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What is the difference between a cashier's check and money order?

USPublished 6 October 2026 · Written by BuyMeWhiskey Editorial Team · How we check facts

A cashier's check is issued by a bank using the bank's funds after taking your money, while a money order is a prepaid payment instrument sold by an issuer such as USPS. A certified check is still your check, but the bank certifies the signature and funds.

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Before accepting an official payment instrument, check which type the recipient requires and verify the instrument directly with the issuing institution.

Read CFPB banking guidance

What is a cashier's check?

A cashier's check is a bank-issued check. You give the bank the money for the amount of the check, and the bank issues the check payable to the named recipient. The point is that the payment is backed by the issuing bank rather than relying on the purchaser's personal checking balance.

That can make a cashier's check useful for transactions where the recipient wants stronger assurance of funds, such as a large purchase or a formal payment. It does not make a counterfeit check genuine, however. The OCC has warned that fraudulent cashier's checks are commonly used in scams, including overpayment schemes in which the recipient is asked to send part of the money somewhere else.

What is a certified check?

A certified check starts as a personal check. The bank certifies it and confirms that the check is supported by funds, subject to the bank's procedures. Unlike a cashier's check, it remains a check drawn from the customer's account rather than a check issued from the bank's own account.

That distinction matters if a recipient specifically asks for one type. A cashier's check and a certified check may both be described casually as "official" checks, but they are created differently.

What is a money order?

A money order is prepaid. In the United States, USPS says its money orders are an alternative to cash and personal checks and can be bought at Post Office locations. A domestic USPS money order has a $1,000 single-order limit, so a money order is not a substitute for every large payment.

Money orders can be useful when a recipient wants a traceable paper payment but the payer does not want to use a personal check. The issuer matters, though: limits, fees, replacement rules and acceptance vary.

Where does a bank draft fit in?

"Bank draft" and "banker's draft" are terms more commonly encountered outside the United States. In the UK, for example, Barclays describes a banker's draft as a bank-written cheque that guarantees payment subject to its terms. It also notes that such drafts are now relatively uncommon and that electronic payments are usually more convenient.

This is why terminology can be confusing. A banker's draft may serve a role similar to a cashier's check, but the precise product and legal treatment depend on the country and issuer. A UK recipient may ask for a banker's draft when a US recipient would ask for a cashier's check.

How the four instruments compare

Instrument	Who issues it?	What funds back it?	Typical use
Cashier's check	Bank	Funds paid to the bank	Large or formal payments
Certified check	Your bank certifies your check	Customer's account	Payments where a certified personal check is requested
Money order	Issuer such as USPS	Prepaid amount	Smaller traceable paper payments
Banker's draft	Bank	Funds taken from the purchaser	Formal payments, especially in the UK and other markets

Why electronic payments are replacing them

Paper instruments still have a place, but banks increasingly steer customers toward electronic payments because they are faster and easier to track. Barclays, for example, stopped accepting sterling cheques and banker's drafts paid in outside the UK from 14 May 2026, saying electronic international payments are quicker, more convenient and more secure.

The biggest mistake: treating a check as final money

A cheque or official check can appear in your account before the bank has fully established that the item is genuine and collectible. The OCC explains that a bank may make funds available and later charge back a fraudulent cashier's check. That is why you should not send money, goods or cryptocurrency to a third party merely because a check appears to have cleared.

For a high-value transaction, independently verify the instrument with the issuing bank using contact details you obtain yourself. Do not use a phone number printed in an unexpected message. Keep the receipt, instrument details and transaction records.

Which should you use?

Use the instrument the recipient actually requires. If the recipient says "cashier's check," do not assume a money order will be accepted. If the payment is international, ask whether the receiving bank accepts the instrument before buying it. For routine payments, an electronic transfer may be simpler.

When the transaction is connected with an online marketplace, a stranger, an overpayment, a refund or a request to forward excess funds, stop and verify everything independently. Official-looking paper is not proof that a deal is safe.

Worked example

Illustrative payment: A buyer needs to pay a seller $8,500 for a private purchase. The seller requires a bank-issued instrument rather than a personal check. The buyer asks whether a money order, certified check or cashier's check would satisfy the request. The first step is to ask the seller which instrument is contractually acceptable.

Assume the seller accepts either a cashier's check or a certified check. If the buyer's bank issues a cashier's check, the buyer pays the bank $8,500 for the instrument, plus any bank fee that applies. The recipient receives the check for $8,500; the fee is separate from the payment amount. If the bank's fee were an illustrative $15, the buyer's total outlay would be $8,515. That fee is only an example, not a current industry-wide price.

The key point is that choosing the instrument changes how the payment is issued, not the agreed purchase price. Before handing over the check, the buyer should confirm the payee name and independently verify any unusual request to send money back.

Is a bank draft the same as a cashier's check?#

They are similar in purpose, but the terminology is country-specific. In the UK, a banker's draft is a bank-issued cheque that guarantees payment subject to the bank's terms. In the US, the closest everyday equivalent is usually a cashier's check. Always confirm what the recipient's institution actually accepts.

Is a certified check safer than a personal check?#

A certified check has been certified by the bank, which gives the recipient additional assurance that the check is supported by funds under the bank's certification process. It is still different from a cashier's check because it begins as the customer's check. Neither label protects you from a counterfeit document.

Can a USPS money order be used for a large payment?#

USPS says a domestic money order can be issued for up to $1,000 per order. That makes it practical for smaller payments but unsuitable for many large transactions unless the recipient accepts multiple money orders and you are comfortable with the issuer's rules.

Can an emailed image of a check be deposited?#

An emailed image is not automatically the same thing as the original negotiable instrument. Whether an image can be deposited depends on the bank's remote-deposit process and applicable rules. Do not assume a screenshot or scan can substitute for an original check when a recipient specifically requires a negotiable instrument.

What happens if a cashier's check is fake?#

A fake cashier's check can be credited initially and later returned. The OCC warns that a bank may charge the deposited amount back to the customer. If someone sends you a check and asks you to return part of it, do not do so until the payment has been independently verified and the transaction is genuine.

Does the colour of ink matter on a US check?#

There is no general consumer rule saying that a particular ink colour makes an ordinary personal check valid. What matters is whether the check satisfies the relevant banking and legal requirements and can be processed. For a bank or payee-specific requirement, follow that institution's instructions rather than relying on internet folklore.

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Sources

Figures were checked against these sources before publication. If a rule changes, we update the page and show the new date.

General information, not personal financial advice. Rules depend on your circumstances; check the official source or speak to a regulated adviser before acting.