Payslip generator

How to generate payslips for free in South Africa

If you searched for a no-cost payslip route, start with the public PAYE and UIF calculator to estimate deductions. When you need saved employee records, editable payslip preview, and PDF output, choose Essential or Pro.

Written and maintained by the Swift Payrolls product teamReviewed against official sources on Editorial policy

Swift Payrolls flow

Preview first, PDF after review

Use the public PAYE and UIF calculator before opening an account.

Payslip preview opens before PDF generation.

Custom income and deduction lines can be named before the PDF is created.

Step by step

How to do this on Swift Payrolls

  1. 1

    Create an Essential or Pro account

    Choose the plan that fits your monthly payslip volume, confirm your account details, and enter the employer workspace.

  2. 2

    Add the employee

    Open Employees, add the worker name and payroll details, then save the employee record for the pay run.

  3. 3

    Open Payroll and enter the pay period

    Go to Payroll, select the employee, confirm the pay-period dates, and enter the salary or hourly details for the month.

  4. 4

    Preview and edit the payslip

    Click Preview & Edit Payslip, then add named income lines such as commission or allowances and named deduction lines such as loan repayment or uniform deduction.

  5. 5

    Review PAYE, UIF, totals, and net pay

    Check the preview totals before generating the PDF. The preview recalculates totals after custom income or deduction lines are added.

  6. 6

    Generate the PDF

    Click Generate PDF when the payslip is correct. The generated payslip is saved to payslip history and can be downloaded.

What you can do before subscribing

The public calculator helps you estimate PAYE, UIF, deductions, and net pay before signup. A paid account is required for saved employee records, editable payslip preview, payslip history, and PDF generation.

  • Essential: 5 payslips per month.
  • Pro: 100 payslips per month, plus advanced reports and bulk generation.
  • Public PAYE and UIF calculator: estimate deductions before choosing a plan.

When this is better than a spreadsheet template

A spreadsheet can work for a once-off calculation, but it is easy to break formulas or forget what changed last month. Swift Payrolls keeps employee records, payroll history, editable preview lines, and PDF downloads in the same account.

What you should still check

Swift Payrolls helps you generate the payslip and review PAYE and UIF context, but you remain responsible for checking payroll inputs, submissions, remittances, and any unusual tax or labour question.

Questions

FAQ

Can I generate unlimited free payslips?

No. Swift Payrolls requires Essential or Pro for payslip PDF generation. Use the public PAYE and UIF calculator first if you only need an estimate.

Can I add my own income or deduction names?

Yes. The payslip preview lets you add named custom income and deduction lines before the PDF is generated.

Does Swift Payrolls submit PAYE or UIF for me?

No. Swift Payrolls generates payroll records and payslips. Employers still need to review figures and handle required submissions or payments.