Disbo vs. Checkrun: beyond printing and mailing.
Both offer outsourced paper checks. Decide which account, approval, accounting and matter-record workflow fits your firm.
Disbo arranges printing and mailing of firm-approved settlement checks within a matter-linked payment and reconciliation workflow. Checkrun publicly offers law-firm settlement and trust-account payments, local or outsourced printing, configurable approvals, mobile signing and two-way QuickBooks Online sync. The buying decision is how each product connects your accounts, client ledgers, approvals and exception records—not whether one can mail a check.
What is being compared?
Outsourced check distribution replaces in-house printing, signing logistics, envelope preparation and mailing. It does not transfer a law firm's responsibility for choosing the correct account, confirming funds, approving amounts or reviewing bank activity. Requirements vary by jurisdiction; the firm retains legal and accounting judgment.
Feature comparison: Disbo vs. Checkrun
Documented capabilities and implementation questions, not a claim that every feature is enabled in every plan or configuration.
| Feature | Checkrun | Disbo |
|---|---|---|
Printing and mailing | Vendor offers local and remote printing plus outsourced Print and Mail. Advertised same-business-day processing has a cutoff; it is not a recipient-delivery guarantee. | Printing and automated mailing through a third-party provider after firm approval; replaces in-house check handling, not a local or MICR printer product. Timing varies. |
Approval and signatures | Configurable amount-based approval steps, user permissions and Mobile Approval App signing. Ask how superuser access and separation of duties work. | Firm-controlled release, with two-person approval and two-factor authentication for applicable trust payments. Confirm the firm's roles and configuration. |
Accounts and settlement allocations | Law-firm page lists trust-account and settlement payments, multiple bank accounts and account-based workflows. Ask how client balances and matter allocations are represented. | Matter-linked multi-recipient payments with recipient amounts prepared for firm review. Trust and operating-account workflows remain distinct; this does not claim automatic settlement or check splitting. |
Accounting synchronization | Vendor describes two-way QuickBooks Online sync for vendors, bills, payments and attachments; its integration FAQ says QuickBooks Desktop is not supported. | Supported two-way accounting and case-management connections, including advertised QuickBooks connections, depend on configuration. Verify actual objects, sync direction and error recovery. |
Reconciliation and open checks | Vendor describes payment updates and reconciliation in QuickBooks. Ask for the bank-to-trust-ledger-to-client-ledger process and how uncleared, voided or reissued checks are handled. | Continuous three-way reconciliation and outstanding-check aging for applicable workflows. Firm staff review differences and bank records; a mailing update is not proof a check cleared. |
Reviewable records | Vendor says payment activity and check images are logged and attached to QuickBooks payments, with audit trails and remittance information. | Matter-linked payment and approval history plus exportable compliance/audit packages for applicable workflows. Ask which records and exceptions appear in your export. |
Start with the account and end with the records.
A settlement payment from client trust is not the same accounting event as paying an office bill from operating funds. Ask both vendors to demonstrate account selection, client or matter allocation, approval permissions and the resulting accounting entries using your own scenarios.
Disbo connects firm-approved payments to matter records, applicable two-person and two-factor approval, outstanding-check aging and continuous three-way reconciliation. Supported accounting and case-management synchronization depends on the connection, configured fields and workflow.
Checkrun is not simply a generic mailing service. Its law-firm page explicitly lists settlement checks, lien and medical payments, trust-account payments and multiple accounts. Its documented printing, signing and QuickBooks capabilities are meaningful alternatives for firms evaluating check issuance.
What Checkrun documents
Checkrun's official law-firm, printing and integration pages describe local and remote printing, outsourced Print and Mail, mobile check signatures, account-based approval workflows, Positive Pay file export and check images attached to QuickBooks Online payments. Its help article explains amount-bounded approval steps and assigned users, including superuser access. These are vendor-stated descriptions, not independently tested results. The sources do not settle every matter-ledger, bank-feed or jurisdiction-specific implementation question; ask for a demonstration rather than assuming a capability is missing.
Source: volatile claims reviewed
- QuickBooks integration boundary: Checkrun publicly describes two-way QuickBooks Online sync for vendors, bills, payments and attachments; its integration FAQ says QuickBooks Desktop is not supported. Checkrun — QuickBooks Online integration — vendor-stated; not independently verified
- Outsourced printing, cutoff and membership price: Checkrun advertises same-business-day Print and Mail for approved payments ready before its stated 11am Pacific cutoff, not guaranteed recipient delivery. Its FAQ advertises discounted $1.95/check Print and Mail for monthly and annual memberships; confirm current terms. Checkrun — Check Printing & Mailing Service — vendor-stated; not independently verified
- Approvals and mobile signing: Checkrun's homepage describes mobile check signatures, customizable approval workflows and user permissions, local printing, outsourced mailing and Positive Pay. Checkrun — Official product homepage — vendor-stated; not independently verified
- Approval-step mechanism: Checkrun's help article describes amount-bounded approval steps, assigned users and superusers with access to all steps. Steps apply according to payment amount rather than necessarily depending on one another. Checkrun Helpdesk — Set Approval Workflows For Your Team (updated January 22, 2025) — vendor-stated; not independently verified
- Reconciliation system boundary: Checkrun describes payment updates and reconciliation in QuickBooks. The reviewed integration page does not establish every bank-to-trust-ledger-to-client-ledger or outstanding-check workflow; ask for a demonstration. Checkrun — QuickBooks Online integration — vendor-stated; not independently verified
- Law-firm payments and reviewable records: Checkrun lists settlement, trust-account, lien and medical payments, multiple bank accounts, account-based approval workflows and Positive Pay file export. It says payment activity and check images are logged and attached to QuickBooks Online payments. Checkrun — Payment Issuance Solutions for Law Firms and Attorneys — vendor-stated; not independently verified
Compare the complete check workflow, not just the envelope.
Show one matter with several recipients
Use firm-reviewed amounts for a client, provider and co-counsel. Follow the resulting check records back to the same matter and client balance. Neither the comparison nor Disbo's multi-recipient wording promises automatic check splitting.
Show a check that stays open
Review an aging item, bank activity and the void/reissue decision. Determine who records the exception and how duplicate payment is avoided. Confirm what each status actually means.
Compare the complete cost
Disbo's free pay-as-you-go access is $4.97 per ACH or mailed-check payment; optional paid plans start at $49. Checkrun's Print and Mail FAQ advertises a discounted $1.95/check rate for monthly and annual memberships. This is not an all-in price comparison: confirm current memberships, postage options, bank fees and service terms with each vendor.
Buyer's demo scorecard
Bring these questions to both demos.
A feature label is not enough. Ask each team to show the payment, accounting entry and reviewable evidence in your intended configuration.
- 1
Can you show trust and operating-account payments separately?
Identify who selects the source account, what prevents a mistaken allocation and how client balances are reviewed. Multiple bank accounts alone do not establish a complete trust-account workflow.
- 2
Who can prepare, approve, sign and override?
Demonstrate amount thresholds, two-person review, authentication, superuser access and the evidence retained when permissions or payment details change.
- 3
What happens if accounting synchronization fails?
Show the supported QuickBooks edition, mapped fields, retry or correction process and which system owns the final ledger. Ask about bank and case-management connections separately.
- 4
Can we reconcile and export an unresolved check?
Demonstrate bank, trust-ledger and client-ledger comparison, outstanding-item follow-up and exportable records. Ask whether mailing, receipt and clearing are distinct statuses.
IOLTA compliance as a system — not a feature checkbox.
Matter-linked payments
Keep firm-reviewed recipient amounts, payment history and approval records with the relevant matter.
Applicable trust-payment controls
Two-person approval and two-factor payment approval support the firm's configured review process; they do not guarantee compliance.
Reconciliation and evidence
Continuous three-way reconciliation and exportable audit packages support review for applicable workflows. Your bank records and professional judgment remain essential.
Choosing between Disbo and Checkrun
Checkrun is best for
Checkrun may fit a QuickBooks Online-centered team that values local or remote printing alongside outsourced mailing, mobile signatures, configurable account-based approvals, check-image records and Positive Pay export. Confirm the precise legal trust-account and matter-ledger workflow with Checkrun.
Disbo is best for
Disbo may fit a firm seeking a connected settlement workflow across matters, firm-approved multi-recipient payments, outstanding-check review, applicable trust controls and continuous three-way reconciliation. Validate bank setup, integrations and exported records before choosing.
Disbo vs. Checkrun FAQ
Does Checkrun serve law firms and trust-account payments?
Yes. Checkrun's law-firm page explicitly lists settlement checks, trust-account payments, lien payments and medical payments. This comparison does not infer a lack of trust controls. Ask Checkrun to demonstrate the specific client-ledger, approval and reconciliation requirements your firm needs.
Does Disbo provide local MICR check printing?
This Disbo workflow outsources approved check printing and mailing through a third-party provider. It does not offer an in-house printer or MICR printing product. Checkrun publicly offers local printing as well as outsourced Print and Mail.
Does multi-recipient mean automatic check splitting?
No. Disbo organizes recipient payment amounts for firm review and approval. This comparison does not claim automatic settlement allocation or automatic splitting of one check into multiple payments.
Does a mailed check mean reconciliation is complete?
No. Printing, mailing, receipt and bank clearing are different events. Ask each vendor how outstanding checks, bank activity, voids and reissues appear in the records. Your firm remains responsible for reviewing differences and jurisdiction-specific trust-account duties.
What pricing should we compare?
Disbo offers free pay-as-you-go access at $4.97 per ACH or mailed-check payment; optional paid plans start at $49. Checkrun's reviewed Print and Mail FAQ advertises discounted $1.95/check mailing for monthly and annual memberships. Confirm current subscription, mailing and bank terms rather than treating either per-check figure as the complete cost.
Compare Disbo to other platforms
See how Disbo's IOLTA compliance approach stacks up against other practice management tools.
Related resources
See your check workflow in Disbo.
Bring a settlement, an outstanding check and your accounting setup. Review account selection, approvals, mailing and matter-linked evidence with the team.
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