- Payroll add-on: Patriot HR requires Patriot Payroll and cannot be used as a standalone HR system.
- Employee records: Track employee status, position history, managers, notes and files beside payroll data.
- HR Center: Build a handbook and use compliance alerts, policy templates, document resources and HR assessments.
- Training management: Upload internal materials and assign, schedule and track employee training.
- Separate extras: HR Experts & Training and Time & Attendance are separate from the base HR add-on.
Patriot HR
Optional employee-records and HR compliance add-on for Patriot Payroll.
Updated August 11, 2026
Patriot HR Overview
Patriot HR is an optional add-on to Patriot’s online payroll software for small US businesses. It keeps employee records, reporting lines, documents and HR reports beside the payroll data a company already manages in Patriot.
The HR Center adds handbook tools, policy templates, compliance updates and training management. Businesses can also add access to HR advisers and ready-made training courses. Patriot HR cannot be used on its own, and time tracking remains a separate add-on rather than part of the HR module.
Key Features
Pricing
| Product | Regular price | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Payroll | $17/month + $4/worker paid | Required payroll base option. The business handles payroll tax filings and deposits. |
| Full Service Payroll | $37/month + $5/worker paid | Required payroll base option with Patriot handling federal, state and local payroll tax filings and deposits. |
| HR Software add-on | $6/month + $2/employee | Employee records, HR Center resources and training management |
| Time & Attendance add-on | $6/month + $2/employee | Separate time-card and attendance product that sends approved hours to payroll |
Free trial: 30 days. Patriot’s separate 50% introductory discount is time-limited, so the table uses regular prices for longer-term budgeting.
Pricing source: Patriot Software pricing page
Pros
| Competitor | Where this tool may fit better |
|---|---|
| Gusto | If Gusto is on the shortlist, Patriot separates payroll base fees, worker charges and HR add-ons in a way that is easy to model. A cost-conscious employer can choose only the payroll and HR pieces it needs. There is no need to begin with a broad package. |
| QuickBooks Payroll | Next to QuickBooks Payroll, the distinction between Basic Payroll, Full Service Payroll and optional HR or time tools makes responsibilities visible before purchase. Buyers can decide whether tax filing or HR functions justify the additional charge. |
| Paychex | Patriot is narrower than Paychex and publishes its standard small-business prices. That can be easier to evaluate than a service-heavy package when the company mainly needs payroll plus a modest HR add-on. |
| Rippling | Alongside Rippling, a small employer that does not need IT provisioning or a large automation platform may appreciate Patriot’s limited scope. The product keeps attention on payroll, tax filing and practical HR tools. |
Cons
| Competitor | Where the rival may have the edge |
|---|---|
| Gusto | Gusto may be easier to assess when payroll and benefits need to sit in one small-business package. Patriot’s base-plus-worker structure requires headcount math, and benefits are not the center of the offer. Employers seeking a broad payroll-and-benefits experience should compare the full annual bill and service scope. |
| QuickBooks Payroll | QuickBooks Payroll may be safer here. HR and time tools are separate add-ons, not one inclusive tier. A company already operating in the QuickBooks ecosystem should count data flow and administrative convenience alongside Patriot’s published rates. |
| Paychex | If Paychex is the alternative, Patriot does not aim to match a large provider’s benefits, retirement and advisory catalog. As compliance or service needs grow, the simplicity that helps a small employer can become a limit. |
| Rippling | Patriot lacks Rippling’s broad HR and IT automation, device work and integration story. Growing companies should decide whether they are buying for today’s payroll needs or a future workforce operating system. |
Reviews
- Patriot Software reviews on Trustpilot (4.7/5 from 3,435 reviews): Recent verified reviewers praise easy setup, clear navigation, responsive support and simple payroll processing. One recent reviewer noted missing automatic check stubs and no printed employer copy of a pay stub.
This is a rating of the wider Patriot payroll and accounting platform. It does not isolate the optional Patriot HR module, so buyers should not read the score as an HR-add-on-only verdict.
