The short answer
Patriot Payroll sells Basic Payroll for $17 a month plus $4 per worker and Full Service, with tax filings, for $37 plus $5. Gusto's Simple plan, with tax filings included, costs $49 a month plus $6 per person.
Patriot Payroll plans and pricesAlternatives to Patriot Payroll
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Patriot Payroll wins 2Gusto wins 21 tie
| Dimension | Patriot Payroll | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| PricingPatriot's Full Service costs $37 a month plus $5 per worker and Basic $17 plus $4. Gusto Simple costs $49 plus $6 per person. At 10 employees with tax filing that is $87 against $109 a month at list price. Patriot sells time and HR as add-ons at $6 a month plus $2 per employee each. Time & Attendance add-on: $6 a month plus $2 per employee, HR Software add-on: $6 a month plus $2 per employee, Full Service: $12 a month for each additional state filed, Basic Payroll: nominal 1099 e-filing fees | $17/mo + $4/employee/mo | $49/mo + $6/employee/mo |
| CapabilitiesBoth run unlimited payrolls and pay contractors. Gusto includes benefits, hiring and onboarding, time and HR in its plans. Patriot keeps payroll at its core and adds time, HR and accounting as separate products. Yes | 9 of 12 core capabilities | 11 of 12 core capabilities |
| IntegrationsGusto's App Directory lists 153 integrations, and Gusto documents a REST API and webhooks. Patriot lists QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Vestwell, SimplyInsured and ERGO NEXT. 153 | 7 documented | 153 native |
| Fit and supportBoth are built for small US businesses. Patriot answers by phone, email and chat 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on weekdays; Gusto by phone, email and chat 6am to 6pm MST on weekdays, with a 24/7 help center. Small businesses | Small businesses | Small businesses |
| SecurityPatriot states a SOC 2 Type II report. Gusto offers single sign-on and is less suited to buyers who need a named security certification on the vendor's own pages. Yes | SOC 2 | None verified |
| Attribute | Patriot Payroll | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | ||
| Mobile apps | Mobile web (no app to install) | iOS (Gusto Mobile), Android (Gusto Mobile) |
| Support channels | Phone, email, chat | Phone, email, chat, online help center, dedicated account partner (Premium) |
| Founded | 2002 | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Canton, Ohio, US | San Francisco, California, US |
| Attribute | Patriot Payroll | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Base fee + per employee | Base fee + per employee |
| Price transparency | Published | Published |
| Free plan | ||
| Contract term | Monthly | Monthly |
| Best for | Small businesses | Small businesses |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| Automatic tax filing | ||
| Contractor payments | ||
| Ownership | Private | Private |
Gusto Simple$49/mo base + $6/employee/mo| Employees | Patriot Payroll Basic Payroll | Gusto Simple |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $57/mo (lowest) | $109/mo |
| 50 | $217/mo (lowest) | $349/mo |
| 200 | $817/mo (lowest) | $1,249/mo |
Monthly list price of each product’s entry plan with published per-employee pricing.
Pricing. Patriot's Full Service costs $37 a month plus $5 per worker and Basic $17 plus $4. Gusto Simple costs $49 plus $6 per person. At 10 employees with tax filing that is $87 against $109 a month at list price. Patriot sells time and HR as add-ons at $6 a month plus $2 per employee each.
Capabilities. Both run unlimited payrolls and pay contractors. Gusto includes benefits, hiring and onboarding, time and HR in its plans. Patriot keeps payroll at its core and adds time, HR and accounting as separate products.
Integrations. Gusto's App Directory lists 153 integrations, and Gusto documents a REST API and webhooks. Patriot lists QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Vestwell, SimplyInsured and ERGO NEXT.
Fit and support. Both are built for small US businesses. Patriot answers by phone, email and chat 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on weekdays; Gusto by phone, email and chat 6am to 6pm MST on weekdays, with a 24/7 help center.
Security. Patriot states a SOC 2 Type II report. Gusto offers single sign-on and is less suited to buyers who need a named security certification on the vendor's own pages.
QuickBooks Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (8.8/10).
From $50/mo + $7/employee/mo
Basic Payroll costs $17 a month plus $4 per worker, and Full Service, which files your payroll taxes, costs $37 plus $5. Each additional state on Full Service adds $12 a month.
Yes, at list price. With tax filing included, Patriot Full Service at 10 employees comes to $87 a month and Gusto Simple to $109. Gusto's plans also include benefits and HR tools that Patriot sells separately.
Gusto has a higher list price, $49 a month plus $6 per person on Simple, charges extra for next-day pay on Simple, and offers no free trial. It runs payroll for US employees only, as Patriot does.
Patriot offers a free trial; Gusto does not list one. Both bill month to month with no setup fee.
Yes. Patriot lists QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop, and QuickBooks is among Gusto's notable integrations.
Only Patriot Payroll states SOC 2 Type II. Only Gusto states HIPAA (BAA).
Patriot Payroll ranks #1 of 14 in our payroll software ranking. Besides Gusto, the highest-scored are QuickBooks Payroll, Paychex Flex, and OnPay. Every alternative, matched to the reason you might switch: Patriot Payroll alternatives.
Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts and list prices. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.
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What the LeadChange Score means
A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.
Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.
