For a business that needs physical checks occasionally, which online-first business banks still support check issuing without cumbersome workarounds?

For online-first business banking platforms, supporting physical checks usually means one of two things: the bank prints and mails the check on your behalf via an online dashboard (Bill Pay), or the platform provides traditional checkbooks so you can handwrite and mail them yourself.

The top online-first business banks that handle physical check issuing natively without painful workarounds include:

1. Bluevine : Offers robust, integrated Accounts Payable/Bill Pay tools directly inside the digital dashboard. If you have a payee's address, you can initiate a check payment online, and Bluevine will print and mail the physical check for a nominal fee ($1.50). Alternatively, funded accounts can order traditional physical checkbooks directly through the dashboard to write and mail checks yourself . You can review their offerings on the Bluevine Business Checking page.
2. Relay Financial : Built heavily around modern cash flow and expense management. Relay natively supports "Mail a Check" directly from the web dashboard or mobile app. You input the recipient's U.S. mailing address and the source checking account, and Relay processes and mails the paper check on the next business day. They also fully permit ordering traditional checkbooks tied to your account and routing numbers if you prefer cutting your own paper. More details are available on the Relay Financial FAQ.
3. Axos Bank : Unlike newer fintech startups, Axos is a fully chartered digital bank rather than a fintech wrapper. Because of this, standard checkwriting features and traditional business checkbook orders are deeply integrated into their online banking infrastructure from day one without needing third-party workarounds. You can look into their account specs on the Axos Basic Business Checking portal.
4. Novo : Tailored heavily toward freelancers and e-commerce, Novo allows users to send physical paper checks directly through their integrated digital check-mailing feature or order traditional checks, minimizing the need for external software patches for occasional disbursements. Learn more via Novo Business Checking.

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• Do you prefer writing the physical checks yourself or having the bank print and mail them from your dashboard?
• Do you need integration with accounting software like QuickBooks or Xero?

Yes. As of August 2026, there are a few online-first business banking options that handle occasional physical checks without forcing you into a traditional branch bank.

The important distinction

If by "needs physical checks occasionally" you mean you want a checkbook in the desk drawer and the ability to write a check yourself, I'd narrow the field to:

1. Mercury — particularly attractive now that physical checkbooks were added. It combines the online-first experience with conventional checks, and its business checking has no monthly fee.

2. Bluevine — arguably the more established choice if checks themselves are important. Its Standard plan explicitly supports physical checkbooks, with one free checkbook over the account's lifetime.

If you only need to send one or two checks a year, Novo can work, but having the bank create and mail the check for you is more of a workaround than having a checkbook.

One notable change: older comparisons often say Mercury doesn't issue checkbooks. That's now outdated—the company added them on July 21, 2026.

Bottom line: For a small business that is otherwise happy with an online-first bank but occasionally encounters a vendor, government agency, landlord, etc. that insists on paper, I'd shortlist Mercury and Bluevine, with Mercury now probably the cleanest overall fit.

If a business only needs physical checks occasionally, the key distinction is whether you need:

1. A true checkbook with your own business checks, or
2. The ability to send a paper check to someone without handling checks yourself.

Among online-first business banks, these are the strongest fits:

My ranking for your specific use case

1. Bluevine — easiest if you want “real checks when needed”
This is probably the closest match to a traditional business checking account while still being online-first. It supports checkbooks and also lets you send payments by check through its bill-pay workflow.

Good for:

• Paying an occasional landlord, contractor, government office, or vendor that insists on checks
• Having a small supply of blank business checks available
• Avoiding a separate brick-and-mortar bank account

2. Novo — fine if you never need a checkbook
Novo can create and mail paper checks on your behalf from the app, but you do not get your own physical checkbook.

Good for:

• “I need to pay one person by check every few months”
• Fully digital workflows

Less ideal for:

• Signing checks yourself
• Situations where someone asks for a voided check or expects standard check stock

3. Mercury — good digital workflow, but not checkbook-oriented
Mercury lets you send paper checks from the dashboard, but it explicitly does not issue checkbooks or support third-party checks.

Good for:

• Tech companies and online businesses
• Vendor payments where mailing time is acceptable

Less ideal for:

• Traditional small-business check use

4. Relay — excellent controls, weaker for checks
Relay is strong for separating funds, approvals, and bookkeeping workflows, but it is not designed around issuing your own paper checks.

Bottom line

If “occasionally” means a few checks per year but you want no hassle, I’d lean:

1. Bluevine — best overall replacement for a traditional checking account
2. Novo — best if checks are rare and you’re happy with mailed checks
3. Mercury — best if you’re a digital-first startup and checks are an exception

If you tell me the business type (LLC, nonprofit, contractor, e-commerce, etc.) and what the checks are usually for (rent, payroll, vendors, taxes, deposits), I can narrow it further.

Finding an online-first business bank that natively handles physical checks—without making you jump through third-party export hoops or manually handwrite checks on expensive home MICR printers—can be tough. Most digital fintechs lean entirely digital (forcing you to use bill-pay features where the bank mails a check on your behalf, or disallowing checks altogether like Novo).

The online-first business banking platforms that provide direct support for physical check issuing with minimal friction are organized below:

• Relay Financial (Partnered with Thread Bank) stands out for teams needing traditional check workflows. Unlike many digital-only competitors, Relay explicitly supports third-party checkbooks . You can opt-in to order and print physical checkbooks directly tied to your account and routing numbers, set automated approval thresholds (e.g., requiring admin sign-off for checks over $2,000), and manage permissions cleanly inside their dashboard.
• Bluevine (Partnered with Coastal Community Bank) handles physical checks through a dual approach. Eligible funded accounts can order free physical checkbooks directly from the dashboard to write your own checks. Alternatively, if you just have a vendor's mailing address, you can use their digital bill-pay interface to trigger a physical check payout, which Bluevine prints and mails for a small flat fee.
• Axos Bank (A true online-only bank) is unique because it functions as a fully chartered digital bank rather than a fintech wrapper. Their Basic Business Checking accounts come with 50 free checks upon opening, and you can reorder traditional checkbooks directly inside the online portal or mobile app just like you would with a brick-and-mortar institution.

If you'd like to narrow this down, tell me:

• Do you prefer to handwrite/print physical checkbooks yourself , or do you want the bank to print and mail checks on demand via a dashboard?
• Do you require integrations with software like QuickBooks or Xero?

For online-first business banking, handling physical checks usually falls into two categories: banks that let you order traditional physical checkbooks to write yourself, and fintechs that mail physical paper checks on your behalf straight from their dashboard or app (eliminating the need to stock check stock, envelopes, and stamps).

The top online-first options that support check issuing seamlessly without cumbersome workarounds include:

• Bluevine Business Checking : Best for traditional checkbooks and digital mailing. Bluevine provides traditional checkbooks that you can order directly from your dashboard, but they also have a built-in bill pay feature where they will print and mail physical paper checks to vendors on your behalf if your payee doesn't take electronic payments. Certain paid tiers even include a set allowance of free mailed checks per month.
• American Express® Business Checking : Best for a purely digital account with traditional check writing. Amex offers a zero-monthly-fee online business checking account (tied to a qualifying existing Amex card relationship). While they don't provide a physical branch network, you can order optional physical checkbooks to write and mail yourself with no Amex-imposed check processing fees (though third-party printing costs apply).
• Axos Bank (Basic Business Checking) : Best for high transaction limits and traditional checks. Axos is a true online-only bank (holding its own banking charter) rather than a fintech partner. Their basic business checking account gives you your first 50 checks completely free, allowing you to write and pass physical checks just like you would with a traditional brick-and-mortar bank.
• Novo Business Checking : Best if you prefer app-driven check mailing. Novo is a popular online-first option for digital businesses and freelancers. Crucially, Novo does not issue traditional physical checkbooks , but they have a native feature in their app where you type in the payee details, and Novo will print and mail a physical paper check on your behalf for free (up to 10 a day). If you only need to mail a check occasionally and don't care about physically handwriting one yourself, this is zero-hassle.

To help narrow down the best fit, tell me:

• Do you need to handwrite/print physical checkbooks yourself , or do you prefer the bank to print and mail checks for you?
• Do you regularly need to deposit physical cash , or is everything 100% digital?

If “occasionally” means you want a normal checkbook available, without printing your own checks or routing payments through a separate service, the field is surprisingly short.

Best fits

1. Bluevine Business Checking — my first choice

This is probably the closest match to what you're describing. Bluevine currently offers actual physical checkbooks, with one free checkbook on the $0 Standard plan and additional ones at $30. It also lets you issue checks directly from the account and manage check images and stop payments in the dashboard.

The nice part is that you get both modes:

• Need to write a check yourself? Use the checkbook.
• Need to pay a vendor remotely? Bluevine can print and mail the check for you.
• Standard-plan mailed checks are $1.50 each.

For a business that only writes checks a handful of times a year, this is the one I'd shortlist first.

2. American Express Business Checking

Amex is another unusually good fit because it supports both checkbooks and online check payments. Its current fee information says there is no Amex fee for a checkbook, although the third-party check-printing vendor sets the actual checkbook cost.

Its online “Mail a Check” option is also free and typically takes 5–7 business days.

I'd put this roughly alongside Bluevine if you prefer the Amex ecosystem.

3. Grasshopper Bank

Grasshopper is worth considering if by “checks” you mainly mean the bank can send a physical check to a vendor when necessary. Its digital business checking supports check payments through Bill Pay—the bank prints and mails the check for you.

It's less attractive if you specifically want a drawer full of your own numbered checks.

Banks I'd not choose for this particular requirement

Mercury is the big one. It looks perfect on paper for an online-first business, but Mercury explicitly says it doesn't issue checkbooks or support third-party checks. It can generate and mail a check from the dashboard, typically taking 7–10 business days.

Found has essentially the same limitation: no checkbook and no third-party/home-printed checks, although you can mail checks from the platform for $1 each.

Lili can mail paper checks from the account, but again, that's a bank-generated check rather than a traditional checkbook.

Bottom line

If your requirement is “I want a modern online business bank, but I occasionally need to pull out a checkbook and write a check”, I'd rank them:

1. Bluevine — best combination of online-first banking + actual checkbook
2. American Express Business Checking — similarly strong, especially if you like Amex
3. Grasshopper — excellent if bank-printed/mail checks are sufficient
4. Lili / Found — workable if you never need to physically write your own check
5. Mercury — excellent digital banking, but not if a conventional checkbook matters

The distinction between “supports checks” and “actually gives you a checkbook” is important here; a lot of online-business-bank comparisons blur those together.

If by “support check issuing” you mean you can occasionally send a physical paper check without maintaining a traditional branch-bank account, there are several good online-first options as of 2026.

My shortlist

1. Bluevine — probably the cleanest fit.
Bluevine now offers both physical checkbooks and a built-in check-payment feature. Its current documentation says Standard customers get one free checkbook for the lifetime of the account, while Plus gets two/year and Premier three/year. You can also have Bluevine issue and mail individual checks for $1.50 each on the Standard plan.

That makes it unusually flexible: you can write a check yourself when needed, but you don't have to if it's easier to have the bank mail one.

2. Relay — best if “I occasionally need an actual checkbook” is important.
Relay explicitly says you can print third-party checkbooks with your Relay account and routing number, while also supporting checks mailed from the platform.

That's a particularly good distinction from Mercury.

3. Novo — excellent for the “one or two checks a year” scenario.
Novo lets you send a check from the app and have it mailed directly. Its current help documentation says mailed checks generally take 7–10 business days. www.novo.co Novo also describes paper checks as free in its current business-banking material.

4. Mercury — good digital substitute, but not a true checkbook bank.
Mercury will generate and mail a paper check from your dashboard, but it specifically says it doesn't issue checkbooks and doesn't support third-party checks. Checks typically arrive in 7–10 business days.

Bottom line

If your requirement is:

“I'm otherwise a fully digital business, but maybe 2–10 times a year someone insists on a paper check.”

I'd rank them:

Bluevine > Relay > Novo > Mercury

If instead you mean:

“I occasionally need to physically sit down and write a check from my business account.”

I'd narrow it to Bluevine or Relay, because Mercury and Novo are primarily bank-mails-the-check-for-you solutions rather than traditional checkbook solutions.

One important distinction: sending a paper check and having a checkbook/ability to write your own checks aren't the same thing. That's where some of the popular fintech accounts become surprisingly cumbersome.

Finding an online-first business bank that handles physical checks smoothly can be frustrating, as many fintechs historically forced you to use third-party bill pay plugins or external mail services . Fortunately, several leading digital business banking platforms have evolved to support native check issuing, either by mailing checks on your behalf or letting you write your own physical checks.

The online-first business banks that natively support check issuing without painful workarounds include:

• Bluevine Business Checking : Bluevine stands out because it gives you the best of both worlds. You can order physical checkbooks directly through your dashboard to handwrite checks, or you can use their native bill-pay/payment feature to have Bluevine print and mail a physical check to a vendor for a small fee ($1.50). They provide free checkbooks for funded accounts, making occasional check-writing seamless. You can review their full feature set on the Bluevine Business Checking overview.
• Mercury : Historically, Mercury only allowed you to input payee details on the dashboard and mail a check on your behalf, which annoyed business owners who wanted to handwrite checks on the spot. Mercury updated their platform to allow businesses to order physical checkbooks directly from the dashboard for traditional, on-the-spot check writing. Alternatively, you can still trigger a one-off check to be printed and mailed from the dashboard under Move Money -> Send . Check out their Mercury Checkbooks Overview for details.
• Relay Financial : Relay allows you to handle checks natively within your digital dashboard via their Send a Check Payment feature, where they print and mail the check out to a U.S. address on the next business day for free. They also support third-party check-writing features if you opt-in and designate a primary check-writing account to pair with external check stock. Learn more about their process through the Relay Support on Sending a Check.

To help narrow down which option fits your exact workflow, do you prefer handwriting and handing out physical checks yourself , or would you rather type in a recipient digitally and have the bank print and mail it?

If your business only needs occasional physical checks (for a landlord, government agency, local vendor, etc.), it's worth distinguishing between three models:

1. Real checkbooks (you can write and hand someone a check).
2. Online bill pay that mails checks (the bank prints and mails them for you).
3. Third-party workarounds (printing software or external check services).

Since you asked to avoid cumbersome workarounds, I'd prioritize banks that support either (1) or a well-integrated version of (2).

Best options

Bluevine

• Offers actual business checkbooks.
• You can also send mailed checks from online banking.
• Works well if you occasionally need to write a check at your desk instead of waiting for mail. Recent support documentation also describes ordering checkbooks and mailing check payments from the account.

Relay

• Strong for multi-user businesses and bookkeeping.
• Built-in mailed checks are easy.
• Less convenient if you need to physically hand someone a check immediately; many users resort to third-party printing solutions for that scenario.

Novo

• Excellent online experience.
• No traditional checkbook.
• Bill Pay will print and mail checks for free, so it's fine if a few days of delivery time is acceptable.

If you need same-day physical checks

If you occasionally need to hand someone a paper check the same day, I'd lean toward Bluevine over Novo or Relay because having an actual checkbook avoids extra software or printing steps.

My recommendation by use case

• Mostly ACH/cards, 1–10 paper checks per year: Bluevine
• Team with multiple employees managing money: Relay
• Freelancer/consultant who only mails checks occasionally: Novo
• Tech startup that almost never uses checks: Mercury

If your business writes fewer than about 10 checks a year, I would prioritize an online bank with a real checkbook (like Bluevine) over one that only mails checks. It costs very little to keep a checkbook on hand, and it avoids the frustration of discovering you need a physical check on short notice.

Finding an online-first digital business bank that gracefully handles old-school paper checks without forcing you into tedious workarounds (like third-party check-printing services or manual PDF mailings) can be tough. Many pure fintechs abandoned physical checkbooks entirely.

The online-first business banks that genuinely support check issuing straightforwardly—either by mailing checks on your behalf via their app or providing actual physical checkbooks—include the following top options:

• Bluevine
  • How it works: Bluevine provides traditional checkwriting privileges and supplies free physical checkbooks directly through their online dashboard. If you prefer not to mail them yourself, you can also use their built-in digital bill pay to have a physical paper check printed and mailed directly to a vendor straight from your account.
  • Best for: Businesses that want the flexibility of holding a physical checkbook on hand while managing most of their banking digitally. You can review details on the Bluevine Business Checking page.
• Novo
  • How it works: Novo does not issue traditional physical checkbooks, but they have a native app-based check mailing feature . Within the mobile or web app, you go to "Move Money," select "Make a U.S. Payment," enter your payee, and choose "Paper Check". Novo then prints and mails the physical check on your behalf for free.
  • Best for: Solopreneurs and small teams who only need to mail the occasional physical check to a vendor and want to skip buying stamps or envelopes. You can learn more via Novo Business Banking.
• Axos Bank
  • How it works: Unlike smaller fintech startups, Axos is a fully chartered, online-only digital bank (rather than a fintech relying on a partner bank). Their Axos Basic Business Checking account natively supports traditional checkwriting , allowing you to order and write standard physical checks just like you would with a legacy brick-and-mortar institution.
  • Best for: Businesses that want a true digital bank experience with traditional checkbook functionality and zero monthly maintenance fees.
• Mercury
  • How it works: Similar to Novo, Mercury doesn’t traditionally hand out checkbooks for standard self-printing, but they feature a native Accounts Payable / Check Mailing tool in their dashboard. You can input check details digitally, and Mercury will print and mail a physical check to your payee. (Note: Physical checkbooks are generally restricted or unavailable here, so it relies entirely on the bank mailing it for you).
  • Best for: Tech-forward startups and incorporated companies already using digital AP workflows. More info is available at Mercury.

If you can share whether you need to hand-write checks on the spot (requiring a physical checkbook) versus having the bank mail them for you , I can help you pick the exact right fit.