FM Barcode API
A free REST API for generating barcodes in 20+ formats, purpose-built for FileMaker's InsertFromURL function. Still running. Still free. Hundreds of millions of barcodes generated.
- FileMaker
- PHP
- API
- Barcode
FM Barcode API is a free REST API for generating barcodes in over 20 formats, built specifically for FileMaker developers. Pass a handful of GET parameters, get back a PNG. Drop it into a container field. Done.
It launched in February 2013 as one of the first APIs written specifically for FileMaker users around the then-new InsertFromURL script step — a native FileMaker function that finally gave developers a clean way to make HTTP requests without a plugin. FM Barcode API was designed from the start to take full advantage of that.
It was featured by several developers during Pause on Error in 2013, which helped it find its footing in the FileMaker community quickly.
Over a decade later, it is still running and still completely free. To date it has generated hundreds of millions of barcodes for developers, businesses, and FileMaker solutions all over the world. That number keeps going up.
How it works
The API follows a straightforward REST pattern. Construct a URL with your parameters, call it via InsertFromURL, and the response is a ready-to-use barcode PNG.
GET https://your-api-endpoint/?type=qrcode&data=Hello+World&width=200&height=200
The FileMaker InsertFromURL function handles the request natively — no plugin required, no additional dependencies.
Download FileMaker Example File
Supported formats
The API supports over 20 barcode formats across linear, postal, and 2D types:
Codabar, Code 11, Code 39, Code 39 Extended, Code 93, Code 128, EAN-8, EAN-13, GS1-128 (EAN-128), ISBN-10, ISBN-13, Interleaved 2 of 5, Standard 2 of 5, MSI Plessey, UPC-A, UPC-E, UPC Extension 2, UPC Extension 5, PostNet, QR Code, PDF417
A note on longevity
Most side projects have a natural shelf life. APIs get deprecated, services go down, auth layers change. FM Barcode API has been quietly running for over a decade with no paywalls, no accounts, and no sign-up required.
The fact that it has generated hundreds of millions of barcodes without charging a cent is either a testament to the FileMaker community's resourcefulness, a reflection of how useful a simple well-designed API can be, or both. Probably both.
If you've used it over the years — thank you. It's one of those small tools that turned out to matter more than expected.