1 to 5 employees, cost-sensitive, no benefits complexity, willing to accept a less-polished UX: Patriot Full Service. Anything else: Gusto.
Side-by-side
| Feature | Gusto | Patriot Software |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan | Simple | Basic Payroll (no tax filing) |
| Entry monthly base | $49 | $17 |
| Entry per-employee fee | $6 | $4 |
| Full-service plan | Simple ($49 + $6) is full-service | Full Service ($37 + $5) |
| Top tier | Premium ($180 + $22) | No equivalent |
| Multi-state | Plus and above | Supported on Full Service |
| Contractor-only operations | Yes ($35 + $6/contractor; bills only in months paid) | Add-on; less optimized |
| S-Corp owner support | Strong; clean reasonable-comp + W-2 | Functional; less explicitly designed for it |
| ICHRA | Yes via Thatch | Limited; third-party admin required |
| Benefits administration | Native (health, 401k, FSA, HSA) | Available as paid add-ons; less integrated |
| Time tracking | Plus and above (included) | Add-on |
| UX (per independent reviews) | Modern, polished | Functional, less polished |
| Customer support | Phone, email, chat | Phone, email, chat (USA-based, well-rated) |
Real pricing math
All scenarios assume full-service plans (tax filing included).
| Headcount | Recommended plan | Monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 employee (S-Corp single owner) | Gusto Simple vs Patriot Full Service | $55 vs $42 | Patriot saves $13/mo. Decision hinges on S-Corp feature depth. |
| 5 employees, single-state | Gusto Simple vs Patriot Full Service | $79 vs $62 | Patriot saves $17/mo. Worth it if you don't need benefits, ICHRA, or S-Corp depth. |
| 15 employees, single-state | Gusto Simple vs Patriot Full Service | $139 vs $112 | Patriot saves $27/mo. At this size, integration depth matters more than the spread. |
| 25 employees, multi-state | Gusto Plus vs Patriot Full Service | $380 vs $162 | Patriot's $218/mo savings is real, but Gusto Plus has more feature depth. |
Choose Gusto if / Choose Patriot if
Choose Gusto if
- You want benefits administration native (health, 401k, FSA, HSA). Gusto's benefits depth is a key differentiator vs Patriot.
- You're an S-Corp owner-operator and want clean reasonable-comp / W-2 / shareholder-health-insurance mechanics.
- You're contractor-heavy. Gusto's Contractor-Only plan ($35 + $6) is purpose-built.
- You want ICHRA without spreadsheet duct tape. Gusto's Thatch integration handles substantiation automatically.
- Modern UX matters to you. You'll spend ongoing time in this thing; the polish compounds.
Choose Patriot if
- You're 1 to 5 employees, no benefits complexity, cost is the primary lens. Patriot Full Service at $42-$62/mo is the cheapest correct full-service answer.
- You don't need integrated benefits. If you handle benefits separately or don't offer them, Gusto's benefits depth is paying for muscle you won't use.
- Patriot's USA-based support is a known strength in the segment. If you've had bad experiences with offshore support and value that, it factors in.
- Single-state shop with stable headcount, lowest-friction full-service option. Patriot Full Service does the core job well at the lowest price.
I have not personally run Patriot Software. The points above are based on Patriot's published pricing, aggregator reviews, and discussions in r/smallbusiness and r/Bookkeeping.
FAQ
- Is Patriot Software actually full-service like Gusto?
- Patriot's Full Service plan ($37 + $5/employee) handles federal, state, and local tax filings, just like Gusto. The Basic plan ($17 + $4) does not include tax filing; you'd file 941s and state filings manually. Compare Gusto Simple to Patriot Full Service for an apples-to-apples discussion.
- Why is Patriot so much cheaper than Gusto?
- Patriot's product surface is narrower. Gusto bundles benefits administration, deeper HR features, more integrations, and ongoing platform investment that Patriot doesn't try to match. The trade is real: less depth, lower price.
- Does Patriot handle multi-state payroll?
- Yes, on Full Service. Per Patriot's documentation, multi-state is supported without an upgrade penalty (different from Gusto, which forces an upgrade from Simple to Plus for multi-state).
- What about S-Corp owner-operator with Patriot?
- Patriot can run W-2 wages for an S-Corp owner. The configuration is functional. Gusto's S-Corp tooling is more explicit and the shareholder-health-insurance reporting is more integrated.
- Patriot's USA-based phone support seems like a real differentiator. Is it?
- It comes up consistently in user reports as a strength. I can't compare directly because I haven't run Patriot, but the pattern is clear in independent reviews. Patriot is specifically known for it.
- Does the Gusto referral bonus apply if I'm switching from Patriot?
- Yes. New Gusto customers qualify regardless of where they're coming from.
The community
I run r/gustoreferral, a small subreddit for people signing up for Gusto and asking real questions before they commit.
r/gustoreferral community →Affiliate disclosure: I earn a commission if you sign up for Gusto through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. I have not personally run Patriot Software Payroll; the Patriot coverage below is based on Patriot's published documentation, aggregator reviews, and user reports.
Sign up with my Gusto referral
$100 or $200 Visa gift card after your first payroll.
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