Independent, no pay-to-rank

The Pay Stub Generator Comparison You Actually Asked For

No hidden fees. No forced sign-up. Just accurate, ready-to-use stubs in minutes.

If you have been comparing your options, this page is built for exactly that. We put together an honest pay stub generator comparison so you can see, line by line, how PayStubVault stacks up against the tools you have probably already looked at, before you hand over your card details.

Pricing and features last verified: . We recheck this page regularly so you are never comparing against outdated numbers.

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Order summary

1 pay stub, all 50 states

Pay stub (bi-weekly, salaried)$1.99
Federal + state tax mathIncluded
YTD trackingIncluded
W-2 & 1099 templateIncluded
Account creation$0.00 — not required
You pay today$1.99

First stub is $0.00 — this card shows what a paid stub costs. No line items appear after you start.

Price per Stub

$1.99

States Covered

All 50

Account Required?

No

Hidden Add-On Fees

None

A single, flat price per paycheck stub, no surprise charges buried at checkout, no "premium template" upsell after you have already entered your income.

PayStubVault vs. each Alternative

You have probably already got a tab open for at least one of these. Rather than send you back to read six separate review pages, here is the short version — one honest comparison per tool, with a clear edge called out instead of a vague sales pitch.

PayStubVault vs. SecurePayStubs

SecurePayStubs is a familiar name, but several independent reviewers flag add-on charges that only show up at checkout. PayStubVault keeps its $1.99 rate flat, with every tax calculation included from the start.

Edge: No surprise checkout fees

PayStubVault vs. ThePayStubs

As an alternative to ThePayStubs option, PayStubVault focuses on a speedier, easier process in which you enter your personal information and then, after a preview of the stub, save the PDF. You don't need to create an account for you to start.

Edge: Review before you make a payment.

PayStubVault vs. 123PayStubs

Positioned as a 123PayStubs alternative, PayStubVault is built with freelancers and independent contractors in mind rather than being an addition to a bigger payroll system.

Edge: Created to be used by freelancers, and not shackled to

PayStubVault vs. SecurePayStubs (Pricing Angle)

As a SecurePayStubs alternative to pay for itself, PayStubVault's simple $1.99 cost is simple to explain and to budget for, with no different tiers to be decoded.

Edge: One price, no tiers

PayStubVault vs. FormPros

FormPros bundles pay stub creation alongside dozens of unrelated form types. PayStubVault does one thing: accurate income documentation, and does it with less clutter.

Edge: Purpose-built, not a form factory

PayStubVault vs. StubCreator & CheckStubMaker

Both tools are commonly compared as budget picks. If you're hunting for the cheapest pay stub generator, PayStubVault's transparent flat rate and free first stub make the actual cost easier to verify upfront.

Edge: Real cost, shown upfront

Build Your Own Side-by-Side

Every pay stub site claims to be the best one. Instead of asking you to take our word for it, we would rather show you, against whichever tool you are actually deciding between. Pick a name below and we will pull it up next to us so you can judge for yourself.

Pick Who You are Weighing Us Against

Tap a name to add it to the table below. Tap again to remove it.

FeaturePayStubVaultCompetitor
Price per stub$1.99
50-state tax accuracy
Free preview before paying
Account required
Hidden or add-on feesNone reported
W-2 and 1099 support
Reported trust concernsNone on record

Data compiled from public pricing pages, user forums, and published pay stub generator reviews as of . Some competitor claims are self-reported by the vendor and have not been independently verified; treat those rows as directional, not definitive.

Why People Switch to PayStubVault

Six reasons we hear most often from people moving over from the tools on this page.

Nothing hidden at checkout

The price you see when you start is the price you pay. No surprise line items appear once you have already entered your income.

Preview before you commit

See exactly what your employee earnings statement will look like before you spend a dollar.

Built for real income situations

Freelance income, contract work, small-business payroll — the builder adapts to non-traditional pay patterns, not just a standard W-2 job.

Accurate math, every time

Federal and state tax withholdings are calculated automatically, so your income verification document holds up to scrutiny.

No account, no spam

Generate your stub and download it. We don't require an account just to get a payroll document you'll use once.

Works for W-2 and 1099 alike

Whether you need to document employee wages or self-employment income proof, the templates cover both W-2 and 1099 forms.

(Screenshot of the builder preview, before payment, coming soon.)

A Pattern Worth Knowing About

A lot of the “best pay stub generator” review blogs you will find are actually run by competing pay stub tools; ranking themselves first is not exactly neutral. Across independent sources and user forums, one complaint shows up again and again: hidden add-on fees that appear only after you have entered your details. That is part of why we built PayStubVault around a flat, visible rate, and why we would encourage you to read reviews with that pattern in mind, regardless of which tool you choose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers to the questions people ask while comparing pay stub generators.

$1.99 includes the math, the preview, and the PDF.

No tier where the good features unlock. No add-on at checkout. The number on the left is the number on your card.

PayStubVault

$1.99

flat per stub, every stub, first one free

  • Federal + state tax math
  • Free preview before you pay
  • YTD tracking, W-2 & 1099
  • No account, no email gate

Same five things, elsewhere

  • SecurePayStubs$2.99
  • ThePayStubs$8.99
  • 123 Pay Stubs$3.99
  • FormPros$8.99 / stub
  • StubCreator$4.99
  • CheckStubMaker$8.99

Source: each vendor’s public pricing page, as of .

You’ve read the table. Make the stub.

$1.99 after the first one No account No checkout add-ons