UK · Comparisons · Payslip Checker (payslipchecker.uk)
PayslipIQ vs Payslip Checker — an honest comparison
Payslip Checker (payslipchecker.uk) is the tool closest to ours in purpose: both exist to tell UK workers whether a payslip’s deductions look right. The designs differ in one fundamental way — payslipchecker.uk checks figures you type, entirely in your browser, while PayslipIQ reads the payslip you upload. That single difference drives every trade-off on this page, and each direction of it favours a different kind of reader.
The short answer
If your priority is that pay data never leaves your device, payslipchecker.uk is built exactly for you — its calculations run in the browser and nothing is transmitted. If your priority is checking the actual document without retyping anything, and getting a per-line expected-vs-observed verdict on it, that is what PayslipIQ is built for. Neither priority is wrong; they are different answers to the question “what do I trust more — my typing or an upload?”.
Where Payslip Checker wins
Because the two tools overlap more than any other pair on our comparison list, being straight about its strengths matters more here, not less.
- Nothing leaves your device. The calculation is 100% browser-based and the site states your figures are never uploaded anywhere. For readers who will not upload a payslip image under any circumstances, this settles the choice — and honestly, in their favour.
- Instant, as-you-type results. No upload step and no parsing latency. Change a number, watch the breakdown update. For quick experimentation it is the faster loop.
- Sector-specific depth. Dedicated resources for NHS staff, teachers and contractors, plus a large library of related calculators and guides. If you want your sector’s allowances explained alongside the numbers, it has content we do not.
- A two-payslip comparison tool. A dedicated view for comparing payslips side by side — something PayslipIQ does not offer as a single view today.
Where PayslipIQ wins
The upload model costs us the “nothing transmitted” claim — and buys three things a typed checker cannot offer.
- The check runs on the real document. A typed checker validates the numbers you typed; if you mis-copy a figure, the check silently checks the wrong thing. PayslipIQ extracts the figures from the payslip itself, so what gets checked is what your employer actually printed.
- A verdict, line by line. Rather than presenting a correct breakdown for you to compare by eye, each deduction is shown expected vs observed with the variance — the output is “this line disagrees by £X”, not a chart to interpret.
- Published data-handling documentation. Uploading personal data creates obligations, and we treat them publicly: the methodology page documents how parsing works, where data is processed and that the image is not stored after the check.
Side-by-side comparison
The overlap is real, so the differences below are the whole story.
| Feature | Payslip Checker | PayslipIQ |
|---|---|---|
| Input model | You type your gross pay and settings; results update as you type. | You upload the payslip itself (photo or PDF); figures are extracted automatically. |
| Where the calculation runs | 100% in your browser. The site states your pay figures are never uploaded anywhere — a genuine privacy advantage. | On our servers, because reading an image requires processing it. The image is used for the check and not stored. |
| Components checked | Income tax (PAYE), National Insurance, pension including salary sacrifice, and all five student loan plans. | Tax code, NI, pension and student loan lines — each reconciled against the expected 2026/27 figure with the variance shown. |
| Verdict style | Live calculated breakdown with charts and colour-coding; you compare it against your payslip yourself. | Expected vs observed per line on the actual document, so the tool does the comparison for you. |
| Sector-specific content | Yes — NHS, teaching and contractor resources, plus a large library of related calculators and guides. | Scenario-specific instead — umbrella, agency, emergency tax, P60 reconciliation and per-tax-code pages. |
| Transcription risk | Present — the check is only as good as the figures you copy across from the payslip. | Removed — the figures come from the payslip image itself. |
| Comparison of two payslips | Yes — a dedicated payslip comparison tool. | Run the check on each payslip; there is no dedicated two-slip diff view today. |
| Price and signup | Free, no signup, no paid tiers listed at the time of review. | Free check, no signup. A £19 Pro Report is planned at launch (currently waitlist only). |
Use them when / use us when
- You will not upload a payslip, full stop. Use payslipchecker.uk. Its browser-only model exists for precisely this preference, and it is a good implementation of it.
- You want sector-written guidance with the numbers. Use payslipchecker.uk — the NHS, teaching and contractor resources sit right next to its calculators.
- You want the actual slip checked without retyping. Use PayslipIQ. Photograph it, upload it, and read the per-line verdict — no copying figures across.
- You suspect a specific line is wrong and need the discrepancy quantified. Use PayslipIQ — the output is the variance per line, which is what payroll will ask you for anyway.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between payslipchecker.uk and PayslipIQ?
- Both check UK payslips against PAYE, NI, pension and student loan rules, but the input model differs. On payslipchecker.uk you type your figures and the calculation runs entirely in your browser, updating as you type. On PayslipIQ you upload the payslip itself (photo or PDF); the figures are extracted automatically and each line gets an expected-vs-observed verdict. Typing gives payslipchecker.uk a genuine privacy advantage; uploading gives PayslipIQ freedom from transcription errors and a per-line verdict on the real document.
- Is payslipchecker.uk more private than PayslipIQ?
- In one specific sense, yes, and we say so plainly: payslipchecker.uk states that calculations are 100% browser-based and that your figures are never uploaded anywhere. PayslipIQ does upload the payslip image in order to read it; the image is processed for the check and not stored, and our data handling is documented publicly. If never transmitting a payslip is your hard requirement, use payslipchecker.uk or any typed calculator.
- Are both tools free and signup-free?
- Yes. payslipchecker.uk is free with no account and lists no paid tiers at the time of review. The PayslipIQ payslip check is also free with no signup; a £19 Pro Report is planned at launch and is currently waitlist only.
- Which tool should NHS staff or teachers use?
- payslipchecker.uk publishes sector-specific resources for NHS staff, teachers and contractors alongside its calculators, which is a genuine strength if you want guidance written for your sector. PayslipIQ takes the other approach: upload the payslip, whatever the sector, and check every line against the general 2026/27 PAYE, NI, pension and student loan rules. Many readers will get value from using both.
Related checkers and guides
- Free payslip check
Upload a photo or PDF — get a line-by-line verdict.
- All comparisons
PayslipIQ vs the other UK tax tools, honestly compared.
- Methodology, DPIA & sub-processors
How the parsing works, where data is processed, what is logged.
- Umbrella company payslip checker
Spots offshore / disguised remuneration patterns and missing employer NI lines.
Last reviewed
Last reviewed:
Next review:
Reviewed each tax year and sooner if either tool changes materially.
Educational guidance only — not regulated tax, financial or payroll advice. Independent comparison; not endorsed by, or affiliated with, payslipchecker.uk. Always verify with HMRC or your payroll team before acting.