Wave’s Free Pay Stub Generator, and When You Need More
Wave’s free pay stub generator makes a sample stub for salaried employees, with deductions you enter yourself. For hourly pay, or for taxes worked out for you, you need something else.
Preview free, no account. $8.99 to download one stub, or a pack of 10 at $4.00 a stub. No subscription.
The short answer
- Wave’s tool is free and saves the stub as a PDF.
- Wave says it is only for salary-based employees, and the year starts on January 1 by default.
- For hourly pay or calculated federal and state tax, you need Wave Payroll or a calculating generator.
What Wave’s free tool does
- Wave describes it as a way to create an example pay stub.
- It is only for salary-based employees, and the start date is January 1 by default.
- Company details with an optional logo, then employee name, ID and address.
- Annual income, pay date, pay period and frequency, and a paycheck number.
- Deductions are items you add with an amount; the stub is saved as a PDF to email or keep.
- For hourly employees, the page points to Wave’s payroll product instead.
Wave and ValidPaystubs side by side
| Wave | ValidPaystubs | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free watermarked preview; you pay only to download |
| Pay types | Salaried employees only | Hourly (rate × hours) or salary |
| Tax calculation | None — you add deductions and their amounts | Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state income tax worked out as you type, for all 50 states |
| Year-to-date | Starts January 1 by default | Shown on the stub; enter prior totals if this is not the first stub of the year |
| Logo | Optional | Yes |
| Output | PDF, after paying to remove the watermark |
When Wave is all you need
For a salaried employee whose deductions you already know, Wave’s tool is free and quick. If you need full payroll — paying people, filing and remitting tax — Wave Payroll or another payroll service is the right tool, not a stub generator.
When ValidPaystubs is worth it
If the person is paid hourly, or you need the withholding worked out rather than typed in, ours handles hourly and salaried pay and calculates federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state income tax.
How each tax is worked out, with the rates and their sources, is on our tax methodology page.
What neither tool does
A pay stub from Wave or from us is a formatting and recordkeeping document, not a verified employment record. Landlords and lenders who verify income contact the employer, or ask for an IRS transcript, which you can get free from IRS Get Transcript. Any service promising “verifiable” third-party proof of income is one to avoid.
Related
- Shopify Pay Stub Generator — Shopify’s tool is free: four steps, and the finished pay stub arrives as a PDF by email.
- Wix Paystub Generator — Wix’s tool is free, but you sign in to a Wix account to download or email the stub.
- PaystubsNow — Both calculate taxes for you and deliver a PDF.
- Tax methodology — the brackets, rates and wage bases our calculations use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wave’s pay stub generator free?
Yes. Wave says there is no cost to generate a pay stub or to edit one, and you can save it as a PDF.
Does Wave’s pay stub generator work for hourly employees?
No. Wave says the tool is only for salary-based employees, and points to its payroll product for hourly employees.
Does Wave’s generator calculate taxes?
No. You add each deduction and its amount, and it is subtracted from the pay on the stub. It does not work out federal or state withholding.
What is the difference between Wave’s generator and Wave Payroll?
The generator makes a one-off sample stub. Wave Payroll is a payroll service that, according to Wave, includes automatic tax remittances and direct deposit into employees’ bank accounts.
Can a pay stub from Wave, or from you, prove my income?
Neither is a verified employment record. A pay stub is a formatting and recordkeeping document. Landlords and lenders who verify income contact the employer or ask for an IRS transcript, which you can get free from the IRS.
Facts about Wave were checked on October 29, 2026. Sources: Wave Pay Stub Generator (waveapps.com). Wave is a trademark of its owner. ValidPaystubs is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Wave.