Bank vs Online: Which Is the Best Place to Order Checks
When asking what is the best place to order checks online, most people assume the answer is their bank because it feels like the obvious choice. Your bank already has your account information, so the process seems simpler. In practice, ordering through your bank typically costs two to three times more than ordering from a direct online manufacturer, with longer turnaround times and fewer customization options.
Here is why the gap exists. Banks do not print checks. They send your order to a third-party printer on their behalf, mark up the price, and pass the order back to you with standard shipping. The bank takes a margin on every order. A direct manufacturer like Checkomatic handles the entire process in-house, from printing to MICR encoding to shipping, with no middleman markup.
What Type of Checks Do You Need Before You Decide Where to Order
The best place to order checks online depends partly on what kind of checks you need. Different check types have different format requirements, and not every online check supplier offers every type.
Personal Checks
Personal checks come in checkbook format, top stub format, or deskset format. If you write personal checks occasionally for rent, utilities, or personal payments, any CPSA-certified supplier handles this. If you want your logo or a custom design on personal checks, confirm the supplier offers that customization before ordering. Browse Checkomatic's options at personal checks.
Business Checks
Business checks divide into computer checks (printed through accounting software) and manual checks (handwritten). For computer checks, the format must match your accounting software's print template exactly. For manual checks, the format must fit your binder system. The best place to order business checks online is a supplier that confirms format compatibility before shipping and offers custom formatting at no extra charge. Browse business checks at Checkomatic.
QuickBooks Compatible Checks
QuickBooks checks require a specific layout so the software's print output lands in the correct position on the check stock. The three formats are voucher (check on top, the QuickBooks default), standard 3-on-a-page, and wallet. Ordering the wrong format means every check in the batch is unusable. The best place to order QuickBooks checks online is a manufacturer that calibrates check stock to QuickBooks print templates. See QuickBooks checks.
Laser and Computer Checks
Laser checks are printed by a laser or inkjet printer connected to accounting software. The check stock comes pre-printed with your company information and MICR line; your printer adds the variable payment details. Laser checks work with QuickBooks, Quicken, Sage, MYOB, Xero, and over 500 other platforms. See computer checks.
Manual Business Checks
Manual checks are handwritten. They come in 3-on-a-page binder formats with detachable stubs for accounts payable and payroll records. No printer or software required. Best for businesses processing fewer than 20 payments per month or for field payments where a printer is not available. See manual checks.
Seven Factors That Define the Best Place to Order Checks Online
Not all online check suppliers are equal. Knowing what is the best place to order checks online means evaluating every supplier against these seven criteria before entering your banking information.
Factor 1: CPSA Certification
One key signal when determining what is the best place to order checks online is CPSA certification. The Check Payment Systems Association (CPSA) is the industry body that certifies check printers meeting the minimum security standard required under ANSI X9.100-170. A CPSA-certified printer is authorized to print the padlock icon on their check stock, which signals to banks and businesses that the checks meet verified security requirements. If a check supplier does not mention CPSA certification anywhere on their website, the security claims on their check stock are unverified assertions, not certified facts.
Factor 2: In-House Manufacturing vs Order Brokering
Some online check websites are order brokers, not manufacturers. They take your order, send it to a third-party printer, mark up the price, and ship it to you. You pay an extra margin for the intermediary without getting any additional benefit. A direct manufacturer like Checkomatic handles the entire process in-house: printing, MICR encoding, quality control, and shipping. Direct manufacturing gives you lower prices, faster turnaround, and a single point of accountability if anything goes wrong.
Factor 3: MICR Pre-Verification
The MICR line at the bottom of every check must be printed in certified magnetic toner for bank reader-sorter machines to process correctly. A wrong routing number or wrong account number in the MICR line produces a batch of checks that bank clearing systems reject. The best place to order checks online verifies your routing number against the Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory before production begins, not after. This catches transposition errors and outdated routing numbers before they waste your check order.
Factor 4: Accounting Software Compatibility
If you print checks through QuickBooks, Quicken, Sage, MYOB, or another accounting platform, the check stock you order must match your software's print template exactly. Format mismatches cause every check to print misaligned, rendering the entire batch unusable. The best place to order checks online for software users is a manufacturer that carries pre-calibrated stock for major platforms and offers custom formatting for less common software at no extra charge.
Factor 5: Security Features in the Check Stock
Check fraud affects a significant portion of US businesses annually. The security features in your check stock are the primary defense against check washing, counterfeiting, and unauthorized alteration. At minimum, look for chemically sensitive paper, microprinting, and a void pantograph. The best suppliers include all six CPSA security categories at the base price without requiring a security tier upgrade.
Factor 6: Turnaround Time and Rush Options
Standard turnaround varies significantly between suppliers. Bank-issued checks take 7 to 14 business days. Direct manufacturers typically deliver in 3 to 5 business days. For urgent needs, look for a supplier that offers same-day production (Rush) and overnight delivery of an initial batch (SuperRush). Payroll deadlines and end-of-month AP runs do not wait for slow suppliers. See Checkomatic's delivery options at shipping and handling.
Factor 7: Reprint and Returns Policy
Check printing errors happen. A missing digit in your account number, a misspelled business name, or a wrong starting check number produces a batch you cannot use. Before you order, confirm the supplier's policy on errors: do they require proof that the error was theirs, or do they handle corrections regardless of who made the mistake? A supplier that reprints at cost of shipping for errors they verified is more reliable than one that requires extensive dispute processes.
What CPSA Certification Means and Why It Matters
The CPSA padlock icon on check stock is not a design element. It is a certification mark that tells anyone handling the check that the paper was manufactured by a CPSA-authorized printer to ANSI X9.100-170 security specifications. Banks and accounts payable teams recognize the padlock as a signal that the check includes verified fraud deterrent features across four categories: overt protection (visible to the naked eye), covert protection (visible only under special conditions), anti-copy features (degrading on reproduction), and anti-alteration features (making tampering visible).
A check without the CPSA padlock may still be legally valid, but it has not been verified to meet the industry's minimum security standard. For businesses processing regular payroll or vendor payments, the padlock is a baseline requirement, not an optional upgrade.
Why MICR Pre-Verification Separates Good Suppliers From Bad Ones
MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. The MICR line is the row of characters at the bottom of every check that bank reader-sorter machines read magnetically to identify the routing bank, the account number, and the check number for automatic processing.
The routing number in the MICR line must be printed in certified magnetic iron oxide toner, and it must be the correct current routing number for your bank. Routing numbers change when banks merge, when accounts are moved between branches, and when regional routing assignments shift. A routing number that was correct three years ago may not be current today.
The best place to order checks online verifies your routing number against the Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory before any printing begins. This verification step catches:
- Transposed digits (common data entry error)
- Outdated routing numbers from bank mergers
- Wrong routing numbers submitted for the account type
- ACH routing numbers submitted instead of check routing numbers (these differ at some banks)
For more on routing numbers and how to verify yours, see our ABA routing number guide.
Software Compatibility: The Factor Most Buyers Forget
Software compatibility is the factor most buyers overlook when deciding what is the best place to order checks online. Buyers who handwrite their checks can order from most CPSA-certified suppliers and the stock will work. Buyers who print checks from accounting software face an additional requirement: the check stock must match their software's print template exactly.
Accounting software like QuickBooks, Quicken, Sage, and MYOB generates a print job that places each variable field (payee name, dollar amount, date, memo) at a specific pixel position on an 8.5 x 11 inch page. If the physical check stock positions the check, stubs, or fields at different locations than the template expects, every field prints in the wrong location.
The result is a complete batch of unusable checks. Payee names print over the signature line. Dollar amounts print on the stub. The date lands below the MICR area. None of these checks can be corrected after printing. They must be discarded and the entire order replaced.
The best place to order checks online for software users is a manufacturer that:
- Carries pre-calibrated check stock for major platforms (QuickBooks Desktop and Online, Quicken, Sage 50, Sage 300, MYOB, Xero)
- Offers custom formatting for less common software at no extra charge
- Can confirm which format your specific software version uses before you order
- Ships check stock sized to match the software's default print template
Checkomatic formats checks for QuickBooks Desktop (Pro, Premier, Enterprise, Accountant), QuickBooks Online, Quicken, MYOB, Sage 50 and Sage 300, Microsoft Money, Peachtree, and over 500 other platforms. If your software is not listed, custom formatting is available at no extra charge.
Security Features to Look For When Ordering Checks Online
When evaluating where to order checks online safely, the security features built into the check paper are one of the most important factors. Paper-level security features cannot be replicated by a copier or standard printer. They are the primary physical defense against the most common forms of check fraud.
Chemically Sensitive Paper
The check paper contains chemical compounds that produce visible, permanent staining when washing solvents (acetone, bleach, alcohol) contact the surface. Check washing, where a fraudster uses solvents to remove the printed payee name and amount before rewriting the check, leaves an irreversible chemical stain on this paper that cannot be concealed or overprinted.
Microprinting
Text printed at under one point size runs along the signature line and borders. To the naked eye it looks like a decorative line. Under magnification it reads as text. Any attempt to reproduce the check by photocopying or scanning degrades the microprinting to an unreadable blur, immediately identifying the copy as non-original.
Void Pantograph
A hidden background pattern causes the word VOID to appear prominently across the face of the check when it is photocopied or scanned. The original check shows nothing unusual under normal lighting. Any copy or scan immediately reveals the pattern.
UV Fluorescent Fibers
Fibers embedded in the check paper during manufacturing glow under ultraviolet light. Bank authentication equipment uses UV scanners to verify genuine check stock. These fibers are in the paper structure and cannot be replicated by any standard printing process.
Heat-Sensitive Ink
A thermochromic icon disappears when pressed with a finger and returns when it cools. Genuine checks respond to heat. Photocopies do not. Bank tellers and business owners can verify authenticity in seconds without special equipment.
Pre-Encoded MICR
The MICR line is pre-encoded in certified magnetic iron oxide toner at manufacture. Bank reader-sorter machines detect this magnetically. Counterfeit checks printed in standard office toner produce no magnetic signal where one is expected, causing immediate flagging.
Checkomatic includes all six of these security features at the base price on every check order. No security tier upgrade is required to reach meaningful fraud protection.
Five Red Flags When Choosing Where to Order Checks Online
Red Flag 1: No CPSA Certification Mentioned
If a check supplier does not mention CPSA certification, the padlock icon, or ANSI X9.100-170 compliance anywhere on their website, their security claims are unverified. This does not necessarily mean the checks are dangerous, but it means there is no independent certification confirming the security features they describe.
Red Flag 2: No Routing Number Verification Step
A reputable check supplier verifies your routing number before printing begins. If the ordering process accepts your routing number without any verification step (no request for a voided check image, no explanation of how they verify the number, no confirmation email asking you to double-check the MICR details), your routing number goes to print unverified. A single transposed digit produces an entire batch of checks that bank reader-sorters reject.
Red Flag 3: Pricing That Seems Too Low to Be Sustainable
Check printing requires specific certified MICR toner, ABA-compliant paper stock, and precise manufacturing processes. A supplier offering checks at dramatically lower prices than any established manufacturer may be cutting corners on the MICR encoding material, the paper security features, or the verification processes. The check may look correct visually but fail bank magnetic processing or lack genuine security features.
Red Flag 4: No Secure Checkout or HTTPS
Any website that accepts your bank routing number and account number must use SSL encryption (HTTPS in the browser address bar). If the ordering page uses HTTP, your banking information is transmitted in plain text and can be intercepted. This is a non-negotiable baseline requirement for any financial transaction online.
Red Flag 5: No Clear Reprint or Error Policy
Check errors happen. The best suppliers have a clear, published policy on how errors are handled. If a supplier's website has no mention of what happens when a check order has an error, or the policy requires extensive documentation and dispute processes, you have no reliable recourse when a batch arrives unusable.
How to Enter Your Banking Information Safely When Ordering Checks Online
Your routing number and account number are the two most sensitive pieces of information you provide when ordering checks online. They appear together on every check you write. Handled correctly, the ordering process is safe. Handled carelessly, you create a direct risk to your checking account.
- Use a supplier with SSL checkout. Confirm the browser address bar shows HTTPS before entering any information.
- Have a voided check on hand. The most reliable way to enter your routing and account numbers correctly is to read them directly from a voided check rather than from memory or a bank statement. Bank statements and online banking portals sometimes display routing numbers for ACH transfers, which differ from paper check routing numbers at some banks.
- Double-check every digit. Routing numbers are nine digits. Account numbers vary by bank. Transposing two digits is the most common ordering error. Read each number character by character, not as a whole string.
- Review the digital proof before approving. Reputable suppliers send a digital proof showing exactly how your check will print before production begins. Read every field: business name, address, routing number, account number, and starting check number. Do not approve the proof until every field is confirmed correct.
- Confirm the starting check number. Your check number sequence must continue from where your previous order left off. In QuickBooks Desktop, find your last check number at Banking, Use Register, sorted by check number descending. Starting at the wrong number creates gaps or duplicates in your check register.
If you are switching from a previous check supplier, see our complete guide at Switching Check Printers.
What Is the Best Place to Order Personal Checks Online
For personal checks, what is the best place to order checks online combines reasonable pricing, design options, and CPSA-certified security. Personal checks carry the same routing and account number risks as business checks and require the same security features in the paper stock.
What to look for specifically when ordering personal checks online:
- CPSA padlock on the check stock
- Chemically sensitive paper included at the base price (not as a premium upgrade)
- Checkbook format options (single, duplicate with carbon copy)
- Design variety if you want non-standard styles
- Logo printing option if you are a sole proprietor wanting personal checks with a business identity
- Clear pricing per check at your expected order quantity
Checkomatic offers personal checks in checkbook format, top stub format, and deskset format with over 20 color and design options, free black-and-white logo printing on every order, and six CPSA security features at the base price. Browse at personal checks.
What Is the Best Place to Order Business Checks Online
For business owners, what is the best place to order checks online depends on check type, monthly volume, and accounting software in use. Business checks have stricter requirements than personal checks. They must match your accounting software format, carry adequate security features for your transaction volume and fraud risk, and arrive fast enough to support your payment schedule.
The best place to order business checks online for most small businesses is a direct manufacturer that offers:
- All major computer check formats (check on top, middle, bottom, 3-on-page)
- Manual check formats for handwritten AP and payroll
- MICR pre-verification before production
- Custom formatting for any accounting software at no extra charge
- Rush and overnight options for payroll deadlines
- Free logo printing on every order
- CPSA-certified security at the base price
- Bulk discounts that reduce the per-check cost significantly at higher quantities
Checkomatic manufactures computer checks and manual business checks from Monroe, NY since 1997. Starter packs bundling checks, deposit slips, envelopes, and endorsement stamps are available at all starter packs. The full business check range is at business checks.
What Is the Best Place to Order QuickBooks Checks Online
QuickBooks checks have one requirement that all other check factors depend on: the format must match the QuickBooks print template exactly. Get the format wrong and nothing else matters. The security features, the MICR encoding, the logo all become irrelevant because the check cannot be used.
The best place to order QuickBooks checks online is a manufacturer that:
- Manufactures stock pre-calibrated to QuickBooks default print templates
- Offers all three QuickBooks formats: voucher (check on top), standard 3-on-page, and wallet
- Can confirm which format your specific QuickBooks version uses
- Provides a test print guide to verify alignment before loading the full batch
Checkomatic manufactures QuickBooks-compatible checks in all three formats with stock calibrated to QuickBooks print templates. Browse the full range and format selector at QuickBooks checks.
Why Checkomatic Is One of the Best Places to Order Checks Online
In-House Manufacturing Since 1997: Why Checkomatic Is the Best Place to Order Checks Online
Checkomatic manufactures every check at its own facility in Monroe, NY. No third-party print vendors. No order brokering. Your banking information is handled by the manufacturing team that prints and ships your checks, not passed through an intermediary. In-house manufacturing is what makes same-day rush production possible and keeps pricing 50 to 70 percent below bank retail.
Six Security Features at the Base Price
Chemically sensitive paper, microprinting, void pantograph, UV fluorescent fibers, heat-sensitive ink, and pre-encoded MICR are included on every check order at Checkomatic without a security upgrade. The Secure Plus option adds nine additional security features for businesses requiring maximum protection.
MICR Pre-Verified Against the Federal Reserve Directory
Every routing number is verified against the Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory before production begins. This step catches transposed digits and outdated routing numbers before they produce unusable check batches. Bank rejection rate for MICR-related issues at Checkomatic is under 0.1 percent.
Free Logo on Every Order
Black-and-white logo printing is included at no extra charge on every check order regardless of quantity. Full-color logo printing is available as an upgrade. No minimum order size required for the free logo.
Compatible With 500 or More Accounting Platforms
Pre-calibrated stock for QuickBooks, Quicken, Sage, MYOB, Xero, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, FreshBooks, and over 500 other platforms. Custom formatting for any software at no extra charge.
3 to 5 Business Day Standard Turnaround
Standard orders ship in 3 to 5 business days from Monroe, NY. Rush production and overnight delivery options available. Full shipping details at shipping and handling.
50 to 70 Percent Below Bank Pricing
Direct manufacturing eliminates the bank's markup. Every order is priced without a middleman margin. Bulk discounts reduce the per-check cost further as quantity increases. Multiple verified customers have confirmed receiving 500 checks from Checkomatic for less than the cost of 200 checks through their bank.
What Customers Say About Ordering Checks From Checkomatic
All reviews below are published on checkomatic.com and reproduced verbatim. Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product, 4.5 stars from 166 verified reviews.
"I got 500 checks for less than half of what the bank wanted for 200!"
VVA Voucher Checks (Vietnam Veterans of America) | ★★★★★ 5/5 | July 6, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"Been with them for 15 years. Always reliable, always good quality, good service. What more can you ask for?"
ATV Inc. | ★★★★★ 5/5 | April 5, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"First time ordering and I am super impressed with the quality of the checks. No issues with delivery. I will be ordering again!"
TClinton | ★★★★★ 5/5 | April 9, 2025 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"We use CheckoMatic for all of our check needs! They have great prices and we receive our products in a timely manner!"
CG's Tax Service | ★★★★★ 5/5 | September 18, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"ASJ Wilson Construction has been a client of checkomatic for some years now and they've never disappointed this company. Thank you checkomatic for all that you do."
ASJ Wilson Construction | ★★★★★ 5/5 | June 6, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"Affordable and efficient. My go-to business check printer."
Doe | ★★★★★ 5/5 | January 24, 2025 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
Quick Summary: What Is the Best Place to Order Checks Online
The best place to order checks online meets seven criteria: CPSA certification, in-house manufacturing, MICR pre-verification, accounting software compatibility, six built-in security features, fast turnaround with rush options, and a clear reprint policy. Direct manufacturers price checks 50 to 70 percent below bank retail and deliver in 3 to 5 business days compared to 7 to 14 for bank-issued checks. The safest way to order checks online is through an SSL-secured checkout, with a voided check in hand to verify your routing and account numbers, and a digital proof review before approving production.
For personal checks, business checks, QuickBooks checks, computer checks, and manual checks, Checkomatic manufactures every order in-house at Monroe NY since 1997 with six CPSA-certified security features at the base price, free logo printing on every order, and compatibility with over 500 accounting platforms. In summary, what is the best place to order checks online comes down to seven factors.
Finding what is the best place to order checks online requires evaluating seven factors every buyer should verify before entering banking information. When evaluating where to order checks online safely, compare direct manufacturer checks against bank checks on every factor. The best online check ordering service is one that functions as a how to choose check company resource itself, guiding buyers through format selection, security verification,
and routing number confirmation before any banking information changes hands. Order checks 50 percent cheaper or more by choosing a direct manufacturer over a bank. QuickBooks compatible check suppliers should pre-calibrate stock to your software version. Bank checks vs online ordering favors online in every category except free starter checks at account opening. Red flags check ordering sites show: no CPSA mention, no HTTPS, no routing verification step.
The best place to buy checks online and order checks safely online is a certified direct manufacturer with in-house production and a transparent reprint policy. Keywords covered: what is the best place to order checks online, best place to order checks online, where to order checks online, best company to order checks from, where to order business checks,
where to order personal checks, best place to order QuickBooks checks, safe place to order checks online, cheapest place to order checks online, where can i order checks safely, where to buy checks, best place to buy checks, order checks direct from manufacturer, in-house check printing company, CPSA certified check printer, ABA compliant check printing, free logo business checks, check printing Monroe NY.
Final Answer: What Is the Best Place to Order Checks Online
What is the best place to order checks online is not a single name , it is a set of criteria that any reputable check supplier should meet. CPSA certification. In-house manufacturing. MICR pre-verification. Accounting software compatibility. Six security features at the base price. Fast turnaround with rush options. A clear reprint policy. Any supplier that meets all seven is a legitimate answer to the question of what is the best place to order checks online for your specific check type and volume.
Checkomatic meets all seven. In-house manufacturing in Monroe, NY since 1997. CPSA-certified security on every order. MICR pre-verified against the Federal Reserve directory. Free logo printing included. Compatible with QuickBooks, Quicken, Sage, MYOB, Xero, and over 500 other platforms. Browse the complete check catalog at business checks and personal checks.
