Quick Answer: Which Should You Use?
Pay44 is the better choice for most people. It's free, includes budgeting and scenario planning tools, and lets you compare multiple paychecks side-by-side. Payroll Guru costs $4.99 and focuses on basic calculations.
Choose Payroll Guru if you need year-to-date wage tracking or want to email paycheck details directly to employees or your payroll provider. Pay44 doesn't support those features.
Disclosure: Pay44 (Paycheck Calculator US) is developed by EHM Tech. We've done our best to present an honest comparison, including areas where Payroll Guru has advantages. This comparison is for informational purposes only. We tested these tools in January 2026. Features, pricing, and availability may change. Always verify calculations with official payroll or tax professionals.
Key Differences at a Glance
- Price: Pay44 is free. Payroll Guru costs $4.99 one-time.
- Planning tools: Pay44 has budgeting, scenario simulation, and paycheck comparison. Payroll Guru is calculation-only.
- Year-to-date: Payroll Guru tracks YTD wages. Pay44 does not.
- Email sharing: Payroll Guru can email results. Pay44 exports to PDF, CSV, or Text instead.
- Ratings: Pay44 has 4.9 stars on iOS. Payroll Guru has 3.2 stars.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Pay44 | Payroll Guru |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| iOS Rating | 4.9 | 3.2 |
| Android Rating | 4.7 | 3.2 |
| Price | Free | $4.99 |
| Offline Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Year-to-Date Tracking | No | Yes |
| All 50 States | Yes | Yes |
| Local/City Taxes | No | No |
| Account Required | No | No |
| Unlimited Profiles | Yes | Yes |
| Save Calculations | Yes | Yes |
| Email Results | No | Yes |
| Export Results | PDF, CSV, Text, Grid | Email only |
| Pay Breakdown Charts | Yes | Yes (pie chart) |
| Monthly Budgeting | Yes (with charts) | No |
| What-If Scenarios | Yes (with deltas) | No |
| Compare Paychecks | Yes (normalized) | No |
| Hourly vs Salary Compare | Yes | No |
Pay44 (Paycheck Calculator US) Our Pick
Pay44 is a free mobile paycheck calculator with 4.9 stars on iOS and 4.7 on Android. It goes beyond basic calculations with budgeting, scenario simulation, and paycheck comparison tools you won't find in Payroll Guru or most other calculators.
Budgeting Tool
Combine multiple paychecks with custom income and expense items to create a complete monthly budget. Visualize your money flow with waterfall charts, allocation donut charts, and top expenses breakdown.
Simulate Scenarios
Preview the financial impact of income changes before they happen. Adjust salary, hourly rate, or hours worked and instantly see deltas for gross pay, taxes, deductions, and net income. Save promising scenarios for future reference.
Compare Paychecks
Compare multiple saved calculations side-by-side in a normalized table showing gross income, taxes, deductions, and net pay. Includes a yearly net income chart. Compare hourly vs salary positions on equal footing.
Other Features:
- 2026 federal and state tax tables for all 50 states
- Salary and hourly with multiple pay frequencies
- Pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA, health insurance)
- Post-tax deductions and additional withholding
- Works offline (no internet required)
- Export results as PDF, CSV, Text, or Grid
Pros
- Free (ad-supported, optional removal)
- Budgeting with visual charts
- What-if scenario simulation
- Side-by-side paycheck comparison
- Export to PDF, CSV, Text, Grid
- Higher app store ratings
- No account required
Cons
- No year-to-date wage tracking
- No email sharing
- No local/city tax support
- Estimates only (not actual payroll data)
Best for: Job offer comparisons, monthly budgeting, what-if planning, anyone who wants free access to advanced features.
Payroll Guru Since 2006
Payroll Guru is a $4.99 paycheck calculator app that's been around since 2006. It focuses on straightforward payroll calculations with year-to-date tracking and email sharing features that small business owners and HR professionals find useful.
Key Features:
- Salary and hourly paycheck calculations
- Federal and state tax withholding for all 50 states
- State unemployment and disability insurance
- Up to 8 pre-tax or post-tax deductions
- Year-to-date wage tracking
- Unlimited employee profiles
- Pie chart visualization of pay breakdown
- Email results to employees or payroll providers
Accuracy Note: Some user reviews mention calculations can be off by up to $10. The app developer attributes this to differences in how deductions and withholdings are configured. Double-check results against actual pay stubs when precision matters.
Pros
- Year-to-date wage tracking
- Email paycheck details directly
- One-time $4.99 purchase (no ads)
- Long track record (since 2006)
- Responsive customer support
- Works offline
Cons
- Costs $4.99 upfront
- No budgeting tools
- No scenario comparison
- No side-by-side paycheck comparison
- Lower app store ratings (3.2 stars)
- May be off by up to $10 per reviews
- No bonus or holiday pay calculations
Best for: Small business owners who need year-to-date tracking and want to email paycheck details to employees. Users who prefer a one-time purchase over ads.
When to Use Each Calculator
Choose Pay44 if you:
- Want a free paycheck calculator with advanced features
- Are comparing job offers (normalized side-by-side comparison)
- Want to compare hourly vs salary positions on equal footing
- Need to build a monthly budget with visual charts
- Want to test "what if" scenarios (raises, new jobs, different states)
- Need to export results as PDF, CSV, or Text files
- Prefer higher-rated apps with modern interfaces
Choose Payroll Guru if you:
- Need to track year-to-date wages across pay periods
- Want to email paycheck details directly to employees
- Prefer a one-time purchase over ad-supported free apps
- Are a small business owner managing multiple employee profiles
- Value long-established apps with responsive support
Frequently Asked Questions
References
- Pay44 Paycheck Calculator. Mobile app with 2026 tax tables, all 50 states, and offline support.
- Payroll Guru on App Store. $4.99 iOS app with YTD tracking and email sharing.
- Payroll Guru on Google Play. Android version of the Payroll Guru calculator.
- PayrollGuru, Inc.. Company website with payroll services and calculator apps.