Patriot Payroll vs Payroll4Free

Patriot Payroll8.5Visit Payroll4Free7.8Visit

Higher score Patriot Payroll #3 in Nonprofit Payroll Software 8.5/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 5 of 5 features Try Patriot Payroll

vs

Payroll4Free #5 in Nonprofit Payroll Software 7.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Payroll4Free

• Patriot Payroll fits best

  Budget-conscious nonprofits

• Payroll4Free fits best

  Very small nonprofits seeking free payroll

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Side by side

Feature	Patriot Payroll 8.5/10 Visit ↗	Payroll4Free 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.5	7.8
Ranking	#3 in Nonprofit Payroll Software	#5 in Nonprofit Payroll Software
Best for	Budget-conscious nonprofits	Very small nonprofits seeking free payroll
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$17/mo	$15/mo (best)
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	30 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Desktop, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web
Support	Email, Live chat, Phone, Docs	Email, Phone, Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market	Small business, Solo
Features Patriot Payroll 5/5 · Payroll4Free 4/5
Tax filing included	✓	✓
Nonprofit tax support	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Multi-state payroll	✓	✓
Contractor payments	✓	✓
Time tracking	✓	✓
Specs
Employee limit	Not checked yet	9 employees
Our review
Pros	$17 monthly Basic Payroll plan with unlimited payrolls Nonprofit FUTA and SUTA exemption settings Contractor payments, portals, and multi-state payroll support	Free payroll processing for up to nine individuals monthly Supports W-2 employees and 1099 contractors Includes PTO tracking, employee portals, and reporting
Cons	Basic Payroll leaves tax remittance to the employer Full Service Payroll costs $37 per month Time and attendance is an optional feature	Tax deposits and filings require a paid service Direct-deposit services carry additional fees Free service is limited to nine or fewer payees
Our verdict	Patriot Payroll is online payroll software for U.S. businesses, nonprofits, charities, and foundations. It handles payroll calculations, direct deposit, printable checks, automatic payroll, multiple pay rates, payroll reports, and… Read the review →	Payroll4Free is online payroll and human-resources software for small organizations, including nonprofits that pay W-2 employees, 1099 contractors, or both. Its core feature set covers payroll processing, federal, state, and local tax… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Patriot Payroll — where it wins

  • $17 monthly Basic Payroll plan with unlimited payrolls
  • Nonprofit FUTA and SUTA exemption settings
  • Contractor payments, portals, and multi-state payroll support

  Where it doesn't

  • Basic Payroll leaves tax remittance to the employer
  • Full Service Payroll costs $37 per month
  • Time and attendance is an optional feature

• Payroll4Free — where it wins

  • Free payroll processing for up to nine individuals monthly
  • Supports W-2 employees and 1099 contractors
  • Includes PTO tracking, employee portals, and reporting

  Where it doesn't

  • Tax deposits and filings require a paid service
  • Direct-deposit services carry additional fees
  • Free service is limited to nine or fewer payees

• Patriot Payroll8.5/10 · 30-day trial

  Affordable nonprofit payroll with exemption settings, contractor payments, and optional tax filing.

  Try Patriot PayrollFull verdict →
• Payroll4Free7.8/10 · Free plan

  A practical free payroll option for nonprofits with nine or fewer payees.

  Visit Payroll4FreeFull verdict →