Pay stub templates
Six layouts, each filled in with a fictional employee so you can see how real figures look. Pick one and the generator opens with it selected. Previews are free. The finished PDF is $4.99.
Each sample shows a complete pay stub. The same layouts work as a check stub or earnings statement.
Looking for Word, Excel or Google Sheets? See pay stub template formats for what each one gives you.
Pick one; the generator opens with it selected.
Classic pay stub template
Best for most employersA traditional statement layout with ruled sections, the format most employees already know.
Use this layout
Modern pay stub template
Best when net pay is what people check firstA dark header band holding the title and employer, striped rows and net pay in a dark block.
Use this layout
Compact pay stub template
Best for detailed pay with many linesEvery detail grouped tightly. Many earnings and deduction lines still fit on one page.
Use this layout
Executive pay stub template
Best for a traditional, formal lookA formal statement: title left, employer right, a gold-and-navy double rule, dark column headers and net pay in a navy block.
Use this layout
Bold pay stub template
Best when you want it to stand outA color stripe across the top, a large color title and net pay in a filled color panel. Easy to spot in a stack of paperwork.
Use this layout
Minimal pay stub template
Best for printing at home or the officeBlack and grey only, no filled blocks. Prints cleanly on any printer and uses the least ink.
Use this layout
Samples use fictional names and figures. Your pay stub uses the details you enter.
Choose the right pay stub template
| Template | Look | Printing | Lines per page | Use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | Title over an accent rule | Light tint only | Standard | Use Classic |
| Modern | Dark header band, striped rows | Uses more ink | Standard | Use Modern |
| Compact | Small capitals title, hairlines, small type | Light tint only | Most per page | Use Compact |
| Executive | Navy and gold double rule, dark net pay | Uses more ink | Standard | Use Executive |
| Bold | Colour stripe, filled net pay | Uses more ink | Standard | Use Bold |
| Minimal | Black and grey, outlined net pay | Least ink, any printer | Standard | Use Minimal |
Pay stub template formats: PDF, Word, Excel or Google Sheets
| Format | What you get | Totals and year to date | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| A finished pay stub in any of the six layouts above, to print, email or save. | Worked out for you, every pay period. | Pay stub generator: free to preview; the PDF is $4.99. | |
| Word or Google Docs | Not offered. A blank document is a form you fill in by hand. | Yours to add up, and to carry from one pay stub to the next. | How to make a pay stub lists what each line needs. |
| Excel or Google Sheets | A payroll register: one row per employee per payday, with formulas. It is the record behind your stubs, not a pay stub layout. | Formulas work out gross pay, Social Security, Medicare and net pay. | Free payroll register template (CSV, opens in Excel or Google Sheets). |
Before you make a pay stub
- How to read a pay stubWhat each section and abbreviation on a pay stub means.
- Pay stubs for household employersFor families who pay a nanny, caregiver or housekeeper.
- Pay stubs for restaurants and barsTips, the tip credit and tipped overtime on their own lines.
- Free payroll template (Excel / Google Sheets)The payroll register behind the stubs: one row per employee per payday, with formulas.
More on US pay stubs
- YTD calculatorFree year-to-date (YTD) calculator: gross pay so far this year from pay per paycheck and paydays, or a full year's pay from a YTD figure.
- Electronic pay stubs in the US: state rules on email, portals and consentCan you email pay stubs or post them in a portal? US state rules on consent, printing and paper copies, read from each state's own law in October 2026.
- What is a pay stub?A pay stub shows earnings, deductions and net pay for one pay period. What’s on one, and whether US employers must give one.
- How to make a pay stubHow to make a pay stub from your payroll record: the information to gather, the order to put it in, and the checks to make before you hand it over.
- US paycheck calculator
About pay stub templates
Are these pay stub templates free?
Free to create and preview: pick any of the six, fill in your figures and check the result, with no account or card. The finished PDF is $4.99, with no subscription.
Can I get a pay stub template in Word, Excel or Google Sheets?
No. PayDocs templates fill in from the figures you enter and produce a PDF, so gross pay, deductions, net pay and year-to-date totals always add up. A blank Word, Excel or Google Sheets file leaves that arithmetic, and keeping it consistent from one pay period to the next, to you. For the payroll record behind the stubs, there is a free payroll register template for Excel or Google Sheets at paydocs.co/us/payroll-template.
Is there a pay stub sample or example I can look at?
Each template above is shown as a sample with fictional figures. Open one in the generator and it fills in with your own figures as you type.
Is a check stub template the same as a pay stub template?
Yes. Check stub, paystub and earnings statement are other names for a pay stub, so each of these six layouts works for all of them.
Can I add my logo?
Yes. Add your company logo as a PNG or JPEG while you create, and it appears on the pay stub in every layout.
Which layout suits a household employer?
Any of them: all six show the same information. Classic is the format most people expect, and Minimal prints most cleanly at home.
Can I edit a pay stub after downloading it?
Yes. Within 30 days of buying, you can issue a corrected document for the same employer, employee and pay period without paying again, as many times as you need.
Can I change the template after I start?
Yes. Switch layout at any point while you create; your figures stay exactly as they are.
Which template is best for printing?
Minimal: black and grey only, with no filled blocks, so it prints cleanly on any printer and uses the least ink. Classic and Compact use only a light tint.
What does every pay stub template include?
Employer and employee details, the pay period and pay date, each earning adding up to gross pay, each tax and deduction, net pay, and year-to-date totals.
Can I use a pay stub from PayDocs as proof of income?
PayDocs lays out figures you provide. It does not verify employment, certify income, or promise that anyone will accept the document.