Check printing software is a program or web app that prints checks from your computer and printer. You enter the payee and amount, the software writes the amount in words, lays out the date, memo, signature and MICR line, and prints it on blank check stock, pre-printed stock or plain paper, so you never handwrite a check again.
Most tools also keep a record of every check you print, which replaces the paper register many people still keep.
How does check printing software work?
The workflow is similar across almost every tool. You set up your bank details once, then each payment takes a few fields and a click.
- Add your bank account: the name on the account, the bank name, the routing number and the account number. These feed the check face and the MICR line.
- Add a logo and a signature if you want them. Some tools let you leave the signature blank so you can sign by hand.
- Enter the check: payee, amount, date and an optional memo or invoice note.
- The software converts the amount into words. A $1,250.00 check becomes One thousand two hundred fifty and 00/100.
- Review the layout. A good tool shows a preview of the finished check, including the MICR line at the bottom.
- Print. The check number moves up by one and the check is saved to your records.
The MICR line is the row of special characters along the bottom of a check. It holds the routing number, the account number and the check number, and banks use it to read the check. Software prints it for you in the standard E-13B style so you do not format it yourself.
What can you print checks on?
The paper decides how the result looks and how it is used.
- Blank check stock: paper made for checks, usually three checks to a page with perforated stubs. The software prints the whole check. See what blank check stock is.
- Pre-printed check stock: checks you already own, with your bank details on them. The software fills in only the date, payee, amount and memo.
- Plain letter paper: the software prints one complete check you cut out. Whether a payee's bank takes it is up to that bank, and plain-paper checks tend to suit mobile and ATM deposits best.
What are the main types of check printing software?
| Option | How it works | Good fit when |
|---|---|---|
| Handwriting | Fill in each check by hand and record it in a paper register | You write a few checks a year |
| Ordering checks from a bank | Pre-printed boxes arrive with your details already on them | You want zero setup and rarely change anything |
| Accounting suite | Check printing is one feature inside a larger bookkeeping program | You already run your books in that program and want everything in one place |
| Desktop check software | A program you install on one computer | You always print from the same machine |
| Web-based check software | You sign in through a browser and print from any computer | You want quick setup and the same account on any computer you use |
Desktop programs install on a computer and keep data there. Accounting suites bundle check printing with invoices, bills and reports. Web apps run in a browser, so there is nothing to install and nothing to update. For a deeper look at how these compare, see check printing software vs ordering checks from a bank.
What do you need to get started?
- A computer with a browser or the program installed.
- Any ordinary inkjet or laser printer. A laser printer with MICR toner is the traditional match for high volume.
- Check paper: blank stock, pre-printed stock or plain paper, depending on how you plan to use the checks.
- A business or personal checking account, plus the routing and account numbers from your own check or your bank.
- A locked drawer or cabinet for blank stock, because it is a fraud risk if it goes missing.
Who uses check printing software?
Small business owners use it to pay vendors and contractors without waiting on a reorder. Landlords and property managers use it for repairs and refunds. Bookkeepers use it to print for several clients, each with their own bank account. Churches and clubs use it for a few regular payments. Individuals use it for rent, tuition or gifts when they have no checkbook handy.
If that sounds like you, weigh most how quickly you can go from sign-up to a printed check. A tool you set up in ten minutes beats a powerful one you never finish configuring.
How do you choose the right check printing software?
Start with ease of use. You should be able to add an account, see a live preview and print a first test without reading a manual. After that, check these points.
- Setup time: can you be ready to print in about ten minutes?
- Routing number help: does it check the routing number and suggest the bank name so a typo does not reach your MICR line?
- A free way to test: can you print a test page on plain paper before you load real stock?
- Live preview: can you see the check before it prints?
- Amount in words: is it filled in for you automatically?
- Saved payees: can you reuse a payee instead of retyping the name?
- Computer support: does it work on Windows, Mac and Chromebook with the printer you already own?
- Pricing: is it clear, and is there a trial so you can test before paying?
For a longer checklist and a trial plan, see best check printing software. If your priority is the simplest possible setup, simple check printing software covers what to skip, and easy check writer software shows what a fast day-to-day check should look like.
Check Writer 123 is made by the publisher of this site. If you want user-friendly software with fast setup and quick printing, with no advanced computer knowledge needed, it is built for that. It runs in your browser with nothing to install, suggests the bank name when you enter a routing number, shows a live preview, fills in the amount in words and keeps saved payees. Test Print is free on plain paper, so you can check alignment before you use real stock. Every plan includes every feature, with a 14-day free trial that needs no card, plans from $9.99 per month and a 30-day money-back guarantee on the first payment.
How do you get started in about ten minutes?
- Open the tool in your browser and create an account. With Check Writer 123 the 14-day free trial does not ask for a card.
- Add your bank account. Type the routing number and let the tool check it and suggest the bank name, then add the account number and the name and address on the account.
- Upload your logo and add your signature, or leave the signature blank to sign by hand.
- Enter your first check and watch the live preview update as you type.
- Run a Test Print on plain paper. Hold it against one of your real checks in front of a light to see how the fields line up.
- Load your blank or pre-printed stock, print the real check and let the ink dry before you handle it.
Print at Actual size, not Fit to page, and turn off headers and footers in the print dialog. Those two settings fix most alignment problems. If you are on Windows, check printing software for Windows goes through the print dialog in detail, and how to print checks from your computer covers Mac and browser settings.
Is it safe, and will your bank accept the checks?
Software keeps your bank details behind a login, so use a strong, unique password. Locking away blank stock and shredding spoiled checks covers the paper side. Acceptance of printed checks is decided by your bank and the payee's bank, so ask your bank before you rely on them, and test with a low-value check first. Magnetic ink or MICR toner is the safest choice for high volume.
Next steps
Write down how many checks you print in a month and how many bank accounts you use. If you run a business, read about check printing software for small business. If you want to try a single check right now, you can print checks online and see the whole flow before you commit to anything.