To choose check printing software, compare it on twelve points: where it runs, what paper it prints on, how you set up alignment, whether it saves your bank details, whether it keeps a check history, how it handles several accounts, what it costs, any limits, how it handles your data, the free trial, support and how fast you can print a first check. The table below puts them side by side.
The 12-point checklist
| What to compare | What to look for |
|---|---|
| 1. Where it runs | A browser tool works on Windows, Mac and Chromebook. A desktop installer works only on the computer it was made for. |
| 2. Paper support | Blank check stock, pre-printed stock and plain paper. More choices mean more flexibility. |
| 3. Alignment | A free test print and controls that move the page and the MICR line, saved for each bank account. |
| 4. Saved bank details | Enter your routing and account numbers once, per account. Look for routing number checking. |
| 5. Check history | A searchable register of every check, with export for your accountant. |
| 6. Multiple accounts | Separate names, addresses, logos and signatures for each account. |
| 7. Price | Monthly or one-time? Any per-check fees? What do you also pay for paper and ink? |
| 8. Limits | How many checks and accounts are included, and which features come with which plan? |
| 9. Data handling | HTTPS, hashed passwords and a clear statement on how card and bank details are handled. |
| 10. Free trial | Can you test before paying, and does it need a card? |
| 11. Support | Is there a real way to ask a question, and does the help match the product? |
| 12. Time to first check | Can a beginner print one in about ten minutes? |
Browser-based or desktop?
A browser-based tool needs no installation, updates itself and keeps your records with your sign-in, so they follow you from computer to computer. Desktop software keeps files on one machine and may work without the internet, but it must match your operating system and be updated by you. Chromebook users should skip desktop installers entirely: see can you use check printing software on a Chromebook. The full trade-off is in online versus desktop check printing software.
Which paper should the software support?
Choose software that supports the paper you plan to buy. Blank check stock is the most flexible and prints the whole check, MICR line included. Pre-printed stock only receives the changing fields. Plain paper works for deposits you make yourself. If you are unsure, read what kind of paper you need to print checks.
Price: what is really included?
Ask what a month costs, what limit applies and what you buy separately. With Check Writer 123, plans are $5.99 a month for 20 checks and 1 bank account, $10.99 for 60 checks and 4 accounts, and $25.99 for unlimited checks and accounts. Every paid plan has all check templates, batch printing and the check register, logo, signature and cloud backup come with Mid Tier and Unlimited, and you buy your own paper and ink. Compare that with what you pay now for ordered checks in check printing software versus ordering checks from a bank and with the figures in the cost of printing your own checks.
Test before you commit
Use the free trial to do the one thing you will actually do: add a bank account, write a check, run a Test Print on plain paper and fix the alignment. If you can do that without help in about ten minutes, the software is easy to use. Check Writer 123 offers a 14-day free trial with no card needed, and you can read how it works on the check printing software page.