Patriot Online Payroll Review 2026 - Features, Pricing & Deals

Patriot Online Payroll helps businesses handle their payroll tasks with a cloud-based platform built for companies in the United States. The software automates essential payroll functions like employee payments, tax calculations, and compliance tracking through both a web portal and mobile app.

Small business owners can choose between two main options: Basic Payroll for those who want to manage their own tax filings, and Full Service Payroll for companies seeking complete tax handling support. The platform includes features such as free direct deposit processing (2-4 business days), employee self-service portals, customizable pre-tax deductions, and Auto Payroll for recurring salaried or hourly payments.

The software targets small businesses that don't need enterprise complexity. Monthly plans start at $17 for Basic Payroll and $37 for Full Service Payroll, with an additional $4-$5 per employee. Users can add optional features like Time & Attendance ($6/month + $2 per employee) and HR Software ($6/month + $2 per employee) to expand the system's capabilities.

Beyond its core payroll functions, the platform handles federal, state, and local tax filings and deposits, integrates with QuickBooks and Patriot Accounting, and supports multi-state operations, 1099 contractors, and expense reimbursement. Employees can access their pay stubs, W-2s, and make profile updates through the mobile app or web portal.

• Cloud-Based Platform with Mobile App: Access payroll from anywhere through the web portal or mobile app, letting you manage payments and let employees view pay stubs on the go.
• Automated Payroll Calculations: The software calculates gross pay, net pay, and taxes automatically based on employee hours, rates, and deductions you input.
• Unlimited Payroll Runs and Auto Payroll: Run payroll as often as needed without additional charges, or set up Auto Payroll for recurring salaried and hourly payments that process automatically.
• Free Employee Self-Service Portal: Employees can securely access pay stubs, W-2s, payment history, and update their own profile information through the portal or mobile app.
• Automated Tax Filing and Deposits: Full Service Payroll handles federal, state, and local payroll tax filings and deposits automatically, with year-end payroll tax filings included and tax filing reliability guaranteed.
• Free Direct Deposit: Pay employees with free direct deposit delivered in 2-4 business days, or print checks if preferred.
• Business Integrations: Connect with QuickBooks, Patriot Accounting, time and attendance systems, HR software, workers' compensation, and 401(k) plans to keep your business operations connected.
• Multi-State and Contractor Support: Handle multi-state payroll operations, pay 1099 contractors through the same system, manage pre-tax deductions, and process expense reimbursements all in one place.

• Basic Payroll costs $17 per month plus $4 per employee or contractor, offering unlimited payroll runs, free direct deposit, free employee portal, Auto Payroll, and robust payroll reports.
• Full Service Payroll is priced at $37 per month plus $5 per employee or contractor, with Patriot handling all federal, state, and local tax filings and deposits, plus year-end payroll tax filings at no additional fee and tax filing reliability guaranteed.
• Time & Attendance add-on is available at $6 per month plus $2 per employee for both Basic and Full Service plans.
• HR Software add-on costs $6 per month plus $2 per employee, providing tools for managing employee information on both plans.
• New customers can try Patriot Payroll with a free trial.
• Additional services like 1099 Electronic Filing start at $20 for the first five 1099s and $2 for each additional up to 35.
• Multistate Payroll Tax Filing is an extra $12 per month for each additional state beyond the first.

With Patriot's Full Service Payroll ($37/month + $5 per employee), the system handles all your tax filings for you. After you run payroll, it calculates, deposits, and files your federal, state, and local taxes automatically. You don't need to worry about deadlines or paperwork, and year-end payroll tax filings are included at no additional fee with tax filing reliability guaranteed. For Basic Payroll users ($17/month + $4 per employee), you'll still get all the tax calculations, but you'll be responsible for filing and paying taxes yourself. The software provides the reports you need, but the actual submission is up to you.

Yes, you can upgrade or downgrade between Basic and Full Service plans at any time. If you start with Basic and find tax filing too complex, you can easily upgrade to Full Service. Some small business owners start with Full Service until they learn the ropes, then switch to Basic to save money. The transition is smooth since both plans use the same interface and your data stays intact.

Most users complete their payroll in just minutes once their account is set up. You enter employee hours and rates, the software calculates gross pay, net pay, and taxes automatically, and you approve the payroll. For recurring salaried or hourly employees, you can set up Auto Payroll to process payments automatically without manual input each pay period. Many customers finish payroll during their morning coffee break. The more employees you have, the longer it might take, but the automated calculations keep things efficient.

Don't worry! With Patriot, you can void and correct payrolls easily. If you catch a mistake before employees are paid, you can simply void the payroll and run it again correctly. For errors discovered after payment, you can make adjustments in your next payroll run. The customer support team is also available to help walk you through any corrections. Unlike some systems that lock everything down, the software gives you flexibility to fix problems when they happen.

Employees can view their pay stubs, W-2s, and update their profile information through both the employee self-service portal and the mobile app. When you add employees to Patriot Payroll, they automatically get access to the free employee portal. You just need their email addresses, and the system sends them login instructions. The portal and app work on phones and computers, making it easy for employees to access their information anytime. This saves you time answering questions about pay history or printing duplicate stubs.