SecurePayStubs vs RealCheckStubs: What's the Actual Difference?
Choosing the right pay stub generator involves more than comparing prices. While SecurePayStubs and RealCheckStubs both allow you to create professional pay stubs in minutes, they take different approaches to pricing, customization, and payroll functionality.
SecurePayStubs offers a single flat-rate pricing model that includes all pay stub features from the start. RealCheckStubs uses a tiered pricing structure where certain features become available only on higher-priced plans. Depending on how often you create pay stubs and which payroll features you need, one platform may better suit your workflow than the other.
This comparison reviews publicly available pricing, features, usability, and supported functionality to help you make an informed decision
Full Feature Comparison
 | Feature |  |
|---|---|---|
✓$4.99 flat | Base price per stub | ⚠From $8.99 |
✓Code FIRSTSTUB | Free first stub | ✗Not offered |
✓Free optional add-on | Deposit slip | ✗+$2.99 (Modern) / (Premium only) |
✓Unlimited, all plans | Custom earnings (OT, tips, bonuses) | ✗Modern+ Premium only (not Basic) |
✓Unlimited, all plans | Custom deductions (401k, insurance) | ✗Premium only ($39.98) |
✓Auto, all plans | Local / city tax calculations | ✗Not available at any tier |
✓Current IRS tables | Federal tax (IRS W-4) | ✓All tiers |
✓All 50 states | State tax — all 50 states | ✓All tiers |
✓Auto-updates | YTD tracking | ✓All tiers |
✓Built-in support | Multi-state employees | ✓Available |
✓Vacation, sick, custom | PTO / Time-off tracking | ✗Not available |
✓20+ designs, multiple colors | Templates & color variety | ⚠21 templates, black & blue only |
✓Employer & employee profiles | Address book (saved profiles) | ✗Not available |
✓Data carries forward | One-click next pay stub | ✗Re-enter every time |
✓Lifetime dashboard history. Download or email any previously created pay stub anytime. | Pay stub history & re-downloads | ✗No self-service history. To request a reprint, users must contact support and provide their transaction number or PayPal email address. |
✓Full preview before paying | Tax preview before purchase | ⚠Not confirmed available |
✓Edit & re-download free | Self-service corrections | ✗Must contact support |
✓Send from dashboard | Email stub to employee | ✗Not available |
✓Native apps | Mobile app (iOS & Android) | ✗No mobile app |
⚠Available through our sister product TaxZerone | W-2 / 1099, employment forms | ✓W-2, 1099, employment forms |
✓Pay per stub only | Subscription required | ✓Pay per stub only |
✓Buy in advance and use whenever needed; credits never expire | Prepaid Pay Stub Credits | ✗Not available |
SecurePayStubs
Single flat rate
$4.99/stub
- All pay stub features included
- First pay stub free with code FIRSTSTUB
- No subscriptions, No hidden fees
RealCheckStubs
Three-tier pricing
$8.99–$39.98/stub
- Basic, Modern, and Premium plans
- Features vary by pricing tier
- No free first pay stub
SecurePayStubs charges $4.99 per stub regardless of which features you need. Every feature — custom deductions, local tax, deposit slip, address book — is included at that one price.
RealCheckStubs starts at $8.99 (Basic), which covers only federal and state taxes with no custom earnings or deductions. Getting the full feature set requires the Premium tier at $39.98 per stub — roughly 8× more than SecurePayStubs for what ultimately amounts to comparable functionality (minus local tax, which RealCheckStubs doesn't offer at any price).
The Modern tier volume discounts (6% for 3 stubs, 12% for 6 stubs) can reduce the per-stub cost somewhat, but even with those applied the per-stub rate is still considerably higher than SecurePayStubs' flat price.
Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
- Custom Deductions — Gated Behind the Most Expensive Tier
Adding custom deductions — 401(k) contributions, health insurance premiums, life insurance, wage garnishments, union dues — is one of the most common real-world payroll needs. It's what makes a pay stub reflect actual employment rather than just gross income.
On SecurePayStubs, custom deductions are available from the base $4.99 price. On RealCheckStubs, custom deductions are exclusively a Premium-tier feature at $39.98 per stub. The Basic tier has none. The Modern tier adds custom earnings but still has no custom deductions at all.
For anyone with even moderately complex payroll — benefits withholding, retirement contributions — this effectively forces you into RealCheckStubs' most expensive plan for something the other service includes as a standard feature.
- Local / City Tax — Not Available on RealCheckStubs at Any Tier
This is arguably the most significant structural gap between the two services. Local income taxes — covering cities and counties in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, New York, Maryland, and others — affect millions of employees. Cities like Philadelphia, New York, Columbus, Louisville, and Detroit have their own local income tax rates that need to appear on a pay stub.
SecurePayStubs automatically calculates and includes local taxes based on the employee's address. RealCheckStubs does not offer local tax calculations on any plan — not on Basic, Modern, or even the $39.98 Premium tier.
If your employees live or work in any city with a local income tax, their RealCheckStubs pay stubs will be missing that line item entirely, regardless of which plan you're on.
- Deposit Slip — Free vs. Paid Add-On
SecurePayStubs offers a deposit slip as a free optional add-on with any stub at $4.99 price.
On RealCheckStubs, deposit slips are not available at all on the Basic tier. On the Modern tier, adding a deposit slip costs an extra $2.99 per stub — bringing the real per-stub cost to $17.97. On the Premium tier, it's included in the $39.98 price. If you generate stubs with deposit slips on a regular basis, this cost adds up quickly on the Modern plan.
- Template Options & Color Variety
SecurePayStubs offers 20+ professional templates across multiple color schemes and branding options. RealCheckStubs offers between 21 templates depending on your tier — and across every plan, all templates are limited to black and blue colorways only. If you need to match company branding or simply want more visual choice, SecurePayStubs gives you considerably more to work with.
- Self-Service Corrections
On SecurePayStubs, if you spot a mistake, you edit the stub yourself and re-download it immediately at no extra cost. Corrections are unlimited and instant.
On RealCheckStubs, corrections require contacting their customer support team and waiting for assistance. That's manageable for non-urgent situations, but adds friction when you need an accurate document quickly.
- Address Book & Recurring Payroll Workflow
For anyone generating stubs on a recurring basis — weekly, biweekly, or monthly — the workflow differences matter. SecurePayStubs saves employer and employee profiles in an address book, and a "one-click generation" feature carries existing data forward, so you only update what changed.
RealCheckStubs has no equivalent. Every time you generate a stub, you start from scratch and re-enter all employer and employee information. For a small business owner managing even two or three employees over several pay periods, the cumulative time difference is noticeable.
- Mobile App
SecurePayStubs has native iOS and Android apps with full feature parity to the desktop version — you can generate, preview, and send stubs directly from your phone.
RealCheckStubs is web-only with no dedicated mobile app. If you run operations from your phone or travel frequently, this matters.
- Federal, State & YTD Calculations
Both services handle federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare (FICA), and state income taxes across all 50 states. Both include year-to-date calculations that update with each stub. If your needs are limited to federal and state-level tax accuracy with no local tax component, the core tax engine is broadly comparable on both platforms.
- W-2, 1099 & Additional Form Generation
This is one area where RealCheckStubs offers something SecurePayStubs does not focus on. RealCheckStubs has a dedicated form generation suite that includes W-2 forms, 1099 forms, Employment Verification forms, and Employment Agreement forms. If you need these documents alongside pay stubs, that's worth factoring into your decision. SecurePayStubs is focused specifically on pay stub generation and does not offer the same range of ancillary tax forms directly, but are available through our sister product, TaxZerone.
Who Should Use Which?
There's no single "correct" answer here. The right choice depends on your situation, what features you actually need, and how often you generate stubs.
Final Verdict
Both SecurePayStubs and RealCheckStubs are capable options for generating pay stubs, but they suit different needs. SecurePayStubs is designed for users who want more customization, tax support, saved information, and ongoing pay-stub management, while RealCheckStubs may suit users who prefer a more straightforward, template-based pay-stub creation process. Ultimately, the right choice depends on the features and workflow you need.
Try SecurePayStubs Free
First stub completely free. Then just $4.99 per stub — all features included, no subscription, no hidden costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information do I need to have on hand before I start?
You'll typically need: employer name, address, and EIN; employee name, address, and SSN (last 4 digits); pay period dates; gross pay or hours worked and pay rate; any deductions like health insurance or 401(k); and YTD figures if you're generating mid-year and want accurate cumulative totals. SecurePayStubs saves employer and employee profiles after the first stub, so from the second pay period onward most of this is pre-filled.
Is TaxZerone for W-2s and 1099s a separate cost on top of SecurePayStubs?
Yes. TaxZerone is a sister product — it's not bundled into the $4.99 per-stub price. If you need W-2 or 1099 generation, that's an additional service with its own pricing. If tax form generation is a regular need for your business, factor this in when comparing total costs against RealCheckStubs, which includes those forms in its Premium tier.
Which service includes all features without upgrading?
Is there anything RealCheckStubs does that SecurePayStubs doesn't?
Yes — one thing. RealCheckStubs has a built-in W-2, 1099, Employment Verification, and Employment Agreement form generation suite. If you need those tax forms alongside pay stubs and want everything under one login, RealCheckStubs has an edge there. SecurePayStubs handles W-2 and 1099s through a sister product called TaxZerone, which is a separate platform with its own pricing.
Does RealCheckStubs' Premium tier at $39.98 actually match everything SecurePayStubs offers?
Not quite. Even at $39.98, RealCheckStubs Premium is still missing: local and city tax calculations, PTO and time-off tracking, a mobile app, a saved address book, one-click recurring payroll, self-service corrections, and direct email to employees. You pay 13× more and still get a less complete product for most payroll workflows.