Patriot Payroll Review

Patriot is the payroll vendor that competes on the invoice rather than the feature list, and for a small team that is a real argument. Toolradar data: Patriot Software's entry paid plan ranks #11 of 29 on price among the payroll tools with a verified entry price, where the median is $25 a month, according to its Toolradar profile (the software directory we run, which compares it with 74 payroll tools, October 2026). Once the per-worker fee is counted, it is the cheapest full-service option in this review by a clear margin.

Below we price Basic and Full Service against Gusto, OnPay, Square Payroll and SurePayroll for a 10-person and a 25-person team. We also work out what the add-ons and extra states do to the bill, and say who should pay a little more elsewhere. Every price was checked on the vendor's own pricing page in October 2026.

Patriot Software sells online payroll, accounting, time and attendance and HR software to US small businesses, and you pick only the products you need. Payroll comes in two plans, and the difference is who files the taxes. Basic Payroll calculates pay and taxes, runs direct deposit or printed checks and gives employees a portal, but the tax deposits and filings are yours.

Full Service Payroll adds federal, state and local tax deposits and filings, plus Forms 940, 941, W-2 and W-3 at no additional fee. It also carries a guarantee: if a glitch on Patriot's end causes a late or wrong filing, Patriot covers the penalties and interest. That guarantee is the main reason to choose Full Service over Basic.

Both plans run unlimited payrolls on unlimited pay schedules, pay contractors inside payroll, include free direct deposit on a 4-day or 2-day schedule for qualifying customers, and integrate 401(k) plans through Vestwell and health insurance through SimplyInsured. Patriot also runs a partner program with discounted pricing for accountants and bookkeepers, so ask your accountant before signing up at list.

Every Patriot product starts with a 30-day free trial, then half price for three months, then the list price. Payroll is billed in arrears as a base fee plus a fee for each worker paid that month, so a seasonal employer that runs no payroll in January pays only the base fee for January. Setup is free: Patriot staff can enter employee data and year-to-date payroll figures for you, or you can use the startup wizard yourself.

Day to day, you enter or import hours, approve the run and let direct deposit or printed checks do the rest; auto payroll handles salaried staff on a fixed schedule. On Full Service, Patriot deposits and files federal, state and local taxes from the start date you choose, as long as your company settings stay current, and submits the quarterly and year-end forms itself. Support is free and US-based, by phone, chat or email, from 9 in the morning to 7 in the evening Eastern time, Monday to Friday.

Patriot lists two payroll plans, Basic and Full Service, each billed as a base fee plus a fee per worker paid (the table below has both). Each starts with a 30-day free trial followed by three months at 50% off. Time and attendance and HR software each add a small base fee plus a per-employee charge. Every state after the first carries its own monthly fee on Full Service, and Basic users pay a nominal fee to e-file 1099s. For a buyer, that means the headline price is only accurate for a single-state team that needs payroll and nothing else. Prices were checked in October 2026 on the Patriot pricing page.

Scenario one, 10 employees in one state on Full Service: the base fee plus $50 in worker fees comes to $87 a month at list, and $43.50 during the discounted months. The same team pays $95 on Square Payroll ($35 base, $60 in worker fees), $99 on SurePayroll ($29 base, $70), $109 on Gusto Simple or OnPay ($49 base, $60) and $120 on QuickBooks Workforce Payroll ($50 base, $70 at list). Patriot is cheaper by $8 to $33 a month.

Scenario two, 25 employees: Full Service is $162 a month at list, against $185 on Square, $199 on Gusto Simple or OnPay, $204 on SurePayroll and $225 on QuickBooks. Add time and attendance and HR for the same 25 people and Patriot's bill rises by $112 to $274 a month.

Three things move the bill. Extra states add up fast: a 10-person team in three states pays $111, more than OnPay, which includes every state at no extra cost; SurePayroll charges a flat $9.99 a month for multi-state. Basic Payroll saves $20 a month plus a dollar per worker, but only for an owner who will make every deposit on time. And the discount lasts three months, not a year, so budget on the list price.

Methodology: list prices read on each vendor's pricing page in October 2026, in USD before tax, one state unless stated, with the arithmetic shown. Competitor prices come from the Square Payroll, SurePayroll, Gusto, OnPay and QuickBooks Workforce pricing pages.

Buy Patriot Full Service if you have up to about 50 employees in one or two states and want taxes filed for the lowest public price. It suits the bookkeeper-run business, the trades firm and the small nonprofit that already has a scheduling tool or needs none, and anyone whose accountant is in Patriot's partner program.

Buy Basic only if you or your accountant will make every tax deposit and filing; the saving is small and the penalty for a missed deposit is not. Our guide to running payroll yourself walks through what that commitment involves.

Skip Patriot if you need same-day or instant pay, payroll, benefits and onboarding in one polished app, or employees in three or more states. Gusto, OnPay and QuickBooks Payroll sell those layers at a higher price, and our payroll software ranking and payroll cost guide show where each one lands.