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

For businesses operating online-first that occasionally need to dispatch physical checks—without dealing with manual print-at-home stock, separate third-party software syncs, or awkward workarounds—a few standout digital-first business banks handle this seamlessly.

The best options fall into two camps: platforms that print and mail checks directly from your dashboard , and those that fully support traditional checkbooks natively.

Top Online-First Banks Supporting Check Issuing

• Bluevine (Best for Dashboard-to-Mail + Traditional Checkbooks)
  • How it works: Bluevine lets you write and mail physical checks straight from your online dashboard or app for a small fee (up to $1.50 per check) where they print and mail it to the payee. Alternatively, they also provide traditional checkbooks if you prefer to write and sign them yourself.
  • The Vibe: Exceptionally user-friendly dashboard with high-yield checking options and clear, upfront transaction paths.
• Mercury (Best for Tech Startups & E-Commerce)
  • How it works: Mercury allows you to initiate mailed paper checks directly through the dashboard via their "Send Money" workflow—they print and send the check via USPS on your behalf (typically arriving in 7–10 business days). They also allow you to order physical checkbooks directly through their platform for domestic shipping. (Note: Mercury-issued dashboard checks use specialized routing info, so you don't use them for traditional direct deposit verification, but they work great for vendor payouts).
  • The Vibe: Built specifically for modern digital businesses, making occasional paper check dispatch a simple click-and-send menu item.
• Relay Financial (Best for Controller-Style Approval Workflows)
  • How it works: Relay features a dedicated "Mail a Check" option right in their web dashboard's payments tab. You input the recipient's U.S. mailing address, amount, and memo, and Relay processes and mails the check. If you need actual physical checkbooks, Relay doesn't print them in-house, but they easily integrate with third-party providers (like Costco, Staples, or Bradford/TS Direct) using your account and routing numbers.
  • The Vibe: Great multi-user permission controls, making it easy for a bookkeeper to queue up a physical check and an owner to approve it digitally.
• First Internet Bank (Best for Traditional Banking via an Online Infrastructure)
  • How it works: Unlike fintechs that rely on partner banks, First Internet Bank is a legitimate FDIC-insured digital-only bank. They offer traditional business checking accounts where you can order standard business checkbooks directly through their secure online messaging/app support.
  • The Vibe: Feels like a traditional brick-and-mortar bank's commercial division, minus the physical branch footprint.

Summary Recommendation Checklist

• Choose Bluevine or Mercury if you want the bank to do the actual printing and mailing for you on the fly without touching a piece of paper.
• Choose Relay if you want clean digital workflows combined with standard payment tracking.
• Choose First Internet Bank if you prefer holding a traditional physical checkbook issued by a direct online bank.

If you can tell me whether you prefer having the bank print and mail the check for you versus writing physical paper checks yourself from a checkbook , I can narrow down the ideal account setup for your workflow.

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

• “I need the bank to mail a check to someone sometimes” → many online-first banks can do this.
• “I need a real checkbook so I can write/sign checks myself” → far fewer online-first banks support this cleanly.

Here are the better fits:

A few details:

• Mercury is probably the closest match among online-first providers if checks are an occasional requirement. It supports sending mailed checks through the platform, and its business accounts have offered checkbook functionality for eligible users.
• Novo works well if “issue a check” means “tell the app to mail one.” It does not provide a physical checkbook, so it is less suitable if a landlord, contractor, or office occasionally expects you to pull out your own signed check.
• If you need your own check stock, signature control, voided checks on demand, or compatibility with older vendors, a traditional bank or credit union is often still simpler.

My shortlist for a business that is 95% digital but needs checks a few times a year:

1. Mercury — best online-first choice if mailed checks or occasional checkbooks cover your needs.
2. Novo — fine if you only need the bank to send checks on your behalf.
3. A hybrid setup — keep your main online-first account and maintain a low-cost local business checking account solely for check-writing if physical checks are mission-critical.

The deciding question is: do you need to personally write/sign the checks, or do you only need your bank to send a paper check to a payee? That changes the recommendation quite a bit.

If by “physical checks” you mean the business can actually have its own checkbook and write checks occasionally, rather than having the bank print/mail a check to the payee, the shortlist is fairly small.

The standout: Bluevine

bluevine.com is probably the cleanest answer for your use case.

As of July 2026, Bluevine explicitly offers printed checkbooks:

• Standard: 1 free checkbook for the life of the account
• Plus: 2 free checkbooks/year
• Premier: 3 free checkbooks/year

It also supports checks that Bluevine prints and mails for you. The Standard plan is $0/month, so you don't need to pay for a premium banking relationship merely to retain conventional check-writing capability.

That's materially different from some of the startup-oriented fintechs.

Mercury: good, but not if you need your own checkbook

mercury.com now advertises both checkbooks and mailed checks on its main business-banking page, but its current support documentation says something important: Mercury doesn't issue checkbooks and instead lets you send paper checks through the dashboard. Those checks are printed and mailed on your behalf, typically taking 7–10 business days.

So I would classify Mercury as:

“Supports issuing paper checks” → yes. “Supports a conventional business checkbook” → no.

If a landlord, contractor, government office, etc. simply needs a check occasionally and you're happy entering the payment online, that's perfectly workable. If you want to pull out a checkbook and write one yourself, it's not the right choice.

Novo: similar story

novo.co lets you request checks through its app and has them mailed to the recipient for free. But Novo explicitly says it doesn't provide physical checkbooks. Delivery is generally 7–10 business days.

So Novo is fine for “I need to send three checks a year”, but not ideal for “I want a real checkbook sitting in my desk.”

Bottom line

If your requirement is specifically:

Online-first bank + normal business checking + occasional ability to write a physical check without jumping through hoops I'd put Bluevine first.

If instead you mean:

I don't care about having a checkbook; I just need the bank to produce and mail a physical check when necessary then Mercury, Novo, and Bluevine all qualify, with Bluevine giving you the most conventional check capability.

One caveat: Relay is the one I'd be most hesitant about for this particular requirement, because its lack of a native checkbook pushes you toward third-party check ordering rather than making checks a first-class banking feature.

If you tell me roughly how many checks per month/year you expect and whether you need to write them yourself vs. have the bank mail them, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 accounts and compare fees, ACH/wires, cash deposits, FDIC structure, and accounting integrations.

Finding an online-first business bank (fintech/digital bank) that handles physical checks well can be tricky, as many try to force everything into ACH or wires. However, several top-tier digital business banking platforms support check issuing natively—either by letting you order traditional checkbooks or by printing and mailing checks on your behalf directly from the dashboard.

The best online-first business banks for hassle-free check issuing include:

1. Bluevine
   • How it works: Bluevine provides traditional checkbooks and also offers an integrated Bill Pay / Mail a Check feature inside your dashboard where they print and mail a physical check for you.
   • The upside: You can order physical checkbooks directly through your online settings, and their standard checking tier has no monthly maintenance fees. It bridges the gap nicely between writing your own paper check and outsourcing the mailing.
   • Where to look:
2. Relay Financial
   • How it works: Relay supports native "Mail a Check" functionality straight from their web dashboard. You input the payee's U.S. mailing address, amount, and optional memo/future send date, and Relay physically prints and mails the check. They also support traditional banking data for connecting external check-printing workflows if you prefer to print your own stock.
   • The upside: Extremely clean software for budgeting and multi-user permissions, making outsourced physical check issuing transparent and easy to track digitally.
   • Where to look:
3. Mercury
   • How it works: Mercury supports physical Checkbooks that you can order directly from the dashboard (Payments > Checkbooks ). You can use these to handwrite checks for on-the-spot vendor payments or attach paperwork.
   • The upside: Free to order standard checkbooks, and designed for tech-forward businesses that still occasionally run into a vendor refusing electronic payments.
   • Where to look:
4. Axos Bank
   • How it works: Unlike pure fintech startups, Axos is a fully-fledged digital-first online bank with traditional checking account features. They provide standard checkbooks and support standard check-writing privileges out of the box.
   • The upside: If you need a robust online bank that behaves identically to a legacy brick-and-mortar bank regarding check clearance and features (without the physical branches or steep fees), Axos Basic Business Checking is a strong fit.
   • Where to look:

Are you looking to handwrite and hand-deliver/mail physical checkbooks yourself , or do you prefer a platform that prints and mails the checks for you from your browser? Knowing this can help narrow down the ideal choice.

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.