeats the purpose of naming/reusing a datasource if you have to re-alias all fields everytime you use it. Again, I am not convinced that this was even tested before release. Perhaps I missed something about Alpha in the whitepapers... Review Source Response from Seagull Software March 27, 2018 Hi Jonathan, I apologize for the issues you're experiencing. They are as unacceptable to all of us as here they are to you. We've brought this to the attention of BarTender's VP of Technical Services, and he's reviewing your support tickets to see how we can help. I'd also like to offer reassurance that we haven't had any reductions to our QA or technical support teams. We recognize how important these functions are, and are, in fact, investing in their growth. I understand Capterra is providing my contact information to you. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me. I'd like to know how this turns out. VP Valerio P. Assistenza Tecnica e Amministrativa Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Bartender visto da chi lo usa per lavoro." February 15, 2023 4.0 Pros Il prodotto ha un'immenso quantitativo di funzionalità e di potenzialità. Può letteralmente permettere di fare tutto, e di gestire in modo organizzato qualsiasi cosa sia in relazione al magazzino, spedizione, ed etichette di prodotto. E' un software completo ed esaustivo per l'ambiente di produzione e organizzazione di un'azienda. Cons Il software risulta essere a volte complesso, e in molti casi serve un'esperto al fianco di chi lo utilizza per sciogliere dubbi e risolvere problemi.Inoltre ha un costo non irrilevante, e a volte esistono soluzioni intermedie molto più efficienti, a meno o gratuite.Delle volte l'assistenza non è proprio delle migliori. 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