Pay stub maker
How to Make a Pay Stub
You can make a pay stub online in a few minutes. A pay stub maker takes your pay details, works out the taxes and lays everything out as a clean PDF, so you do not have to calculate withholding by hand. Here is exactly what you need, how to do it step by step, and how it compares with making one in a spreadsheet.
The short answer
To make a pay stub, gather the employer and employee details, the pay period and pay date, the pay rate or salary and any deductions. Enter them in a pay stub maker, check the live preview, and download the PDF. With EasyIncomeDocs it takes a few minutes, and a pay stub starts at $4.44. The tool calculates federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for you.
What you need before you make a pay stub
- The employer's name and address, or your business name if you are self-employed.
- The employee's name and address. Only the last 4 digits of a Social Security number should ever appear.
- The pay period (start and end dates) and the pay date.
- The pay rate: an hourly rate and hours worked, or a salary and how often it is paid.
- The state where the work is done, so state withholding can be calculated.
- Any deductions, such as 401(k) contributions or health insurance.
- For federal withholding that matches real paychecks, the employee's W-4 details.
How to make a pay stub with EasyIncomeDocs
- Open the pay stub generator and choose whether the person is an Employee or a Contractor.
- Enter the company and employee details, and pick the state and pay frequency.
- Add the hourly rate and hours, or the salary, plus any deductions.
- Watch the live preview update. Federal, Social Security, Medicare and state withholding are calculated for you.
- Choose one of 10 templates, five full-page designs and five compact check-stub-size designs.
- Pay and download the PDF instantly. You also get an email link to edit it later.
How to make a pay stub by hand or in a spreadsheet
You can build a pay stub in a spreadsheet, but the tax math is where mistakes happen. This is the order of the calculation:
- Work out gross pay: hours times rate (overtime at 1.5 times), or salary divided by the number of pay periods.
- Subtract pre-tax deductions, such as 401(k) and health premiums, to get taxable wages.
- Calculate federal income tax from the IRS withholding tables and the employee's W-4.
- Calculate Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%, then state income tax if the state has one.
- Subtract post-tax deductions to reach net pay.
- Add year-to-date totals so each stub carries forward from the last one.
Make a pay stub for your situation
- Employees who lost a stub or never received one: recreate it from your real pay details.
- Small business owners paying staff: create a clear record for each paycheck.
- Self-employed people and owners: document what you paid yourself. See our guide for self-employed people and business owners.
- Gig workers: create an earnings statement from your real income.
- Household employers paying a nanny, caregiver or cleaner.
What makes a pay stub accurate
A pay stub only helps if the numbers add up. Look for taxes calculated from the IRS's own Publication 15-T tables, state withholding that follows your state's rules, and year-to-date totals that grow correctly across stubs. A full preview before you pay lets you check every figure first.
How much it costs to make pay stubs
Pay stubs here are $4.44 for one, $7.99 for two and $11.49 for three, then $2.99 for each additional stub in the same order. Many sites charge $8 to $10 per stub.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a pay stub for free?
You can use a free blank template and fill it in yourself, or use our free paycheck calculator to work out the numbers. A finished, formatted pay stub PDF with the taxes calculated for you is a paid download, and you see a full preview first.
How long does it take to make a pay stub?
A few minutes. Enter the details, check the live preview and download the PDF as soon as your order completes.
Can I make pay stubs for several pay periods?
Yes. Create one stub or several in the same order. Year-to-date totals carry through, so the stubs stay consistent from the first pay date to the last.
Can I add my company logo?
Yes. You can upload a PNG or JPEG logo and it appears at the top of the pay stub.
What information do I need to create a pay stub?
Employer and employee details, the pay period and pay date, the pay rate or salary, hours worked, your state, and any deductions. The employee's W-4 details help federal withholding match real paychecks.
Is it legal to make your own pay stub?
Yes, as long as every figure reflects pay that was actually earned or paid. A pay stub must never be used to claim income that was not earned or to mislead a lender, landlord or agency.
What is the difference between a pay stub maker and payroll software?
A pay stub maker creates the document from numbers you enter. Payroll software also runs payroll, files taxes and pays employees. EasyIncomeDocs is a pay stub maker and does not withhold, pay or file taxes.
Preview your pay stub free before you pay.
Make your pay stub nowRelated pay stub guides and tools
For your own accurate records. A pay stub must reflect real information and is not for misrepresenting income, employment or financial details to a lender, landlord, government agency or any other party. EasyIncomeDocs is not a payroll provider and does not withhold, pay or file taxes.