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Sep 18, 2023
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Patriot Payroll Software Review
Affordability, ease of use, plenty of features, and HR and time-tracking integrations make Patriot payroll a top contender for small businesses.
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WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY
Senior Staff Writer
Last updated onUpdated
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REVIEWED BY
Managing Editor
Advertiser Disclosure: Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity.
Patriot Payroll
| Total Rating | 4.0 |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Excellent |
| Features | Good |
| Customer Service | Excellent |
| Reviews | Good |
| Integrations | Fair |
| Show More Ratings | |
| Security | Good |
| Show Fewer Ratings |
Payroll Processing Time
2-4 daysPricing
Starting at $17/month + $4 per person paidBusiness Size
Small to mid-sized businesses with up to 500 people paidPatriot Payroll At A Glance
- Patriot Payroll is an affordable small business payroll software that delivers full-service payroll for businesses with up to 500 employees and/or contractors.
- Patriot Payroll users can combine their payroll solution with the company’s robust accounting, payments, HR, and time-tracking programs to create a comprehensive, integrated business software solution.
- Patriot Payroll wouldn’t be a good solution for larger businesses needing benefits administration or strong human capital management features.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Easy to use
- Excellent customer service
- Excellent payroll tax support
Cons
- Limited functionality for advanced users
- Extra charge for timekeeping and HR
Table of Contents
What Is Patriot Payroll?
Patriot Payroll is a full-service payroll solution with direct deposit, check-printing, tax support, multistate payroll, unlimited payroll runs, employee management, strong reporting, and much more. Patriot Payroll is an affordable, cloud-based software best suited for small businesses with up to 500 employees that plan on staying small or don’t need robust human capital management.
While it has some limited functionality, especially in human resources and reporting, Patriot Payroll integrates with Patriot Software’s Time & Attendance, HR, and accounting solutions to create an all-in-one business software solution.
When you choose Patriot Payroll, you don’t get a ton of bells and whistles of similar, more complex programs like Gusto or QuickBooks, but you do get a reliable payroll and HR suite with all the basic features needed to manage and pay your employees.
Keep reading to see if Patriot Payroll is one of the best payroll software for your small businesses!
Patriot Payroll Pricing
| Patriot Payroll Plans | Price | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Payroll | $17/month + $4 per person paid | If you need basic payroll processing services for up to 500 employees or contractors |
| Full Service Payroll | $37/month + $4 per person paid | If you need full-service payroll with tax support for up to 500 employees or contractors |
Patriot Payroll’s pricing starts at $17/month + $4/person paid per month. Patriot Payroll is an affordable payroll solution with clear pricing, no setup fees or hidden charges, a free 30-day trial, and a free self-guided demo of the program. While it isn’t an entirely free payroll software, its pricing makes it one of the cheapest payroll options available to you.
For a business paying 10 employees and looking for a full-service payroll solution with basic time tracking and HR functionality, Patriot Payroll ($129/month) is significantly cheaper than Gusto ($200/month) or QuickBooks ($160/month), but is more expensive than OnPay ($100/month).
The key difference between Patriot’s Basic Payroll and Full Service Payroll options is tax filing. If you don’t want to file your payroll taxes yourself and you’d rather outsource that aspect, then skip on down to the Full Service product.
Basic Payroll
Patriot Payroll’s Basic Payroll plan costs $17/month + $4 per employee and includes:
- Free payroll set up
- Secure employee portal
- Unlimited payroll runs on all pay frequencies
- Customizable hours/deductions
- Mobile-friendly (no app required)
- Time-tracking integration
- HR integration
- Electronic or printable W-2s
- Pay contractors
- Two- or four-day direct deposit
- Multistate payroll processing
- PTO accruals
- Optional 1099 e-filing (extra fees)
Full Service Payroll
Patriot Payroll’s Full Service Payroll plan costs $37/month + $4 per employee and includes everything in the Basic Payroll plan, plus:
- Tax filing and reporting services (federal, state, local, and payroll taxes)
- Tax filing accuracy guaranteed
Extra Patriot Payroll Costs & Fees
| Patriot Payroll Extra Costs | Price |
|---|---|
| Workers' Compensation | Variable |
| Patriot Accounting Integration | Starting at $20/month |
| Patriot Time & Attendance | $6/month + $2 per employee/contractor |
| Patriot HR integration | $6/month + $2 per employee/contractor |
| Premium Support | Starting at $37/month |
| Direct Deposit Corrections/Returns | Starting at $7.50 per request |
| Multistate Filing | $12 for each additional state |
Patriot Payroll is a notably inexpensive payroll software option. However, for businesses that want to extend the software’s functionality, add-on services and features, such as time tracking, accounting, multistate payroll tax filing, and HR, will drive costs up (but not by too much).
Outside of functionality boosts, Patriot Payroll charges extra for premium customer support options and post-run payroll corrections. However, these fees are usually experienced as one-offs and rarely encountered.
Is Patriot Payroll Easy To Use?
Easy-peasy, simple, and intuitive: Patriot wants its cloud-based software to be accessible by anyone. Also, if you use the Patriot Accounting software, the seamless integration between the two products makes this a solid competitor with the industry standard, QuickBooks.
The interface is clean and modern, not cluttered, and easy to navigate. The goal of Patriot Payroll is to create an easy process that anyone can command, and user reviews state that it has accomplished this goal.
Using Patriot Payroll self-guided demo was a breeze and really gave me a feel for the software’s capabilities, I believe that even those who are new to the payroll process shouldn’t have much trouble navigating the system.
Patriot Payroll Features
| Patriot Payroll Features | Availability |
|---|---|
| Payroll Tax Support | Full Service Plan Only |
| Auto-Schedule Payroll | |
| Bonus Payroll | |
| Off-Cycle Payroll | |
| Employee Management | |
| Paid Time Off | |
| Time Tracking | Add-on only |
| HR Support | Add-on only |
| Onboarding Support | |
| Benefits Administration | |
| Number Of Reports | 8 |
Despite being designed for use by small to mid-sized businesses with up to 500 contractors and employees, Patriot Payroll offers a decidedly robust set of features. When combined with Patriot’s Time & Attendance and HR software service add-ons, Patriot Payroll becomes a solid contender in the small business payroll and HR software space.
Mid-sized businesses or companies with an accountant or bookkeeper with program preferences might find the features limited. But for bookkeepers/accountants looking for simple software to teach their clients, Patriot is a great option.
Drill down into Patriot’s specific payroll features below.
Payroll Processing
Once your employees are enrolled, their hours and pay scales set, and your pay dates set, running payroll is simple. Patriot Payroll’s payroll processing features include:
- Unlimited payroll runs
- Support for employees and contractors
- Direct deposit and paper check printing
- Edit hours and currency
- Custom deductions (no remittance)
- Garnishments (no remittance)
- Supports multiple pay rates and schedules
- Workers’ compensation integration
- Two- or four-day direct deposit
- Free payroll setup
- Multistate payroll
- Time off accrual
- Patriot Time & Attendance integration
- Patriot HR integration
- Department costing
Employee Management & PTO
Patriot Payroll has a few features to help you manage your employees and contractors from a single interface. You can add information to an employee’s file, including job title, payment information, time off, tax documents, and benefits.
Here’s a look at Patriot Payroll’s other employee management and PTO features:
- Set and manage PTO policies
- Set sick and vacation days
- Employee self-service portal
- Downloadable employee pay stubs and tax forms
- New hire onboarding support
- Employee lists
- Contractor lists
Time Tracking
Through Patriot’s Time & Attendance add-on service, businesses can easily manage and track employee and contractor time. The solution integrates with Patriot Payroll for a comprehensive overview of your employee and contractor time.
Patriot’s Time & Attendance software features include:
- PTO accrual
- Overtime law compliance support
- Send notifications to submit timecards
- Batch approvals
- Set custom overtime rules
- Online employee clock-in/out portal
- Support for manual time entry
- Support for time punches
Payroll Tax Support
Patriot Payroll offers two levels of tax support: Basic and Full Service. Full Service Payroll offers full tax support and tax filing on behalf of their clients, while Basic Payroll customers will have to handle payroll taxes on their own.
Here’s a look at the payroll tax support features you can expect from Patriot Payroll:
- Optional 1099 filing (add-on fees for Basic Payroll customers)
- Print or download W-2 forms
- Net-to-gross payroll tool
- Collection and filing of state workers’ compensation insurance for businesses based in Wyoming or Washington
- File and deposit federal, state, and local payroll taxes (Full Service only)
- Submit Forms 940, 941, W-2, and W-3s (Full Service only)
- Tax filing accuracy guarantee (Full Service only)
Reporting
Patriot’s reporting section has all the necessary reporting features for basic payroll, plus accounting and HR reports, depending on your service package. There aren’t many customization options for reports, so businesses with certain reporting needs might find the options lacking.
Patriot Payroll’s reporting features include:
- Eight built-in payroll reports
- 50 total reports spanning accounting, payroll, time, HR, and 1099 contractors
- Basic report customization
HR & Onboarding
Patriot’s HR and onboarding features are offered as add-on HR software services. The HR and onboarding features aren’t as robust as other payroll software solutions but offer all the basics.
Here’s a look at Patriot Payroll’s HR and onboarding features:
- Digital document storage
- Designate managers and their direct reports
- View and manage employee information
- Advanced HR reports
- New hire reporting
Patriot Customer Service
| Patriot Payroll Support | Availability |
|---|---|
| Phone Support | |
| Email Support | |
| Support Tickets | |
| Live Chat | |
| Dedicated Support Representative | |
| Knowledge Base or Help Center | |
| Videos & Tutorials | |
| Company Blog | |
| Social Media |
Patriot Payroll excels in the customer service department with free payroll setup, phone and live chat support on Mondays-Fridays from 9 AM-7 PM EST, webinars, and more. A quick call to Patriot’s customer service line got my questions about the product answered without any fuss, and reviews suggest that Patriot Payroll’s solid customer service is the norm.
For the price and what it offers, Patriot is easily the best choice for small business owners who want something simple and someone available to help troubleshoot issues within the program.
Patriot Payroll Software Reviews
Businesses that use Patriot Payroll are happy with their experiences. When users have migrated from other products (namely: QuickBooks, Gusto, ADP, and Paychex), they express an easy transition that saves them money and headaches.
The software receives 4.8/5 stars on Capterra (based on 3,280+ ratings). Patriot ranks well both with small business owners and accountants using the service for their clients. On Trustpilot, Patriot has a 4.8 rating (based on 2,140+ reviews).
While the complaints are few, some negative experiences include frustration at the lack of features and reporting options.
Negative Patriot Payroll Reviews & Complaints
- Limited features
- Limited integrations
Positive Patriot Payroll Reviews
- Super easy to use
- Value for the money
- Top-notch customer service
Patriot Software Integrations
Patriot Payroll does not have many third-party integrations and lacks an API. Currently, Patriot Payroll integrates with QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Time, Vestwell, and Next Insurance.
The company hopes that you will round out your human resources suite by adding its accounting, time-tracking, and HR software. However, these add-ons will increase your monthly payment.
Security
While Patriot doesn’t take a deep dive into its security features, the software does ensure that customers know that their data is well-protected.
Here’s a look at some of Patriot’s data security practices:
- Data encryption
- Annual security audits
- Bonded employees
- Adherence to data privacy and security laws
The Final Verdict: Is Patriot Payroll Worth It?
| Patriot Payroll Review Summary | |
|---|---|
| Pricing | From $17/month +$4 per person paid to $37/month + $4 per person paid |
| Choose If You Need |
|
Sometimes a small business must sacrifice price for ease of use and service or service for price and simplicity. That’s not the case here. Patriot Payroll is delivering on its promises to be the best option for busy small business owners. When Patriot says it designed its products with small business owners in mind, it shows. This is not cumbersome accounting software.
It’s a little frustrating that time-keeping/attendance and the HR reports are add-ons, only because it seems like a small way to misrepresent the total cost (as we’d recommend integrating with the other Patriot products for ease of use). However, with that said, even the add-ons are priced affordably.
Merchant Maverick likes Patriot Payroll for small businesses. We best recommend it for people wanting to switch away from QuickBooks entirely and try something less expensive and more user-friendly.
Patriot Payroll FAQs
Davina Ward
Senior Staff Writer
Davina joined Merchant Maverick in 2022, covering small business payroll and accounting. She began writing for small businesses in 2018 and has since gained expertise in the SaaS industry. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in English Literature from SUNY Geneseo in 2018. She currently resides in New York.
View Davina Ward's professional experience on LinkedIn.
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The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
Patriot Payroll |
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Patriot Payroll for yourself.
The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
Patriot Payroll |
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Patriot Payroll for yourself.
