Menu
 

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details

Best Bill Counters

Updated January 2022
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Teraputics Money Counter
Teraputics
Money Counter
Check Price
Bottom Line

For cash-heavy businesses and organizations, this bill counter is a true workhorse in the office. Fast and accurate, with a 6-hour operating time.

Pros

Use magnetic, UV, and infrared sensors to detect counterfeits. Quiet operation (under 60 db). Can work up to 6 hours continuously. Impressive 1,200 bills per minute count rate. Checks for half notes and broken notes. Counterfeit alarm included.

Cons

Steep learning curve. Poorly written instructions. Doesn't detect bill values. Some inaccuracies reported.

Best Bang for the Buck
HFS Worldwide Currency Counter
HFS
Worldwide Currency Counter
Check Price
Bottom Line

This bill counter features a second LED monitor, so customers can watch and verify the counting process in real time.

Pros

Processes both US and foreign currencies, including newer bills. Self-diagnoses during start-up. Uses magnetic and UV sensing for counterfeits. 90 bills per minute count rate. Batching and adding functions included.

Cons

Bills need to be fed very carefully into machine. Fast operating speed can lead to jams and miscounts.

Ready Counter Money Counting Machine
Ready Counter
Money Counting Machine
Check Price
Bottom Line

Speed and accuracy are this model's strongest selling points. No calibration or assembly required.

Pros

Counts up to 1,000 bills per minute. Uses UV, MG, and IR sensors to detect counterfeits. Batching can be customized. Works straight out of box, with no assembly required. Money straps and counterfeit detector pen included.

Cons

Some units may be refurbished, not new. Only counts number of bills, not total currency value.

G-Star Technology Bill Counter
G-Star Technology
Bill Counter
Check Price
Bottom Line

If you need a quiet bill counter to operate efficiently in the background, this is definitely one to consider.

Pros

Minimal power consumption in operation. Can work continuously at 1,000 bills per minute count rate. Automatic self-testing mode. Uses UV and magnetic sensors to detect counterfeits.

Cons

Better suited for light-duty use. Not commercial grade. Some miscounting reported if bills aren't aligned perfectly.

Kolibri Money Counter
Kolibri
Money Counter
Check Price
Bottom Line

This affordable bill counter may not have all the latest counterfeit sensors, but it's still a workhorse when it comes to counting and batching paper money.

Pros

Compact design doesn't take up much room. Metal construction. Very few jams reported. Provides 1,500 bills per minute count rate. Detects half, double, and chain notes. UV paper-quality sensor for counterfeits.

Cons

Variable counterfeit bill detection feature. No troubleshooting instructions. Display panel hard to read.

Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

32
Models
Considered
60
Consumers
Consulted
18
Hours
Researched
Category cover

Buying guide for Best bill counters

Accuracy is important, especially when dealing with money. It doesn't have to be large sums, just a large amount of bills. Whether you have a cash-based business, your school is hosting a fundraiser, or you work at a bank, a bill counter can be an invaluable machine that provides accurate counts in an instant.

If you've never purchased a bill counter before, the task might seem a little daunting. However, learning exactly which features you need to consider, such as speed, hopper size, counterfeit detection, and portability, will help you make a selection. Once you know what those features are, you can buy with confidence.

Content Image
Bill counters save time, but they’re also highly accurate machines that help eliminate human error when dealing with large numbers of bills.

Key considerations

Finding the best bill counter means finding the one with the features you need most. The following are the most important aspects to consider before making your final decision.

Speed

If you need to count a large number of bills, then counting speed will be an important consideration for you. Some of the smaller portable models count 600 bills per minute, while the higher-end models can count nearly 2,000 bills per minute. Most bill counters count approximately 1,000 bills per minute.

Hoppers

The hopper is where you load the bills for counting. Some of the low-end models may only hold about 100 bills, while the higher-end models can hold up to 500. The larger the hopper capacity, the fewer interruptions you’ll have while counting. Additionally, hoppers may be located in the front, the back, or, in some instances, on the top of the bill counter. Most require a neat stack of bills to be placed on edge. Larger-capacity hoppers that allow you to load bills flat tend to be a little more forgiving when it comes to neatness, enabling you to work more quickly.

Denominations

Most bill counters require you to presort your bills before putting them in the machine. In other words, you can’t just feed a stack of mixed bills into the machine to get a breakdown of how many fives, tens, or twenties there are. Higher-end bill counters have this feature. If it’s something you need, be prepared to pay a bit more.

Run time

Bill counters work at very high speeds and can run the risk of overheating. Many are designed to work for a designated amount of time before needing to cool off, while some can run continuously. Because of the high volume of bills that can be counted in a minute, overheating won’t be an issue for most users. If you anticipate the need to count bills for many hours at a time, it would be smart to purchase a model that can run indefinitely.

Technologies

Counterfeit detection: Even moderately priced bill counters come with the technology to detect counterfeit bills. Most have two ways to automatically check. The best machines use three or more methods.

Error detection: When bills are zipping through your counter at 1,000 per minute and there's a problem, such as a counterfeit bill is detected, you want your bill counter to be able to notify you of the error. It’s important to purchase a bill counter that can communicate errors to the user or your counts may not be accurate.

Currency detection: If you have an international business, you need a bill counter that either recognizes foreign currency or allows you to preset values so those bills will be accepted and counted.

Content Image
Did you know?
Besides the convenience of counting large sums of money in an instant, most bill counters can quickly identify counterfeit bills.
STAFF
BestReviews

Bill counter features

User interface

The best bill counter is the one that’s accurate and easy to operate. The more complicated the user interface, the greater the chance of user error and the higher the frustration level. You don’t want to get to the end of a long session only to realize you accidentally lumped all the tens and hundreds in the same tally.

Self-test

When you turn on your bill counter, it’s comforting to know that all the elements are functioning properly. If this is something you desire, look for a bill counter with self-testing capabilities.

Portability

If portability is your main concern, look for a small, pocket-size bill counter that can be powered by batteries.

Detecting counterfeit bills

If you don’t have a bill counter, detecting a counterfeit bill can involve tilting the bill to see if the printing looks metallic, holding the bill up to the light to search for a watermark, or striking each bill with a special pen to see if you get a black mark. Bill counters that have counterfeit-detection technology can save you a great deal of time. The following are the three main ways a bill counter checks for counterfeit bills.

  • Ultraviolet light: Ultraviolet (blacklight) is a frequency on the electromagnetic spectrum that is too short to be seen by the naked eye. Ultraviolet counterfeit detection verifies watermarks in this range.
  • Infrared light: Infrared is a frequency on the electromagnetic spectrum that is too long to be seen by the naked eye. Infrared counterfeit detection verifies watermarks in this range.
  • Magnetic detection: US currency uses ink that has magnetic properties. If your bill counter has a magnetic detector, it can detect these magnetic fields to verify that the bill is genuine.
Content Image
If there is an error, most bill counters can detect the problem and notify the user that the accuracy of the count has been compromised.

FAQ

Q. How does a bill counter work?

A. There are three steps a bill counter can use when counting bills. The first and most basic step is to simply count the number of bills. The machine rapidly pulls the bills from the hopper (where you place the stack) into the machine. The bills are counted as they pass through a scanner. The second step uses technology such as an ultraviolet or infrared light to aid in counterfeit detection. The third (more advanced and costly) step uses pattern recognition software to determine the type of bills being fed into the bill counter.

Q. How fast does a bill counter count bills?

A. This number varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model. The average bill counter counts around 1,000 bills per minute, which is roughly 17 bills per second.

Q. Do bill counters only count bills?

A. No. It’s possible to purchase a bill counter that counts anything that fits into the hopper. This could be tickets, coupons, cards, or even just paper.

Our Top Picks