Prices checked 2026-10-19
Patriot Payroll vs Gusto: the cheapest full-service option compared
Patriot has the lower list price; Gusto has more in its plans. Here is what each costs for a crew of 1 to 20 at the regular price, with Patriot’s intro offer and its do-it-yourself tax plan shown separately.
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The short answer
- Cheapest plan that files your payroll taxes: Patriot Payroll Full Service Payroll ($37/mo + $5/person) vs Gusto Simple ($49/mo + $6/person).
- By crew size, at regular prices: 1 to 50 people: Patriot Payroll costs less.
- For 5 people: Patriot Payroll $62/mo vs Gusto $79/mo ($744 vs $948 a year).
- Where those two plans differ, from each vendor’s pages: Multi-state: Patriot Payroll Yes, Gusto No; Workers' comp: Patriot Payroll Yes, Gusto Add-on; Next-day deposit: Patriot Payroll Not stated, Gusto Add-on.
Price comparisons use regular monthly list prices on each vendor’s cheapest plan that files and deposits payroll taxes. Features differ by plan; check the table below.
Cheapest full-service plan, by crew size
Each side’s lowest-cost plan that files payroll taxes at that crew size: base fee + per-person fee × crew. Year = monthly × 12.
| Crew | Patriot Payroll | Gusto | Difference per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $42/moFull Service Payroll · $504/yr | $55/moSimple · $660/yr | Patriot Payroll $13 less |
| 2 people | $47/moFull Service Payroll · $564/yr | $61/moSimple · $732/yr | Patriot Payroll $14 less |
| 3 people | $52/moFull Service Payroll · $624/yr | $67/moSimple · $804/yr | Patriot Payroll $15 less |
| 5 people | $62/moFull Service Payroll · $744/yr | $79/moSimple · $948/yr | Patriot Payroll $17 less |
| 8 people | $77/moFull Service Payroll · $924/yr | $97/moSimple · $1,164/yr | Patriot Payroll $20 less |
| 10 people | $87/moFull Service Payroll · $1,044/yr | $109/moSimple · $1,308/yr | Patriot Payroll $22 less |
| 15 people | $112/moFull Service Payroll · $1,344/yr | $139/moSimple · $1,668/yr | Patriot Payroll $27 less |
| 20 people | $137/moFull Service Payroll · $1,644/yr | $169/moSimple · $2,028/yr | Patriot Payroll $32 less |
Every plan, priced for 1, 5 and 10 people
Regular monthly price. Intro offers are listed separately. Bundles with accounting or HR software are on the vendor pages.
| Plan | Regular price | Intro offer | 1 person | 5 people | 10 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriot Payroll Basic Payroll Doesn’t file taxesDoes NOT file or deposit payroll taxes ("File and deposit your own payroll taxes"); pays workers in all states at no extra cost | $17/mo + $4/person | $8.50/mo + $2/person for 3 months | $21/mo | $37/mo | $57/mo |
| Patriot Payroll Full Service PayrollFiles and deposits federal, state and local payroll taxes plus year-end filings; first state included, +$12/month per additional filing state | $37/mo + $5/person | $18.50/mo + $2.50/person for 3 months | $42/mo | $62/mo | $87/mo |
| Gusto Simple | $49/mo + $6/person | — | $55/mo | $79/mo | $109/mo |
| Gusto PlusNext-Day pay included | $80/mo + $12/person | — | $92/mo | $140/mo | $200/mo |
| Gusto PremiumNext-Day pay and Business Compliance included | $180/mo + $22/person | — | $202/mo | $290/mo | $400/mo |
Year one with the intro offer
Regular price × 12, and below it the year if you take the intro price for its months and then pay the regular price. Free-trial months are not counted.
| Plan | 1 person, year one | 5 people, year one | 10 people, year one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patriot Payroll Full Service Payroll | $504with intro $441 | $744with intro $651 | $1,044with intro $914 |
Patriot Basic looks cheaper, but you file the taxes
Patriot Basic Payroll is $17/mo + $4/person, but it doesn’t file or deposit payroll taxes (Patriot: “File and deposit your own payroll taxes”). That is a different job from full-service payroll, so it’s hidden from the tables above unless you tick the box, and never ranked.
Patriot also sells accounting software, which it says integrates free with Patriot Payroll: Patriot Accounting pricing.
Features on each plan
From each vendor’s own pages. “Not stated” means we couldn’t find it either way, not that the feature is missing. Certified payroll isn’t listed: neither vendor states it on the pages we checked.
| Feature | Patriot Payroll Basic Payroll | Patriot Payroll Full Service Payroll | Gusto Simple | Gusto Plus | Gusto Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Files and deposits payroll taxes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pays 1099 contractors | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Job costing | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |
| Multi-state | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Time tracking | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Yes | Yes |
| Workers' comp | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on |
| Next-day deposit | Not stated | Not stated | Add-on | Yes | Yes |
| Year-end W-2 / 1099 filing | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What each vendor says (14)
- Patriot Payroll, files and deposits payroll taxes: Basic: "File and deposit your own payroll taxes" and "Self-file taxes". Full Service: "We'll file and deposit federal / state / local payroll taxes."
- Patriot Payroll, year-end w-2 / 1099 filing: Full Service: "We'll file year-end payroll tax filings (no additional fees)" and "Year-end forms (e.g., W-2s) filed at no extra charge". Basic has "Optional 1099 e-Filing" with nominal fees; otherwise the employer files.
- Patriot Payroll, multi-state: Both plans: "Pay employees in all 50 states plus D.C., included free with Basic and Full Service Payroll". Full Service tax filing covers the first state; each additional state is $12/month.
- Patriot Payroll, time tracking: "Time and Attendance integration" is an optional add-on (see addons).
- Patriot Payroll, workers' comp: "free workers' comp integration" with ERGO NEXT. Pay-as-you-go premiums are calculated and paid each payroll.
- Patriot Payroll, next-day deposit: Free 4-day and 2-day (for qualifying customers) direct deposit. The vendor page does not list next-day.
- Patriot Payroll, pays 1099 contractors: "Pay 1099 independent contractors with direct deposit or by check."
- Gusto, multi-state: Simple: "Run basic payroll in one state". Plus: "Multi-state payroll". Premium includes everything in Plus.
- Gusto, time tracking: Plus lists "Time tracking and scheduling". On Simple, Time & Attendance Plus is an add-on: free trial, then $6/mo per person.
- Gusto, next-day deposit: Next-Day pay is an add-on on Simple ($15/mo + $3/mo per person). Plus: "Unlimited next day pay". Premium: "Unlimited same day + instant pay". Same-day ($90 per payroll) and Instant ($100 per payroll) are add-ons on Simple and Plus.
- Gusto, job costing: Premium lists "Project based rules and costing". Simple and Plus do not list job costing (Time & Attendance Plus mentions project tracking only).
- Gusto, workers' comp: "Set up pay-as-you-go workers' comp plans that integrate with your payroll." Starting at $14/mo, through partner NEXT Insurance.
- Gusto, year-end w-2 / 1099 filing: FAQ: "We file federal, state, and local payroll tax forms ... (things like Form W-2, Form 1099, Form 940, Form 941...)"
- Gusto, pays 1099 contractors: US contractors are billed at the plan's per-person rate only in months they are paid. Global contractor payments are an add-on.
Who gets counted, trials and fees
| Patriot Payroll | Gusto | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is billed per person | Per worker PAID during the month; billed in arrears | Per active person per month on top of base; US contractors billed at the per-person rate only in months they are paid |
| Free trial or offer | 30 days free + 50% off for 3 months | Not stated on pricing page |
| Pay runs and optional fees | Regular pay runs: no per-run fee published; Off-cycle runs: no extra charge | Regular pay runs: no per-run fee published; Off-cycle runs: no extra charge; Same-day pay: $90 per payroll (included in Premium); Instant pay: $100 per payroll (included in Premium); Global contractor payment: $5 per payment to US-based bank accounts |
Optional fees are shown as notes, not added to the totals: you pay them only if you use them.
Patriot Payroll price history
List-price changes first seen on Patriot Payroll’s own pricing page in archived snapshots.
| First seen at the new price | Plan | Price | Old → new | Change | Effective date (announced) | Sources | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-26old price last seen 2024-10-12 | Patriot Payroll Full Service Payroll | Per employee per month | $4 → $5 | ▲ +$1 (+25%) | Not announced | After · Before | Base prices unchanged ($17 Basic, $37 Full Service). Basic stayed $4. The 2024-11-26 FAQ still says "$4 per worker" while the plan card shows $5: the card is used. $5 confirmed on the 2025-01-12 card and FAQ. |
Every change we track: payroll price tracker.
Gusto price history
List-price changes first seen on Gusto’s own pricing page in archived snapshots.
| First seen at the new price | Plan | Price | Old → new | Change | Effective date (announced) | Sources | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-10old price last seen 2025-02-28 | Gusto Simple | Base fee per month | $40 → $49 | ▲ +$9 (+23%) | Not announced | After · Before | — |
| 2024-07-12old price last seen 2024-06-07 | Gusto Premium | Base fee per month | no public price → $180 | New public price | Not announced | After · Before | Premium price published (it had been "Exclusive pricing / Contact us"). |
| 2024-07-12old price last seen 2024-06-07 | Gusto Premium | Per employee per month | no public price → $22 | New public price | Not announced | After · Before | Premium price published (it had been "Exclusive pricing / Contact us"). |
| 2022-08-19old price last seen 2022-07-02 | Gusto Simplethen: Core | Base fee per month | $39 → $40 | ▲ +$1 (+3%) | Not announced | After · Before | Plan restructure: Core became Simple. Per-person fees unchanged (Core/Simple $6; Complete/Plus $12). |
| 2022-08-19old price last seen 2022-07-02 | Gusto Plusthen: Complete | Base fee per month | $39 → $80 | ▲ +$41 (+105%) | Not announced | After · Before | Plan restructure: Complete became Plus. Per-person fees unchanged (Core/Simple $6; Complete/Plus $12). |
| 2022-08-19old price last seen 2022-07-02 | Gusto Premiumthen: Concierge | Base fee per month | $149 → no public price | Price no longer public | Not announced | After · Before | Plan restructure: Concierge became Premium. Per-person fees unchanged (Core/Simple $6; Complete/Plus $12). Premium showed "Exclusive pricing / Contact us for details" (no public price); Concierge had been $149 + $12/person. |
Every change we track: payroll price tracker.
Patriot Payroll pricing · Gusto pricing · Payroll calculator for any crew size · Cheapest payroll for 1, 2 and 5 employees
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