Where to Order Checks? Online and Retailers
![Where to Order Checks](/personal-finance/static/9fa47677d85a4a445f159b069d9b1228/8ae18/where-to-order-checks.jpg)
Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we may earn a commission from our partners’ links. This content is created by TIME Stamped, under TIME’s direction and produced in accordance with TIME’s editorial guidelines and overseen by TIME’s editorial staff. Learn more about it.
Paper checks are no longer the primary means of moving funds from your bank account. Nevertheless, they remain useful for paying utilities and other bills, compensating employees, and satisfying debts between friends. Unfortunately, they can be a bit pricey.
Let’s examine where to order checks inexpensively and how you may even be able to score them for free.
Annoyingly, banks tend to charge the highest prices for personal checks. There are exceptions, but the convenience of ordering from your bank comes at a cost.
Below are the best major banks and credit unions for free checks, though, as a general rule, anything but a standard check won’t be free. In other words, you'll probably have to pay if you’ve chosen a spiffy design instead of a regular, nondescript check.
If your bank doesn’t offer checks for free, several online printing services can create them for you, typically at a lower price than most banks charge.
Common grocery stores and warehouses also offer paper check services.
As you can see, these small rectangular pieces of paper aren’t exactly inexpensive. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.
By planning ahead and ordering checks before you need another batch, you can take the time you need to find the lowest price and not be left scrambling at the last minute.
It’s perfectly legal to print your own checks, as long as each one contains the following information: account and routing number, signature, date, and amount.
Services such as Checkeeper provide a template and allow you to print checks as often as you like. You’ll pay $14.99 per month, though, so you’ll need to write a lot of checks for this to be worth it (though, admittedly, the service does come with other goodies, such as the ability to connect QuickBooks Online).
Generally, the more checks you buy, the less you’ll pay per check. Order for the foreseeable future, and you’ll get a noticeable discount.
You'll pay extra if you want hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers, or blue moons on your checks. Text-only checks will give you the biggest value for your money, so forego the personalized graphics.
Do you rarely write checks and just need one occasionally? Or do you find yourself blowing through checkbooks every month? It’s generally better to order more checks than you think you’ll need.
If you’re after a standard blue check, you can bet that everyone will offer it. However, if you want something more, such as a high-security check or a specific theme (Disney, travel, butterflies, etc.), you may need to do some shopping to see who offers your ideal check.
The price difference between retailers that sell checks can be surprising. Once you know what you’re after, shop for the cheapest seller.
When you buy checks, you can add personal information, such as your home address and phone number, as well as business details if you operate a sole proprietorship (or something bigger).
Checks aren’t the only way to make a payment or transfer money to someone else. Consider the following alternatives:
Paper checks may no longer be convenient, but they aren’t completely obsolete either. You can cut down on your check costs by banking with an institution that offers free checks, printing them yourself, or finding a major retailer that issues checks at a discount.
Yes. However, it’s possible that some entities won’t accept them, as the checks won’t have the same watermarks and ink used with bank-issued checks. Nevertheless, the checks you print are valid.
For a check to be valid, it must include a date, signature, dollar amount paid, bank routing number, and checking account number.
Generally, it’s quite safe to shop for checks. Though getting them from your bank may be more customary, there’s no reason not to shop at online printers and retailers.
The information presented here is created by TIME Stamped and overseen by TIME editorial staff. To learn more, see our About Us page.