Payroll Software
Patriot Payroll review
Low-cost small business payroll from Patriot Software, in Basic and Full Service tiers.
Patriot Payroll at a glance
- Category
- Payroll Software
- Starting price
- $17/month + $4 per worker (Basic)
- Pricing model
- base fee plus per worker
- Public pricing
- Yes
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- G2 rating
- 4.8 (603 reviews)
- Founded
- 2002
- Headquarters
- Canton, Ohio, US
- Integrations
- Patriot Accounting, QuickBooks
Who Patriot Payroll is for
Choose Patriot Payroll if
- Very small businesses watching cost.
- Employers who want Full Service tax filing at a low base fee.
Look elsewhere if
- Teams wanting seamless QuickBooks sync (reviewers report manual entry)
- Larger or complex multi-state employers.
Patriot Payroll pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Payroll | $17 | per month + $4 per worker paid | Employer files taxes |
| Full Service Payroll | $37 | per month + $5 per worker paid | Patriot files and pays federal, state, local taxes |
Promotional rates of 50% off have been shown. Per-worker fee charged once per month. Time & Attendance add-on from $6 + $2 per employee (TechRepublic).
What Patriot Payroll really costs
- Per seat per month
- $5 per worker plus $37 base (Full Service)
- Billing
- Monthly and annual.
- 20 users per year
- Full Service: ($37 + 20 x $5) x 12 = $1,644 per year.
- Add-ons
- Time & Attendance from $6 + $2/employee; HR add-on.
Cheaper per seat than Patriot Payroll
ADP RunAbout $4 per employee plus $79 base (third-party estimate)
Patriot Payroll features by buying criteria
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Base plus per worker, contractors count. |
| Target company size | Up to 500 employees (press kit) |
| Tax filing and compliance | Full Service handles federal, state and local deposits and filings. |
| Accounting integrations | Patriot Accounting; QuickBooks integration reported as manual. |
| Time tracking and PTO | Time & Attendance add-on. |
| Benefits administration | Free 401(k) and workers' comp integrations (Wise review) |
| Contractor and 1099 payments | 1099 contractors paid by direct deposit or check; $4 per contractor paid. |
What reviewers say about Patriot Payroll
Praised for
- Easy use and strong support.
- Simple setup.
Common complaints
- Manual data entry and limited QuickBooks options.
- Direct deposit delays.
Themes paraphrased from public reviews on G2 and similar sites, not quotes.
What most Patriot Payroll reviews leave out
- Per-worker fee billed once per month regardless of pay runs.
- Contractors are billed like employees ($4 each)
- Full Service $37 + $5 per worker; 10 employees about $87/month per Patriot.
Patriot Payroll alternatives
OnPaySmall businesses and accounting-firm partners.$49/month + $6 per worker
GustoSmall US businesses of 1 to a few dozen people wanting simple setup.$49/month plus $6 per person (Simple)
QuickBooks PayrollBusinesses already on QuickBooks Online.$44/month + $6.50 per employee (Payroll + Simple Start, 50% promo for 3 months shown; list $88)- ADP RunSmall businesses wanting a large provider with tax filing and add-on HR/benefits.Contact sales
Paychex FlexMid-size employers wanting a full-service provider with HR and benefits options.Contact sales
JustworksSmall US companies that want a PEO with benefits and compliance handled for them.$50/month base plus $8 per employee (Payroll plan)
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Patriot Payroll's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.