A bearer cheque is payable to the person who possesses the cheque or is the "bearer." It is a form of cash cheque, as the funds can be collected by anyone presenting the cheque to the bank.
An order cheque is payable to a specific person or entity. The payee's name is mentioned on the cheque, and only that person can receive the funds. It is a more secure form of cheque as it requires endorsement by the payee.
A crossed cheque has two parallel lines drawn across its face. This indicates that the cheque can only be deposited into a bank account and cannot be encashed at the counter. This adds a layer of security to the transaction.
An open cheque is one that is not crossed, meaning it can be encashed at the counter of the bank. It is less secure than a crossed cheque as it can be easily cashed by anyone.
A post-dated cheque is one where the date mentioned is a future date. The cheque cannot be cashed until the specified date arrives. This is often used for future-dated payments or to secure a future obligation.
A stale cheque is one that is not presented for payment within a specified period, usually six months or three months, depending on the banking regulations. After this period, the cheque is considered expired and may not be honoured by the bank.
An ante-dated cheque is one on which the date mentioned is prior to the date of issuance. While it's not illegal, banks may choose not to honor ante-dated cheques, and the payer should be cautious about using them.