Payroll · Published price, no warning
Patriot Payroll Review
Low-cost online payroll from Canton, Ohio: $37/mo plus $5 per worker with full tax filing, or $17/mo plus $4 per worker if you file taxes yourself
Quick verdict
Who Patriot Payroll suits: Very small trade shops that want low-cost payroll with full tax filing, use QuickBooks Online or Patriot Accounting, and pay crews in one state. Pricing: From $17/mo + $4/worker (Basic, you file taxes); Full Service $37/mo + $5/worker with tax filing in one state; each extra state $12/mo; 30-day free trial, then 50% off for 3 months. Basic leaves tax deposits and filings to you, each extra state adds $12/mo, time tracking and HR tools are paid add-ons, and accounting integrations are limited to QuickBooks and Patriot's own software.
About Patriot Payroll
Patriot Software is a Canton, Ohio company that sells online payroll and accounting software to small businesses. The Better Business Bureau lists Patriot Software LLC as started in August 2002, with Kyle Dreger as CEO. We found no report of Patriot being acquired.
Patriot sells two payroll plans. Basic Payroll is $17/mo plus $4 per worker paid in the month; Patriot calculates payroll but does not deposit or file payroll taxes, so you file forms such as Form 941 and make the tax deposits yourself. Full Service Payroll is $37/mo plus $5 per worker paid, and Patriot collects, deposits and files federal, state and local taxes, including year-end filings. Full Service covers one state; each additional state is $12/mo. Optional add-ons are Time & Attendance ($6/mo plus $2 per employee who uses a time card), HR Software ($6/mo plus $2 per W-2 employee paid) and HR Experts and Training ($45/mo).
Patriot offers a 30-day free trial followed by 50% off for 3 months. A credit card is required during the trial, but Patriot says you are not billed until the trial ends and can cancel at any time without penalty. Routine support is free by phone, chat and email, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time, from what Patriot calls a U.S.-based support team.
Patriot payroll integrates directly with QuickBooks Online and with Patriot's own accounting software. QuickBooks Desktop users export payroll through an IIF file rather than a live sync. Patriot also offers free integrations with Vestwell for 401(k) plans, SimplyInsured for health benefits, and a partner for pay-as-you-go workers' comp in states that allow it.
The trade-off: the per-worker fees are low, but Basic leaves tax deposits and filings to you, crews working in more than one state add $12/mo per extra state, and time tracking and HR tools are add-ons. We found no Xero integration and no field-service app integration (such as Jobber or Housecall Pro) in Patriot's help center.
How it works
Start the 30-day free trial on Patriot's website; a credit card is required, but billing starts only after the trial. The setup wizard asks for company tax IDs, employee information, state unemployment rates, paycheck printing preferences and payment details. Choose Basic (you deposit and file payroll taxes) or Full Service (Patriot collects, deposits and files federal, state and local taxes, including year-end filings). Each pay period, enter hours or bring them in from the Time & Attendance add-on, then approve payroll. Payroll can post to QuickBooks Online or Patriot Accounting, or be exported to QuickBooks Desktop as an IIF file.
Pros & cons
What works
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Low published prices
Full Service Payroll is $37/mo + $5 per worker paid; Basic is $17/mo + $4 per worker. For 3 workers, Full Service comes to $52/mo at list price.
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Full tax handling on Full Service
Patriot collects, deposits and files federal, state and local payroll taxes, including year-end filings.
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30-day free trial, then 50% off for 3 months
A card is required during the trial, but Patriot says billing starts only after the trial and you can cancel at any time without penalty.
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Free U.S.-based support
Routine support is free by phone, chat and email, weekdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
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Free benefits and workers' comp integrations
Patriot connects to Vestwell for 401(k) plans, SimplyInsured for health benefits and a pay-as-you-go workers' comp partner in states that allow it.
What doesn't
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Basic leaves taxes to you
On Basic, you file payroll forms such as Form 941 and make the tax deposits yourself.
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Extra states cost extra
Full Service includes one state; each additional state is $12/mo, which adds up for crews that work across state lines.
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Time tracking and HR are add-ons
Time & Attendance is $6/mo + $2 per employee using a time card, HR Software is $6/mo + $2 per W-2 employee paid, and HR Experts and Training is $45/mo.
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Few accounting and field-service integrations
Direct sync is limited to QuickBooks Online and Patriot Accounting, QuickBooks Desktop uses an IIF file export, and we found no Xero, Jobber or Housecall Pro integration in Patriot's help center.
Pricing
From $17/mo + $4/worker (Basic, you file taxes); Full Service $37/mo + $5/worker with tax filing in one state; each extra state $12/mo; 30-day free trial, then 50% off for 3 months.
Starting base: $17/mo + $4/employee
Affiliate disclosure: The link to Patriot Payroll on this page goes to its own site and is not an affiliate link.
Integrations
Reviews and complaints at the source
We do not copy third-party review scores onto this page: they change often and we could not verify them. Read Patriot Payroll's current reviews at the source.
Frequently asked
How much does Patriot cost compared with Gusto and OnPay?
At list prices for 3 workers, Patriot Full Service is $37 + 3 x $5 = $52/mo, while Gusto Simple and OnPay are each $49 + 3 x $6 = $67/mo. Patriot Basic is $17 + 3 x $4 = $29/mo but does not deposit or file your payroll taxes.
Should I pick Basic or Full Service?
Basic suits owners (or their accountant) who will deposit payroll taxes and file forms such as Form 941 themselves. Full Service costs $20/mo more in base fee plus $1 more per worker, and Patriot handles federal, state and local deposits and filings, including year-end filings.
Does Patriot need a credit card for the free trial?
Yes. Patriot requires a credit card during the free trial but says you are not billed until the trial ends and can cancel at any time without penalty. After the trial, a 50% discount applies for 3 months.
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