If you’re self-employed, pay people in cash, or run a small business without a payroll provider, you’ll need pay stubs eventually. Landlords ask for them. So do lenders, car dealers, and government agencies. An online paystub generator makes one in a few minutes. You enter the pay details, the tool works out the taxes and deductions, and you download a PDF.

There are dozens of these tools, and the differences aren’t obvious at first. Some only handle US pay. Some also make W-2s and 1099s. Some are paystub tools at heart, while others are general legal-form sites with a paystub page added on.

We compared six popular options based on what each one does, who it’s built for, and where it falls short.

What to Look for in a Paystub Generator

Check these five things before you pick a tool:

• Automatic tax calculations. The tool should work out federal tax, state tax, Social Security, and Medicare for you. Doing that by hand is where most mistakes happen.
• Year-to-date (YTD) totals. Lenders and landlords look at YTD figures. A stub without them is often rejected.
• State support, and provinces if you’re in Canada. Tax rules differ by state. Canadian stubs need CPP, EI, and provincial tax, which is a completely different set of rules.
• A preview before you pay. You should be able to check every line before you download.
• Related tax forms. If you also need a W-2 or a 1099 at year end, it’s easier to use a tool that makes those too.

The 6 Best Paystub Generators

1. ThePayStubs

ThePayStubs is a paystub generator built for people who need proof of income quickly. There are three steps: enter the company and salary details, choose a stub design and preview it, then download and print. Most people finish in about two minutes.

It covers more than pay stubs. The same site makes W-2s, the full 1099 series (MISC, NEC, and others), 1040 forms and schedules, W-4, W-9, and 941 payroll forms. If you’re a contractor who needs a stub now and a 1099 in January, you can do both in one place.

Best for: individuals, self-employed workers, and contractors who need proof of income fast.

Highlights: sample stub designs you can view before you start, US and Canadian stubs, a wide range of tax forms, and 24/7 support by chat, phone, and email.

2. PayStubs.net

PayStubs.net is a paystub generator aimed at business owners, HR teams, and bookkeepers who produce stubs regularly. You choose your state first, so the stub uses that state’s tax rules. You then enter the company, employee, and salary details. The tax and deduction calculations are done for you, and you download the finished stub.

Its biggest difference is proper Canadian support. The paystub generator canada tool covers all 13 provinces and territories, including Quebec’s separate system. It calculates CPP, EI, and income tax automatically and shows a free live preview before you pay. Many US-focused tools just relabel an American template for Canada, so this matters if you have staff on both sides of the border.

Best for: businesses paying employees in the US, Canada, or both.

Highlights: state- and province-specific tax rules, a 100% money-back guarantee, and 24/7 customer support.

3. PayStubCreator

PayStubCreator is a simple paystub creator with a straightforward process. First, you enter the company and employee details, including an EIN, the pay period, and the pay rate. You can switch between a W-2 employee format and a 1099 contractor format at any point. Next, you preview the stub. It shows federal and state income tax, FICA, and any custom deductions, calculated from current IRS withholding tables. Finally, you download the PDF. You don’t need to create an account or confirm your email.

Pricing is per stub with no subscription. The price per stub goes down when you buy several at once, which is useful if you need a few months of history. Every purchase has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Best for: freelancers, small businesses, and anyone who wants to pay once without signing up.

Highlights: no account needed, a choice of employee or contractor format, bulk pricing, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

4. Real Check Stubs

Real Check Stubs has more than 15 pay stub templates, from simple layouts to more detailed designs. The preview updates as you type, so you can fix mistakes before you download. The site also makes W-2 and 1099 forms, along with employment agreement and employment verification forms.

Best for: people who want a wide choice of stub designs.

Keep in mind: it has fewer tax forms than the tools above, and it doesn’t make Canadian pay stubs.

5. PaystubHero

PaystubHero has 10 stub designs, and some are styled after well-known payroll-provider layouts. It supports both US and Canadian stubs. Other tools on the site include W-2, W-9, 1099-NEC, 1099-MISC, and Schedule C generators, plus invoice and offer letter makers.

Best for: small businesses that also need invoices or offer letters.

Keep in mind: the finished stub is sent to your email instead of downloading straight away.

6. FormPros

FormPros is mainly a legal-forms site. It covers business contracts, real estate forms, wills, and powers of attorney, and it also offers LLC formation. Its paystub generator and tax forms (W-2, 1099-NEC, 1099-MISC, W-4, W-9) are part of that wider range.

Best for: people who already need several legal documents and want them all in one place.

Keep in mind: it’s sold as one subscription for many forms, so it’s less suited to someone who needs just one pay stub.

Quick Comparison

How to Choose

• You need one stub fast: choose a tool with no sign-up that charges per stub.
• You pay staff in Canada: choose a tool with real province-by-province calculations, not a relabelled US template.
• You’ll need year-end forms too: choose a tool that also makes W-2s and 1099s, so your numbers match across documents.
• You need lots of legal documents: a subscription forms site might work out cheaper overall.

A Final Word on Accuracy

A paystub generator is only as accurate as the numbers you put in. Enter your real pay, hours, and deductions, and check the preview line by line before you download. Pay extra attention to the year-to-date totals, since they’re the first thing a lender or landlord checks. Use pay stubs to record income that was actually earned. Never use them to invent income you didn’t earn.