Why this page exists
The 1099-NEC market has a few well-known players (Tax1099, efileMyForms, Track1099) plus the IRS itself, which publishes the blank PDF for free. None of them do quite what we do, and none of us is the right choice for every buyer. Below is a factual look at how each tool actually works, so you can pick the one that fits your situation.
At a glance
| Feature | 1099generator.com | Tax1099 | efileMyForms | Track1099 | Free IRS PDF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price model | $49 one-time, lifetime for TY 2025 | Per-form fee + subscription tiers | Per-form fee | Per-form fee | Free PDF, you fill manually |
| Files with IRS for you | No — you print/mail or e-file via your own transmitter | Yes (e-files Copy A) | Yes (e-files Copy A) | Yes (e-files Copy A) | No |
| Account / signup required | No — paste license key and go | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Your tax data uploaded? | No — runs entirely in your browser | Yes (their servers handle filing) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Copy B + Copy 2 PDFs | Yes, bundled in a ZIP per generation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (you fill manually) |
| Unlimited recipients | Yes, included | Per-form fee scales | Per-form fee scales | Per-form fee scales | Unlimited (manual work scales) |
| Time to first PDF | ~3 minutes | Onboarding + account verification | Onboarding + account verification | Onboarding + account verification | As long as it takes to type |
When 1099generator.com is the right pick
- You only need to issue a small-to-moderate number of 1099-NECs (1 to ~50 recipients), and you don't want to set up a Tax1099/Track1099/efileMyForms account for a once-a-year task.
- You're comfortable filing Copy A yourself — via the IRS red-ink form, the IRS FIRE system, or a separate e-file transmitter.
- You care about your contractors' TIN and payment data not landing on a third-party server.
- You want a one-time payment rather than per-form fees or a subscription.
- You're a CPA or bookkeeper handling clients one-off, and a per-form SaaS doesn't fit.
When one of the SaaS alternatives is the right pick
- You want one tool to also file Copy A with the IRS for you. Tax1099, efileMyForms, and Track1099 are authorized IRS transmitters; we are not.
- You issue 100+ 1099s and want bulk import from QuickBooks, Xero, or a CSV.
- You want state-by-state e-filing handled automatically.
- You want CORRECTED-1099 e-filing baked in (we don't yet produce CORRECTED forms; you'd need to amend through your transmitter or order corrected red-ink Copy A from the IRS).
When the free IRS PDF is the right pick
- You're issuing one or two 1099-NECs and don't mind typing them by hand into the official PDF.
- You're already going to file Copy A by mail with red-ink forms ordered from the IRS.
- You don't need recipient ZIP bundling or automatic state-copy generation.
The official blank form is here: irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1099nec.pdf. Free, official, and as plain as it sounds.
Why we charge $49 instead of being free
Two reasons: we want to keep the lights on without ads or data monetization, and we want skin in the game to keep maintaining the generator. The privacy promise above ("nothing uploaded") is only credible if we have a sustainable business model that doesn't depend on knowing what you put in the form.
If $49 is the wrong price for your situation, the free IRS PDF is genuinely the right tool — we'd rather you use that than feel ripped off.