Compare/Alternatives

Patriot Payroll alternatives

4 tools our write-ups put next to Patriot Payroll, with starting price, free tier, MCP and API side by side.

Patriot Payroll from $17/mo + $4/worker30 day free trial

Closest alternatives

See the Patriot Payroll listing

The short answer

  • SurePayroll : Full-service $29 plus $7 if you want less DIY tax work. From $29/mo + $7/worker
  • Wave Payroll : Wave payroll if invoicing already lives in Wave. From $40/mo + $6/employee
  • Gusto : Benefits-heavy payroll if you will grow past a $17 tool. From $49/mo
  • OnPay : Another small-business payroll if you want a different US vendor. From $49/mo

Why people look past Patriot Payroll

50 percent off for three months is a promo, not the ongoing rate. Full Service is $37 plus $5 per worker if you want the vendor to handle more tax work.

What we noted

  • Promo 50% off is temporary
  • US small business only
  • Not a full HRIS

Not the right fit for

  • Companies that need a global payroll or EOR
  • HR teams that want a full HCM suite

Worth keeping in mind: The lowest printed full-service-adjacent US payroll base: $17 plus $4, or Full Service at $37 plus $5.

Patriot Payroll alternatives compared

ToolFree tierFromMCPAPIHead to head
Patriot Payroll (the one you are on) –No$17/mo + $4/worker–No–No
SurePayroll Full-service $29 plus $7 if you want less DIY tax work. –No$29/mo + $7/worker–No–NoHead to head
Wave Payroll Wave payroll if invoicing already lives in Wave. –No$40/mo + $6/employee–No–NoHead to head
Gusto Benefits-heavy payroll if you will grow past a $17 tool. –No$49/mo✓Yes✓YesHead to head
OnPay Another small-business payroll if you want a different US vendor. –No$49/mo–No✓YesHead to head

What each one does differently

SurePayroll

$29/mo + $7/worker

Why it comes up: Full-service $29 plus $7 if you want less DIY tax work.

Stands out: A $29 base with tax filing in the product, plus a $9.99/mo add-on for extra states.

Watch out: Free months are a promo, not a numbered trial. Multi-state payroll is $9.99/mo extra. Nanny plan is $39/mo.

Best for

  • US small employers that want full-service taxes
  • Single-state teams starting at $29 plus $7 per worker
  • Households paying a nanny on the $39 plan

Read the SurePayroll write-up Patriot Payroll vs SurePayroll

Wave Payroll

$40/mo + $6/employee

Why it comes up: Wave payroll if invoicing already lives in Wave.

Stands out: Payroll that sits next to Wave invoicing, with a printed US rate of $40 plus $6 heads.

Watch out: Canada is a different CAD price. Contractors also cost $6 each when paid. There is no numbered payroll trial.

Best for

  • US freelancers and SMBs already invoicing in Wave
  • Owners paying a mix of employees and 1099s
  • Teams that want a printed $40 plus $6 grid

Read the Wave Payroll write-up Patriot Payroll vs Wave Payroll

Gusto

$49/mo MCP API

Why it comes up: Benefits-heavy payroll if you will grow past a $17 tool.

Stands out: Payroll sitting next to HR for US small companies, with a first-party MCP.

Watch out: It is US-only, so it is not a route to hiring people in other countries.

Best for

  • US small companies running payroll in-house
  • HR teams that want benefits next to pay
  • Desks that want MCP on payroll data

4.6 on Capterra from 4,225 reviews

Read the Gusto write-up Patriot Payroll vs Gusto

OnPay

$49/mo API

Why it comes up: Another small-business payroll if you want a different US vendor.

Stands out: Published pricing with unlimited pay runs, multi-state filing and year-end forms in the $49 base plan.

Watch out: The $49 is a base fee: each paid worker adds $6/mo. HR ($15 base plus $2/worker) and time tracking ($15 base plus $4/worker) cost extra.

Best for

  • US small businesses that want payroll without a quote
  • Employers paying W-2 staff and 1099 contractors
  • Teams with workers in several states

Read the OnPay write-up Patriot Payroll vs OnPay

Common questions

What is the best Patriot Payroll alternative?
It depends on what sent you looking. Our write-ups put SurePayroll closest to Patriot Payroll. Why it comes up: Full-service $29 plus $7 if you want less DIY tax work. The table above shows all 4 on price, free tier, MCP and API.
What is the cheapest Patriot Payroll alternative?
Of the published starting prices here, SurePayroll is lowest at $29/mo + $7/worker. Starting price is the entry plan, not the seat count you will end up on, so read the plan table on each listing.
Which Patriot Payroll alternatives have an MCP server?
Gusto ships a first party MCP server, so you can drive it from Claude or ChatGPT without building against the API yourself.
Does Patriot Payroll have a free trial?
Patriot Payroll offers a 30 day free trial on our listing. Trial terms move, so confirm on the vendor site before you plan around it.

Keep looking

Back to the Patriot Payroll write-up Every Payroll tool we list Search the whole directory

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 19 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?