Pricing
subscription
Best For
Very small businesses under 20 employees where cost is the top priority
Rating
7.6/10
Last Updated
Mar 2026
TL;DR
Patriot Payroll is the budget pick. Their Basic plan at $17/month + $4/employee lets you run payroll and print checks, but you file taxes yourself. The Full Service plan at $37/month + $4/employee adds automatic tax filing and deposits. Either way, it's the cheapest legitimate payroll software on the market. The trade-off is a no-frills interface and limited features beyond core payroll. For a 5-person shop that just needs to cut checks legally, Patriot gets the job done at half the cost of Gusto.
What is Patriot Payroll?
The Budget Payroll Champion
Patriot Software launched in 2002 in Canton, Ohio. They've stayed small and focused on one thing: affordable payroll for very small businesses. No venture capital, no IPO aspirations. Just a family-owned company building payroll software for businesses with 1-100 employees. That focus shows in their pricing — nobody undercuts Patriot for legitimate payroll processing.
Two Plans, Clear Pricing
Basic Payroll ($17/month + $4/employee) handles pay calculations, check printing, direct deposit, and reporting. You handle tax filings yourself — Patriot tells you what to pay and when, but you submit the forms. Full Service Payroll ($37/month + $4/employee) does everything Basic does plus automatic federal, state, and local tax filing, tax deposits, year-end W-2s, and new hire reporting. For a 10-person business, Full Service runs $77/month. That's half what Gusto charges.
What It Does Well
The payroll wizard walks you through each pay run step by step. Enter hours, review calculations, approve. Direct deposit takes 2-4 business days. The tax calculator accurately computes federal, state, and local withholdings. Year-end W-2 filing is included in Full Service. Employee self-service lets workers view pay stubs and W-2s online. Integration with Patriot's own accounting software is seamless (and that starts at $20/month for the accounting side).
What You Give Up at This Price
No benefits brokerage. No 401(k) administration. No time tracking (sold separately at $6/month + $2.50/employee). No onboarding workflows beyond basic new hire paperwork. The interface is functional but dated — think 2015 web design. Mobile experience is web-based, not a native app. Reporting covers the basics but nothing advanced. HR features are minimal. If you need benefits, time tracking, and HR in one platform, Gusto or OnPay make more sense despite costing more.
Who Actually Should Use Patriot
Businesses with under 20 employees who care about cost above all. Local restaurants, small contractors, retail shops, and service businesses where payroll complexity is low. If your payroll is straightforward — W-2 employees, one state, no complex deductions — Patriot saves real money every month.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Cheapest payroll on the market — Full Service at $37/month + $4/employee is half the cost of Gusto
- Transparent pricing with no contracts, no setup fees, and no hidden costs
- Free US-based customer support that actually picks up the phone quickly
- Basic Payroll option at $17/month is perfect for businesses comfortable filing their own taxes
- Seamless integration with Patriot Accounting if you use both products
Cons
- Dated interface that looks like it was designed a decade ago
- No benefits brokerage — you need separate insurance and 401(k) providers
- Time tracking is a separate add-on product, not built into payroll
- No native mobile app — the mobile experience is a responsive web version
- Limited scalability — not designed for companies growing past 50-100 employees
Patriot Payroll Pricing
Basic Payroll
- Payroll calculations
- Unlimited payroll runs
- Direct deposit
- Check printing
- Employee self-service
- Tax calculation (self-file)
Full Service Payroll
- Everything in Basic
- Automatic tax filing
- Federal, state & local taxes
- Tax deposits
- W-2 & 1099 filing
- New hire reporting
Pricing last verified: March 25, 2026
Who is Patriot Payroll Best For?
- Very small businesses under 20 employees where cost is the top priority
- Local restaurants, retail shops, and service businesses with simple payroll needs
- Business owners comfortable filing their own taxes who want the $17/month Basic plan
- Companies already using Patriot Accounting that want integrated payroll
Technical Details
The Bottom Line
Patriot Payroll scores 7.6/10. It stands out for cheapest payroll on the market — full service at $37/month + $4/employee is half the cost of gusto. Best suited for very small businesses under 20 employees where cost is the top priority. Keep in mind that dated interface that looks like it was designed a decade ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on editorial analysis