COMPARISON / WINDOWS AND MAC / UPDATED 19 OCT 2026
Free BarTender Alternative: Opens Your .btw Files
LabelInn opens your BarTender .btw files and prints them on Zebra, TSC, Toshiba and Epson printers from Windows or Mac, with no driver. Free plan.
Video / 1:10
Watch: Switch from BarTender or NiceLabel
1:10 walkthrough in the real app. Step-by-step page →
SHORT ANSWER
Short answer. LabelInn imports your BarTender .btw labels as editable designs and prints them on the Zebra, TSC, Toshiba or Epson thermal printer you already have, from Windows or a Mac, without a printer driver. You can design and print for free; binding an Excel or CSV file is on Starter at $7.99 a month.
It is not the right move for every BarTender user. The tables below say where LabelInn is better, where BarTender is, and exactly what the import does not bring across.
Test it on your own label. Download LabelInn, import one .btw file, print it and hold it next to the BarTender printout. Free plan, no credit card. Download →
01 / WHY SWITCH
Why teams switch from BarTender
Four concrete differences, each checked against the product.
- Your .btw files come with you. The importer reads BarTender files (and NiceLabel / ZebraDesigner .nlbl files) and rebuilds text, barcodes, lines and pictures as elements you can edit. BarTender does not need to be installed.
- Windows and Mac. BarTender's desktop software runs on Windows only. LabelInn is a native app on both, plus a web designer and an Android app.
- No printer driver. LabelInn sends Zebra ZPL, TSC TSPL, Toshiba TPCL and Epson ESC/Label straight to the printer over USB or the network.
- A free plan, and a lower entry price. Design and print for $0. Starter is $79.90 a year against BarTender Starter at $199 a year.
02 / AT A GLANCE
BarTender vs LabelInn at a glance
The rows that decide most switches.
| BarTender | LabelInn | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Windows desktop; browser-based Cloud editions | Windows, macOS, web designer, Android |
| Your existing .btw files | Native | Imported as editable designs; scripts and data-bound text are rebuilt (see below) |
| Printing to a thermal printer | Through a Windows printer driver | Direct ZPL, TSPL, TPCL and ESC/Label, no driver |
| Excel or CSV data | Through its database connection, by edition | Attach the file and bind columns to fields (Starter, $7.99 a month) |
| API and automation | Automation edition, $575 a year | REST API, webhooks, watched folders and workflows (Pro, $24.90 a month) |
| Entry price | Starter $199 a year | Free; Starter $7.99 a month ($79.90 a year) |
| Where BarTender wins | Printers outside those four languages, validated environments that name BarTender, Integration Builder and SAP / Oracle modules | - |
03 / DECISION
Switch or stay
Find your situation in the left column.
| Your situation | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You print to Zebra, TSC, Toshiba or Epson thermal printers and want to stop paying per edition | LabelInn | The free plan prints by hand; Starter adds Excel and CSV. Your .btw files import. |
| Part of your team is on Macs | LabelInn | A native Mac app instead of a Windows virtual machine. See the Mac comparison. |
| BarTender runs on a Windows server and nothing is broken | Stay on BarTender | A working installation has a real cost to replace. Move when the licence, the Mac gap or a new printer forces the question. |
| Your labels depend on BarTender actions, scripts, Integration Builder or SAP / Oracle modules | Stay, or plan a rebuild | None of these are imported. They are rebuilt as workflows, watched folders or the API. |
| You print to a printer that only has a Windows driver | BarTender | LabelInn drives ZPL, TSPL, TPCL and ESC/Label printers. A printer outside those languages is outside what it drives. |
| Your validation or audit package names BarTender | Stay on BarTender | Switching is then a documentation project, not a download. |
04 / IMPORT
What your .btw files turn into
Open Import in the desktop app and pick files or a whole folder. Your originals are only read.
| In your .btw file | In LabelInn | Check this |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Editable text at the same position and size | Font names are best effort; confirm the typeface. |
| Barcodes | Barcode elements with symbology and data (Code 128, QR, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, Code 39) | Other symbologies arrive as Code 128 or QR. Scan a printed label. |
| A barcode bound to an Excel file | A spreadsheet binding naming the file, sheet and column | Attach your current file (Starter). |
| Text bound to data | Plain text with the sample value | Rebind it to a column. |
| Lines and pictures | Lines with their geometry; embedded pictures | Compare thin lines at print size. |
| Boxes and ellipses | Not rebuilt as shapes | Redraw them. A file that cannot be decoded reliably opens as its preview image, with a warning. |
The full walkthrough, with a worked example, is on importing BarTender and NiceLabel labels.
05 / COST
What you would pay in a year
Compare the licence you would actually carry.
| Product | Edition | A year |
|---|---|---|
| BarTender | Starter | $199 |
| BarTender | Professional | $299 |
| BarTender | Automation (API and integrations) | $575 |
| BarTender | Cloud Essentials (browser) | $390 |
| LabelInn | Free: design and print | $0 |
| LabelInn | Starter: Excel and CSV binding | $79.90 |
| LabelInn | Pro: API, webhooks, watched folders, workflows | $249.00 |
BarTender prices are "starting from" figures billed annually, read from Seagull Scientific's own page (https://www.bartendersoftware.com/product/pricing) on 17 Oct 2026. Vendor prices change; check the page before you decide. LabelInn prices come from our pricing page; yearly billing is ten months for twelve. Enterprise is quoted.
QUESTIONS / FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can LabelInn open BarTender .btw files?
Yes. The desktop app imports .btw files (and NiceLabel / ZebraDesigner .nlbl files) and rebuilds text, barcodes, lines and pictures as editable elements. Scripts, actions and data-bound text are not imported and need to be rebuilt.
Is there a free BarTender alternative?
LabelInn has a free plan that designs and prints labels with no credit card. Binding an Excel or CSV file starts on Starter.
Does LabelInn run on a Mac?
Yes, natively. BarTender's desktop software is Windows-only.
Which printers does LabelInn drive?
Thermal printers that speak Zebra ZPL, TSC TSPL, Toshiba TPCL or Epson ESC/Label, over USB or the network, without a printer driver.
When should I stay on BarTender?
When your labels depend on BarTender scripts, Integration Builder or SAP / Oracle modules, when you print to a printer outside those four languages, or when a validation package names BarTender.
KEEP GOING
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NEXT STEP / LABELINN
Bring one .btw file and try it
Download LabelInn, import a label, print it. · Free plan · No credit card · Windows and Mac