The 5 Greatest Label Printing Software program I Examined and Advocate

Having led a nonprofit devoted to sending sanitary pads to areas going through shortage, I’ve personally navigated the challenges of managing shipments and making certain every parcel reaches its vacation spot with the correct info.

Working such an initiative usually required me to make use of the finest label printing software program, and belief me, it’s not as simple because it appears. From getting the correct sizes to making sure the labels stick correctly, there’s a whole lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into it. The method can develop into much more overwhelming if you’re counting on outdated or inefficient instruments. The unsuitable software program can result in errors, wasted time, and a whole lot of frustration.

That is why discovering the correct label printing resolution is essential. By streamlining your complete course of, you may cut back handbook effort and have peace of thoughts that each label is printed exactly.

My high 5 finest label printing software program suggestions for 2025

With so many choices accessible, I understand how overwhelming it may be to search out the correct one. That’s why I’ve compiled a listing of the most effective label printing software program instruments for 2025 that can assist you select the one that most closely fits your wants and makes your labeling duties hassle-free.

These instruments aren’t only for nonprofits. Companies can use them for product delivery, colleges for occasion provides, and people for organizing private shipments.

Regardless of the trade, the correct label printing software program could make the duty simpler and extra environment friendly.

What I search for in the most effective label printing software program

When testing the most effective label printing software program, I deal with the next key options to make sure it meets the wants of companies that require environment friendly, high-quality label creation and printing:

• Label design flexibility: I assess whether or not the software program presents a variety of design choices, permitting customers to create labels of assorted shapes, sizes, and layouts. The software program ought to help customized dimensions and templates for various label codecs (e.g., delivery labels, product labels, barcode labels, and packaging). It also needs to permit for superior design customization, together with font kinds, coloration schemes, borders, and alignment instruments to create professional-looking labels.
• Barcode and QR code technology: I verify whether or not the software program consists of built-in instruments to generate barcodes and QR codes. The power to simply create completely different barcode varieties (e.g., UPC, EAN, Code 128) and customise their measurement, density, and alignment is important. For companies that require product monitoring or stock administration, having sturdy barcode and QR code technology options ensures correct, scannable labels. I additionally take a look at whether or not the software program permits for simple testing of barcode high quality earlier than printing.
• Integration with databases and spreadsheets: The perfect label printing software program ought to be capable to combine with databases, spreadsheets, and different software program methods to streamline the label technology course of. I assess whether or not the instrument helps importing knowledge from CSV recordsdata, Excel spreadsheets, or dwell databases. This function is especially helpful for printing massive batches of labels with distinctive knowledge, corresponding to product names, costs, or delivery addresses. I verify if the software program presents mail merge-like performance to automate the inhabitants of labels with dynamic knowledge.
• Help for various printing strategies: I consider whether or not the software program is appropriate with varied label printers, together with desktop, industrial, and cell printers. It ought to help each thermal switch and direct thermal printing strategies. Moreover, the software program ought to permit customers to regulate print settings corresponding to print velocity, decision, and label alignment to optimize high quality and effectivity primarily based on the kind of printer getting used.
• Template library: I assess whether or not the software program presents a wealthy library of pre-designed templates and layouts to hurry up the label creation course of. Templates must be accessible for varied industries, together with retail, logistics, meals and beverage, and healthcare. This function is particularly priceless for customers who have to create commonplace labels rapidly with out ranging from scratch. I additionally verify if customers can save their customized designs as templates for future use.
• Batch printing: The software program ought to help batch printing, which is essential for companies that have to print massive portions of labels directly. I assess whether or not the instrument permits customers to handle print jobs effectively by queuing a number of label designs or printing in bulk primarily based on dynamic knowledge. Printing a whole bunch or hundreds of labels with minimal intervention is important for streamlining operations, particularly in high-volume environments.
• Integration with stock and delivery methods: I verify if the label printing software program integrates with in style stock administration, delivery, and e-commerce platforms (e.g., Shopify, Amazon, UPS, and FedEx). This integration permits companies to routinely generate delivery labels and observe and optimize stock with out manually getting into knowledge. It streamlines order achievement and ensures consistency between order knowledge and the printed labels.

The listing beneath accommodates real person evaluations from our greatest label printing software program class web page. To qualify for inclusion within the class, a product should:

• Embrace templates for varied sorts of labels (e.g., delivery, stock)
• Enable non-technical customers to design and print labels
• Present options to categorize labels and modify them by batch
• Ship WYSIWYG label designers with choices to pull and drop
• Help a number of languages and several types of barcodes
• Adjust to laws or trade requirements corresponding to GS1-128

This knowledge has been pulled from G2 in 2025. Some evaluations have been edited for readability.

After testing Avery Design & Print, I discovered it to be a extremely handy instrument for creating and printing Avery labels, stickers, and different customizable designs.

One of many largest benefits was how easy it was to format all the things for printing on Avery stickers. I did not need to spend time adjusting margins or worrying about alignment—all the things match completely proper from the beginning. This made your complete course of clean and saved me a whole lot of time.

Establishing the software program was simply as simple. Downloading and putting in Avery Design & Print took only some minutes, and I might leap straight into my challenge with none pointless steps or issues.  There was no steep studying curve, and the intuitive workflow allowed me to start out instantly.

One other function I appreciated was the power to retailer Avery templates and designs for future use. This was particularly helpful once I wanted to make minor tweaks or reprint a design with out ranging from scratch. Having my earlier templates available made redesigning fast and hassle-free.

Nevertheless, just a few drawbacks stood out. The person interface might use some enhancements by way of UX design. Whereas practical, sure components felt outdated, and navigating by means of the instrument wasn’t as seamless as I’d have appreciated.

Additionally, the free templates had been considerably restrictive, significantly relating to font sizes and design flexibility. I discovered myself restricted by way of inventive freedom, which was irritating once I wished to experiment with completely different kinds.

Lastly, switching between options generally felt sluggish, which interrupted my workflow. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, however the occasional gradual response did make the expertise really feel much less fluid.

What I dislike about Avery Design & Print:

• The person interface felt considerably outdated and may gain advantage from a extra fashionable UX design. Whereas practical, navigating by means of the instrument wasn’t as seamless as I had hoped, making some duties really feel clunky.
• The free templates had been restrictive, significantly in font sizes and design flexibility. I discovered it irritating once I wished to experiment with completely different kinds however was restricted by the instrument’s built-in constraints.

What G2 customers dislike about Avery Design & Print:

“In comparison with skilled design software program, Avery Design & Print would possibly provide fewer superior modifying instruments. This might be a downside for customers needing particular design components.”

– Avery Design & Print Evaluate, Med A.

I used to be impressed by Label LIVE’s highly effective batch printing, which allowed me to effortlessly automate order printouts and label technology. The method was extremely environment friendly—by merely dumping a appropriately formatted CSV or XML file right into a monitored folder, Label LIVE took care of the remainder. This saved me an amazing period of time and streamlined my workflow considerably.

One other side I appreciated was the What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) designer interface, which supplied a seamless printing expertise throughout completely different printers. I even examined it on an 80mm printer, and the outcomes had been surprisingly crisp and well-aligned.

One other sturdy level was the software program’s deep integration with programming logic, as I might dynamically present or cover components primarily based on situations. Moreover, the power to combine straight with spreadsheets utilizing variables made it simple to automate and customise label technology with out handbook intervention.

Nevertheless, there have been just a few downsides. The error messages might be extra user-friendly and descriptive, as I usually discovered myself troubleshooting points by means of trial and error. A extra detailed clarification of the issues would have saved me appreciable time.

Moreover, the print preview function didn’t work as anticipated—even when my label printer was listed and chosen because the default. The software program nonetheless reported that no printer was discovered. This was irritating, as I needed to undergo additional steps simply to confirm how the label would look earlier than printing.

Lastly, fine-tuning label sizes for particular printers required extra effort than I anticipated, which made the preliminary setup a bit tedious.

What I dislike about Label LIVE:

• The error messages weren’t descriptive sufficient, forcing me to troubleshoot points by means of trial and error. A clearer clarification of issues would have saved me appreciable time and frustration.
• The print preview function didn’t at all times acknowledge my chosen default printer. Regardless of being listed, the software program reported that no printer was discovered, requiring additional steps to confirm label formatting earlier than printing.

What G2 customers dislike about Label LIVE:

“Label creation might be quicker. When printing greater than 100 completely different labels, the method can take as much as 10 minutes, which could be time-consuming.”

– Label LIVE Evaluate, Tommy Y.

After testing BarTender, I discovered it to be a strong and versatile barcode label printing software program. It’s extensively used for creating and printing barcodes, RFID tags, and extra

One in all its largest strengths is the availability of pre-built templates, which considerably sped up the design course of. As an alternative of ranging from scratch, I might select from varied templates and customise them to suit my wants. This was particularly useful when working underneath tight deadlines, as I might rapidly tweak present designs moderately than constructing all the things from the bottom up.

Moreover, BarTender’s skill to pull variable knowledge from exterior databases or Excel added a robust automation layer. This function allowed me to create dynamic labels with out manually inputting info, which is a large benefit for companies dealing with large-scale labeling.

Nevertheless, regardless of these benefits, deployment and person entry management had been obscure. The comfortableware lacks clear documentation on limiting person permissions, making it difficult to handle entry for various group members. I needed to experiment fairly a bit earlier than determining the easiest way to manage person settings, which was irritating.

One other main draw back is the steep studying curve. Whereas BarTender presents spectacular performance, getting snug with all of its options took appreciable time. YouTube tutorials can be found, however they’re very normal and don’t go into sufficient depth to deal with extra particular points. A extra structured and detailed assist system would have made the training course of a lot smoother.

What I dislike about BarTender:

• The dearth of clear documentation for managing person permissions made deployment and entry management complicated. I needed to experiment extensively earlier than discovering an efficient option to management person settings, which was time-consuming.
• BarTender has a steep studying curve regardless of its highly effective options. The accessible YouTube tutorials had been too normal and didn’t present the depth wanted for extra particular points, making the training course of more durable than it must be.

What G2 customers dislike about BarTender:

“It’s difficult to know the deployment course of, product limitations, and learn how to set person restrictions, making it troublesome for finish customers to navigate.”

– BarTender Evaluate, Larry M.

I discovered MarkMagic to be extremely customizable. The power to export and import completely different codecs made it extraordinarily versatile, permitting me to work with varied file varieties seamlessly. This flexibility was significantly helpful when coping with a number of labeling necessities throughout completely different platforms.

One other main plus was the truth that MarkMagic runs totally within the browser, eliminating the necessity for software program set up. This made it extremely handy to entry from any system with out worrying about system compatibility or updates. Moreover, the graphical person interface (GUI) was simple to study, making the onboarding course of clean and intuitive.

I additionally appreciated how effortlessly MarkMagic built-in with present methods, permitting for fast implementation with out requiring main changes. Its cloud-based nature was one other big profit for me, because it ensured accessibility from anyplace whereas decreasing the necessity for native storage or upkeep.

Nevertheless, the person interface might be modernized to enhance the general person expertise. Some components felt outdated, and a extra polished design would improve navigation and value.

One specific challenge I encountered was with textual content formatting in J-Magic, which felt a bit clunky. Adjusting textual content kinds and placements wasn’t as clean as I’d have appreciated, requiring extra handbook tweaking than anticipated.

Moreover, I faced challenges in correctly formatting photographs to be used on kinds, which generally required additional effort to make sure right alignment and determination.

What I dislike about MarkMagic:

• The person interface may gain advantage from modernization. Some components felt outdated, and a extra polished design would enhance navigation and total usability.
• I encountered challenges with textual content formatting in J-Magic, which was not as clean as anticipated. Adjusting textual content kinds and placements required extra handbook effort than anticipated.

What G2 customers dislike about MarkMagic:

“I’ve encountered challenges with MarkMagic when utilizing two-dimensional (2D) barcodes, as they take considerably longer to generate in comparison with one-dimensional (1D) linear barcodes. Moreover, formatting photographs appropriately to be used on kinds has been problematic.”

– MarkMagic Evaluate, Craig L.

Loftware Cloud is a extremely environment friendly and user-friendly labeling resolution, splendid for environments that demand fast label creation underneath strain. Its ease of use allowed me to design and print labels quickly, whilst a newbie, saving priceless time I’d have spent studying a brand new instrument. 

One of Loftware Cloud’s standout advantages is its scalability, making it a robust match for organizations of all sizes. Whether or not you are printing easy labels or managing high-volume, complicated label manufacturing, the software program adapts simply to evolving enterprise wants. 

By way of designal, Loftware Cloud excels with varied options that make label creation each inventive and practical. The drag-and-drop performance made it simple to design professional-quality labels, even with out superior graphic design expertise. Pre-defined templates had been extremely useful for streamlining the design course of, whereas the power to save customized designs as templates ensured consistency throughout a number of tasks. Including barcodes to labels was equally simple, requiring solely the number of the suitable barcode symbology—no technical experience was crucial.

I used to be additionally impressed with the multi-printer configuration, which allowed for seamless printing throughout varied places or groups. The power to distribute the workload throughout a number of servers considerably enhanced the system’s efficiency, making certain that label printing remained clean and uninterrupted even throughout high-demand intervals.

Nevertheless, Loftware Cloud does have some drawbacks that I encountered throughout my use. One challenge was the occasional bugs that disrupted my workflow, guaranteeing duties extra irritating. Specifically, I discovered that error messages weren’t at all times clear, making it troublesome to pinpoint the supply of the problem and troubleshoot successfully.

The configuration course of may also be considerably complicated. A number of steps are concerned, and for customers unfamiliar with the platform, it might probably take longer than anticipated to get all the things arrange correctly.

Moreover, whereas I appreciated the power to write in JavaScript for extra superior label customization, the script editor felt restricted. The small window and lack of a monospace font made it troublesome to work with and fewer user-friendly than I’d have most well-liked. A extra intuitive scripting interface would have significantly improved the expertise.

Lastly, the dealing with of discipline sizes within the label design was considerably inconsistent. In the course of the design course of, the fields appeared to take up extra horizontal house than they really did when printed. This discrepancy led to some misalignment points, requiring trial and error to make sure that the fields had been positioned appropriately on the ultimate label.

What I dislike about Loftware Cloud:

• I encountered occasional bugs that disrupted my workflow, guaranteeing duties extra irritating. The dearth of clear error messages made troubleshooting difficult, slowing the method.
• The configuration course of was extra complicated than I anticipated, with a number of steps concerned. This made setup take longer than anticipated, particularly for customers unfamiliar with the platform.

What G2 customers dislike about Loftware Cloud:

“Generally, labels don’t generate appropriately primarily based on the serial quantity. There are additionally a number of bugs, corresponding to modifications not making use of instantly and solely reflecting after logging out and logging again in.”

– Loftware Cloud Evaluate, Abhash Ok.

When selecting between CMYK or RGBF for label printing, you need to print in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) mode, as that is the usual coloration mannequin for printers. RGB (Crimson, Inexperienced, Blue) is good for digital screens however doesn’t translate precisely to print, affecting coloration high quality.

5. Which is the most effective free label printing software program?

Label Dwell is one of the finest free-label printing software program choices. It presents a easy, user-friendly interface with important options like barcode creation, template choice, and print preview. Discover different free label printing software program.

Could all of your labels stick the place they belong!! 

The perfect label printing software program I examined presents varied options to fulfill completely different enterprise wants, from ease of use and customization to highly effective integrations and high-volume printing capabilities.

However bear in mind, your necessities would possibly differ relying on the scale of your online business or the complexity of your labels, so it’s at all times a good suggestion to check out just a few choices earlier than deciding on one. 

And don’t overlook, whereas it’s essential to get the proper label printed, it’s simply as necessary to put it on the correct field. As a result of, let’s face it, the very last thing you need is for that “fragile” label to finish up on a field stuffed with rubberbands as a substitute of glassware.

Design and customise labels like a professional with the finest graphic design software program.