What is the difference between a cash counter and a cash sorter?

A cash counter tallies the total value or quantity of a mixed bundle of bills in a single pass, regardless of denomination. A cash sorter goes further — it identifies each bill's denomination and physically separates notes into individual denomination pockets while simultaneously counting and authenticating them.

The practical difference matters most in high-volume cash handling environments. For a branch processing a mixed-denomination deposit, a counter gives you the total quickly. A sorter gives you the total and separates the bills by denomination simultaneously — eliminating a manual sorting step that would otherwise happen downstream. For vault operations where cash needs to be organized by denomination for strapping or redeployment, a sorter dramatically reduces handling time.

Advanced currency sorters incorporate multi-layer counterfeit detection (UV, magnetic, IR, CIS) and can strap sorted notes in the same workflow — making them a comprehensive cash management solution for high-volume branches. CSG offers both currency counters and currency sorters, with configurations ranging from single-pocket counters to multi-pocket sorters with integrated strapper modules.