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A free alternative to ZebraDesigner
You can design labels for a Zebra printer without ZebraDesigner. mylabelmaker is the ultimate app for whatever label you want to make, and a Zebra printer is the one this page is about. You design the label, copy the ZPL, and print. No signup, and it runs on a Mac.
Zebra and ZebraDesigner are trademarks of their owner. This page is not made or endorsed by Zebra. We do not host their installer.
ZebraDesigner is Zebra's own Windows program. Essentials is the free one, and it will not merge a spreadsheet. Professional will take an Excel file on that PC, and Professional costs money. Neither one pulls a Google Sheet you are editing in the browser. If you are on a Mac, you cannot run it at all. The installer stays on zebra.com.
ZebraDesigner vs a free label maker
| Feature | mylabelmaker | ZebraDesigner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. No account, no ads, no Pro plan. | Essentials is a free download. Professional is paid. |
| Where it runs | The browser, on Mac and Windows. | Windows. |
| Install | No designer to install. Direct print uses Zebra Browser Print once, then you restart the browser. | ZebraDesigner, plus the Zebra driver, on that PC. |
| Spreadsheet | Excel, CSV, or a Google Sheet you published as CSV. One row prints one label. | Essentials does not merge a spreadsheet. Professional can use an Excel file on that PC. It does not pull a live Google Sheet. |
| ZPL | Copy ZPL from the label you designed. Paste ZPL you already have, preview it, and print that same job. | Native ZebraDesigner output. They store the design as an .nlbl file. |
| RFID and .nlbl | We do not encode RFID, and we do not open .nlbl files. | ZebraDesigner can encode RFID and can open its own .nlbl files. |
| Other labels | Avery, DYMO, and Brother sizes are in the same app. 26 Zebra and Rollo rolls. | Zebra printers. |
| Where the label lives | No login. The label stays in this browser. A published Google Sheet is loaded from Google. | On that Windows PC, in ZebraDesigner. |
If a rare ZPL command has to be perfect, Zebra's own designer is the authority, and so is a careful preview. We preview pasted ZPL in the browser and print that same job. We do not turn that pasted code into boxes you drag. We also do not open an .nlbl file, and we do not encode an RFID chip. The label you design here is still the one to print.
Zebra sizes you can open
Zebra 4 x 6 shipping
4 x 6 in.
Printers: A 4 inch Zebra printer (ZD420, ZD421, ZD620, GK420d, ZT410) or a Rollo. A 2 inch ZD410 is too narrow.
Zebra 4 x 2 bin
4 x 2 in.
Printers: A 4 inch Zebra printer or a Rollo. A 2 inch ZD410 is too narrow.
Zebra 2 x 1 barcode
2 x 1 in.
Printers: A ZD410 or ZD411, a 4 inch Zebra printer, or a Rollo.
Zebra 4 x 2.5
4 x 2.5 in.
Printers: A 4 inch Zebra printer or a Rollo.
Every Zebra and Rollo size. The same 26 rolls are on the Rollo page.
How to print Zebra labels without ZebraDesigner
- Open https://app.mylabelmaker.com. No signup. Or start from a size on the Zebra label templates page.
- Set the label to the roll in the printer, or open a 4x6, 4x2, or 2x1. Add the text and a barcode.
- For a list, upload Excel or CSV, or a Google Sheet published as CSV. One row, one label.
- Copy the ZPL if you want the code. To print, install Zebra Browser Print once, restart the browser, and send the job to the Zebra printer. You can also download a PNG or a PDF.
When to use which
Use this free label maker when
You have a spreadsheet, a Mac or a Windows PC, and a Zebra printer. You want the design, the ZPL, and the print in one place, with Avery and DYMO sizes there too if the day asks for them.
Stay with ZebraDesigner when
You need RFID encoding, you already have .nlbl files, or a Windows print setup at the plant depends on Professional. That job is theirs. The label you design by hand can still start here.
Questions about a ZebraDesigner alternative
Is mylabelmaker a free ZebraDesigner alternative?
Yes. It is a free label maker in the browser on Mac and Windows. You design the label, print from Excel or a published Google Sheet, copy the ZPL, and print to a Zebra printer with Browser Print. No signup.
Can I print to a Zebra printer from a Mac?
Yes. ZebraDesigner is Windows. Here you design on a Mac, then Zebra Browser Print (Zebra's free helper) sends the job after you install it once and restart the browser.
Does ZebraDesigner Essentials merge a spreadsheet?
Essentials does not. Professional can use an Excel file stored on that PC, and you pay for Professional. A live Google Sheet is a job for this free label maker: publish the sheet as CSV and print one label per row.
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