Short answer: you get a checkbook in one of four ways. Ask for one when you open a checking account, order one from your bank online, order checks from an independent check printer with your routing and account number, or get a few counter checks at a branch for today. Ally, for example, mails a first box within 10 business days of the opening deposit; a printer like Checks Unlimited sells a box of 80 for $23.49 and offers a 2-business-day rush. Facts checked October 20, 2026.

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Four ways to get a checkbook

Way Cost How fast Best for
Ask when you open a checking account Often free for the first supply About 10 business days at Ally New accounts
Order from your bank online Free to $35 at the banks below Varies by bank Plain bank checks
Order from a check printer $23.49 for 80 checks Rush: ready to ship in 2 business days Designs, duplicates, multi-box savings
Counter checks at a branch $3 a page or sheet at Chase and Wells Fargo Same day One or two checks today

Get checks with a new account

The easiest checkbook is the one that comes with the account. When you open a checking account, ask whether checks are included and order them in the same session:

  • Capital One 360 Checking: the 360 Checking disclosures say each customer’s first 50-quantity checkbook is free.
  • Ally Bank: the Ally help center says checks requested while opening the account arrive within 10 business days after Ally receives the opening deposit, and standard checks are free.
  • Navy Federal Credit Union: the Navy Federal switching guide says Navy Federal forwards a complimentary initial supply of checks printed with your name and address.

If your new bank does not send checks automatically, the first order is usually a few clicks in online banking. Our bank guides for Navy Federal, Ally Bank and Capital One show the exact menus.

Order a checkbook from your bank

The banks below let you order checks in online banking or the app. What it costs depends on the bank and the account. These are the prices in each bank’s own documents on October 20, 2026:

  • Wells Fargo: the consumer fee schedule lists check ordering at $30 for singles and $35 for duplicates, with no fee on Personal Wallet checks for Prime and Premier Checking. See our Wells Fargo checks guide.
  • Capital One: after the free first book, the 360 Checking fee summary lists $20 for 50 checks and $25 for 100.
  • Chase: the Chase fee document prices an order of checks by the products, shipping and taxes, and lists personal style checks as free for Chase Private Client Checking. See our Chase checks guide.
  • Navy Federal: the Navy Federal fee page says prices vary by style and quality and are shown in online banking.
  • Ally Bank: standard checks are free.

Order checks from a check printer

You do not have to buy checks from your bank. An independent printer prints your bank’s routing number and your account number in the MICR line, the same way the bank does, so the checks draw on your account. Checks Unlimited’s FAQ says the routing number you enter tells it everything it needs about your financial institution. Prices checked October 20, 2026:

Checks Unlimited checks 1 box (80) 2 boxes (160) 4 boxes (320)
Blue Classic, singles $23.49 $38.99 $72.29
Blue Classic, duplicates $29.49 $48.99 $90.49
Side Tear Blue Classic, singles $25.49 $42.39 $78.69
High Security Blue, singles $28.49 $49.59 $87.69

Everyday designs such as Blue Classic, Safety and Stars and Stripes cost the same standard price. Checks Unlimited lists printing and standard untrackable delivery at up to 15 business days and printing with standard trackable delivery at 7 to 11 business days, both counted after order verification. In-Plant Rush costs $6.99 and gets the order processed and ready to ship within 2 business days after verification. Prices include handling fees, and SentryShield fraud protection is added to every order for an extra charge that you can remove in the cart.

On October 20, 2026 the Checks Unlimited Special Offers page listed two codes, and only one code works per order: 8FJD for a free 4th box of checks with a 4-box order, and KQTG for up to 30% off 2 boxes or up to 35% off 4 boxes. Our Checks Unlimited guide explains which one saves more on your order.

See Safety checks at Checks Unlimited →

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Compare more printers in our cheapest checks guide, or see our free checks guide if you want to pay nothing at all.

Need a check today?

A mailed checkbook takes days. If you need to pay someone by check today, ask a branch for a counter check. Chase charges $3 per page for a counter check, a blank page of 3 personal checks, and Wells Fargo lists personalized temporary checks at $3 per sheet of three. Our counter checks guide explains when a payee accepts them, and our next day checks guide covers the fastest mailed boxes.

What you need to order checks

The Checks Unlimited how-to-order page lists the same details any printer or bank asks for:

  • Your name and address exactly as you want them printed.
  • Your bank routing number, the 9-digit number at the bottom left of a check or in online banking.
  • Your checking account number.
  • The starting check number. For a first checkbook, pick any number, such as 101 or 1001; for a reorder, start after your last check.
  • Your choice of singles or duplicates, and top tear or side tear.

If you have no check to copy, the printer page tells you to get the routing number and account number from your financial institution.

What comes in a checkbook

A Checks Unlimited box holds 80 checks, for singles and for duplicates. The rest of a checkbook is optional:

See our checkbook covers guide, check registers guide and deposit slips guide for more options.

Bank with American Express? Our American Express checks guide shows how to order checks for Amex Rewards Checking and what they cost.

Online banks without checkbooks

Some app-based accounts do not issue paper checkbooks at all. Chime, for example, says it does not issue personal checkbooks and offers Chime Checkbook, which mails a check for you, instead. Our Chime checks guide explains how that works and where to get a real checkbook if you need one.

Value Priced Personal Checks

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How to get a checkbook: frequently asked questions

How do I get a checkbook?

Ask for checks when you open a checking account, order them in your bank app or online banking, or order from a check printer with your routing number, account number and starting check number. For a check today, ask a branch for a counter check.

Can I get a checkbook the same day?

Not a full checkbook. Branches print counter checks the same day: Chase charges $3 per page of 3 and Wells Fargo $3 per sheet of three. A printer rush gets a box ready to ship in 2 business days.

How much does a checkbook cost?

At the banks we checked, from free to $35, depending on the account. Capital One charges $20 for 50 checks after the free first book, Wells Fargo lists $30 singles and $35 duplicates, and Checks Unlimited sells 80 checks for $23.49 (October 20, 2026).

Can I order a checkbook online?

Yes. Most banks have an order checks option in online banking or the app, and check printers sell checks online printed with your routing and account number.

Do I need a checking account to get a checkbook?

Yes. Checks draw on a checking account, so you need the routing number and account number of an open checking account. Some app-based accounts, such as Chime, do not issue paper checkbooks.

What check number should a first checkbook start with?

Any number you choose, such as 101 or 1001. When you reorder, start after the last number in your current checkbook so numbers never repeat.

Related guides

Affiliate disclosure: GetBankChecks.com is an independent guide, not a check printer. Some links are affiliate links, and we earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Prices, codes and designs change, so check them on the merchant’s site before you pay.