Pay Stub vs W-2: What's the Difference?

The pay stub records a payday

A pay stub describes a particular pay period. It shows gross earnings, deductions and net pay for that payment, and often includes year-to-date totals. It helps the employee understand the calculation for that payday and gives the employer a useful record.

The W-2 summarizes the year

Form W-2 is an annual wage and tax statement. It summarizes the year's wages and withheld taxes, is given to the employee, and is filed with the Social Security Administration. For 2026 wages, W-2s are due by February 1, 2027.

At a glance

Contractor payments are different

Contractors don't get W-2s; payments to them are generally reported on Form 1099-NEC. A contractor can use a payment statement or receipt to document who paid whom, the work, dates and amount. That is not an employee pay stub with tax withholding.

Keep both records clear

A pay stub does not replace the annual W-2, and a W-2 does not detail every payday. Keep records that accurately reflect actual wages paid and use the right document for the worker relationship.

Think of the pay stub as the period-by-period explanation and the W-2 as the year summary. The pay stub helps show how one payment was calculated; the annual form brings together information for the full year. Keeping the two consistent makes it easier to review the record of wages and withheld taxes.