What is a digital checkbook?

What is a digital checkbook, and is it right for you?

A digital checkbook is a pack of check credits you buy once and use on your own computer. With Check Writer 123, you pay $15, $25 or $35 for 100, 200 or 500 checks. You print each one on your own printer as a real paper check. The checks never expire and nothing renews. It is not an electronic payment.

Get a Digital Checkbook See pricing

Real paper checks, printed at home or the office. One payment by card through Square. No subscription.

Why people look for a digital checkbook

Ordering a box of checks is slow and fixed

A regular checkbook is printed in advance with your name, address and account details on every check. You wait for it to arrive, you must order a full box, and if you move or open a new account the old checks are no use. A digital checkbook has none of that waiting.

You only write a few checks a year

Rent, a repair, a tax payment, a gift. For many households and small businesses, checks are rare but still needed. Buying and storing boxes of checks for a few uses is wasteful, and a monthly software plan is poor value for the same reason.

The words are confusing

Searches for a digital check turn up e-checks, bank apps, mobile deposit and online bill pay. Those are different things. People often just want one thing: a way to produce a normal paper check on demand, without a trip to the bank or an order form.

You do not want another subscription

Most check-printing software is billed every month. If you only print now and then, that cost builds up for little benefit. A checkbook model charges once and lets the balance sit until you need it.

How a digital checkbook works in five steps

The idea is simple: you buy a number of checks, then each check you print uses one. For a longer walk-through, read how a Digital Checkbook works.

1
Buy a pack of checks
Press Buy Digital Checkbook at the top of the site. Choose 100, 200 or 500 checks and pay once by card. Sign-up and payment are on one screen.
2
Your checks are added to your account
The checks appear on your dashboard as a balance. They never expire. You confirm your email with a link we send, and your dashboard opens.
3
Add your bank account
Enter the account holder name and address, the routing number and the account number. The routing number is checked for you. You can add your logo and signature.
4
Print on paper you buy
Fill in the payee and amount. The written amount and the MICR line are made for you. You print on blank check stock, pre-printed bank stock or plain paper. A free Test Print lets you line up the page first.
5
Sign, hand over or mail
The result is an ordinary paper check. You sign it if it is not already signed and give it to the person you are paying. Each printed check uses one from your balance, and you can buy more any time.

What a Digital Checkbook includes

Real checks, printed on demand

Nothing is mailed to you. You print each check only when you need it, with today's payee, amount and date, so there is no pile of unused checks with an old address.

Pay once, no expiry

The 100, 200 and 500 packs cost $15, $25 and $35. The checks never expire, there is no monthly limit and nothing renews.

Every feature included

Logo, signature by photo, scan, drawing or typing, all check templates, batch printing, the alignment tool, saved payees, the check register and cloud backup. Bigger packs only add more checks.

Automatic MICR line and amount in words

The routing and account numbers are set in the bottom line for you, and the amount in words is made as you type the number. These are two common reasons hand-made checks go wrong.

Free Test Prints and reprints

A Test Print on plain paper uses no check. Reprinting a check you already saved is free too, so a paper jam does not cost you a second check.

A record of every check

Each printed check is saved with its number, payee, amount and date. You can see the register on screen or download it as a CSV file.

An example: a digital checkbook for one household

Priya pays her landlord by check and sends a few others a year: a plumber, a school fee and a birthday gift. The figures here are an illustration with round numbers, not a customer story.

She buys the 100-check pack for $15 and prints a check only when she needs one. At about 15 checks a year, the pack lasts around six and a half years. She never pays for checks she does not use, and her saved bank details mean she does not rewrite her own address each time.

An illustration with made-up figures, not a real customer.

Digital checkbook, e-check or mobile deposit: what is the difference?

These terms get mixed up, so here is the difference in plain words. A digital checkbook from Check Writer 123 produces a paper check. Money moves the old way, when the person you pay deposits the check at their bank.

Digital checkbook (Check Writer 123): you print a real paper check on your own printer. The person you pay gets a normal check.
E-check or ACH payment: money moves electronically from account to account, with no paper. Check Writer 123 does not send these. See do you need software for ACH payments.
Mobile deposit: this is how the person who receives a check can deposit it with a phone camera. It works with printed checks like any other.
Bank online bill pay: your bank sends the payment for you, sometimes by mailing a check on your behalf. You do not control the paper or the look.
Zelle, Venmo and similar apps: person-to-person transfers. They are not checks.

Is it legal and will my bank take the checks?

Printing your own checks is legal as long as the check has the information a bank needs, including the correct routing and account numbers in the MICR line. The guide on whether it is legal to print your own checks explains this.

We cannot promise that any bank will accept any check. Checks printed on blank stock with a complete MICR line carry the same information as bank-issued checks. If you are unsure, ask your bank, and read will banks accept checks you print yourself.

What a digital checkbook is not

It helps to be clear about the limits. A Digital Checkbook does not include paper, ink or a printer, and Check Writer 123 does not mail you checks. It allows 1 bank account. All sales are final.

It does not send money for you. You still hand over or mail the check.
It does not include blank check stock. You can buy this separately, or use plain paper. See what blank check stock is.
It is limited to 1 bank account. For more, the monthly plans on the pricing page allow 4 or unlimited accounts.
All sales are final. The 30-day money-back guarantee covers monthly plans only. See the refund policy.

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

What is a digital checkbook?

A digital checkbook is a pack of check credits you buy once and use on your computer. With Check Writer 123 you choose 100, 200 or 500 checks and print each one on your own printer as a real paper check. The checks never expire, nothing renews, and every feature is included.

Is a digital checkbook the same as an e-check?

No. An e-check moves money electronically with no paper. A digital checkbook prints an ordinary paper check that you sign and give to the person you pay. Check Writer 123 prints checks. It does not send ACH or electronic payments.

Who should use a digital checkbook?

It suits people and small businesses who write checks now and then and want to pay once, not monthly. Examples are landlords with one property, tradespeople, families and small offices. If you write hundreds of checks a month or need several bank accounts, a monthly plan fits better.

How much does a digital checkbook cost?

100 checks cost $15, 200 cost $25 and 500 cost $35. That is 15, 12.5 and 7 cents a check. You also pay for your own paper and ink. Mailing is not needed, because you print the checks yourself. All sales are final.

Do I need special paper or a special printer?

No special printer is needed. Any regular inkjet or laser printer works. You can print on blank check stock, pre-printed bank stock or plain paper. Some banks and people prefer MICR toner for the bottom line, so ask your bank if you are unsure. See do you need MICR toner.

Do the checks expire?

No. The checks have no expiry date and there is no monthly limit. They stay on your account until you print them. One note: accounts that nobody has signed in to for 2 years may be deleted, and we email a warning first.

Can I use more than one bank account?

A Digital Checkbook allows 1 bank account. If you need more, Mid Tier allows 4 accounts and Unlimited allows unlimited accounts, billed monthly. You can read about the options on the pricing page.

Is my information safe?

Card payments go straight to Square and we never see your full card number. We describe what is and is not in place, honestly, on our safety page, so you can judge for yourself before you buy.

Guides for people wondering what a digital checkbook is

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