Best Money Counting Machines in 2022

When buying a money counting machine, there are a number of factors to consider when deciding which is the right model to suit your requirements. Some of the things you need to bear in mind include the following:

- Counting Speed – The speed at which the counter machine is able to count notes may be relevant depending on your needs. If you have a lot of notes that require counting in as short a space of time as possible, you need to be sure that you choose a counter machine that is able of counting bills at a minimum of 1000 bills per minute to speed up the process. On the other hand, in some cases, the faster the machine can count the greater the error margin, so it means finding a balance between accuracy and speed. If you can afford to lower the speed a little you may find that the counter machine is a little more precise.

- Capacity – If you have a huge number of notes to count every day, you will need to choose a counter machine that has a larger capacity. Some machines are only capable of working with stacks of around 50 notes, which will not suit the needs of larger organisations which have large numbers of bills to count each day while others have larger capacities and suit the needs of bigger companies with higher demands.

- Counterfeit detection - UV, magnetic, infra-red – being able to detect counterfeit notes is very important for any company or organisation, and therefore having a reliable method of counterfeit detection built into your chosen money counting machine is essential. Some counter machines use a combination of different methods including ultraviolet, infrared, magnetic and image recognition to ensure that only genuine bank notes are counted for an accurate total. The best counter machines are those which uses a combination of all of these reliable methods.

- Noise levels – Although noise levels may not be relevant, in some cases having a quiet environment is helpful and preferable. If you would prefer to keep your noise levels down while counting the day’s takings choosing one of the best money counting machines that use magnetic and ultraviolet technology to keep the noise level to less than 60 decibels is essential.

Once you have found the right money counting machine, you’re sure to find that it makes a big difference to counting the daily takings of any company or organisation. Much speedier and more convenient than counting by hand, a high quality money counting machine can free up employee time and can ensure greater accuracy as well as having counterfeit detection and being able to detect counterfeit notes much more easily than trying to do it manually. Any of these eight models would be a good choice for anyone who is looking for a reliable way of counting notes without any additional hassle.

Money Counting Machines FAQs

Q: Can money counting machines determine the values of the bills?

A: In most cases, especially when talking about consumer grade counters, the machines are not able to provide a total valuation for the bills counted. Even some of the more sophisticated units will be unable to provide a total valuation if the stack contains a mixture of denominations. Instead, what most money counters do is provide a total for the number of bills counted. It’s then a simply matter of doing the math in your head or with a calculator to arrive at the total valuation.

High end machines used by financial institutions are able to detect different denominations and provide a running total but such machines can get quite expensive indeed. These mixed bill counters are able to read the different denominations on the various bills and keep a running tally. As you can imagine the technology required to detect different denominations and update the total valuation in 1/20th of a second is expensive, which is why you won’t typically see this feature on low end counters.

Q: Can money counting machines count both new and used bills?

A: Any modern money counter (“modern” meaning one built within the past 5 years or so) is fully able to count both new and used bills. The only difference between these types of bills is their condition. So when a money counter is advertised as being able to accommodate X number of “new” bills in its hopper it’s not saying it can only count new bills. It’s saying the hopper will accommodate X number of flat, undamaged bills. In other words, bills that are in a “like new” condition.

In general if a bill counter can handle 500 bills that are in pristine condition it will only be able to accommodate half that number of older bills that have been around the block a few times. And since that describes virtually all bills in circulation you need to keep that in mind when looking for a money counter.

In addition to reducing the number of bills a counter can handle used bills have the additional side effect of sometimes producing dust when they’re being flipped and stacked by the machine. This dust can cause allergic reactions in some people. So many bill counters today come with a protective dust guard to mitigate the problem and reduce allergic reactions.

Keep in mind too that if you insert a stack into the counter that has a mixture of used and pristine bills it may cause jamming problems with some lower end models. Ideally, all the bills in a particular stack should be in roughly the same condition.

Q: Do money counting machines check for counterfeit banknotes during counting?

A: 20 years ago counterfeit detection feature would have been considered state of the art. Today, however, if a bill counter cannot check for counterfeit notes it’s really not worth spending your money on because today’s printers have allowed for a flood of counterfeit banknotes to enter circulation. So for the protection of your business it’s important that you have counterfeit detection and are able to weed out fakes.

In order to detect phony bills the best money counting machines employ UV (ultraviolet) and/or MG (magnetic) counterfeit detection technology. In addition IR (infrared) pens are also used to detect fake notes. Some machines provide for all 3 methods of fraud protection while others rely on only one. But any counter worth purchasing today has some method for sniffing out fake currency.

Q: Can money counting machines count different currencies?

A: Some machines can but there are just as many, perhaps more, that are designed to count just a single currency. This doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily impossible for them to count other currencies, just that you won’t be able to detect fakes or questionable bills and all you’ll get is a number indicating how many bills were in the stack. Not their total monetary value or, as we said, whether any were fake.

In addition, since most currencies besides the US dollar employ different sizes for different denominations you’re going to have problems if you try to count a stack of say, Euros of different value. In essence, to a counting machine designed to count US dollars, counting foreign currencies is like counting coupons. It will do it, but it’s an inexact process. And if the notes you want counted are different sizes then you’re probably better off just counting them manually.

Q: Can money counting machines count similar objects such as tickets, vouchers, etc?

A: Most of today’s money counters also come in handy for counting tickets, cards, coupons, checks, vouchers and other items that businesses often have to deal with in bulk. The key to counting such items successfully and in a way that provides useful information is to first make sure the item falls within the machine’s dimensional limits. Most bill counters can handle anything from 2” x 4” to 4” x 7”.

The next thing is to make sure all the items you want to count are roughly the same size, because if you enter a stack of coupons of all different shapes and sizes the machine is likely going to have problems. Most companies that make these machines, as well as 3rd party resellers, sidestep the issue of having different sized items in a single stack. Instead they focus on the fact the machine can accommodate different sized items as a general feature without mentioning that if you enter a stack with different size items there’s going to be a problem. The bottom line is these machines will count non-currency items but make sure all the items in one stack are the same size.

Q: Do you need to service money counting machines, and how often?

A: If you own it long enough just about any money counting machine will have to be serviced at some point. Exactly when and what that entails will vary from machine to machine. Most machines will come with detailed instructions on how to clean them, which is the most basic and important type of service. If you encounter a problem that cannot be fixed by cleaning the counter will need to be returned to the manufacturer or sent to an authorized service center for repairs.

Q: How to clean your money counting machine?

A: Currency counters are a big convenience and for the most part do an outstanding job helping you ensure the viability of your books. However, because they mostly deal with bills that are in something less than pristine condition dirt, dust and debris from those used bills can accumulate inside the machine and, if it gets bad enough, can interfere with the operation of the machine. In order to avoid this happening you’ll need to clean your money counter on occasion.

• When should you clean your money counter? - As a general practice you should be doing a basic wiping down of your machine after every use. In most cases if you use the counter several times a day you should conduct a true cleaning of both the exterior and interior components about once a week. Should your counter start misbehaving at any time it may indicate a mechanical problem, but it’s more likely just a sign that the device needs to be cleaned. So, how do you do that?
• Cleaning cards - The most common way to clean a currency counter is to use what is known as a cleaning card. Some machines will come with a supply of cleaning cards but in other cases you will need to purchase them separately, which can easily be done in most office supply stores or over the Internet. The job of the cleaning card is to remove dirt, dust, debris, ink residue and more from the various components of the counter. That includes the note recognition machines, feed paths and rollers.

Using a cleaning card is typically easy and quick. Just insert the card into the device as you would any bank note and sit back. The card will work its way through the machine as any bank note would and clean the various components as it comes in contact with them. When it’s done it is deposited into the tray. You’ll notice the card has marks on it. These are actually dirt and debris the card picked up on its journey through the machine. In most cases you’ll want to run the card through the machine multiple times until it’s clear it is no longer picking up fresh marks. Dispose of the card once the cleaning is complete.

• Compressed air - An alternative to cleaning cards is to use compressed or canned air. Unless you are familiar with all the intricacies of your counter however, this is not a recommended means of cleaning. Simply because too much air pressure applied in the wrong place may damage the equipment. If you are experienced with this type of cleaning though it may be a viable option but even so you need to proceed with caution and make sure you address all the different components of the machine, or you could have problems.

Note: You’ll have fewer problem with your money counter if you clean it regularly and keep an eye out for anomalies and errors that could indicate underlying problems. Get to know your machine before you use it by reading the owner’s manual and never put off cleaning the machine if it is showing signs of acting up.

Q: What is UV and MG detection?

A: The digital revolution has had some unintended consequences. Among them is the development of copy machines and printers that can reproduce any image with unbelievable clarity. “Any image” of course includes banknotes. As such the rise of digital copiers and printers means counterfeit currency has never been a bigger issue than it is today. In fact, it is estimated that in the US alone there are nearly $300 million worth of counterfeit dollars in circulation at any given time.

When it comes to money counting machines UV stands for “ultraviolet” and MG stands for “magnetic”. They are two ways of counterfeit detection by your money counter.

• MG Detection - Newer US bank notes utilize magnetic ink placed at strategic locations around the bill in order to undermine the efforts of counterfeiters. Most modern currency counters will provide magnetic or MG detection because it is an incredibly reliable way to detect fraudulent currency. In a machine with magnetic detection capabilities the bills are passed over a magnetic sensor which verifies their legitimacy. If the sensor does not detect the magnetic ink it immediately stops the counting process so that you can remove the offending bill for further examination. MG detection is faster than trying to detect fake bills using an IR pen or a manual UV protector and is standard on virtually all business grade money counters today. While MG detection is not a foolproof process it has proven itself very reliable and you would be wise to make sure the money counter you choose is capable of MG detection.
• UV Detection - Today many different banknotes are printed using UV phosphors that will emit a glow when exposed to UV light, much the way psychedelic posters of old would glow in the presence of a blacklight. Both the US and the UK today embed their new bills with UV phosphors specifically for counterfeit detection. As a result a range of UV detection machines have made their way to the market designed to assist business owners in their quest to weed out counterfeits. These include tiny hand held machines that are very affordable but which are also very labor intensive since each bill must be checked manually. A better solution is to buy one of today’s money counting machines that include UV detection that will sniff out fake bills.

If there is a drawback to this type of counterfeit detection it’s this: bills with UV features are a relatively new innovation. There are literally billions of dollars of legitimate currency in circulation right now that don’t have any UV features. As such a counting machine that relies solely on UV detection to sniff out counterfeit banknotes is going to be stopping all the time when it encounters those legacy, non-UV notes. On the other hand if your money counter checks for both UV and MG then the number of times your machine will be stopping should be greatly reduced.

Keep in mind that there is no absolutely 100% foolproof way of counterfeit detection using a money counter. However, in the vast majority of cases a counting device that is both UV and MG detection capable will ferret out fraudulent banknotes and save you a lot of time and hassle and perhaps prevent a visit from the secret service.