Check printing software usually wins when you write checks regularly, change payees often or manage more than one account, because you print exactly what you need on demand. Ordering checks from a bank wins when you write only a handful a year, want zero setup and want stock that is already encoded and accepted by that bank.
Neither choice is wrong. The right one depends on your volume, how often your details change and how comfortable you are keeping blank check stock safe. The sections below walk through each factor so you can decide with your own numbers.
How does ordering checks from a bank work?
You place an order through your bank, a check printing company the bank partners with, or an independent check printer. The checks arrive pre-printed with your name, address, routing number, account number and a starting check number. You write each one by hand or run them through a printer that fills in the variable fields.
The big advantage is certainty. The MICR line, the security features and the layout are produced by a professional printer, so the check looks and reads the way your bank expects. The trade-off is that the account details are fixed at the time of the order, and reorders take time to arrive.
How does check printing software work?
With software you keep your bank details, logo and signature in an account, then enter each payment and print it on demand. Depending on the tool, you print onto blank check stock, onto checks you already own, or onto plain paper. The tool formats the date, payee, amount and the amount in words for you.
Because nothing is fixed on the paper in advance, you can add a bank account in an afternoon, correct an address immediately and put invoice details on the stub. You also take on a few jobs the bank used to handle: loading stock, aligning the print and storing blank stock securely.
Side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Ordering from a bank | Check printing software |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Place an order and wait for delivery | Create an account, enter bank details, run a test print |
| Speed to first check | Days to weeks for a new account or a reorder | Same day once stock and a printer are on hand |
| Changing details | Requires a reorder; old stock may be wasted | Edit the details and print the next check |
| Multiple accounts | A separate order for each account | Switch accounts inside the tool, subject to plan limits |
| Stub and invoice detail | Handwritten, unless you buy voucher checks | Printed from your entries on the stub |
| Cost structure | Priced per box of checks | Monthly or per-use fee plus blank stock and ink or toner |
| MICR and acceptance | Encoded by the printer and designed for the bank | You print the MICR line yourself; confirm acceptance with your bank |
| Security of stock | Stock arrives with your details already printed | Blank stock has no details, so it must be locked away |
Which one costs less?
Do not trust a general claim here. Work it out with your own numbers. For ordering, take the price of a box and divide by the number of checks, then add any shipping and the cost of reorders that arrive after you already needed them. For printing yourself, add the monthly software fee, divide by the checks you print in a month, then add the cost of one sheet of stock and a share of ink or toner.
For example, suppose you write 40 checks in a month and your software fee is $13.99. That is about $0.35 per check before stock. If a sheet of stock costs you a few cents to a few tens of cents, you can see the full per-check figure and compare it with the per-check price on your bank's order form. If you write 4 checks in a month, the software fee spreads over far fewer checks and the bank order may come out ahead.
What about bank acceptance and MICR?
Checks ordered from a bank carry a MICR line printed in magnetic ink, which is the traditional format for automated check processing. When you print your own, the MICR line is produced by your printer. MICR toner is the safest match for high volume, and many banks now process checks mostly as images, but acceptance is decided by your bank and the payee's bank. Ask your bank in plain terms whether it accepts checks printed on blank stock before you commit.
How do the two compare on security and fraud?
A pre-printed box is not useful to a thief until it is filled out, but it still holds your account and routing numbers, so it should be stored carefully. Blank check stock has no account details on it, but a thief with a printer and a stolen account number could produce a check on it. Lock stock in a drawer or cabinet, count sheets, shred spoiled ones and limit who can reach it.
Software changes the risk in other ways. Your account details live behind a login, so use a strong, unique password. Every check is saved in a register, which gives you a record to compare against your statement. Reconciling weekly catches a problem sooner than waiting for a monthly statement.
When is ordering from a bank the better choice?
- You write fewer than a few dozen checks a year and a monthly fee would never pay back.
- You want the lowest possible risk of a bank rejecting a check because of print quality.
- You do not have a printer, or you do not want to manage paper and alignment.
- Your accounting system already prints checks for you and you are happy with it.
- You need a format software cannot easily match, such as the small wallet size that comes bound in a checkbook.
When is check printing software the better choice?
- You write checks every week and want to stop handwriting them.
- Your payee list is long and you want amounts in words and check numbers handled automatically.
- You manage more than one bank account or run more than one business.
- You need invoice numbers or notes on the stub for vendors.
- You change your address, logo or signature often enough that reorders are a nuisance.
Check Writer 123 is made by the publisher of this site, so weigh that when you read this comparison. It is a web app that works in a browser with any printer and prints on blank stock, pre-printed stock or plain paper. It does not mail checks, connect to your bank or sync with accounting software. The 14-day trial needs no card, so you can print a free Test Print and compare it with a real check before you decide.
Can you use both?
Many people do. They keep a small box of bank-ordered checks for the occasions when a payee insists on a traditional check, and print the rest. Others order checks for their main account and use software for a second account or a side business. A mixed approach also gives you a fallback if a printer fails on the day a payment is due.
Next steps
Write down how many checks you issue in a typical month, how many accounts you use and how often your details change. Price both options with those numbers. Then confirm acceptance with your bank, and read can you print your own checks for the plain-language rules. If a business is in the picture, how small businesses can print their own checks covers controls and a simple monthly routine.