If price is the thing standing between you and getting off spreadsheets, Patriot Software is the most affordable serious option on this list. Full Service Payroll starts at $37/month plus $5 per worker — and that includes federal, state, and most local tax filing and deposits, W-2s at year end, and free direct deposit. If you'd rather handle your own tax filings, Basic Payroll drops to $17/month plus $4 per worker. There's no charge per payroll run, so you can pay weekly, biweekly, or off-cycle as often as you need without the bill moving. Patriot says its customers average under three minutes to run a payroll, and support is USA-based, with free setup assistance if you want a human to migrate your year-to-date data for you.
Key Features
Unlimited payrolls at any pay frequency, including off-cycle runs
Free direct deposit — 4-day standard, 2-day for qualifying customers
Full Service files federal, state & most local payroll taxes in all 50 states
Year-end W-2 filings at no extra cost, with a tax filing accuracy guarantee
Auto Payroll for recurring pay runs you don't want to think about
USA-based support plus free payroll setup assistance
Free integrations with Vestwell (401k) and NEXT Insurance (pay-as-you-go workers' comp)
Optional add-ons: time & attendance, HR, accounting, bookkeeping service
Pros
- Cheapest full-service payroll here by a wide margin
- Transparent pricing — a base fee plus a per-worker fee, and nothing per payroll run
- You're only billed for workers you actually paid that month
- SOC 2 Type II compliant with enforced multi-factor authentication
Cons
- USA only — no support for employees based outside the US
- $12/month for each additional state you file in
- Won't remit garnishments, child support, or health insurance payments
- Fewer built-in HR extras than Gusto, and the interface is functional rather than slick
Why We Picked It
Most payroll platforms get expensive precisely when a small business can least afford it — in the first couple of years, when headcount is low and every fixed cost stings. Patriot inverts that. A five-person business on Full Service pays roughly $62 a month all in, tax filing included, which is materially less than the equivalent tier almost anywhere else. That matters for pay equity too: when payroll is cheap enough to run properly, small employers are far more likely to classify, document, and report wages correctly instead of improvising. You give up some polish and a few HR bells and whistles, but the core job — paying people accurately and filing the taxes on time — is fully covered. At the time of writing Patriot is also running a free trial plus 50% off the first six months, which makes trying it close to risk-free.
