The arithmetic is simple, and worth doing before assuming either option is obviously cheaper.
The costs on each side
| Ordering from the bank | Printing your own | |
|---|---|---|
| Per check | Roughly 20–40 cents | Roughly 5–12 cents of stock plus toner |
| Setup | None | Software, one-time |
| Lead time | Days to weeks | Minutes |
| Extra accounts | A new order each | Same stock, no extra cost |
| Design change | New order | Edit and print |
| Running out mid-payment | Wait | Print another sheet |
Prices vary by bank, by account type and by promotional offers — some accounts include free checks, which changes the calculation entirely. Check your own statement before assuming you are paying for them.
The crossover
Suppose stock at 8 cents a sheet, negligible toner per check, and a one-time software purchase around $39. Against bank checks at 25 cents each, you save about 17 cents per check, so the software pays for itself somewhere around 230 checks. Above that, printing is cheaper; below it, the convenience matters more than the money.
For a household writing a check a month, the money argument is weak and the honest reason to print is speed and control. For a small business writing thirty checks a month, the software pays for itself in under a year and keeps paying.
The costs nobody lists
Waiting. A reorder takes days to weeks. Running out the week payroll or a contractor payment is due has a cost that does not appear on the invoice.
Multiple accounts. Each account needs its own order from the bank. With blank stock, one box serves every account because the details come from the printer.
Address changes. Move, and every unused box is wrong. Printed checks change with an edit.
Per-check software fees. Some products meter printing, which puts you back into a per-check cost model — see VersaCheck alternatives.
Wasted stock while learning. Budget a few sheets for alignment. The plain-paper method in check printing alignment keeps that to almost nothing.
When ordering from the bank is the better answer
- You write two checks a year.
- Your account includes free checks.
- You need a bound checkbook to carry, rather than sheets.
- You have no printer you trust.
There is no need to over-engineer a problem that costs $20 every three years.
When printing wins clearly
- Several accounts, or a business and a household on the same setup.
- Regular payments to contractors or vendors with remittance detail on a stub.
- Any situation where a payment has to go out the same day.
- Frequent detail changes — address, second signer, logo.