How to Choose the Right Notary for Your Needs
Notary options have multiplied in recent years — a free bank notary, a paid mobile visit, a Remote Online Notary session — and picking the right one for your specific situation isn’t always obvious. Here’s a practical way to think it through.
Option 1: A Free Bank or Business Notary
Best for: Simple documents, when you’re already going to be at the bank anyway, and cost is the primary concern.
Trade-offs: Limited to business hours, availability isn’t guaranteed (the notary might be out, or busy), and there’s no flexibility for evenings, weekends, or urgent needs.
If your document is simple and your schedule is flexible enough to work around standard banking hours, this remains a perfectly reasonable option.
Option 2: A Mobile Notary
Best for: Documents requiring an in-person, wet-ink signature; hospital or care facility visits; situations where you’d simply rather meet someone in person; multiple signers who all need to be in the same room.
Trade-offs: Involves a travel fee, and needs to be scheduled around both your availability and the notary’s.
This is the right call when your document specifically calls for in-person signing, or when the personal, face-to-face interaction genuinely matters to you or the situation.
Option 3: Remote Online Notary (RON)
Best for: Most everyday notarizations, urgent or same-day needs, documents where wet-ink signing isn’t required, and anyone who simply doesn’t want to leave home.
Trade-offs: Requires a device with a camera and reliable internet, and not every document or receiving institution accepts electronic notarization.
For a large share of everyday notarization needs, RON is genuinely the fastest and often cheapest option, since there’s no travel fee involved.
A Quick Decision Framework
- Does your document specifically require a wet-ink signature? If yes, mobile or in-person is your only option. If you’re not sure, check with whoever’s requesting the document.
- Do you need this done same-day or after hours? RON is often faster and more flexible for urgent needs.
- Is cost the main factor, and you have flexible time? A free bank notary may work, if one’s reliably available near you.
- Do you want or need an in-person interaction? Mobile notary is worth the travel fee for that experience.
- Are you comfortable with basic video calls? If yes, RON opens up the fastest, most flexible option for most documents.
A Comparison at a Glance
| Bank Notary | Mobile Notary | Remote Online Notary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Often free | Notarial fee + travel fee | Notarial fee only |
| Speed | Depends on availability | Same-day often possible | Often fastest |
| Flexibility | Limited to business hours | Evenings/weekends available | Very flexible |
| Best for | Simple documents, flexible schedule | In-person needs, hospital visits | Most everyday documents |
When in Doubt, Just Ask
If you’re genuinely unsure which option fits your specific document and situation, the fastest path to clarity is describing it to a notary directly. Easy Day Notary offers both mobile and Remote Online Notary services, and can point you toward whichever actually makes sense — contact us to talk it through, or schedule directly if you already know which fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a free bank notary always the best option?
Not necessarily — it's often the cheapest, but it requires you to travel during limited hours, and availability isn't guaranteed even when you get there.
When should I definitely use a mobile notary instead of RON?
When your document requires a wet-ink signature by policy, when you're in a hospital or care facility, or when you simply prefer an in-person interaction for a significant document.
Is Remote Online Notary appropriate for high-stakes documents like a will's self-proving affidavit?
It can be, as long as your witnesses can join the same video session — RON isn't limited to 'simple' documents, but it's worth confirming compatibility for your specific situation.
What if I'm still not sure which option is right?
Reach out and describe your document and situation — a good notary can quickly point you toward the option that actually fits, rather than defaulting to whichever is most convenient for them.