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Head-to-head · Tax Calculators

IRS Tax Withholding Estimator vs HMRC PAYE Tax Calculator

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score IRS Tax Withholding Estimator #4 in Tax Calculators 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan Visit IRS Estimator
HMRC PAYE Tax Calculator #7 in Tax Calculators 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan Visit HMRC

IRS Tax Withholding Estimator leads on 0 checks, HMRC PAYE Tax Calculator on 0, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreIRS Tax Withholding Estimator · 8.6/10
  • Free planboth

IRS Tax Withholding Estimator scores higher on our rubric for tax calculators: 8.6 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #7.

IRS Tax Withholding Estimator is the better fit for U.S. workers adjusting federal withholding. HMRC PAYE Tax Calculator is the better fit for UK employers checking employee PAYE by pay period.

  • IRS Tax Withholding Estimator fits best

    U.S. workers adjusting federal withholding

  • HMRC PAYE Tax Calculator fits best

    UK employers checking employee PAYE by pay period

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature IRS Tax Withholding Estimator 8.6/10 Visit ↗ HMRC PAYE Tax Calculator 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.6 8.3
Ranking #4 in Tax Calculators #7 in Tax Calculators
Best for U.S. workers adjusting federal withholding UK employers checking employee PAYE by pay period
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Platforms Web Web
Support Docs Docs
Built for Solo Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Specs
Calculator types Federal income tax withholding estimator; refund or tax owed estimate PAYE employee Income Tax per pay period
Tax jurisdictions Federal Federal
Income sources Wages; pension; annuity; self-employment or gig work; Social Security; other income Employee pay
Filing statuses Not checked yet Not checked yet
Tax years Not checked yet 2026 to 2027 (current tax year)
Platforms web web
Our review
Pros
  • Estimates withholding across wages, pensions, and annuities
  • Accounts for income, adjustments, deductions, and credits
  • Downloads completed Form W-4 or W-4P
  • Calculates employee Income Tax for the current tax year
  • Supports weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly and monthly pay periods
  • Can account for previous-period gross pay and tax due
Cons
  • Covers federal withholding, not state taxes
  • Does not recommend withholding for Social Security or unemployment insurance
  • Does not support nonresident filers
  • Focused on employee PAYE Income Tax, not annual tax estimates
  • Requires the employee’s tax code, payment date and gross pay
  • Previous-period gross pay and tax due may also be needed
Our verdict

For workers with wages, a pension, or an annuity subject to federal income tax withholding, the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator offers a free way to check whether withholding is appropriate. It considers income, adjustments, deductions, and…

Read the review →

HMRC PAYE Tax Calculator is a free web tool for employers checking an employee’s Income Tax for a pay period in the current tax year. It is aimed at UK payroll checks, using the employee’s tax code, payment date, pay frequency and pay…

Read the review →
  1. IRS Tax Withholding EstimatorTax Calculators 8.6Free plan
  2. HMRC PAYE Tax CalculatorTax Calculators 8.3Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • IRS Tax Withholding Estimator — where it wins

    • Estimates withholding across wages, pensions, and annuities
    • Accounts for income, adjustments, deductions, and credits
    • Downloads completed Form W-4 or W-4P

    Where it doesn't

    • Covers federal withholding, not state taxes
    • Does not recommend withholding for Social Security or unemployment insurance
    • Does not support nonresident filers

  • HMRC PAYE Tax Calculator — where it wins

    • Calculates employee Income Tax for the current tax year
    • Supports weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly and monthly pay periods
    • Can account for previous-period gross pay and tax due

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused on employee PAYE Income Tax, not annual tax estimates
    • Requires the employee’s tax code, payment date and gross pay
    • Previous-period gross pay and tax due may also be needed
  • IRS Tax Withholding Estimator8.6/10 · Free plan

    A free federal estimator that recommends withholding adjustments and prepares W-4 forms.

    Visit IRS EstimatorFull verdict →
  • HMRC PAYE Tax Calculator8.3/10 · Free plan

    A free web calculator for employers checking UK employee PAYE by pay period.

    Visit HMRCFull verdict →

More comparisons

All tax calculators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Guides on tax calculators

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update