Paystub Generator
Generate professional pay stubs free online instantly. Create PDF pay stubs with earnings, deductions, and net pay for employees or self-employed workers.
How to Use Paystub Generator
- 1Enter your company name, address, and pay period dates.
- 2Fill in the employee details including name, ID, and pay frequency.
- 3Add earnings rows (Regular Pay, Overtime, Bonus) with hours and rates.
- 4Adjust tax and deduction percentages or add custom deduction lines.
- 5Click Generate Pay Stub to preview, then use Print Pay Stub to save as PDF.
About Paystub Generator
Our free Paystub Generator lets you create realistic, professional-looking pay stubs in seconds. Fill in employer details, employee info, earnings and deductions — then print or save as PDF. Supports custom earning lines, percentage-based tax deductions, and YTD totals.
How Paystub Generator Works
A pay stub (or payslip) is a document that shows an employee's earnings and deductions for a specific pay period, alongside year-to-date totals. Our generator calculates the pay stub values in real time as you fill in the form. Gross pay is computed by multiplying hours by rate for each earnings row and summing all rows — including any flat-dollar bonus or overtime entries. Each deduction is specified as a percentage of gross pay: federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security (6.2% in the US), Medicare (1.45%), and any custom deductions like health insurance, retirement contributions (401k), or dental plans. Net pay (take-home pay) equals gross pay minus all deductions. Year-to-date figures are calculated by multiplying the current period values by the pay period number (e.g. if this is the 8th paycheck of the year, YTD = current × 8 for a consistent pay structure). The output is formatted as a printable document — use your browser's Print function with "Save as PDF" as the destination to create a clean PDF with no browser chrome.
Gross Pay = Σ(hours × rate) + flat bonuses
Deduction Amount = Gross Pay × (deduction % ÷ 100)
Net Pay = Gross Pay − Σ(all deductions)Reference Data
Standard US Payroll Deduction Reference
| Deduction | Employee Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Income Tax | Varies (10–37%) | Depends on filing status and income bracket |
| State Income Tax | 0–13.3% | No state tax in TX, FL, WA, NV, WY, SD, AK, NH, TN |
| Social Security | 6.2% | Applied up to $168,600 wage base (2024) |
| Medicare | 1.45% | Additional 0.9% on wages over $200,000 |
| 401(k) Contribution | Up to 23,000/yr | Employee elected — reduces taxable income |
| Health Insurance (avg.) | ~$150–400/month | Employee share of employer-sponsored plan |
| Dental Insurance | ~$20–60/month | Employee share |
| Vision Insurance | ~$5–15/month | Employee share |
| HSA Contribution | Up to $4,150/yr (individual) | Pre-tax for qualified medical expenses |
Who Uses This Tool and Why
- ✓Freelancers and independent contractors who do not receive formal pay stubs create pay stub records for use as proof of income when applying for rental accommodation or loans.
- ✓Small business owners without a payroll software subscription generate pay stubs for their employees as a simple, no-cost alternative to paid payroll services.
- ✓Self-employed individuals create pay stubs to document income consistently for mortgage applications, apartment rentals, and credit applications.
- ✓HR departments create emergency replacement pay stubs when an employee needs documentation for an application but the original was lost or never provided.
- ✓Payroll students and accounting trainees use the generator to practice payroll calculations and verify their manual computation against a reference.
Limitations & Practical Tips
Known Limitations
- •This tool is for reference and record-keeping purposes. It does not connect to any tax authority and does not calculate legally precise tax withholding — use a licensed payroll provider for official payroll processing.
- •Tax rates are not automatically fetched or updated. Always verify current federal and state tax withholding rates against the official IRS Publication 15-T and your state's revenue agency.
- •YTD calculations assume consistent pay every period. Irregular pay (e.g. one period with overtime, another without) means the YTD multiplier will be inaccurate — adjust manually.
- •The generated pay stub does not have any cryptographic signature or digital verification — it cannot serve as an official government document.
Tips for Best Results
- →When saving as a PDF, set margins to "None" or "Minimum" in the print dialog to ensure the full pay stub prints without being clipped at the edges.
- →Include the employer's EIN (Employer Identification Number) on the pay stub — lenders and landlords often look for this to verify the employer's legitimacy.
- →For self-employed income documentation, generate a series of consistently dated pay stubs (e.g. bi-weekly) rather than a single large lump sum to better represent regular income patterns that lenders expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this pay stub generator free?
Yes, completely free with no signup required. Fill in your details, click Generate, and print or save to PDF using your browser's print function.
- Can I use this for real payroll purposes?
This tool is intended for reference, record-keeping, or practice purposes. For official payroll processing, consult a licensed payroll provider or accountant to ensure compliance with your local tax laws.
- How do I save the pay stub as a PDF?
Click the "Print Pay Stub" button, then in your browser's print dialog select "Save as PDF" as the destination instead of a physical printer. This gives you a clean PDF with only the pay stub visible.
- How is net pay calculated?
Net pay equals gross pay minus all deductions. Gross pay is the sum of all earning rows (hours × rate). Each deduction is calculated as a percentage of gross pay and then subtracted to arrive at the final take-home amount.
- What are year-to-date (YTD) figures on a pay stub?
YTD figures show the cumulative total for the year up to and including the current pay period. Lenders and government agencies use YTD gross pay to verify annual income. In this generator, YTD is calculated by multiplying current period values by the pay period number you specify.
- What is the Social Security tax rate?
In the United States, employees pay 6.2% of their wages for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare (combined: 7.65% FICA). Social Security applies only up to the annual wage base ($168,600 in 2024). Self-employed individuals pay the full 15.3% (both employee and employer shares).
- Can freelancers and self-employed workers use this?
Yes. Freelancers often need to create pay stubs as proof of income for apartment applications, car loans, and mortgages. Set yourself as both employer and employee and enter your business name as the company. Note that this does not replace official self-employment income documentation like tax returns.
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Last updated: May 2, 2026 — Paystub Generator by CalcDash.