Patriot Software vs Paychex
A detailed comparison of Patriot Software and Paychex. See how they stack up on features, pricing, and user ratings.
At a Glance
| Patriot Software | Paychex | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Starting Price | $17/mo | $39/mo |
| Free Trial | Yes | No |
| Free Plan | No | No |
| Features | 7 | 7 |
| Best For | SMB | SMB |
Patriot Software
Budget-friendly payroll and accounting software for small businesses with 1-100 employees, starting at $17/month plus $4/employee.
Rating
4.8/5
Best for
SMB
Free trial
Yes
Free plan
No
Paychex
Payroll and HR outsourcing provider for small to mid-sized businesses, offering payroll processing, retirement plans, insurance, and HR advisory services with dedicated support.
Rating
4.2/5
Best for
SMB
Free trial
No
Free plan
No
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Patriot Software | Paychex |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | ||
| Reporting Dashboard | ||
| EEO/OFCCP Compliance | ||
| GDPR Compliance | ||
| API Access | ||
| HRIS Integration | ||
| Mobile App |
Pricing Comparison
Patriot Software
Basic Payroll
$17/mo
Full Service Payroll
$37/mo
Paychex
Essentials
$39/mo
Select
Custom
Pro
Custom
Integrations
Both tools integrate with
Outlook
QuickBooks
Zapier
Only Patriot Software
Gmail
Google Workspace
Only Paychex
Google Calendar
Microsoft 365
Outlook Calendar
Salesforce
Slack
Pros & Cons
Patriot Software
Pros
- +Among the cheapest payroll solutions available ($17/month + $4/employee)
- +Extremely straightforward — no unnecessary complexity
- +US-based customer support with consistently high ratings
- +Free 30-day trial with no credit card required
Cons
- -No HR features in the base payroll product
- -No mobile app — browser-based only
- -Limited integrations with third-party tools
- -No benefits administration for health insurance
Paychex
Pros
- +Reliable payroll processing for SMBs
- +Strong tax filing and compliance
- +Local payroll specialist support
- +Benefits administration included
Cons
- -Pricing not fully transparent
- -Add-on costs can increase quickly
- -Interface less modern than Gusto or Rippling
- -Contract lock-in with some plans
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Patriot Software if:
- • Your company is SMB size
- • You want to try before committing (free trial available)
- • Higher user ratings matter to you (4.8 vs 4.2)
- • Budget is a priority (starts from $17/mo vs $39/mo)
- • Among the cheapest payroll solutions available ($17/month + $4/employee)
How we evaluate tools
Our ratings combine verified user reviews from G2 and Capterra with hands-on feature analysis. Pricing is checked against official sources. We may earn a commission through affiliate links, but this never influences our rankings or recommendations. Read our full methodology.