A Free Alternative to Big Red Consulting PositivePay File Creator
Big Red Consulting makes a solid product. Their PositivePay File Creator has been a standard answer for QuickBooks users who need to send a check issue file to their bank. But it is paid, Windows-only, and the QuickBooks Online edition has an extra requirement that surprises people. If those constraints do not fit your setup, PositivePayMaker does the same core job in a browser, for free.
This page lays out the differences plainly so you can decide. Pricing and platform facts below are current as of 2026 and link back to Big Red Consulting as the source. Verify them yourself before you choose.
What each tool costs and where it runs
Big Red Consulting PositivePay File Creator. It is paid software. The QuickBooks Online edition lists at about $119 for the first year and roughly $99 per year after that, per the product page (source). It is a Windows desktop application. The QBO edition also requires Microsoft Excel to be installed, because it processes the Excel file your data exports into. There is no Mac version and no web app. If you run macOS, ChromeOS, or Linux, or you do not keep Excel installed, this tool is not a fit.
PositivePayMaker. It is free and runs entirely in your browser. There is no license, no renewal, and nothing to install. Because it runs client-side, it works the same on Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, and Linux. You do not need Excel, QuickBooks Desktop, or any local accounting software open. You need a CSV or Excel export of your check register and a browser.
Side-by-side
- Price: Big Red Consulting is about $119 first year, then ~$99/year. PositivePayMaker is free.
- Platform: Big Red Consulting is Windows desktop software. PositivePayMaker runs in any modern browser on any OS.
- Install: Big Red Consulting requires a download and, for the QBO edition, Microsoft Excel installed. PositivePayMaker requires nothing installed.
- Data handling: PositivePayMaker is 100% client-side. Your check data is processed in the browser and never uploaded to a server. Big Red Consulting is desktop software, so it also keeps data local, but you are running an installed Windows program rather than a web page.
- Source data: Both convert a check register into a bank positive pay (check issue) file. QuickBooks cannot export a positive pay file on its own, which is why a converter is needed in the first place.
How PositivePayMaker handles the conversion
You upload or paste a check register exported as CSV or Excel, map your columns once, pick your bank's layout, and download the file your bank expects. The tool ships with 11 bank layouts. Six of those are built from published bank specifications, including Chase and Huntington. If your bank is not in the list, the custom format builder lets you define field order, delimiters, fixed widths, date formats, and header or trailer rows to match a spec your bank gave you.
There is also a file validator that checks a generated file for structural problems before you upload it to your bank's portal. That step catches the small formatting mistakes that cause banks to reject a file: a wrong date format, a misplaced delimiter, an extra column.
If you are coming from QuickBooks
Most people land on Big Red Consulting because QuickBooks has no native positive pay export. That gap is real, and it applies to both QuickBooks Online and Desktop. PositivePayMaker fills the same gap from the register data you already have. Our QuickBooks positive pay guide walks through exporting a check register and turning it into a bank file. If you are newer to the concept, start with what positive pay is and why banks use it.
One honest note on data: a converter is only as good as the register you feed it. Whichever tool you use, confirm your export includes the check number, issue date, amount, and the bank account number the file is for. Some accounting systems store the check number in a reference field rather than a dedicated column, so check your mapping before you trust the output.
Where Big Red Consulting may still be the better choice
This is a fair comparison, so here is the case for the paid product. Big Red Consulting connects more directly to a QuickBooks workflow and is purpose-built around that data flow, which some bookkeepers prefer for repeatable monthly runs. It is established, supported, and comes with documented bank setups. If you are already a Windows shop with Excel installed and you want a vendor with phone or email support behind the tool, paying for it is reasonable. PositivePayMaker does not replace dedicated support; it gives you a free, no-install way to produce the file.
The honest part
No converter, free or paid, can guarantee your bank accepts a layout. Bank positive pay specs vary by institution and sometimes by account, and they change. Always generate one file, run it through the validator, then send a small test batch to your bank and confirm they accept it before you rely on the format for a full check run. Do this regardless of which tool you pick.
If a free, browser-based, any-OS converter fits how you work, you can produce your first file right now without an account or a download.