Payroll check printing software for small employers
Check Writer 123 prints your payroll checks. You take the net pay from your payroll provider or accountant, pick each employee from a saved list, and print the whole pay run in one go on your own printer. Every check is saved to a register. It prints checks only: it does not calculate wages or taxes. Plans start at $5.99 a month, with a 14-day trial and no card needed.
14-day free trial, no card needed. Prints checks only. It does not calculate payroll or file taxes.
Why printing payroll checks by hand is a chore
The same names, every pay period
Typing or writing the same employee names and amounts every week or two is slow, and a misspelled name can cause trouble at the bank. Saved employees mean you pick a name instead of retyping it.
A pay run is a pile of checks
Writing ten or twenty checks one at a time, each with the amount in words, takes much of an afternoon. A batch table lets you enter a whole pay run and print it together.
Reprinting after a jam should not cost a check
A paper jam or a misaligned print wastes a check. With a free Test Print and free reprints of a saved check, a printer problem does not become a payroll problem.
Records for the accountant
At quarter end someone has to find out what each employee was paid and when. A register of every payroll check, exportable as a spreadsheet, answers that without digging through stubs.
How to print payroll checks with Check Writer 123
Get the net pay from the system that does your payroll, then print here. For the paper and printer side, see how to print payroll checks.
- 1
Set up the payroll bank account
Add the account that employees are paid from, with its business name, address, routing number and account number. If payroll uses its own account, add it as a separate bank account so its checks keep their own numbering and look.
- 2
Save your employees once
Add each employee to your saved list with the name exactly as it should appear on the check. After that they appear in a pick list, and a returning employee is one click.
- 3
Enter the net pay for the period
In the batch table, enter each employee's net pay from your payroll provider or accountant, the date and a short memo such as the pay period. Net pay is the amount after taxes and deductions, and you calculate it elsewhere.
- 4
Test, then print the pay run
Run a free Test Print on plain paper to confirm alignment on your check stock. Then print the selected checks together. Each one is saved to the register with its own check number.
- 5
Keep the record
The register shows what was paid, to whom and when. Download it as a spreadsheet for your accountant, and match each check against your bank statement as it clears.
Features that help with payroll checks
Saved employees
Employees live in their own list, separate from vendors, so a pay run is a matter of ticking names.
Batch entry and printing
Enter up to 25 checks in one table and print up to 50 selected checks in one run. See how to print checks for multiple employees.
Memo and stub detail
Put the pay period in the memo, and add lines to the stub when you want the employee to see what the check covers.
A separate account for payroll
Give payroll its own bank account in the app, with its own check numbers, alignment and logo. Mid Tier includes 4 accounts and Unlimited has no limit.
Free Test Print and reprints
Check the layout on plain paper without using a real check, and reprint a saved check for free if the printer jams.
A searchable register
Search by employee, date or amount, print a register report, or export everything as a CSV file.
A small employer runs a biweekly pay run
A small dental office pays six employees every second Friday from a payroll account. The accountant sends the net pay figures: $1,142.60, $1,376.18, $987.40, $1,205.75, $864.32 and $1,498.05.
The employees are already saved, so the office enters the six amounts in the batch table with the memo 'Pay period ending Nov 14'. A Test Print on plain paper confirms alignment, and all six checks print together. The register now shows six checks totalling $7,074.30 for the pay period.
An illustration with made-up figures, not a real customer.
What this does, and what it does not do
Check Writer 123 prints payroll checks. It does not calculate wages, withhold taxes, file payroll tax returns or issue year-end forms. Use a payroll provider, accountant or payroll software for that, and bring the net pay amounts here to print.
This split suits small employers who already have someone handling payroll and who still pay some or all staff by check. It also suits businesses that pay by direct deposit for most staff and by check for a few.
Equipment and check paper for payroll checks
You need a regular inkjet or laser printer and check paper. Most employers use 3-to-a-page blank check stock, where the full check including the bank number line is printed. Pre-printed stock from your bank also works, and voucher-style stock gives you a stub for the employee.
For choosing paper, see what voucher checks are and what 3-to-a-page check paper is.
Keeping payroll checks secure
Payroll checks carry names and bank details, so keep stock locked and shred spoiled checks. Hand out printed checks yourself or have a second person review the list before they are signed. For more, read check fraud prevention for small business.
What it costs
One flat monthly price. Every paid plan has all check templates, batch printing and the check register. Logo, signature and cloud backup come with Mid Tier and Unlimited. You also pay for your own paper and ink.
Occasional Pack
$5.99
per month
20 checks a month
1 bank account
Mid Tier
$10.99
per month
60 checks a month
4 bank accounts
Unlimited
$25.99
per month
Unlimited checks
Unlimited bank accounts
A check counts when you press Print. Reprints and Test Prints are free. 30-day money-back guarantee on your first payment; see the refund policy.
Frequently asked questions
Can I print payroll checks with Check Writer 123?
Yes. Take each employee's net pay from your payroll provider or accountant, pick the employee from your saved list, add the pay period in the memo, and print. You can enter a whole pay run in the batch table and print it together.
Does it calculate payroll taxes or withholding?
No. It prints checks only. It does not calculate wages, withhold or file taxes, or produce tax forms. Use a payroll provider or accountant for those, and print the resulting net pay checks here.
Can I print payroll checks for many employees at once?
Yes. The batch table takes up to 25 checks at a time, and you can print up to 50 selected checks together. Each check still gets its own number and register entry. See how to print checks for multiple employees.
What paper should I use for payroll checks?
Blank check stock, usually 3 to a page, is the most common choice because the whole check is printed by the software. Voucher-style stock adds a stub for the employee. Pre-printed checks from your bank also work, and plain paper suits checks you deposit yourself.
Can payroll have its own bank account in the app?
Yes. Add it as a separate bank account with its own business name, address, logo, signature and check numbers. Mid Tier includes 4 accounts and Unlimited has no limit; Occasional includes 1.
What if a payroll check prints crooked or the printer jams?
Run a free Test Print on plain paper first to confirm alignment. If a printer jams or a print comes out wrong, reprint the saved check at no cost. If a check was spoiled, void it and write a new one so the numbering stays clean.
How much does it cost?
Occasional is $5.99 a month for 20 checks and 1 account, Mid Tier is $10.99 for 60 checks and 4 accounts, and Unlimited is $25.99 with no limit. Every new account gets a 14-day free trial with no card needed. Paper and ink are separate.
Guides for employers who pay staff by check
- How to Print Payroll Checks
- How to Print Payroll Checks at Home
- How to Print Checks for Multiple Employees
- How to Print Multiple Checks at Once
- What Are Voucher Checks?
- How to Reconcile Printed Checks With a Bank Statement
- How to Void a Printed Check
- Check Fraud Prevention for Small Business
Also for
- Anyone who prints their own checks
- Small businesses
- Mac users
- Windows users
- Chromebook users
- Landlords and property managers
- Contractors and trades
- Churches and nonprofits
- Bookkeepers and accountants
- Daycares and small shops
- Law firms and small practices
- Auto repair shops and dealerships
- People who want to try check printing software first
- People who want free check printing software
- People deciding whether to pay for ACH payment software
- People deciding whether to pay for wire transfer software
- People deciding whether to pay for check mailing services
- People deciding whether check writing software is worth it
- People who handwrite checks and want something easier
- People deciding between printing checks and ordering them
- People comparing check writing software with what their bank offers
- People who want to save time writing checks
- Small businesses that need better check records
- People who want to avoid check writing mistakes and wasted checks
- People who print checks now and then
- People searching to buy checks online
- People who do not want a subscription
- People wondering what a digital checkbook is
- People comparing a digital checkbook with regular checks
- People who want to know how a digital checkbook works
- People weighing the benefits of a digital checkbook
- People checking the price of a digital checkbook
- Businesses that pay by check
- People who print on blank check stock
- People who print the MICR line on checks
- LLC owners
- Anyone: print checks online
Print your next pay run in minutes
Start the 14-day free trial. No card needed, nothing to install.