Best pay stub generators in 2026: 7 tools compared by price and features
Pay-per-stub generators cost $1 to $9.99 per pay stub in 2026. This comparison lists seven of them with verified prices, add-on fees, free previews, tax coverage and unlimited plans.
Published
Every tool on this list makes the same basic document: a PDF pay stub with gross pay, federal and state withholding, Social Security, Medicare and net pay. They differ a lot on price, on what counts as an add-on, and on whether you can see the result before paying. Prices below were read from each vendor's public pricing page on October 20, 2026.
Create a pay stub on PayStubNest — preview is free, a download is $1.
Price per pay stub, 2026
| Tool | Price per stub | Add-on fees | Free preview | Unlimited plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayStubNest | $1 | None (deposit slip optional, $0.50) | Yes | $9.99 / month, $99.99 / year |
| 123PayStubs | $3.99, first free | State tax +$1, extra earnings +$2, deposit slip +$1, time-off +$1 | Yes | No |
| StubCreator | $4.99, first free each year | Edit taxes +$2, deposit slip +$2, prior-year YTD +$2 | Yes | No |
| SecurePayStubs | $4.99, first free | None | Yes | No |
| Check Stub Maker | $8.99 | W-2 / 1099 forms $15.49 each | Yes | No |
| ThePayStubs | About $8.99 | Forms sold separately | Limited | No |
| PayStubCreator | $9.99 (down to $3.84 in bulk) | None listed | Yes | No |
How to choose
1. Count the stubs you will actually make
One stub a year and nothing else: a free-first-stub offer from 123PayStubs, StubCreator or SecurePayStubs is the cheapest option. Anything more than that and the per-stub price dominates. Ten stubs cost $10 on PayStubNest, about $50 on the $4.99 tools and about $90 on the $8.99 tools.
2. Check what is an add-on
State withholding, overtime lines, a deposit slip and time-off balances are standard parts of a pay stub, but some vendors price them separately. 123PayStubs' $3.99 becomes about $6.99 once state tax and an extra earnings line are added. Read the pricing page, not the headline.
3. Look for year-to-date handling
Employers issue stubs in a series, and the year-to-date column has to add up from one stub to the next. Tools that generate a whole series with YTD carried forward save a lot of re-typing and prevent mismatched totals. PayStubNest does this automatically; most pay-per-stub tools expect you to enter YTD figures on each stub.
4. Preview before you pay
A free preview lets you catch a wrong pay period, a misspelled employer name or a missing deduction before the download is charged. Most tools on this list offer one; a few only show a watermarked or partial version.
5. Regular payroll: look at unlimited plans
If you pay two or more people every two weeks, an unlimited subscription is cheaper than any per-stub price. PayStubNest is the only tool on this list with one: $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year, every template and every employee included.
Short profiles
PayStubNest
$1 per pay stub, free preview, withholding for all 50 states and DC, 18 templates and your own designs, YTD carried across a series, contractor stubs, optional direct deposit advice, unlimited plans. Built for employers, the self-employed, contractors and bookkeepers who keep real payroll records. Create a pay stub.
123PayStubs
$3.99 per stub with a free first stub and a mobile app. Add-ons for state tax, additional earnings and deductions, a deposit slip and time-off policies take a typical stub to about $6.99. See PayStubNest vs 123PayStubs.
StubCreator
$4.99 per stub after one free stub each year, several template styles, $2 add-ons for editing taxes, a deposit slip, custom labels and prior-year YTD.
SecurePayStubs
$4.99 per stub, first stub free, one flat price with no add-ons, aimed at employers and contractors.
Check Stub Maker
$8.99 per stub, plus W-2 and 1099-MISC forms at $15.49 each. See PayStubNest vs Check Stub Maker.
ThePayStubs
About $8.99 per stub, no account needed, tax forms sold separately. See PayStubNest vs ThePayStubs.
PayStubCreator
$9.99 for one stub, falling to $3.84 per stub when buying in bulk; no account required.
What every generator has in common
None of these tools pays wages, files taxes or verifies anyone's income. They produce a document from the figures you enter, so the result is only as accurate as the input. Use them to record pay that was actually issued or received, keep the stubs with your payroll records, and follow your state's pay statement rules (see pay stub rules by state).
Competitor prices and features were checked on October 20, 2026 from the vendors' public pages and can change at any time. PayStubNest is not affiliated with any company named on this page. If you spot an error, email support@paystubnest.com and we will correct it.