Yes. A 13-digit ISBN is a GTIN-13. It begins with the GS1 "Bookland" prefix 978 or 979, so a book's ISBN and its retail barcode number are the same.

What is the difference between ISBN-10 and ISBN-13?

ISBN-10 is the older 10-digit format used before 2007; ISBN-13 is the current 13-digit format. An ISBN-10 converts to ISBN-13 by adding the 978 prefix and recalculating the check digit. Both identify the same title.

Does each edition of a book need its own ISBN?

Yes. Each distinct format and significant edition — hardback, paperback, ebook, new edition — receives its own ISBN so it can be ordered and stocked separately.

Where do I get an ISBN?

From your national ISBN agency, which assigns publisher prefixes and numbers to publishers and self-published authors in its territory.

Glossary

ISBN

International Standard Book Number · ISBN-13 · ISBN-10

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is the unique identifier used worldwide for books and book-like publications. The modern 13-digit ISBN is a form of the GTIN standard, which is why a book's barcode and its ISBN share the same number.

Last updated: June 2026

Key facts

The current ISBN is 13 digits (ISBN-13); the older 10-digit ISBN-10 is still seen on pre-2007 books.
An ISBN-13 is a GTIN-13 and begins with the GS1 prefix 978 or 979 (the "Bookland" range).
Each edition and format of a book gets its own ISBN — hardback, paperback and ebook differ.
ISBNs are issued by national ISBN agencies, not by GS1 directly.

What an ISBN is

The International Standard Book Number is the global identifier for monographic publications — books, and book-like products such as maps and certain software manuals. It lets booksellers, libraries, distributors, and marketplaces refer to one exact edition of a title without ambiguity. The number appears on the copyright page and is encoded in the barcode on the back cover.

ISBNs are administered through a network of national ISBN agencies, each responsible for assigning numbers to publishers in its territory. A publisher is given a publisher prefix and then assigns the remaining digits to its individual titles, ending with a check digit. Self-published authors can obtain ISBNs through the same national agencies.

ISBN-13, ISBN-10 and the link to GTIN

Since 2007 the standard has been the 13-digit ISBN-13. It is deliberately identical in structure to a GTIN-13: it begins with the GS1 "Bookland" prefix 978 or 979, which is why a book's ISBN and its retail barcode number are one and the same. A book is, in effect, a product whose GTIN happens to be its ISBN.

Older books carry a 10-digit ISBN-10. An ISBN-10 can be converted to an ISBN-13 by prefixing 978 and recalculating the final check digit. The two refer to the same title, so cataloguing systems treat them as equivalents. Note that Amazon historically adopted ISBN-10 values as the ASIN for printed books, which is why a book's ASIN and ISBN-10 are often the same.

Why editions and formats each need an ISBN

A single title can have many ISBNs because each distinct product form is identified separately. The hardback, the paperback, the large-print edition, and the ebook each receive their own ISBN, as do significant new editions. This precision lets a bookseller stock and a buyer order exactly the version they want.

For sellers, this means you must match the ISBN to the exact edition and format you are listing. Listing a paperback under the hardback's ISBN creates a mismatch that can lead to returns, suppressed listings, or buyer complaints. Because the ISBN doubles as the GTIN, getting it right also ensures your offer attaches to the correct catalogue page on book-selling marketplaces.

Example

A paperback with ISBN-13 978-0-13-468599-1 shows the same number in its back-cover barcode. The earlier ISBN-10 0-13-468599-7 refers to the same edition and, on Amazon, would typically also be that book's ASIN.

Why it matters for marketplace sellers

Book marketplaces use the ISBN as the GTIN, so matching the exact edition's ISBN attaches your offer to the right catalogue page.
Each format and edition has a distinct ISBN — list the precise one you hold to avoid mismatches and returns.
On Amazon, a printed book's ASIN is often its ISBN-10, simplifying cross-referencing between identifiers.
Self-publishers must obtain ISBNs from their national agency before listing in most book categories.