The Best Personal Check Stores

Wednesday, March 19th

2025 Personal Check Store Reviews

Check Advantage

• 1,500+ personal check designs to choose from
• Prices start at $17.45 for 150 single basic blue safety checks
• Save up to 75% over bank checks
• Free basic shipping (continental US) with no handling fee
• Free reprints if there's an error (yours or theirs)
• "A-” rated by the BBB
• In business since 2001

Since 2001, CheckAdvantage has been printing and shipping personal checks from its headquarters in Wisconsin. Over the nearly 25 years they've been in business, they've delivered more than 99% of their orders on time, and 99.9% of them have been error-free. The company prides itself on having a strong Midwestern work ethic and taking great care of its customers.

Lots of designs to choose from

There are over 1,500 designs you can choose from here, in categories ranging from Animal and Nature to Logos and Colors. If you've got a cause that's near and dear to your heart, you may even be able to make your checks another "spokesperson”: we spotted designs for Autism Awareness and Animal Adoption, among many others.

Pay more but get more

To make an apples-to-apples comparison across the personal check printers on our list, we rounded up the pricing for three different options: a basic blue safety check, a parchment hologram design for extra safety, and a fun design in an Americana style. Here's how CheckAdvantage measured up:

• Basic Blue Safety Checks: $17.45 for a box of 150 singles, $21.20 for a box of 120 duplicates
• Parchment Hologram Checks: not available
• Patriotic Design Checks: same price as the Basic Blue Safety Checks ("Patriotic Eagle” design)

So, while you won't be able to get cutting-edge security designs here, you'll still get affordable pricing. Pay attention to the fact that while you're paying a bit more, you're also getting a higher quantity of checks with your order: while many printers offer their checks in an initial quantity of 100, CheckAdvantage defaults to 150 single checks or 120 duplicates. And, that means you won't have to reorder as quickly. We're here for that!

Need anything else?

When you choose a personal check design you like, you'll have all of the details and options at your fingertips. Do you prefer top tear or side tear style? Do you want a matching checkbook cover? How about some coordinating address labels? It's all laid out for you on the product page. (Don't get caught off-guard by the $2.45 for a personal check register: every order comes with one, so that's just if you want extras.)

Some low-cost personalizations if you're interested

Then, hit the "Personalize” button. That's where you'll supply all of your banking info, and where you'll see your options for making your personal checks, well, personal. You'll pay $2.95 each to add a message above the signature line, to add a stock logo, or to use a custom font. As you make all of these changes, CheckAdvantage shows you in real time how your checks are going to look. You've also got the option to add EZShield check fraud protection for $7.95 (almost double the price we've seen charged by rival printers), but that's your call and there's no pressure to do so.

No sneaky fees

Shipping costs are straightforward, too. On the checkout page, CheckAdvantage shows you an estimated ship date and arrival date, depending on the delivery option you choose. You can get non-trackable bulk shipping for free within the lower 48 United States, or add tracking for $3.95 - and all of that is regardless of the quantity ordered. Other options include ground shipping for $8.95, 3-day select for $12.95, 2nd day air for $15.95, and next-day air for $29.95. It's up to you. Another point in CheckAdvantage's favor is the fact that they don't sneak in any handling charges or processing fees at any point during the process.

They're all about customer service

We're also huge fans of CheckAdvantage's approach to customer service. They promise that your order will leave their warehouse within 6 business days or they'll refund any shipping fees you paid. They also guarantee that your checks will be mistake-free or they'll reprint them at no extra charge - and, impressively, if the "oopsie” is on your part (like accidentally putting the wrong number down for your address), they'll still take care of it at no charge (though you do have to let them know within 30 days and pay for the shipping on the newly-reprinted checks). Other perks include being able to modify your order after you've submitted it, being able to reach a US-based customer service representative at any time, and no extra charges if you decide to send in your order via email or place it over the phone.

Most customers are super-satisfied here

CheckAdvantage has a great track record with the Better Business Bureau, with just three complaints filed there in the last three years. No wonder the BBB gives this check company an "A-” rating. On the other hand, we didn't find many reviews for CheckAdvantage on third-party sites, and the ones we did see weren't as universally positive as we'd expected. Some customers expressed frustration with having the CheckAdvantage logo printed on their checks, and others said the print quality wasn't the best. But, there weren't tons of complaints, either - just a dozen or so scattered around the internet.

#1 for buying personal checks online

In every way that matters, CheckAdvantage is a first-rate site for ordering personal checks. Prices are very competitive, the reputation is fantastic, and we absolutely love the company's no-nonsense, customer-friendly approach to doing business. When you're ready to order personal checks, CheckAdvantage deserves to be the first place you turn. We're happy to name this company as the #1 provider on our list.

Carousel Checks

• Over 3,000 personal check designs to choose from
• Save up to 80% over bank checks
• Prices start at $11.99 for 100 basic single checks
• All check printing done in-house
• Free bulk shipping
• Upgrades available for font, signature line message, clipart
• "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Over 3,000 5-star reviews
• In business for 20+ years

Carousel Checks is a family-run business that's been around since 2003. Its headquarters are on the southside of Chicago, and they do all of their printing and manufacturing in-house. That includes not just personal checks but also business and computer checks, address labels, checkbook covers, pre-inked stamps, and many other related products. Also, FYI, there are several brands under the Carousel Checks umbrella (including Checks on Sale, Bank Checks Plus, and Extra Value Checks), and you'll find all four of those in our reviews.

3,000+ check design options

Getting your personal checks from Carousel is really straightforward. The easiest way to get right to the kind you've got in mind is to identify what your top priority is. Budget? Click on the "Shop Now” button by Value-Priced Checks. Security? Carousel recently added Hologram Checks to the repertoire, and they're featured on the main page of the website. Cute design? Carousel shows you some of their most popular options, in categories like Stylistic, Animals & Wildlife, and Scenic. And, if you've got a less traditional personal check format in mind, Carousel still has you covered: just scroll down to see options for Side Tear, Top Stub, Desk Set, and Secretary checks. There are over 3,000 designs to choose from, so have fun browsing some of the fun options.

Competitive prices

To give you a basis for comparison across the personal check printers on our list, we looked at the same three options on each site: basic blue safety checks, parchment hologram checks, and a popular patriotic design. Here's how Carousel measured up:

• Basic Blue Safety Checks: $11.99 for a box of 100 singles, $14.99 for a box of 100 duplicates
• Parchment Hologram Checks: $21.99 for a box of 100 singles, $25.99 for a box of 100 duplicates
• Patriotic Design Checks: $14.99 for a box of 100 singles, $16.99 for a box of 100 duplicates (American Pride design)

Watch for charges on "extras”

Just keep an eye out for additional charges. We were caught a little off-guard by some of them during our ordering process, like having to pay $0.49 each for the little cardboard box that checks typically come in, or being offered EZShield Check Fraud Protection for $3.99 per 100 personal checks. It's up to you if you just want to throw your checks in a drawer or reuse a box from the last time you got them, and you can read the details on the fraud protection add-on to see if it's necessary. At least you're given the option here, instead of having those fees automatically added to the cost of your checks.

Preview your personalizations

Once you've selected the checks you want, you'll carefully enter all of the standard information: your name, address, bank name, routing and account numbers, and so forth. You can also pay a bit extra for a signature line message, for a specialized font, or even to add clipart. Each addition costs $2.50. With extras or without, you'll be able to see the preview of your checks as you make each change, so you'll know that it looks exactly the way you want it before you place your order.

Coordinating accessories

Speaking of extras, Carousel will make you a few more offers as you work your way to the checkout. Need deposit tickets? Double window envelopes? How about a cover - in a plain solid color or coordinated to match your check design? It's easy enough to click "No, Thanks” if there's nothing you need.

Costs can add up quickly

We wish that Carousel Checks had been a little more upfront with their shipping and handling charges. On a single box of American Pride duplicate checks with one upgrade for the font, our cost started at $16.99 and wound up at $34.12: it defaulted to trackable shipping via DHL for $8.95 (though we could have opted for free bulk shipping), plus a $3.60 handling fee and then sales tax. There was also an option to cut two days off the processing time for a "rush this shipment” fee of $6.99, but we appreciate that this upgrade wasn't the default setting.

Average delivery speeds

How fast will your checks arrive? If you choose bulk mail and you live within the lower 48 United States, your order should come within 2-3 weeks from the date your order is placed. Opt for Priority Mail if you're in a hurry, but you should still expect it to take 6-10 business days to get your personal checks. Deliveries to Alaska, Hawaii, the USVI, or Puerto Rico will take 3-4 weeks via bulk mail, but the same 6-10 business days if you choose Priority Mail delivery.

Save with a pop-up discount

Want to save a bit on your order of personal checks? When we visited the Carousel Checks site recently, we got a pop-up discount offer of 15% if we signed up for their mailing list. It had a minimum order requirement of $14.98, but most purchases of personal checks will qualify.

Fantastic reputation

You're not going to do much better than Carousel when it comes to reputation. Not only does the company maintain a perfect "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, but there were also zero complaints filed against Carousel in the year leading up to this review. For a large business, that's impressive. And, in Google reviews alone, Carousel has earned over 3,000 5-star ratings. We found lots of compliments from loyal customers who wouldn't dream of using another company to print their personal checks, giving plenty of praise for the friendly customer service reps and the on-time delivery of their orders. The only complaint we could see was that some people have had issues with the checks tearing cleanly at the top, but we all know that happens fairly regularly with checks no matter where you get them.

You can't go wrong ordering your checks here

Of the four related stores that sell personal checks, Carousel comes out on top. It seems to pull together the best aspects of the company and put it all in one place. It's missing just a bit of transparency with respect to pricing, keeping Carousel Checks from earning a perfect score, but we have no problem recommending this site as an excellent choice the next time you need to replenish your supply of personal checks.

Designer Checks

• Just under 150 designs
• Pricing starts at $22.44 for 1 box of 80 single checks
• Easy-to-navigate website
• No processing/handling fees
• Free standard untrackable shipping available
• Frequent promos for discounts and free customization upgrades
• "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB

Designer Checks and Checks Unlimited are part of the same company, with a history spanning nearly 40 years. You're going to see a lot of similarities between the two, but we'll do the best we can to show you what to expect if you use either one for ordering personal checks.

Better website of the two

Here, of course, we'll focus on the experience specifically on the Designer Checks website. For starters, Designer Checks has a much more updated feel than Checks Unlimited: brighter colors, eye-catching promos, and an overall smoother flow as you click around the site.

Regular prices are a little higher than rivals'

Next, let's see how this site stacks up against competitors. For every personal check printer we researched, we looked at the pricing and check quantity for three designs. Here's how that turned out at Designer Checks:

• Basic Blue Safety Checks: there were no color choices given for safety checks, making green the only option. Prices were $22.44 for 1 box of 80 single checks and $28.44 for 1 box of duplicate checks (includes per box/item handling fees)
• Parchment Hologram Checks: called "Securiguard Parchment Checks”, they were priced at $25.44 for a box of 80 single checks and $31.44 for a box of 80 duplicate checks
• Patriotic Design Checks: the "Stars & Stripes” design had the same pricing and quantities as the Basic Blue Safety Checks

Small design selection

The selection here is quite a bit smaller than most rivals on our list, though. We only found 134 personal check designs to consider - well under the 1,000+ that we spotted on other websites (and 100 less than its sister site).

Gets more affordable

We weren't impressed with the pricing at first, but Designer Checks had a bunch of promos during our recent visit to the site. We could get free shipping, a free 4th box of checks, free custom lettering, and a free "designer's choice” upgrade. Keep an eye out for anything that could be on offer when you're ready to order your personal checks.

Hassle-free ordering process

So, let's say you choose the "Stars & Stripes” personal checks and you're ready to put together your order. Designer Checks clearly spells out each step you'll need to take. First, choose the quantity (and recognize that you'll save 25% or more if you order 4 boxes instead of just one or two). Next, add any coordinating products, like address labels or a checkbook cover. Finally, decide if you'd like to pay $5.95 for in-plant rush to get your personal checks printed faster and ready to ship within 2 days of placing your order.

$2.50 for personalizations

On the next screen, you'll provide all the usual details about what goes on your check, and you'll see each change you make in the preview of your check design at the bottom of the page. Then, you pick your customizations, from an upgraded font ($2.50) to a monogram or symbol ($2.50), or even a personalized message (you guessed it... $2.50). But remember, sometimes Designer Checks will give you some or all of those upgrades for free.

Fraud protection included by default

Here's one to watch for, though: most personal check printers offer some kind of fraud protection, and Designer Checks does as well. However, their ordering process defaults to including it, and it's a lot spendier here than in other places ($9.45, and we think that's per box). You'll have to click the dropdown box that says "Yes! Protect my checks & identity” and set it to "no” if you don't want to pay for that feature. When we did that, we figured out that Designer Checks offers not one but two types of fraud protection; the first option included identity theft benefits, and saying "no” to the first took us to another screen for SentryShield alone for $2.45 per box. That was more in line with rivals' security protection services, but it was still annoying having to click through both options (because they get included by default).

No handling fees during checkout

Designer Checks also defaults to standard trackable shipping; on our order, that cost $8.95,and would get our checks to us in 7-11 business days if we didn't opt for in-plant rush production. You can also get free standard, untrackable shipping, with your checks arriving in up to 15 business days, or go for a more expedited delivery method (2-day or 1-day delivery once your checks have been printed) if you need it. We were happy to see that, true to their word, Designer Checks didn't add any handling fees during the final checkout - something that their competitors often do.

"A+” from the BBB

Reputation? Designer Checks' parent company earned an "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, with only 20 complaints filed with the BBB in the last year. Given that the BBB profile spans multiple imprints of this check company (not just Designer Checks and Checks Unlimited, but several others too), that's noteworthy. We didn't find too many current reviews on third-party sites, but what dated back almost a year prior to this review and earlier was over 90% 4- and 5-star ratings.

Solid option for personal checks

Although Designer Checks isn't going to blow you away with thousands of personal check designs, there's a lot to love about this company. The website is one of the easiest to navigate among all of the options on our list, the prices are pretty exceptional once you put in a promo code, and we've got no worries about this printer's reputation. If you see a deal you just can't pass up here, go right ahead and order your personal checks from Designer Checks.

Checks On Sale

• Many personal check designs to choose from, including custom photo checks
• Save up to 80% over bank checks
• Prices start at $11.99 for 100 basic single checks
• All check printing done in-house
• Free bulk shipping
• Upgrades available for font, signature line message, clipart
• "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB (under Carousel Checks)
• In business for 20+ years

Checks on Sale is a sister site to Bank Checks Plus, Carousel Checks, and Extra Value Checks, three services you'll find reviewed separately on our list. This particular branch of the company doesn't spill the beans about itself; you won't find a lengthy customer history or a "meet the staff” post here (maybe because they're trying to be a little tight-lipped about the fact that they're the same company as a few "competitor” sites?). But, let's take a look and see what you can expect if you're thinking of buying your personal checks here.

No surprises with pricing

Despite being named "Checks on Sale”, the pricing here is exactly the same as its sister site, Carousel Checks. Take a look at the 3 comparison items:

• Basic Blue Safety Checks: $11.99 for a box of 100 single checks or $14.99 for a box of 100 duplicate checks
• Parchment Hologram Checks: $21.99 for a box of 100 singles, $25.99 for a box of 100 duplicates
• Patriotic Design Checks: the "Soaring Over America” design was $22.99 for a box of 100 singles or $25.99 for a box of 100 duplicates

Want a photo on your checks?

The only difference that jumped out at us between Checks on Sale and Carousel, with respect to selection, is that this site made it obvious that custom checks are offered. If you just have to have a photo of your dog or your daughter on them, Checks on Sale is happy to do that for you. Otherwise, the selection is (not surprisingly) roughly the same; we can't tell you exactly how many designs are offered here, but you'll have no shortage of choices as you browse categories like Scenic, Religious, Patriotism & Military, and Licensed Artists.

Pop-up discount if you subscribe to emails

When you visit Checks on Sale, you'll be offered a savings of 15% if you provide them with your name and email address (which, of course, signs you up for marketing emails).

A few extras you can add

If you want a cardboard box to hold your blank checks, you'll have to pay $0.50 each. But, it's optional, and chances are good that you're just going to throw them in a drawer (or that you have empty boxes left over from last time). We don't love that Checks on Sale charges for it, but they're not the only personal check printer on our list that does. Another add-on you'll see is EZShield Check Fraud Protection, priced at $3.99; fortunately, it is also optional, and Checks on Sale doesn't default to the "yes, please” setting to try and sneak it in there.

Personalizations are $2.50

Like most personal check providers, Checks on Sale shows you a preview of your design as you make changes. You can add an upgraded font for $2.50, and putting on clipart or a signature line message comes with that same fee. Before you can proceed to your cart, Checks on Sale will tempt you with a matching checkbook cover, security sleeves for your credit cards, and other related products; it's easy enough to click "no, thanks” and move on.

Pay attention to shipping and handling fees

On the shipping page, Checks on Sale assumes you'd prefer trackable-but-affordable delivery, so it defaults to DHL's trackable/secure shipping in 6-10 business days for $8.95. You can change it to DHL Bulk delivery, but it's not trackable or secure, and it'll take up to 21 business days for your personal checks to be dropped off. Need your order faster? Checks on Sale also provides choices for Ground, 2nd Day air, and Next Day Air. Whichever delivery speed and method you pick, you're still on the hook for a handling fee; ours was $3.60 on a box of single checks.

Not a ton of buzz

It's not easy to suss out a separate reputation for this site: its listing with the Better Business Bureau is under Carousel Checks, so who really earned the "A+” and accreditation? Also, unlike its two other sister sites, we didn't find tons of reviews on third-party sites praising Checks on Sale.

Good enough

But, don't get us wrong: this is still a great site to get personal checks at a fantastic price. We're just a little annoyed that you'll pay the exact same price for "Checks on Sale” as you do on Carousel Checks. We give Checks on Sale a slight downgrade for that, but it still comes in with a good rating here.

Extra Value Checks

• Over 400 personal check designs to choose from
• Save up to 80% over bank checks
• Prices start at $3.99 for a pad of 25 basic single checks
• All check printing done in-house
• Free bulk shipping
• Upgrades available for font, signature line message, clipart
• "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Over 2,000 5-star reviews
• In business for 20+ years

As we researched options for ordering personal checks online, we came across four related sites: Extra Value Checks, Carousel Checks, Bank Checks Plus, and Checks on Sale. Because they're owned by the same parent company, you're going to see similar things as you browse each website. But, we've done the sleuthing to tell you what's the same and what's different.

Single-pad option

Extra Value Checks belongs to the same family as those three other companies on our list, and overall the prices here are just a carbon copy of its sister sites, but with a selection of just 400+ designs. Check it out:

• Basic Blue Safety Checks: $11.99 for a box of 100 singles, $14.99 for a box of 100 duplicates
• Parchment Hologram Checks: mislabeled on the website, what was shown as "Parchment Hologram Checks” didn't have the safety features we were expecting. But, these checks had options to be purchased in a pad of 25 singles for $3.99, or a full box of singles for $10.99, as well as options in duplicates starting at $4.99 for a pad of 20
• Patriotic Design Checks: the "American Pride” design came as a box of 100 singles for $14.99 or a box of 100 duplicates for $16.99

Sign up for emails to get a discount

Like its sister sites, Extra Value Checks offers a 15% discount on a minimum order of $14.98. Just sign up for their marketing emails when you get the pop-up.

No surprises during the ordering process

Everything else we could tell you about this personal checks retailer feels like saying "Ditto” to what we found with the other three sites, from the EZShield Fraud Protection for $3.99 to the $0.49 you'll pay for the cardboard box to keep your checks in. If you want the details of what to expect in the checkout process, just hop over to our reviews for the sister sites and see, because it's the same. We did chuckle, though, when we saw that the boxes here actually say "Carousel” on them. Guess they're not trying to hide THAT fact.

Thousands of 5-star reviews

However, one big difference is that Extra Value Checks receives its own separate feedback online, and it's really positive. In the ratings that Google compiled from Trustpilot and other sources, this personal check store had an average of 4.4 stars across 2,500+ reviews, with 75% being a perfect score. Most customers said that the checks came really quickly, the process went smoothly, and there were no surprises. A few were caught off guard by the costs for shipping and handling, but as we've seen across most personal check providers, that's par for the course.

Not a bad choice for ordering personal checks

On the other hand, where Extra Value Checks shines in reputation, it lags behind its partner sites in selection. If you're looking for a really broad range of checks to choose from, you simply won't find as many here (but do you really need thousands of options if you've got hundreds?). In summary, we'd say that there's no problem getting high-quality, affordable personal checks when you go through Extra Value Checks, and you'll get fantastic customer service.

Checks Unlimited

• Just over 250 personal check designs to choose from
• Prices start at $22.44 for a box of 80 single checks
• Easy-to-navigate website
• No processing/handling fees
• Free standard untrackable shipping available
• Frequent promos for discounts
• "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB

Checks Unlimited is owned by the same company as another personal check printer on our list, Designer Checks. There are quite a few similarities between the two, but let's do a dive into this website and see what it has to offer. Worth getting your checks here?

Fewer designs and higher prices

Right off the bat, we discovered that Checks Unlimited's inventory is about 100 designs bigger than its sister site - but still pretty small (just 252 designs) compared with many rivals who offer personal checks. Then, we took a look at the three specific check designs we used as a basis for comparison at all of the companies we researched. Here's what we found at Checks Unlimited:

• Basic Blue Safety Checks: $22.44 for a box of 80 single checks, $28.44 for 1 box of duplicate checks (includes per box/item handling fees)
• Parchment Hologram Checks: called "Securiguard Parchment Checks”, they were priced at $25.44 for a box of 80 single checks and $31.44 for a box of 80 duplicate checks
• Patriotic Design Checks: the "America the Beautiful” design had the same pricing and quantities as the Basic Blue Safety Checks

Not as many discounts

If you looked at our review for Designer Checks, you'll notice that literally everything about the pricing here is the same. The one big difference is that we didn't see any promo codes that would discount the extras like upgraded fonts or adding a monogram. The only one we saw offered by Checks Unlimited was a savings of up to 45% with the code "HY7V”: that made the personal checks here extremely affordable... but you have to order 4 boxes to get it. (And given that we're still working our way through 4 boxes of checks that we ordered back in 2010, we're not sure that's a useful discount.)

Ordering process is just like its "sister” site

Every other aspect of the Checks Unlimited service is exactly like its sister site. Rather than go through it all again here, we'd tell you to hop over to our review for Designer Checks and see everything there is to know about the ease of using both websites, what you can expect for shipping fees, and some of the "watch out for this” parts (like the SentryShield fraud protection services you may want to decline).

Mixed feedback from customers

So, why is Checks Unlimited rated a star lower than its "sibling” on our list? Unlike Designer Checks, this particular company has gotten some specific feedback that leaves us a little underwhelmed. One review we found, left within just a few weeks of our review, said that the company never deducted the value of the coupon code they applied, so they wound up paying almost double the expected price - and it took threats of legal action to get Checks Unlimited to respond. Others complained about their credit card number being used fraudulently after placing an order here, checks that don't tear out and have to be sliced out with an Xacto knife, and so on. We don't think that customers' experiences here are universally negative, but we found enough complaints to knock Checks Unlimited down a peg from where it otherwise might have been.

Not the best or the worst for buying personal checks

That room for improvement gets Checks Unlimited a "just okay” rating from us. Yes, they have more design choices than the other site in the company, but there are still far more options with rival printers on our list. And, some of those customer service issues give us pause. We'd recommend double-checking that your coupon code applied correctly if you decide to buy your personal checks from Checks Unlimited.

Bank Checks Plus

• Approximately 200 personal check designs
• Prices start at $19.99 for a box of 100 single checks
• $3.99 handling fee
• Free bulk shipping (not trackable or secure)
• "A+” rating and accreditation via parent company (Carousel)
• 1,000+ 5-star ratings of its own

Bank Checks Plus feels a little bit like a secret agent. When we first started looking into this company, it seemed like a standalone business. We found references to it being woman-owned, along with lots of glowing reviews. But, when we went digging for its Better Business Bureau listing (after all, the site proudly says that Bank Checks Plus is BBB-accredited), we thought something looked familiar... Sure enough, the "Contact Us” address tracked to a name we've definitely seen before: Carousel Checks. Got you, Bank Checks Plus. However, we'll still let you know what we found as we evaluated this personal check printer.

Higher prices than related sites

Right away, we noticed that this particular website charges much more than any sites in the Carousel brand family. Here's what we saw on the three personal check designs we used for an apples-to-apples comparison:

• Basic Blue Safety Checks: $19.99 for 1 box of 100 singles, $23.99 for 1 box of 100 duplicates
• Parchment Hologram Checks: we only found hologram "security” checks in the business section, not in personal checks
• Patriotic Design Checks: $20.89 for a box of 100 singles and $24.19 for a box of 100 duplicates in the "American Pride” design listed in the "Bargain” section of the website

Not huge fans of the designs here

We also felt that some of the design options at Bank Checks Plus were a little more... cheesy?... than some of the companies we researched. "In Sexy Marilyn Monroe Style”? "LOL and ROFL”? We're not sure how many total designs there are to choose from here, but we weren't 100% impressed at first glance.

Extras included by default

But, let's assume you find a design and you want to order a box of single checks. What will the process be like? Once you've decided on singles vs. duplicates and the quantity, you'll click through the site and make some decisions. Do you want EZShield Check Fraud Protection? Bank Checks Plus charges a bit extra for it ($4.39 per box, compared with under $4 with most rivals). How about a cardboard box for holding your blank checks? That's an additional $0.66 (a couple cents more than even Carousel charges). We're always a little annoyed when companies default to including those extras, and unfortunately Bank Checks Plus does business that way.

You'll pay more for personalizations here

Even the design upgrades cost more here. You'll pay $3.30 (not $2.50 or $2.99) to use a non-standard font, add a piece of clipart, or put in a signature line message. We're not sure why Bank Checks Plus seems to be putting on a surcharge, even compared with companies in its own brand family, but it is what it is. As you make changes to your personal checks' design, you'll see it update in the window below. And, if you want to add on a checkbook cover or matching address labels, that option will come up during the checkout process too.

Most orders will have shipping/handling fees

Fortunately, there's nothing crazy-different about the shipping at Bank Checks Plus. You can pay $8.95 for trackable/secure/slow shipping (6-10 business days) with DHL, get free bulk delivery via DHL (but it's not secure or trackable), or opt for ground, 2nd day air, or next-day air at varying costs. You can pay $5.50 to save up to two days in processing time, so that your personal checks are printed and out the door a little faster. But, yes, Bank Checks Plus is one of those companies that slides in a little handling fee during checkout; on our order of one box of checks, that fee was $3.99.

Good reputation

Considering the company's reputation, Bank Checks Plus "borrows” the "A+” rating and accreditation that Carousel Checks has with the Better Business Bureau. However, this company can also hold its own, with over 1,000 five-star ratings on Trustpilot specifically for Bank Checks Plus. It was interesting to see one recurring complaint: the address labels are garbage. Fortunately, though, most people have a solid experience with the printer overall, with lots of praise for fast delivery and the ease of getting personal checks ordered here.

Some room for improvement

The selection at Banks Checks Plus didn't really "wow” us, and given that the prices here are higher (for both the checks and the customizations) even than its own "sisters” in the biz, we can't say that this is the most economical choice either. Bank Checks Plus needs to get a bit more in line with the other Carousel imprints to get a higher ranking from us, but it's not the worst choice for ordering personal checks. You just might want to shop around first before using Bank Checks Plus.

Bradford Exchange Checks

• 500+ designs to choose from
• Prices start at $21.95 for 100 single checks
• Save up to 70% off bank check prices
• Some personalization is free
• Free standard delivery (non-trackable, arrival within 2-3 weeks)
• "A” rated and accredited by the BBB
• In business since 1973

You may already be familiar with The Bradford Exchange, a "recognized world authority in fine collectible art since 1973”. They bring art masterpieces - and standard solids, cute prints, and sports teams, to name a few - to the table in their personal check designs. It seems like an odd association (collectibles and checks?), but it works.

Prices are about average across 500+ designs

There are about 500 check designs to choose from at The Bradford Exchange. It's easy to see which categories might catch your eye, from Charity & Support Causes (like the "Autism: Imagine” and "Rescued is My Breed of Choice” designs) to 30 MLB teams and many more. But, to give you an idea of how this company stacks up against the other printers of personal checks on our list, here's how The Bradford Exchange did on the three styles we used as a comparison:

• Basic Blue Safety Checks: $21.95 for a pack of 100 single checks and $24.95 for a pack of 100 duplicate checks
• Parchment Hologram Checks: $24.45 for a pack of 100 single checks and $27.45 for a pack of 100 duplicate checks
• Patriotic Design Checks: same cost as the Basic Blue design for the "American Pride” design (with 4 different patterns in each pack of checks)

Those prices were pretty average - not the most or the least expensive we've seen. And, at the time of our most recent visit, The Bradford Exchange was offering a new customer special offer to get one pack of checks for just $4.95 and the 4th pack free.

Opt in for extras

As you choose your personal check design and work your way through the process of getting them ordered, here are a few things you'll see. First, you can opt to add EZShield protection for $2.75 per pack; most sites offer that (some at a higher cost), but we appreciate that The Bradford Exchange leaves the service as an "opt in” instead of an "opt out”. You can also add coordinating checkbook covers, address labels, and extra deposit tickets if you like.

Some personalizations are no-cost

As you add your details, like your address and your bank account number, you'll have to click the "Preview” button if you want to see how your personal check design is coming along; The Bradford Exchange doesn't show you that automatically as you proceed. You'll find that some personalizations here are free, like opting for a Contempo or Olde English font. Monograms and symbols had extra fees, though, of $1.99 and $2.75, respectively.

Watch for shipping and handling fees

How about shipping? We spotted a very fine print "S&H” fee of $3.45 right under the Delivery Options heading, so don't be caught off-guard by it. The Bradford Exchange recommends their trackable SecureShip delivery; on our order of a box of single checks, it was $9.95 and included free in-plant rush and an estimated arrival date of 5-12 calendar days. You can get no-cost, non-trackable delivery here, if you're okay with it taking up to 3 weeks for your checks to arrive.

Good track record with the BBB

The Better Business Bureau gives The Bradford Exchange an "A” rating and accreditation - which was surprising given the 1,000+ complaints filed over the last 3 years and several outstanding alerts about the company. But, the majority of those rants don't have anything to do with personal checks, but rather with the collectibles and other services offered there. We did see one complaint specifically about a check order, but it looked like it was an error on the customer's part that The Bradford Exchange still handled appropriately.

Lots of 5-star reviews for personal checks

We also noticed that there's a lot of positive feedback regarding The Bradford Exchange's personal checks when you look beyond the BBB. On Google, for example, 61% of the 6,500+ store reviews are a perfect 5-star rating (mostly drawn from Trustpilot). Many customers say that their checks arrived well in advance of the expected delivery date and they were happy to get their personal checks at a much lower price than the bank was offering.

Not everyone is thrilled

However, others pointed out the surprise of seeing those service and handling fees during checkout; they felt duped by the "free shipping” promise, only to see that there were other charges that canceled out the no-cost delivery. Those fees aren't unusual in the personal checks industry, but we get it: no one likes to feel that extra charges were snuck in at the last moment. And, we spotted the fact that placing an order for personal checks over the phone (instead of through the online platform) will also incur a service fee. Eh.

Just average for personal checks

At the end of the day, The Bradford Exchange strikes us as decidedly average. The pricing is right in the middle of the pack, the selection is mid-tier in terms of style and quantity, and there's nothing over-the-top terrific or terrible about the customer service. Accordingly, we give The Bradford Exchange's personal checks an average rating.

American Bank Checks

• About 250 personal check designs to choose from
• Prices start at $27.99 for a box of 80 single basic blue safety checks
• Discounts may be available
• Shipping and handling starts at $4.95
• Parent company (Checks in the Mail) has an "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB

American Bank Checks combines two stores we evaluated previously, Checks in the Mail and Checks Superstore, under one banner. You'll see a lot of similarities among the three "stores”, but American Bank Checks is probably the most bare-bones of them.

Much higher prices than rivals'

We looked at Basic Blue Safety Checks, Parchment Hologram Checks, and Patriotic Design Checks across all of the providers of personal checks we evaluated. You'll quickly see that American Bank Checks gives you fewer checks at a higher price, compared with most rivals on our list:

• Basic Blue Safety Checks: $27.99 for a box of 80 singles, $31.99 for a box of 80 duplicates
• Parchment Hologram Checks: no parchment style available, but a basic high-security check with a hologram foil bar and other features was $34.99 for a box of 80 single checks and $39.25 for a box of 80 duplicate checks
• Patriotic Design Checks: prices for the "Stars & Stripes” design were the same as the Basic Blue Safety Checks

Keep an eye out for promo discounts

At least there are ways to not pay full price here. When we visited the website for American Bank Checks recently, we got an offer to save 20% if we provided our email address. But, there was also a promo code in the banner at the top of the site that also got us 20% off, no email required. So, be sure to look there for an option that doesn't require signing up for an email list.

Personalizations for $2.99 each

As you create your order, you'll be able to add some personalization if you choose. Putting on a stock logo costs $2.99, and so does choosing a non-standard font or adding text over one or two signature lines. You can also add FraudArmor protection for $4.99 per box; that's a little spendier than many competitors, and we're not thrilled that American Bank Checks includes it by default (so you'd have to click on "no thanks” to exclude that from your order). You'll be able to see a preview of your personal checks as you make changes.

No free shipping option

Once you finally get to the checkout page, you'll see the options for shipping. (Handling costs are built in.) There's zero option for free delivery with American Bank Checks: your order will likely default to trackable ground delivery within 10-12 business days; we were charged $11.95 for that option. However, you can get standard, non-trackable shipping with arrival in 10-12 business days; on our order of one box of single personal checks, we were charged $4.95. Higher-tier options include 2nd day, overnight, and signature required delivery, all with an added cost.

Not much feedback specific to this company

We were glad to see that American Bank Checks' parent company, Checks in the Mail, has an "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, with just 26 complaints filed there in the 3 years leading up to this review. We didn't really find much feedback specifically for American Bank Checks, however.

You'll get more from competitors

We don't find much to get excited about with this provider of personal checks. The pricing is much higher than average, there's not much feedback from customers, and American Bank Checks seems to be overshadowed by the other check printing companies in its own portfolio. (But before you get too excited and jump over to one of American Bank Checks' "sister” sites, we'll point out that they were both among the lowest-ranked services when we evaluated them separately in the past). Get your checks from a provider that's higher on our list instead.

Deluxe Checks

• About 100 designs to choose from
• $32.70 for a box of 80 single basic blue safety checks
• No handling fees
• $3.55 for basic, non-tracked shipping
• 100% satisfaction guarantee
• "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• In business for over 100 years

Deluxe is one of the original names in checking, getting its start all the way back in 1915. Your financial institution may even partner with Deluxe in the checks they offer (and that should give you an inkling of what to expect with pricing here...).

Can't see prices without providing your banking details

When we went to order our personal checks, Deluxe took us aback with the way they jumped right into asking for our routing and account number, just to show us the available design and pricing options. At least buy us dinner first, Deluxe... They also let you opt to "browse without pricing”, but that seems like it should be the default (like you get with most competitors' sites). Instead, you'll have to log in with your banking details just to know what Deluxe will charge for your personal checks. Not a fan of that.

Can be confusing for new customers

We entered a fake set of banking numbers in order to do the research for you, and we were told by Deluxe that we needed to contact our banking information because our details had changed. That's pretty confusing if you're a new customer, right?

Pay more here, but get fewer checks

Deluxe only has about 100 designs to choose from, so don't expect anything particularly novel or noteworthy when you're shopping for personal checks here. To make an equal comparison across companies, we looked for three specific design options: a basic blue safety check, a hologram check for extra security, and any popular patriotic theme. Deluxe didn't do so well in terms of cost or style:

• Basic Blue Safety Checks: $32.70 for a box of single checks, $34.70 for a box of duplicate checks. Deluxe doesn't come out and say how many are in a box, but we dug into the FAQ and found out that the quantity is 80 instead of the standard 100 or 120-150 offered by rivals
• Parchment Hologram Checks: we couldn't find a hologram option, but the Antique High Security design was $38.70 for a box of single checks and $40.95 for a box of duplicate checks
• Patriotic Design Checks: the "Forever Free” design was the same price as the Basic Blue Safety Checks ($32.70/$34.70)

Personalizations are expensive

You've got design upgrade options at Deluxe, from adding a monogrammed letter to using a different font. They don't make it obvious, though, that each one comes with an upcharge: you'll just have to pay attention to the total for your order as it goes up, and that may be your first inkling that these upgrades are spendy at about $5 each. The only positive we can offer is that Deluxe shows you exactly what your personal checks will look like in the handy preview image.

No way to get free shipping here

The news doesn't get any better the more you dig into Deluxe. Unlike most rivals who offer free non-trackable, bulk shipping, Deluxe charges at least $3.55 for it. You can also upgrade to 7- to 10-calendar-day shipping for $8.55, pay $15.55 for 4-business-day delivery, or $21.55 for 1- to 2-business-day shipping. Those prices were what we were charged for a basic one-box order of single checks; you may see higher fees if you're placing a larger order. You're also automatically opted into the Deluxe Provent Check Fraud Protection service for $2.50, so make sure to set that to "no” if you don't want it included. On a positive note, there were no extra handling fees on our Deluxe order (a charge you might notice with some of Deluxe's rivals).

Perfect score from the BBB

Still, we're not particularly concerned with Deluxe's overall reputation. The company has an "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, with just 15 complaints filed with the BBB in the last 12-month period. For a business that's been around for over 100 years, that's a good track record. And, Deluxe provides a 100% satisfaction guarantee if you're not happy with your order of personal checks for some reason.

Customers aren't happy with the site or the prices

But, when we jumped over to Trustpilot, we saw that while half of the reviewers gave the company a perfect 5-star score, almost a quarter of them offered the lowest possible rating. We found a significant number of complaints about the functionality of the website, including some of the weird login procedures we described earlier. And, some people said this would be their last time reordering checks from Deluxe when they realized just how much less they could pay somewhere else.

Last on our list

Deluxe still gets the lowest spot on our list. The fact is, they just don't make it easy to order personal checks here. And, even if you sail through the process all the way to checkout, you're going to pay significantly more than most rivals are charging - and have fewer design options while you're at it.