Full size infographic can be found here:  Which costs less?

 Using Check Printing Software Versus Using Pre-Printed Check Stock: Which Is Cheaper?

According to the Federal Reserve, there were 30.5 billion checks cleared in the United States in 2012[i]. That is a lot of checks. Obviously, checks aren’t going anywhere, anytime fast. A study done by Harland Clarke found that in 2007 checks still took up 31 percent of payments made[ii].  Some may ask: which is cheaper? Writing out checks on pre-printed check stock? Or printing checks using blank check stock?

Which costs less? Using Blank Check Stock? or Pre-Printed Check Stock. Find out using this infographic.

At first glance, it may seem that buying pre-printed check stock is cheaper. To print one’s own checks onto blank check stock, you need MICR toner, blank check stock and envelopes. However, for pre-printed check stock, the supplies are the same but the pricing is quite different.

Based on supply price alone, Piracle looked at three competitors’ prices and compared them to Piracle’s supply prices. For 1,000 checks, a person would spend about $200 less printing their own checks using Piracle’s supplies rather than buying pre-printed check stock. In fact, printing checks using Piracle’s  supplies is 44.5% cheaper than using pre-printed check stock.

Blank Check Stock versus Pre-Printed Check Stock

Purchasing 1,000 of Piracle’s blank checks is $68[iii]. The average of three business’s pre-printed check stock is about $203[iv].  Purchasing blank check stock is not only more cost effective, but more secure. One of the top causes of check fraud is because check stock had pre-printed data already on the checks. Checks can be stolen or replicated with this information. With blank check stock, there is no way to steal or replicate the checks, and using a check printing software such as Create-A-Check, a business allows different users permissions for printing payments, further enhancing security. For extra security, those payments have to approved by a business’s designated administrator before being printed.  That level of security is not present in pre-printed check stock. Not only is Piracle’s blank check stock cheaperit also brings more security to a company.

Piracle’s Envelopes versus Competitor’s Envelopes

Most businesses place checks in envelopes. Piracle has designed and improved on the double window envelopes that are so popular for checks, moving the bottom window up ¼ of an inch to hide the MICR line on checks. This security feature ensures that sensitive information, such as a bank account or routing number present on the MICR line cannot be seen, taken, or misused. This is not present in other competitor double window checks. 1,000 of Piracle’s secure double window envelopes is also $68[v]. The average cost of 1,000 of the double window envelopes from the same three businesses is $114.95[vi].  Once again, Piracle’s supplies are not only cost cutting, but more secure than competitors’.

MICR Toner versus Generic Printer Ink

Some businesses worry about MICR toner ink with printing their own checks. It is necessary to have the MICR line, and is more secure to print it on the blank check stock, rather than have the MICR line, which contains sensitive information including the bank account and routing number, already present on the pre-printed check stock.  Although Piracle’s toner appears to be costly at $319, it lasts for 13,000 sheets[vii]. For 1,000 checks, that is only $24.53, compared to $40.99 [viii] of regular generic toner, which lasts for only 1,200 sheets.

When the totals of all supplies are added up, Piracle’s blank check stock and supplies would equal $160.53 per year, compared to the average $361.04 a year spent on pre-printed check stock and supplies. Printing your own checks is 44.5% cheaper than purchasing pre-printed check stock. Think of how much a business could save each year from switching over from pre-printed check stock to printing their own checks.

For more information, or to order check printing supplies, please go to www.Piracle.com.