The Patriot Payroll Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Patriot Payroll in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Patriot Payroll
The Insider’s Guide
Low-cost online payroll for small US businesses
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among payroll services, read from Patriot Payroll’s own pages.
Made by Patriot Software LLC · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Patriot Payroll’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Patriot Payroll’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 16 of the 18 other payroll services we grade
Patriot Payroll is online payroll software for small US businesses, sold by Patriot Software alongside its accounting product. Basic Payroll calculates pay and pays staff and contractors, while Full Service Payroll also files and deposits federal, state and local payroll taxes. It runs in a browser, with no app to install.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Patriot Payroll, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No App Store rating on record, and no app to rate.
- 1
Best for very small US businesses watching every dollar
Months without a payroll cost only the base fee.
- 2
Paid plans start at $17 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $17 per month, plus $4 per worker paid (half price for the first 3 months).
- 3
You can try it first
30-day free trial, then 50% off for 3 months
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Unlimited and automatic payroll
Run as many payrolls as needed for the same monthly fee, or set payroll to run itself on schedule. Months without a payroll cost only the base fee.
- 6
Tax filing on Full Service
Full Service collects, files and deposits federal, state and most local payroll taxes and files Forms 940, 941, W-2 and W-3 at no extra fee.
- 7
Free direct deposit
Standard 4-day direct deposit is free, with 2-day deposit for qualifying customers; checks can also be printed from the software.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 16 of 18
That is against the other payroll services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Patriot Payroll you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Patriot Payroll at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $17 per month, plus $4 per worker paid (half price for the first 3 months)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial, then 50% off for 3 months
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Patriot Software LLC
- Category
- Payroll
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for very small US businesses watching every dollar
Patriot is the cheapest payroll in this category: $37 a month for five people if you file your own taxes, $62 if Patriot does it. Months without a payroll cost only the base fee. There's no app, though, and each extra state is $12 a month.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Basic is $17 a month plus $4 a worker, $37 for five, the cheapest in this category and under 60% of its cheapest quarter. Full Service, which files your taxes, is $62 for five, still the lowest price for that. Each extra state is $12. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A 30-day free trial, then half price for 3 months. No free plan, and the listing doesn't say whether the trial needs a card. |
| Features | C | Payroll done fully on Full Service, with federal, state and most local filing and year-end forms. It's a smaller job, though: Basic leaves the taxes to you, and time tracking and HR are add-ons at $6 a month plus $2 a person each. |
| Ease of use | C | No App Store rating on record, and no app to rate. Payroll can run itself on a schedule once it's set up, but there's bank and tax setup first, as with any payroll. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only: you run payroll in a phone or computer browser. It does link to Patriot Accounting, QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Vestwell, SimplyInsured and ERGO NEXT. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Patriot Payroll is for
- Great if you're happy filing payroll taxes yourself and want the lowest price
- Handy when you don't pay staff every month, since quiet months cost only the base fee
- Good for Patriot Accounting users who want payroll in the same account
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to run payroll from an app, as there isn't one
- Tight if your staff work in several states, at $12 a month for each state after the first
- Too light for teams that want HR and time tracking built in, as both are add-ons
Good to know
Good for
- Very small US businesses that want a low monthly base fee
- Owners comfortable filing their own payroll taxes, on Basic
- Patriot Accounting users who want payroll in the same account
Worth knowing
- Runs payroll in the US only; Full Service files in all 50 states, at $12 a month for each state after the first.
- Basic Payroll does not file or deposit payroll taxes; that needs Full Service.
- Time & Attendance and HR Software cost $6 a month plus $2 per employee each.
- There is no mobile app: payroll is run in a phone's or computer's browser.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$17
A month to start
Patriot Payroll is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $17 per month, plus $4 per worker paid (half price for the first 3 months).
No free plan, and the listing doesn't say whether the trial needs a card.
Basic Payroll
$17
per month, plus $4 per worker paid
Unlimited payrolls, free direct deposit, employee and contractor portals and payroll reports; you file taxes. Advertised at $8.50 plus $2 for 3 months.
Full Service Payroll
$37
per month, plus $5 per worker paid
Adds federal, state and local tax filings and deposits and year-end forms. Each extra state is $12 a month. Advertised at $18.50 plus $2.50 for 3 months.
Trying it first
30-day free trial, then 50% off for 3 months
Read from patriotsoftware.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
50% off for 3 months after the free trial
After the 30-day trial, new customers pay half the listed price for 3 months: $8.50 plus $2 per worker on Basic and $18.50 plus $2.50 on Full Service.
Stated on patriotsoftware.comOther savings
Partner pricing for accountants
Accountants and bookkeepers who join Patriot's Partner Program get discounted pricing for the businesses they manage.
Stated on patriotsoftware.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Low-cost online payroll for small US businesses. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: time tracking, reports, payroll.
Payroll done fully on Full Service, with federal, state and most local filing and year-end forms.
- Unlimited and automatic payroll
- Run as many payrolls as needed for the same monthly fee, or set payroll to run itself on schedule. Months without a payroll cost only the base fee.
- Tax filing on Full Service
- Full Service collects, files and deposits federal, state and most local payroll taxes and files Forms 940, 941, W-2 and W-3 at no extra fee.
- Free direct deposit
- Standard 4-day direct deposit is free, with 2-day deposit for qualifying customers; checks can also be printed from the software.
- Employee and contractor portals
- Staff see pay stubs, pay history, time-off balances and W-2s online, and 1099 contractors can be paid in the same payroll and get their own portal.
- Benefits and insurance links
- Free integrations connect 401(k) plans through Vestwell, health insurance through SimplyInsured and pay-as-you-go workers' comp through ERGO NEXT.
- Time & Attendance and HR add-ons
- Time tracking and HR software can each be added for $6 a month plus $2 per employee, and payroll syncs to Patriot's own accounting software.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Patriot Accounting
- QuickBooks Online
- QuickBooks Desktop
- Vestwell
- SimplyInsured
- ERGO NEXT Insurance
Patriot Payroll is made by Patriot Software LLC.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
16/18
Other payroll services it is graded above
Patriot Payroll's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 16 of the 18 other payroll services we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 17 of 18) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $17 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 1 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 19 payroll services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Patriot Payroll’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 17 of 18
- CFree plan and trialAbove 15 of 18
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 18
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 18
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 18
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 14 payroll services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Patriot Payroll is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Patriot Payroll you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.6 is higher than 16 of the 18 other payroll services we grade. It costs $204 a year.
What you could make
- Time tracking and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
- It plugs into other products, Patriot Accounting, QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop among them.
What this rests on. Patriot Payroll’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Gusto, OnPay, SurePayroll, QuickBooks Workforce and Square Payroll
The 5 tools Patriot Payroll is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Gusto
From $49/mo
Payroll and HR for small businesses, with apps for owners and staff.
- Only Gusto lists iOS and Android apps.
- Patriot Payroll also covers reports.
- Gusto also covers expense tracking.
- 2.6GPA
OnPay
Free trial · from $49/mo
US payroll with published prices, plus HR and time add-ons.
- Only OnPay lists iOS and Android apps.
- 2.4GPA
SurePayroll
From $20/mo
Online payroll for small US businesses and household employers.
- Only SurePayroll lists iOS and Android apps.
- Patriot Payroll also covers time tracking.
- 2.4GPA
QuickBooks Workforce
Free trial · from $50/mo
Intuit's payroll and HR service, sold alone or with QuickBooks.
- Only QuickBooks Workforce lists iOS and Android apps.
- Patriot Payroll also covers reports.
- 2.4GPA
Square Payroll
From $6/mo
Payroll for Square sellers, with timecards from Square POS.
- Only Square Payroll lists iOS and Android apps.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Patriot Payroll free?
No, Patriot Payroll is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial, then 50% off for 3 months.
How much does Patriot Payroll cost?
Patriot Payroll lists 2 plans. Basic Payroll: $17 per month, plus $4 per worker paid.
What platforms does Patriot Payroll work on?
Patriot Payroll is available on Web.
Does Patriot Payroll offer any discounts?
Patriot Payroll publicly lists the following: 50% off for 3 months after the free trial; Partner pricing for accountants.
Does Patriot Payroll have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Patriot Payroll is listed for Web.
Does Patriot Payroll have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Patriot Payroll is listed for Web.
Is Patriot Payroll open source?
Patriot Payroll is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
What does Patriot Payroll integrate with?
Patriot Payroll's listing names Patriot Accounting, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Vestwell, SimplyInsured and ERGO NEXT Insurance.
Who makes Patriot Payroll?
Patriot Payroll is made by Patriot Software LLC.
What are the alternatives to Patriot Payroll?
The closest alternatives to Patriot Payroll in our directory are Gusto, OnPay, SurePayroll, QuickBooks Workforce and Square Payroll.
How does Patriot Payroll compare with other payroll services?
Patriot Payroll's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 16 of the 18 other payroll services we grade, and level with 1.
Is Patriot Payroll good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Patriot Payroll A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $17 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 1 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Patriot Payroll?
To replace Patriot Payroll you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Patriot Payroll’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Patriot Software's own pages on 17 October 2026. Patriot's pricing page turned our reader away on 17 October 2026, so its prices are as the listing has them. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Patriot Software LLC. Prices change, so check patriotsoftware.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Patriot Payroll, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/patriot-payroll
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Patriot Payroll: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/patriot-payroll
Know someone choosing between payroll services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/patriot-payroll/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded payroll services after Patriot Payroll, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Payroll Insider's GuideEvery one of the 19 payroll services we grade, compared
- Roll by ADP Insider's GuideChat-based payroll app for very small US businesses2.8 GPA
- OnPay Insider's GuideUS payroll with published prices, plus HR and time add-ons2.6 GPA
- Deel Insider's GuideGlobal payroll, contractor payments and employer of record2.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Patriot Payroll’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Patriot Payroll is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Patriot Software LLC. Prices and plans change: check patriotsoftware.com before you buy.