Check Printing Cost Calculator
Answers the only question that matters: at your monthly check volume, does a printing/mailing service or printing your own checks actually cost less? Enter your numbers below.
Your numbers
Include vendor, payroll, and any other paper checks you cut.
Printing + mailing services typically run $0.50–$1.50/check depending on plan and volume.
Check-printing software or your accounting software's check module. $0 if it's already included.
Blank check stock + ink typically runs under $0.10/check; a stamp and envelope adds roughly $0.25–$0.35 if you mail it yourself.
Your result
What this means
How to use this calculator
Four numbers determine whether a printing/mailing service or DIY printing costs less for your business:
- Checks per month — your total volume across payroll, vendors, and any other paper checks.
- Service per-check fee — what a service like Checkeeper, Deluxe, or Bill.com's check feature charges per check, all-in (printing + postage).
- DIY software subscription — the fixed monthly cost of check-printing software, if any. Some accounting software includes this at no extra charge.
- DIY cost per check — blank check stock, ink, envelope, and a stamp if you're mailing it yourself.
Reading the result
- Service costs less — at your volume, the convenience and the all-in fee beat doing it yourself. Worth checking the security/fraud-prevention features of the service you're comparing.
- DIY costs less — printing your own checks saves real money, but factor in the time cost of printing, stuffing envelopes, and getting to the mailbox or post office every cycle.
- Close to break-even — the deciding factor is probably not cost. Look at time, integration with your accounting software, and fraud-prevention features instead.
What the calculator does NOT account for
- Your time. DIY printing takes real time every cycle — printing, signing, stuffing, and mailing. At high volume that time has a real dollar cost.
- Fraud and security risk. Cheaper isn't always safer. Positive pay, tamper-evident check stock, and a service's own fraud monitoring all have value this calculator doesn't price in.
- Setup and hardware costs. A MICR-capable printer, if you don't already have one, is a one-time cost this calculator doesn't include.
- Tax and legal implications. Consult your accountant on record-retention requirements for canceled checks either way.
Who built this
This calculator was built by the OnlineCheckPrinter editorial team as a free resource for small business owners evaluating their options. It's not a substitute for professional financial advice — see our Terms of Service — but it should save you 15 minutes of spreadsheet math.