How to send a check with American Express.
A guide to mailing a real paper check from your American Expressaccount — with premium options like Certified, Priority, and Express Mail that your bank doesn't offer.
American Express bill pay vs. Check Supply.
See how Check Supply compares with American Express's traditional bill-pay rails. Unlike your bank, Check Supply offers premium mail options — Certified, Priority, and Express — alongside faster processing and real-time tracking.
American Express Rewards Checking does not offer traditional bill pay services for their checking accounts. Instead, customers can use their account number and routing number to pay bills on third-party sites, send money via Zelle for person-to-person payments, or order checks through third-party vendors for mailing. While American Express provides excellent banking features including competitive APY, Membership Rewards points on debit card purchases, and no monthly fees, built-in bill payment functionality is not available through their platform.
Check Supply provides the perfect solution for American Express customers who need to send physical checks or make payments that require traditional bill pay functionality. We offer superior speed, visibility, and control for mailed checks. We process payments in one business day with same-day print-and-mail capability when queued by 3 PM ET (including Saturdays), provide granular status tracking (queued → printed → mailed), and clearly confirm when the check is deposited. Funds remain in your American Express account until the recipient deposits the check—we do not place pre-debit holds. The experience is a modern, simple flow similar to Cash App or Venmo for sending checks, and you can connect multiple bank accounts and choose which one to pay from. USPS transit times are not guaranteed by either service.
Shipping Options Limitations
Important: This bank does not offer premium shipping options for check delivery through their bill pay system:
- Certified Mail: Not available
- Priority Mail: Not available
- Express Mail: Not available
For these premium delivery options, consider using Check Supply instead, which provides:
- Certified Mail for secure, trackable delivery
- Priority Mail for faster 1-3 business day delivery
- Express Mail for urgent same-day or next-day delivery
Traditional bank bill pay typically only offers standard first-class mail delivery, which can take 5-7 business days and lacks the security and speed of premium options.
| Feature | American Express bill pay | Check Supply |
|---|---|---|
| Physical checks | No — American Express does not offer traditional bill pay services | Yes — we print & mail on your behalf |
| Average processing time | N/A — No traditional bill pay service; Zelle is instant for P2P, wires take 1-3 days | 1 business day; same-day print & mail if queued by 3 PM ET (Sat included) |
| When funds are withdrawn | Varies — Zelle: immediate; Wires: when processed; Third-party sites: varies | Only when recipient deposits the check; no pre-debit holds |
| User experience | No integrated bill pay interface; must use third-party sites or Zelle | Modern, simple flow (Cash App/Venmo-like) for sending checks |
| Account flexibility | Limited to American Express accounts for most services | Connect multiple banks; choose which account to pay from |
| Delivery time (mail transit) | N/A — No traditional bill pay service; third-party sites vary | Typically 1–5 business days (USPS not guaranteed) |
| Tracking | Limited tracking for wires; no tracking for third-party bill pay | Granular: queued → printed → mailed + deposit confirmation |
| Certified Mail | Not available | Available · signature + tracking |
| Priority Mail | Not available | Available · 1–3 days with tracking |
| Express Mail | Not available | Available · 1–2 day delivery |
American Express
American Express is supported by Check Supply for secure check mailing with premium delivery options.
Send a check using the iOS app.
01Install Check Supply.
Get Check Supply by downloading our iOS app from the App Store or signing in to the web app.
02Enter the payment amount.
Open the app and tap the Pay tab. Type in the amount you want to send and tap Mail My Check.
03Add the recipient.
Input the name and address of the person you wish to send the check to. You can also import this information from your iPhone's contacts.
04Connect your American Express account.
Connect your American Express account securely using Plaid. Your financial information is encrypted and stored only with Plaid; Check Supply never accesses or stores your sensitive data.
05Add an optional memo.
Add a memo or note to be printed on the bottom left corner of the check. This step is optional. When you're ready, tap Pay.
06Review and confirm.
You'll see a confirmation page to review all the details. Confirm and pay for the service. If completed before 3 PM ET on a business day, your check will be printed and mailed the same day.
07Track your check.
Under the Payments tab, you can track your checks. Most are delivered within 1–5 USPS business days, including Saturdays.
Send a check from your browser.
Need to send a check from your desktop or laptop? Check Supply Web gives you the same core workflow right in your browser. Sign in at my.check.supply. If you already created an account from the iOS app, your payment history and contacts will still be available.
01Connect your American Express account.
Connect your American Express account securely using Plaid in your browser. Your credentials stay encrypted and stored only with Plaid.
02Enter payment details and validate the address.
Open the Pay tab, enter the recipient's name and mailing address, and fill in the amount. Check Supply uses built-in USPS address validation to catch formatting issues before the check is mailed.
03Choose your shipping speed.
Pick the delivery option that matches your timeline. Unlike standard bank bill pay, Check Supply gives you multiple mailing speeds directly in the web app:
- First Class Mail · standard delivery, usually 3–5 business days.
- Priority Mail · faster tracked delivery, usually 2–3 business days.
- Express Mail · fastest option for urgent payments, usually 1–2 days.
- Certified Mail · proof of mailing and delivery for sensitive payments.
04Add your signature.
Draw your signature directly on screen with your mouse or trackpad so the check is authorized before sending.
05Review and send.
Review the payment details, delivery estimate, and total cost, then confirm the mailing. Once submitted, your check is sent to our printing facility for processing.
Mailing a check from American Express in under four minutes.
With Check Supply, you get access to premium mail options like Certified, Priority, and Express Mail that American Expressdoesn't offer. Whether you prefer your iPhone or a desktop browser, you can handle the full flow quickly, securely, and without any hassle.
Disclaimer: this page is an independent guide by Check Supply and is not affiliated with American Express.
Zelle at American Express.
American Express supports Zelle for eligible customers. Zelle can be useful for bank-to-bank transfers, but American Expresscontrols the account eligibility rules and transaction limits for its customers. When a payment is larger than Zelle's practical limits, Check Supply lets you send a real check instead.
American Express supports Zelle
Check Supply shows American Express as Zelle-supported in the latest support data. Enroll through American Express's own Zelle page or online banking flow to confirm eligibility before sending money.
Zelle limits from our research
Use these figures as researched guidelines, then confirm the current cap inside American Express's online banking or mobile app before sending. If the payment exceeds American Express's Zelle limit, use Check Supply to mail a check for the larger amount instead.
- Per-transfer limit
- $500
- Daily limit
- $500
- Weekly limit
- $500
- Monthly limit
- $2,500
- Max capacity notes
- Official American Express Zelle Agreement publishes current baseline outgoing limits of $500 per transaction, $500 weekly, and $2,500 per calendar month; individual user limits may vary and could be higher.
- Account scope notes
- Applies to American Express Rewards Checking customers enrolled with Zelle through American Express. The FAQ states there are no limits to receiving money.
These figures are informational guidelines from our research, not a guarantee that the same limits apply to every American Expresscustomer. Zelle availability, sending limits, and receiving limits may vary by institution, account, account type, recipient, customer relationship, security controls, and other factors. Check Supply is a separate mailed-check payment option for larger payments that do not fit within Zelle's per-transfer, daily, weekly, or monthly caps.
Use Check Supply to send payments that do not fit Zelle's availability or transaction limits.
Frequently asked about American Express.
- Does American Express offer bill pay services?
- No. American Express Rewards Checking does not offer traditional bill pay services. Instead, customers can use their account number and routing number to pay bills on third-party sites, send money via Zelle for person-to-person payments, or order checks through third-party vendors.
- How can I pay bills with my American Express checking account?
- While American Express doesn't offer built-in bill pay, you can use your account number and routing number on third-party bill pay sites, send money via Zelle, or use Check Supply for a modern, integrated bill payment experience with full tracking and confirmation.
- How does Check Supply reduce uncertainty for American Express customers?
- Check Supply provides comprehensive step-by-step tracking (queued → printed → mailed) and confirms when the check is deposited, eliminating uncertainty about payment status that you experience when using disparate third-party services or having no integrated bill pay option.
- Does Check Supply hold my money before delivery?
- No. With Check Supply, funds stay in your American Express account until your recipient deposits the check. We do not place pre-debit holds, unlike some traditional bill pay services that may withdraw funds immediately.
- What if my payee cannot accept electronic payments or Zelle?
- Check Supply specializes in mailed checks with same-day processing if queued by 3 PM ET (Saturdays included) and provides granular status updates through deposit confirmation - perfect for American Express customers who need reliable physical check delivery.
- How fast will my payment arrive?
- Check Supply processes in 1 business day with same-day print-and-mail cutoff at 3 PM ET. USPS transit times are not guaranteed, but this provides much more certainty and speed than relying on third-party bill pay sites or having no integrated bill pay service.
- Do I need to keep using American Express if I use Check Supply?
- No. You can use Check Supply independently to generate and mail checks from your American Express account while still enjoying all the benefits of your American Express Rewards Checking, including competitive APY and Membership Rewards points.
- Are there fees for using Check Supply with American Express?
- Check Supply charges a transparent per-check fee for printing and mailing, with tracking included. This provides the integrated bill pay functionality that American Express doesn't currently offer, along with superior speed and visibility compared to alternative third-party options.