Patriot Software vs QuickBooks Online
- ✦ Accounting
- ✦ Payroll
- ✦ Bank Imports
- ✦ Bank Connections
- ✦ Tax Categories
- ✦ Payroll (add-on)
Patriot Software and QuickBooks Online are both Accounting tools. Patriot Software starts at $6/mo, QuickBooks Online at $20/mo. Compare features, pricing, and ratings below to find the best fit for your team.
When to Choose Patriot Software vs QuickBooks Online
The question that matters: “In what situation will I regret choosing A over B after 3 months?”
Teams with remote staff across multiple states use Patriot's Direct Deposit feature to eliminate check printing and manual distribution delays. The setup process captures employee.
Small manufacturers and service contractors use Payroll Tax Filing to submit quarterly 941s and state unemployment returns directly from Patriot, bypassing the 2-3 week.
Cross-referencing Bank Connections with Expense Tracking records surfaces duplicate or unauthorized payments within minutes of clearing.
QuickBooks Time Tracking links to Invoicing, so logged hours appear as invoice line items at contracted rates - no manual data entry and fewer unbilled hours.
Pricing Comparison & PlansHigh· Verified May 30, 2026
Patriot Software Plans
Paid plans only
Time And Attendance (Add-on)
$6/mo (+ $2/employee)- ✓Time and attendance management
HR Software (Add-on)
$6/mo (+ $2/employee)- ✓HR functions
- ✓Handbook creation
- ✓Policy creation
Basic Payroll
$17/mo (+ $4/worker)Best for: $17/mo + $4/worker
- ✓Run payroll
- ✓Handle own taxes
- ✓Free direct deposit
- ✓Free employee portal
- ✓Unlimited payrolls
Accounting Basic
$20/moBest for: $20/mo covers unlimited invoicing, bank imports, expense tracking, and financial reporting
- ✓Manage unlimited invoices
- ✓Manage unlimited contractors
- ✓Manage unlimited customers
- ✓Automate bank imports
- ✓Track expenses
Accounting Premium
$30/moBest for: $30/mo adds estimates, recurring invoices, user-based permissions, receipt management, and subaccounts
- ✓All Basic features
- ✓Set user-based permissions
- ✓Get invoice alerts and reminders
- ✓Manage documents
- ✓Create and send estimates
Full-Service Payroll
$37/mo (+ $5/worker)- ✓All Basic Payroll features
- ✓Federal tax filings & deposits
- ✓State tax filings & deposits
- ✓Local tax filings & deposits
- ✓Year-end payroll tax filings
Bookkeeping Service (Add-on)
$100/mo- ✓Patriot experts manage books end-to-end
QuickBooks Online Plans
Paid plans only
QuickBooks Free
FreeBest for: Ideal for individuals needing basic income and expense tracking without advanced features
- ✓Track income
- ✓Track expenses
- ✓Zero financial commitment
Solopreneur
$20/moBest for: Perfect for freelancers and independent contractors managing basic income and expenses
- ✓Track mileage
- ✓Capture receipts
- ✓Separate business & personal expenses
- ✓Single user access
Simple Start
$38/moBest for: small businesses needing to track income, expenses, and generate basic reports
- ✓Automated bookkeeping
- ✓Accept payments
- ✓Track sales tax
- ✓Mobile access
- ✓Bank feeds
Essentials
$75/moBest for: Suited for growing businesses requiring more robust features like bill management and multiple users
- ✓Everything in Simple Start
- ✓Up to 3 users
- ✓Bill pay
- ✓Time tracking
- ✓Manage bills & expenses
Plus
$115/moBest for: Designed for businesses needing inventory management and project profitability tracking
- ✓Everything in Essentials
- ✓Up to 5 users
- ✓Inventory tracking
- ✓Project & job costing
- ✓Class & location tracking
Advanced
$275/moBest for: For larger businesses requiring advanced analytics, custom user permissions, and dedicated support
- ✓Everything in Plus
- ✓Up to 25 users
- ✓Advanced reporting
- ✓Workflow automation
- ✓Dedicated support
Capability Breakdown
5 differences found across 16 standardized features
- •Accounting
- •Payroll
- •Invoicing
- •Expense Tracking
- •Bank Imports
- •Financial Reports
- •Payroll Tax Filing
- •Direct Deposit
- •1099 Filing
- •Time & Attendance
- •HR Software
- •Employee Portal
- •Multi-state Payroll
- •W-2 Filing
- •US-focused Compliance
- •Invoicing
- •Expense Tracking
- •Bank Connections
- •Financial Reports
- •Tax Categories
- •Payroll (add-on)
- •Time Tracking
- •Inventory Management
- •Project Profitability
- •Multi-currency
- •Receipt Capture
- •1099 Contractor Payments
- •Cash Flow Planner
- •Mobile App
- •750+ Integrations
- •Accounts Payable Management
- •Budgeting Tools
- •Customizable Invoices
- •Deposit Slip Tracking
- •Electronic Payment Options
- •Financial Statement Analysis
- •Forecasting Capabilities
- •Fund Transfer Options
- •General Ledger Management
- •Invoice Reminders
- •Job Costing Analysis
- •Liability Tracking
- •Loan Management System
- •Multi User Access
- •Online Bill Payment
- •Payment Reminders
- •Purchase Order Management
- •Reconciliation Tools
- •Recurring Invoices
- •Sales Tax Management
- •Transaction Matching
- •Vendor Management
- •Accounts Receivable
- •Audit Log Tracking
- •Billing Statements
- •Credit Memo Management
- •Customer Statements
- •Estimate Conversion
Strengths & Limitations
Evaluative strengths and weaknesses: not feature lists
- +Dual-entry accounting and cash-basis reporting in one system
- +Full-service payroll includes year-end W-2/W-3 filing
- +No per-state fees for multi-state payroll processing
- +Free US-based expert support via phone, chat, or email
- +Transparent, low-cost pricing with no hidden setup fees
- −No mobile app for on-the-go accounting or payroll management
- −Limited third-party integrations beyond QuickBooks and Plaid
- −Does not support contractor-only payroll (requires at least one W-2 employee)
- −Lacks advanced features like inventory tracking or project costing
- −No international payroll or multi-currency support
- +Vast network of certified ProAdvisors for expert help
- +Largest third-party app ecosystem for accounting software
- +Direct bank feeds from over 24,000 financial institutions
- +Industry-standard Chart of Accounts, simplifying tax prep
- +Robust mobile app with receipt capture and mileage tracking
- −Steep learning curve for non-accountants due to feature depth
- −Plan-based limits on users and features can force costly upgrades
- −Inventory management is basic; requires Plus plan or higher
- −Reporting customization is limited compared to desktop versions
- −Customer support wait times can be long during peak periods
At a Glance
Recent Price History
QuickBooks Online raised "Essentials" from $65/mo to $75/mo (+15%)
Price change · May 30, 2026
QuickBooks Online raised "Simple Start" from $35/mo to $38/mo (+9%)
Price change · May 30, 2026
QuickBooks Online added a new "Solopreneur" plan at $20/mo
Plan added · May 30, 2026
QuickBooks Online raised "Plus" from $90/mo to $115/mo (+28%)
Price change · May 30, 2026
QuickBooks Online raised "Advanced" from $200/mo to $275/mo (+38%)
Price change · May 30, 2026
Patriot Software added a new "Bookkeeping Service (Add-on)" plan at $100/mo
Plan added · May 28, 2026
Patriot Software added a new "HR Software (Add-on)" plan at $6/mo
Plan added · May 28, 2026
Patriot Software removed the "Full Service Payroll" plan
Plan removed · May 28, 2026
Patriot Software added a new "Full-Service Payroll" plan at $37/mo
Plan added · May 28, 2026
Patriot Software added a new "Time And Attendance (Add-on)" plan at $6/mo
Plan added · May 28, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
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