What free includes
A complete earnings statement on any template: employer and employee details, earnings, estimated federal, state, Social Security and Medicare deductions, net pay, and year-to-date totals. No watermark.
Free Paystub Generator
Free Paystub Generator
Your first pay stub each year is free — any template, taxes estimated for 2026, no watermark, no card. Enter your pay details, preview the finished stub, and the PDF is emailed to you in about a minute. After that it is $2.99 a stub.
First stub free every year — any template, no watermark
Federal, state and FICA estimated, every line editable
Preview before anything is sent
PDF in your inbox in about a minute
Loading preview…
Preview shown for illustration.
Why it arrives by email
Your free stub is delivered as a PDF to your inbox, usually within a minute. Emailing it is how we keep the free offer sustainable. Paid stubs download instantly and are emailed too.
What it costs after that
$2.99 per stub on any template, or $6.99 for three consecutive pay periods when a landlord or lender wants two to three months. No subscription, ever.
Free vs. "free"
Most free paystub generators have a catch. Here is ours.
Ours is that the first stub is emailed rather than downloaded. That is the whole catch. No account to create on someone else's platform, no watermark across the PDF, no locked download.
Platform tools (Wix, Shopify, Wave)
Free, but they are lead magnets: you are asked to create an account on their platform to download or send the stub, and the templates are basic.
App-store paystub makers
Many watermark the free version or lock the PDF behind an in-app purchase. Check before you spend ten minutes typing.
PayStubGo
Enter details, preview, add your email, done. First stub free on any template with no watermark; $2.99 each after that — less than any major paid generator we checked.
First Paystub Free
Create Your First Free Paystub in 3 Steps
Your first paystub each year is free on any template, delivered as a PDF to your inbox. After that, every stub is $2.99, and 3-stub packs cost less per stub.
Step 1
Enter the pay details (about two minutes)
Company, employee, pay period, pay date, and earnings. Pick your state so the right tax lines appear; switch on Contractor/1099 mode if nothing was withheld.
Step 2
Preview the finished stub and fix anything
Taxes are estimated for you from 2026 federal brackets and your state; every figure is editable, so net pay can match your bank deposit exactly.
Step 3
Add your email and get the PDF
The free stub is sent to your inbox. Need two or three months for an application? Choose the 3-stub pack and the extra periods are filled in for you.
What's on the stub
Everything a real earnings statement shows
A free stub is not a stripped-down stub. It carries the same fields as a paid one, in the same layouts, with the same estimated tax lines for your state.
Employer and employee
Names, addresses, EIN, employee ID, pay frequency, pay period and pay date — everything a landlord or lender expects to see at the top of a stub.
Earnings, line by line
Hourly rate × hours or salary, overtime at 1.5×, bonus, commission, tips, and reimbursements on separate lines so gross pay is transparent.
Taxes and deductions
Federal income tax, Social Security 6.2%, Medicare 1.45%, and state income tax where it applies, estimated automatically; add health, retirement, or custom deductions.
Year-to-date and templates
Enter or estimate YTD gross, taxes, and net so the stub reads like real payroll, then pick any of the available templates at no extra cost.
After the free one
What the next stub costs, here and elsewhere
Several generators give you a first stub free. The difference is what you pay from the second one onward.
| PayStubGo | 123PayStubs | SecurePayStubs | Pay-Stubs.com | Real Check Stubs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One stub | $2.99 — any template | $3.99 | $4.99 | $5.00 | $8.99 |
| First stub free | Yes — any template, emailed | Yes | With a promo code | No | No |
| Three stubs (2–3 months) | $6.99 pack, deposit slip included | $11.97 (3 × $3.99) | $14.97 (3 × $4.99) | $15.00 (3 × $5.00) | $26.97 (3 × $8.99) |
| Six stubs (a quarter) | $11.99 pack | $23.94 (6 × $3.99) | $29.94 (6 × $4.99) | $30.00 (6 × $5.00) | $53.94 (6 × $8.99) |
| Monthly subscription | None | None | None | None | None |
Competitor prices are the per-stub prices published on each site as of September 2026; pack totals for competitors are simple multiples because they do not publish packs. Features, templates, and delivery options differ — this table compares price only.
One honest note
A pay stub is only as good as the numbers you put in it
PayStubGo builds the document; it does not verify employment or income and it is not payroll or tax advice. Landlords and lenders accept stubs that match real deposits. Enter what you were actually paid, check the net against your bank, and remember that presenting false income is fraud.
Need two or three months?
3-stub pack: 3 stubs for $6.99
Same details, three consecutive pay periods filled in for you, deposit slip page included. Saves $1.98 against three single stubs, and your first-free credit still applies.
Related Paystub Resources
If you know why you need the stub, start from the page written for that situation.
Pay stubs for a rental application
How many periods landlords ask for, what they check, and the 3-stub pack that covers it.
1099 contractor pay stubs
Contractor mode with zero withholding, platform fees as deductions, and YTD totals.
Self-employed pay stubs
Your business as the payer, a regular draw per period, and figures that match your books.
Paystub generator
The full product page: every field explained and a named price comparison.
Pricing
$2.99 a stub, $6.99 for three, $11.99 for six. No subscription.
Paystub templates
See the six live layouts before you start — all included in the price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the paystub generator really free?
Your first pay stub is free on any template, with no watermark and no card. It is delivered as a PDF to the email you enter. After that you pay per stub, and a 3-stub pack costs less per stub than buying them singly.
Why is the free stub emailed instead of downloaded?
Emailing it is how we keep the free offer sustainable. It arrives in about a minute. Paid stubs download instantly and are emailed as well.
What if I spot a mistake after I download it?
Tell us and we will fix it. For 30 days after delivery we will correct a wrong figure, date, or spelling and resend the stub at no charge. Contact support with your PayStubGo reference from the delivery email.
Does the free pay stub have a watermark?
No. The free stub is the same clean earnings statement you would get if you paid, on the template you choose.
Are taxes calculated automatically?
Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state income tax are estimated from the pay and filing status you enter, using 2026 rates. Every figure is editable so the net can match your real deposit.
Will a landlord or lender accept it?
Landlords and lenders accept pay stubs that show real, verifiable income — many confirm the deposits with a bank statement or a call to the employer. PayStubGo produces a standard earnings statement from the figures you enter; it does not verify employment, and entering false income is fraud.
Do I need to create an account?
No. Enter your email at the last step and the stub is sent there. The same email gives you a My Account page later for re-downloads, but there is no sign-up form.
What if I need two or three months of stubs?
Choose the 3-stub pack: the same details produce three consecutive pay periods in one PDF, at a lower price per stub, with the deposit slip page included. Your free credit still applies to the total.
Didn't find what you needed? Visit the PayStubGo FAQ page for more answers.