How each one is read
Barcode. A barcode is a printed image: bars in linear codes, such as Code 128 or EAN-13, or a matrix in two-dimensional codes, such as QR or DataMatrix. An optical scanner or a camera reads it when the code is within its field of view. One label is read at a time, and the operator must aim at each one.
UHF RFID. The tag has a chip and an antenna. The reader emits a radio signal, the tags that receive it respond with their identifier, the EPC, and the reader reports every tag within range of its antenna, without line of sight. Warehouses use the EPC Gen2 standard.
Comparison
| Criterion | Barcode | UHF RFID |
|---|---|---|
| Line of sight | Required | Not required |
| Reads at a time | One | Several in the same read |
| Identifies | Usually the product; the item if a serial number is printed | The item, with a unique EPC per tag |
| Cost per label | Low: printed on paper or applied by the manufacturer | Higher: includes the chip and the antenna |
| Reading equipment | Scanner built into the handheld or a phone camera | Handheld RFID reader or fixed reader with antennas |
| Factors that affect reads | A damaged, dirty or poorly printed label | Metal, liquids and the position of the tag |
| Standards | GS1 (GTIN, GS1-128) | EPC Gen2 |
The read range and speed of RFID depend on the reader, the tag, the product and the installation. For that reason, no single figure applies to every warehouse; it is measured with an on-site test.
When RFID is the better choice
- Frequent full inventory counts. A section is counted by walking it with the reader, without scanning item by item. This is the case with the greatest benefit when locations hold many items.
- Validation at the dock. A portal compares the goods that pass with what the shipment or receipt expects, without opening the cases.
- Items with their own identity. When each item must be identified individually, not only counted, the unique EPC per tag provides that identity.
- High-value items. The cost of the tag is small relative to the value of the item.
When barcodes are sufficient
- Operations with few items per location and counts that are completed quickly with scanning.
- Products with a low margin per unit, where the cost of an RFID tag per item is not justified.
- Labels already applied by the manufacturer, such as the GTIN or a GS1-128 label with lot and expiration date.
- A warehouse that is starting to organize: first locations, receiving against a document and picking with scanning; RFID afterward, on that foundation.
Using both in the same operation
Adopting RFID does not require abandoning barcodes. A common approach is to receive, pick and ship with scanning, and to use RFID where it adds the most: full inventory counts and portal validation at the docks. Locations, pallets and documents can carry both codes on the same label.
To estimate the cost of adding RFID, see the guide how much RFID costs in a warehouse.
How both work together in Chainlink WMS
In Chainlink, barcodes are available in every plan: the Android app reads with the scanner of Zebra and Honeywell handhelds or with the phone camera. RFID is available in Professional and Enterprise: handheld reading, RFID inventories, portal validation and printing with encoding. Inventory does not depend on the capture method, so a company can start with barcodes and add RFID when it moves to Professional, without migrating data. See RFID in Chainlink.