Side by side
| StubCreator | PayDocs | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per pay stub | $4.99 for standard templates; $5.99 to $6.99 for Modern, ADP-style and Advanced templates | $4.99 per pay stub, or packs of 4 ($14.99) and 12 ($35.99); pack credits never expire. Checkout opens soon: you can make and preview documents now |
| Free to try | First stub free every year, with no signup or card | Unlimited free preview of the finished pay stub (watermarked), no account or card. No free PDF |
| Add-on fees (per stub) | Optional, $2 each: deposit slip, edit taxes, edit labels, add last year-to-date, advanced tool (bonus, overtime) | None: every field, line and layout is included in the price |
| Layouts | 15 templates | 6 layouts for US pay stubs |
| Other forms | W-2, W-3, 1099-MISC, 1099-NEC, 1040 and W-9 at $6.99 each | Form W-2 (employee copies), Form 1099-NEC (recipient copies) and Form 1099-MISC (recipient copies), each priced like one pay stub |
| Tax calculation | Federal and state taxes for all 50 states, plus Canadian provinces | Federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare for 2026 pay dates, plus state income tax in 40 states. You enter local taxes. Every line stays editable |
| Account | No signup needed | Not needed to create or preview. A free account saves drafts, employees and documents |
| Corrections | Free edits: you contact support and they fix it | Free for 30 days for the same employer, employee and pay period, done yourself in the workspace |
| Refunds | If the stub or a requested correction doesn't arrive within 24 hours, or you paid twice; not for the look of the stub or no longer needing it | Within 30 days if the document fails because of us, you were charged twice, or a pack is unused (less one document) |
| Support | 24/7 live chat and email | Email (support@paydocs.co), answered by a person |
| Phone app | Android and iOS apps | No app. The generator works in a phone browser |
Checked October 8, 2026. From stubcreator.com/pricing and /refund-policy. "Not stated" means the pages we read didn't say, not that the feature is missing. The PayDocs column is read from PayDocs' live prices and settings when this page is built.
What a pay stub costs on each
StubCreator's standard stub is $4.99. A PayDocs stub is $4.99. From there, StubCreator's price depends on the template you pick and the add-ons you need, while PayDocs keeps one price per stub whatever it shows.
That matters most for employers whose pay varies. A nanny paid overtime in some weeks, or a small team with a quarterly bonus, needs the extra lines often, and at StubCreator each of those stubs carries the $2 advanced-tool add-on.
| The stub you need | StubCreator | PayDocs |
|---|---|---|
| Standard template, salary or hourly pay | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| Plus a bonus or overtime line (advanced tool) | $6.99 ($4.99 + $2) | $4.99 |
| Plus edited tax figures | $8.99 ($4.99 + $2 + $2) | $4.99 (every line is editable) |
| A $6.99 template with both add-ons | $10.99 ($6.99 + $2 + $2) | $4.99 |
| A W-2 or 1099 copy | $6.99 | $4.99 |
StubCreator prices read from stubcreator.com/pricing on 8 October 2026. PayDocs packs of 4 and 12 lower its price per document; the current pack prices are in the table above.
Where StubCreator is better
- A free stub every year, with no signup or card. PayDocs previews are free, but every PDF you keep is paid for.
- Canada. It lists Canadian provinces and a Canada pay stub; PayDocs covers the US and the UK.
- More tax forms: W-3, 1040 and W-9 as well as W-2s and 1099s.
- More templates (15 against six), phone apps for Android and iOS, and 24/7 live chat. PayDocs has no app and answers by email.
- You can buy today. On the day we checked, the PayDocs checkout wasn't open yet.
Where PayDocs is better
- One price for every layout and line. Bonus and overtime lines, edited tax figures and earlier year-to-date totals are add-ons at StubCreator; at PayDocs they are part of the $4.99 stub.
- Cheaper year-end forms: a W-2 or 1099 copy is priced like one stub, against $6.99 at StubCreator.
- Corrections you make yourself, free for 30 days, in your workspace. At StubCreator you contact support for an edit.
- UK payslips and P60s from the same account, and packs whose credits never expire.
- A clear audience. StubCreator says it is for employees, independent contractors and businesses; PayDocs is for the employer's side, recording pay made to people you pay.
On tax: PayDocs works out federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and supported state taxes for 2026 pay dates (see what we calculate). Each calculated line names its rule set and stays editable.
Which one should you choose?
Choose StubCreator if you need a single free stub this year, a Canadian stub, a W-3 or W-9, or a phone app, and a standard template with no add-ons does the job.
Choose PayDocs if your stubs carry bonuses or overtime, if you want to adjust tax lines without paying extra, or if you'll need W-2 or 1099 copies in January. Packs suit an employer paying the same person every week.
If you can't decide, use both free options with the same pay period: StubCreator's free stub for the year and a PayDocs preview. Compare the net pay, the tax lines and the year-to-date totals before you pay for either.
Questions
Are StubCreator and PayDocs the same price?
They start at the same figure. On 8 October 2026 StubCreator charged $4.99 for standard templates and more for others, plus $2 add-ons. PayDocs charges $4.99 per stub for every layout, with no add-ons.
Is StubCreator's first stub really free?
Its pricing page says your first stub is free every year, with no signup or card details. After that, stubs start at $4.99. PayDocs has no free PDF, but its watermarked preview is free and unlimited.
Does StubCreator calculate state taxes?
Its pricing page says it applies the latest tax rules for all 50 states and Canadian provinces. Editing the calculated tax figures is a $2 add-on. At PayDocs every line, calculated or entered, can be edited at no charge.
Which is cheaper for W-2s and 1099s?
PayDocs. StubCreator listed W-2, 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC forms at $6.99 each on 8 October 2026. A PayDocs W-2 or 1099 copy costs the same as one pay stub, $4.99 once checkout opens.
Other comparisons
Sources
- StubCreator: Pricing (read October 8, 2026)
- StubCreator: Refund policy (read October 8, 2026)
- PayDocs: Pricing (read October 8, 2026)
- PayDocs: Refund policy (read October 8, 2026)
StubCreator facts come from its own public pages on the date shown; prices and features change, so check its site before you buy. We haven’t bought from StubCreator, and this page rates no one. Product names identify the services compared; PayDocs isn’t affiliated with StubCreator. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.