What does Patriot's cheapest accounting plan include?

Our most affordable option is Accounting Basic at $20/month. Unlike other software that limits your activity, this plan includes unlimited customers, invoices, vendors, contractors, and payments. It is designed for US-based small businesses that need core bookkeeping and compliance without any hidden caps on transactions or contacts.

When should I upgrade from Accounting Basic to Accounting Premium, or from Basic to Full Service Payroll?

Upgrade to Accounting Premium ($30/month) if you need to create and send estimates to prospective clients before invoicing them. For payroll, upgrade from Basic Payroll ($17/month) to Full Service Payroll ($37/month) when you want Patriot to automatically handle your federal, state, and local payroll tax filings and deposits, saving you manual compliance work.

Does Patriot Software offer an annual billing discount?

Patriot Software does not offer annual billing discounts because we do not lock you into long-term contracts. All plans:including Accounting Basic ($20/month) and Full Service Payroll ($37/month):are billed month-to-month. This gives you the flexibility to cancel, upgrade, or downgrade your services at any time without penalty.

How does Patriot Software's pricing scale as my team grows?

Patriot Accounting plans support unlimited users at no extra cost, meaning your team can grow without increasing your $20/month or $30/month software bill. For payroll, while the base plans start at $17/month for Basic and $37/month for Full Service, pricing scales predictably based on the number of active employees you run payroll for each month.

Does Patriot Software offer special discounts for startups, nonprofits, or students?

We do not offer specific discounts for startups, nonprofits, or students. We keep our pricing straightforward and highly competitive for everyone. With Accounting Basic starting at just $20/month and Basic Payroll at $17/month, our standard rates are already significantly lower than traditional enterprise platforms, making them highly affordable for budget-conscious organizations.

What are the hidden costs of Patriot Software beyond the subscription price?

Beyond the Patriot Software subscription, organizations typically budget for implementation and data migration, user training and onboarding, premium support tier upgrades, required add-on features, third-party integrations, and annual true-up costs from seat overages. These costs can add 20-80% to the base subscription price depending on team size and deployment complexity.

Does Patriot Software charge for implementation or setup?

Patriot Software may charge for professional services, data migration, and initial configuration, particularly for enterprise deployments. These costs are typically not listed on the public pricing page and are negotiated separately. Request a total cost of ownership estimate before signing.

Is Patriot Software pricing stable or does it change frequently?

Patriot Software pricing has been stable over the last 90 days based on our monitoring. We verify pricing on a rolling 30-day cadence and log all changes in our public changelog.

Home›Accounting›Patriot Software›Pricing

Patriot Software Pricing Plans and Tiers 2026

Affordable, integrated accounting and payroll software for US-based small businesses needing core compliance and tax filing.

AccountingFlat RatePrice verified May 21, 2026From $17/mo

·4 plans·★★★★★4.8/5 G2

Full Review →

Alternatives to Patriot Software →Compare with others →

Plans Analysis Worth It?True Cost Price History Alternatives FAQ Sources

All Plans & Pricing

High confidence· Verified May 21, 2026

30 days free + 50% off for 3 months

30-day free trial·No credit card required

Accounting Basic

$20/mo

Best for: $20/mo covers unlimited invoicing, bank imports, expense tracking, and financial reporting

✓Unlimited customers and invoicing
✓Unlimited vendors, contractors, and payments
✓Automatic bank import integration
✓Income and expense tracking
✓Accept credit card payments
✓Standard financial reporting
✓Account reconciliation

Start Plan →

Accounting Premium

$30/mo

Best for: $30/mo adds estimates, recurring invoices, user-based permissions, receipt management, and subaccounts

✓Create and send estimates
✓User-based permissions and multi-user access
✓Recurring invoices and automatic payment reminders
✓Receipt and document management
✓Subaccounts and department tracking
✓Unlimited customers and invoicing
✓Automatic bank import integration

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Basic Payroll

$17/mo (+ $4/worker)

Best for: $17/mo + $4/worker

✓Free direct deposit or printable checks
✓Free employee portal access
✓Unlimited payroll runs
✓Pay contractors directly in payroll
✓Free health benefit and workers' comp integration
✓Robust payroll reports

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Full Service Payroll

$37/mo (+ $4/worker)

Best for: $37/mo + $5/worker

✓Federal, state, and local tax filings and deposits
✓Year-end payroll tax filings (W-2 and W-3)
✓Tax filing accuracy and reliability guarantee
✓Free direct deposit or printable checks
✓Free employee portal access
✓Unlimited payroll runs

Start Plan →

Pricing Analysis

Overview

Patriot Software offers 4 pricing tiers covering both accounting and payroll. Accounting: Basic at $20/mo (invoicing, bank imports, reporting) and Premium at $30/mo (adds estimates, recurring invoices, user permissions). Payroll: Basic at $17/mo + $4/worker (direct deposit, unlimited payrolls, auto payroll) and Full Service at $37/mo + $5/worker (includes federal, state, and local tax filings). Current promo: 30 days free + 50% off for 3 months. At $17/mo Patriot undercuts the $33/mo category average by 48%. For comparison, FreshBooks starts at $23/mo and Zoho Books at $20/mo.

Cost Per User

Accounting Basic$20/mo

Flat rate: cost doesn't scale with team size

Accounting Premium$30/mo

Flat rate: cost doesn't scale with team size

Basic Payroll$17/mo (+ $4/worker)

Flat rate: cost doesn't scale with team size

Full Service Payroll$37/mo (+ $4/worker)

Flat rate: cost doesn't scale with team size

Which Plan Is Right for You?

Accounting Basic$20/mo

$20/mo covers unlimited invoicing, bank imports, expense tracking, and financial reporting. Best for freelancers and sole proprietors who need basic bookkeeping without payroll.

Accounting Premium$30/mo

$30/mo adds estimates, recurring invoices, user-based permissions, receipt management, and subaccounts. Best for small businesses that need to send quotes and manage multiple users.

Basic Payroll$17/mo

$17/mo + $4/worker. Best for businesses that want to handle payroll in-house without outsourcing tax filings. Includes direct deposit, auto payroll, and contractor payments.

Full Service Payroll$37/mo

$37/mo + $5/worker. Best for businesses that want hands-off payroll tax compliance. Covers federal, state, and local filings plus year-end W-2s - no separate accountant needed.

vs. Category Average

Patriot Software$17/mo

Category avg$40/mo

57% below the accounting average

Our Verdict

4.8/5 rated at $17/mo starting price - Patriot Software is the most affordable full-featured payroll solution for US small businesses. Start with Basic Payroll ($17/mo + $4/worker) if you handle payroll in-house. Upgrade to Full Service ($37/mo + $5/worker) if you want automated tax filings. Add Accounting Basic ($20/mo) to consolidate bookkeeping under one platform. Compare with Gusto ($40/mo) before deciding - Gusto has more integrations, Patriot wins on price.

Is Patriot Software Worth the Price?

Strengths

5 points

1Dual-entry accounting and cash-basis reporting in one system
2Full-service payroll includes year-end W-2/W-3 filing
3No per-state fees for multi-state payroll processing
4Free US-based expert support via phone, chat, or email
5Transparent, low-cost pricing with no hidden setup fees

Considerations

5 points

1No mobile app for on-the-go accounting or payroll management
2Limited third-party integrations beyond QuickBooks and Plaid
3Does not support contractor-only payroll (requires at least one W-2 employee)
4Lacks advanced features like inventory tracking or project costing
5No international payroll or multi-currency support

Ideal For

US small businesses with 1-20 employees

Which plan fits you

Accounting Basic — $20/mo covers unlimited invoicing, bank imports, expense tracking, and financial reporting.

Accounting Premium — $30/mo adds estimates, recurring invoices, user-based permissions, receipt management, and subaccounts.

Basic Payroll — $17/mo + $4/worker.

Pricing Takeaway

★ 4.8/5

57% below category avgCategory avg: $40/mo

Beyond the subscription: what to budget for

List price covers the subscription. Total cost of ownership for Patriot Software typically includes additional line items that don't appear on the pricing page.

Implementation

Setup, data migration, initial configuration

Training

Onboarding, certification, admin enablement

Premium Support

SLA upgrades, dedicated CSM, 24/7 access

Required Add-ons

Features gated behind higher tiers or paid extras

Integrations

Third-party connectors, API usage, custom builds

Annual True-Up

Seat overages, usage spikes, contract reconciliation