Self-inking stamps from $36, pocket embossing seals from $74, desk embossing seals from $79, custom-designed and manufactured in-house at our Toronto facility with 24-hour turnaround. If your business needs to mark, authenticate or seal documents, the right tool depends on what the document is, who needs to recognize the mark, and whether it has to be tamper-evident. This guide compares all three stamps and seals products in our catalog, self-inking stamps, pocket embossing seals and desk embossing seals, so you can match the format to the workflow.
Stamps and Seals: What is the Difference?
The three products in our Stamps and Seals catalog solve three different problems. Understanding the difference before you buy saves money and frustration:
- Self-inking stamps ($36) use ink and rubber to leave a visible coloured impression on paper. Best for routine office workflows, endorsements, return addresses, “PAID”, “RECEIVED”, date stamps. Fast, high-volume, refillable. The everyday office workhorse.
- Pocket embossing seals ($74) use mechanical pressure to leave a raised, ink-free impression on paper. Best for tamper-evident authentication, corporate seals, notary seals, professional credentials, official documents. Portable design fits in a briefcase or office drawer.
- Desk embossing seals ($79) are the same embossing technology as the pocket seal but in a heavier desk-mounted body. Best for offices that emboss high volumes of documents (incorporation paperwork, share certificates, batched corporate documents) where the desk-mount stability speeds up multi-document workflow.
Most businesses end up owning at least one stamp (almost certainly an endorsement stamp for cheque deposits) and many also own an embossing seal for incorporation paperwork, professional credentials or share certificates. Some buy both an embossing seal AND a self-inking stamp version of the same seal design, one for original documents, one for high-volume routine documents.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Decision factor | Self-Inking Stamp ($36) | Pocket Embossing Seal ($74) | Desk Embossing Seal ($79) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marks the document with | Coloured ink impression | Raised, ink-free embossed impression | Raised, ink-free embossed impression |
| Tamper-evident? | No | Yes, cannot be removed without destroying the paper | Yes, cannot be removed without destroying the paper |
| Portable? | Yes, fits in a pocket | Yes, designed for briefcase or office drawer | No, desk-mounted for stability |
| Speed (impressions per minute) | 30+ (single-press, one motion) | 10 to 20 | 20 to 30 (desk stability speeds repeated impressions) |
| Available sizes | Multiple body sizes (small, medium, large, XL, round) | 1-5/8″ (41mm) and 2″ (51mm) diameter | 1-5/8″ (41mm) and 2″ (51mm) diameter |
| Available colours | Black, blue, red, green, purple | None, embossed impression has no colour | None, embossed impression has no colour |
| Refill required? | Every 5,000 to 10,000 impressions | Never, mechanical only | Never, mechanical only |
| Lifespan | 3 to 5 years before die replacement | 10+ years with normal use | 10+ years with normal use |
| Best for | Endorsements, return addresses, date stamps, “PAID”, “RECEIVED”, high-volume office workflow | Notary work, corporate seals, professional credentials, on-the-go authentication | Office-based corporate seal use, incorporation paperwork, share certificate batches |
The big decision is ink vs emboss. If the document needs to be visibly marked and high-volume, choose a self-inking stamp. If the document needs to be tamper-evident, authenticated, or carry an official seal that survives copying and aging, choose an embossing seal.
When to Choose a Self-Inking Stamp
Choose a self-inking stamp when:
- You are endorsing the back of business cheques. “FOR DEPOSIT ONLY” with your business name and account is the single most-used office stamp in Canada. Pairs with our Deposit Slip Books.
- Your AP team processes high volumes of invoices. “RECEIVED”, “PAID”, date stamps and approval stamps run on self-inking technology.
- You need a return-address stamp for outgoing business mail and packages.
- You need an inspection or quality-control stamp. “APPROVED”, “INSPECTED BY [name]”, “REJECTED”, standard trades, manufacturing and QC workflow.
- You want a branded logo stamp for packaging, gift wrap, thank-you notes or small-batch marketing materials.
- Speed and high impression volume matter more than tamper-evidence. Self-inking stamps process 30+ impressions per minute. Embossing seals top out around 20.
Read our complete Self-Inking Stamps buying guide for sizing, colour and design details.
When to Choose an Embossing Seal
Embossing seals press a raised pattern into the paper using mechanical force. There is no ink, the impression is the deformation of the paper itself. This makes embossed marks tamper-evident in a way ink stamps cannot match: you cannot photocopy a raised impression and have it look authentic, you cannot chemically remove it, and aging does not fade it.
Choose a pocket embossing seal or desk embossing seal when:
- You are a notary public certifying signatures, affidavits or sworn statements. The Ontario Notaries Act expects a tamper-evident seal on every notarized document. Pocket seals are the working norm for mobile notaries; desk seals are the norm for office-based notaries.
- You operate a corporation and need a corporate seal for signing contracts, share certificates, incorporation paperwork, board resolutions and bylaws. Ontario corporations are not legally required to use a seal, but seals are still expected on share certificates and many corporate contracts.
- You are an architect, professional engineer, or registered surveyor certifying drawings, plans or reports. Most professional licensing bodies expect an embossed seal on official deliverables, the Professional Engineers Ontario seal is the canonical example.
- You issue share certificates for a private corporation. Embossed corporate seal on each certificate is the working standard.
- You handle high-value or legal documents where tamper-evidence matters. Land transfer documents, wills, powers of attorney, board resolutions, anywhere a court or registry might examine the document later and need to confirm it was not altered.
Pocket Embosser vs Desk Embosser: Which Do You Need?
Same embossing technology, two body types. The choice depends on where you use it:
- Pocket embossing seal ($74). Compact, portable. Designed to fit in a briefcase, drawer or notary kit. Best for mobile notaries, professional engineers travelling to job sites, real estate agents signing documents in client homes, and any professional who needs the seal to come with them. The hand-squeeze action is ergonomically designed for one-handed use.
- Desk embossing seal ($79). Heavier, desk-mounted, with a lever-action handle. Best for offices that process embossed documents in batches, incorporation paperwork, share certificates, corporate-secretary workflows. The desk-mount stability and lever action let you emboss faster than a pocket seal can manage. Stays in one place; not designed to travel.
The $5 price difference between pocket ($74) and desk ($79) reflects materials and mechanism, not authentication quality, the embossed impression looks identical. The decision is purely about workflow.
Both diameters: 1-5/8″ and 2″
Both pocket and desk seals are available in two diameters:
- 1-5/8″ (41mm). The standard notary and professional credential size. Compact, fits cleanly on most documents without crowding the signature block.
- 2″ (51mm). The standard corporate seal size. More visual presence, fits the typical share-certificate seal area, and produces a more dramatic embossed impression for formal documents.
If you are unsure which diameter fits your use case, send us your seal design and we will recommend.
The Most Common Stamps and Seals Bundles We Ship
Most of our customers order more than one product at once. The combinations we see most often:
- Endorsement stamp + cheques + deposit slips ($36 + $49,$89 + $39 = $124,$164). The complete daily-deposit kit, the single most-common combined order for small business customers.
- Pocket embossing seal + corporate cheques ($74 + $69,$89 = $143,$163). For new corporations that need a corporate seal alongside their first business cheque order.
- Notary pocket seal + return-address stamp + date stamp ($74 + $36 + $36 = $146). The complete notary kit, popular with new-call lawyers and recently appointed notaries.
- Desk embossing seal + multiple endorsement and AP stamps ($79 + $36 + $36 + $36 = $187). For corporate-secretary offices that handle both share certificates AND high-volume AP workflows.
- Professional engineer seal + signature stamp + return-address stamp ($74 + $36 + $36 = $146). The complete PEO-credentialed engineer office kit.
Combine any of these with our business cheques or deposit slip books and the whole order ships from our Toronto facility in one shipment.
Where We Deliver, GTHA Next-Day, Canada-Wide Standard Shipping
Our Toronto facility in downtown Toronto ships stamps and seals next business day to every postal code across the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area: Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Hamilton, Burlington, Milton, Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Aurora, Newmarket, Stouffville, Halton Hills, Caledon and Clarington.
Canada-wide standard Canada Post shipping for businesses outside the GTHA. Free delivery on GTHA orders over $150, most combined stamps/seals/cheques orders qualify automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a stamp and a seal?
A stamp leaves a coloured ink impression on paper. A seal (embossed) leaves a raised, ink-free pattern pressed into the paper itself. Stamps are faster and high-volume; seals are tamper-evident and used for authentication. Many businesses own both.
Do I need a corporate seal for my Ontario corporation?
Ontario corporations are not legally required to use a corporate seal as of the modernized OBCA. However, seals are still expected on share certificates, many corporate contracts, and most board resolutions. Most corporations buy a corporate seal regardless of the legal minimum because it is a low-cost, high-credibility tool.
Can I get my professional engineer or notary seal made here?
Yes. Professional credential seals, PEO, OAA, OLS, Ontario Notary, CPA, are a common order. Provide your credentials and licensing body details, and we will design the seal to match the licensing body’s requirements before manufacturing.
How long does a custom stamp or seal take to make?
PDF proof within one business day. Once approved, stamps and seals manufacture and ship within 24 hours. GTHA addresses receive their order next business day; Canada-wide three to five business days via Canada Post.
Are embossing seals affected by photocopying or scanning?
Embossed impressions do not reproduce on photocopiers or scanners, the raised pattern needs side-lighting to be visible. This is part of what makes them tamper-evident: a copied document loses the embossed authentication, which is exactly the point.
Can I order a self-inking version of my corporate or professional seal?
Yes. Many customers order both, the embossing seal for original documents needing tamper-evidence, plus a matching self-inking version for high-volume routine documents like internal correspondence or batch certifications. The same design works on both.
Are my design files safe with Cheque Store?
Yes. All design and manufacturing happens in-house at our Toronto facility. Your seal design and credentials never leave our building, and are never shared with third-party stamp shops or overseas vendors. Same ownership at the same Toronto address since 2001.
Can I order replacement ink for my self-inking stamp?
Yes. Refill ink bottles in all 5 colours (black, blue, red, green, purple) are available. One refill extends a self-inking stamp life another 5,000 to 10,000 impressions.
Order Your Stamps and Seals Today
Three ways to order:
- Browse the catalog at our Stamps and Seals category page. Select your products, enter your design details, check out.
- Call us at (647) 501-7200, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM ET. Recommended for professional credential seals (notary, PEO, OAA, OLS, CPA) where credential verification matters.
Browse Stamps and Seals Get a Custom Quote
Trusted by 15,000+ Canadian businesses since 2001. Custom-designed in Toronto. Shipped Canada-wide.
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