Best Patriot Payroll Alternatives in 2026
The top Patriot Payroll alternatives are PayFWDs, MIP Payroll and Justworks Benefits: 15 nonprofit payroll software our editors would look at instead of Patriot Payroll, in our ranking order.
Patriot Payroll: Affordable nonprofit payroll with exemption settings, contractor payments, and optional tax filing. Where it falls short: basic payroll leaves tax remittance to the employer.
Switching from Patriot Payroll? For most nonprofit payroll software buyers the best Patriot Payroll alternative is PayFWDs, built for nonprofits allocating payroll to grants and programs. On a budget, Payroll4Free starts at $15/mo, against $17/mo for Patriot Payroll. Payroll4Free has a free plan, which Patriot Payroll does not. Payroll4Free offers the most employee limit (9 employees).
Why People Look for a Patriot Payroll Alternative
- Basic Payroll leaves tax remittance to the employer
- Full Service Payroll costs $37 per month
- Time and attendance is an optional feature
- No free plan — 1 of the alternatives below has it
- Paid from $17/mo — Payroll4Free is $15/mo
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallPayFWDs9.2
Nonprofits allocating payroll to grants and programs
Visit PayFWDs - Lowest pricePayroll4Free7.8
Paid plans from $15/mo
Visit Payroll4Free - Best free optionPayroll4Free7.8
Has a free plan (Patriot Payroll has none)
Visit Payroll4Free - Most employee limitPayroll4Free7.8
9 employees
Visit Payroll4Free
All 15 Patriot Payroll Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forNonprofits allocating payroll to grants and programs
- Better than Patriot Payroll:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.5
A nonprofit-focused payroll platform built for grant allocation and multi-state compliance.
- Nonprofit tax support
- Contractor payments
- Multi-state payroll
9.2/10★★★★★Visit PayFWDs -
Best forNonprofits needing fund-accounted payroll
- Better than Patriot Payroll:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 8.5
A strong fit for fund-accounted nonprofit payroll inside MIP Accounting.
- Nonprofit tax support
- Multi-state payroll
- Tax filing included
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit MIP Payroll -
Best forNonprofits prioritizing benefits administration
A benefits-focused payroll and HR platform for nonprofits managing employee coverage.
- Nonprofit tax support
- Contractor payments
- Multi-state payroll
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Justworks -
Best forVery small nonprofits seeking free payroll
- Better than Patriot Payroll:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $15/mo vs $17/mo
A practical free payroll option for nonprofits with nine or fewer payees.
- Contractor payments
- Multi-state payroll
- Tax filing included
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Payroll4Free -
Best forChurches needing straightforward payroll
A focused church payroll add-on with nationwide processing and core tax features.
- Multi-state payroll
- Tax filing included
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit ChurchSoftware -
Best forNonprofits needing accounting plus payroll
A broad nonprofit accounting suite with payroll integration, starting at $25 monthly.
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit CDM+ -
Best forQuickBooks-centered nonprofits
A QuickBooks-focused payroll service with tax filing, direct deposit, and employee self-service.
- Multi-state payroll
- Tax filing included
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit QuickBooks -
Best forNonprofits needing dependable tax payroll
A payroll-focused option for nonprofits that need tax filing across multiple states.
- Multi-state payroll
- Tax filing included
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit OnPay -
Best forSmall nonprofits needing simple payroll
A practical payroll option for small nonprofits that want simple online administration.
- Multi-state payroll
- Tax filing included
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit SurePayroll -
Best forSmall nonprofits wanting broad HR and payroll
A broad payroll and HR platform for small nonprofits without a free plan.
- Time tracking
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Gusto -
Best forTech-oriented nonprofits needing connected HR
A connected HR and payroll platform for nonprofits with technical operations.
- Time tracking
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Rippling -
Best forMid-sized nonprofits needing integrated HCM
A broad HCM platform for nonprofits that need payroll alongside workforce operations.
- Time tracking
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit Paylocity -
Best forGrowing nonprofits needing full HCM coverage
Paycor combines payroll, HR, time, performance and workforce tools in one platform.
- Time tracking
5.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Paycor -
Best forEstablished nonprofits needing mature HCM
A broad HCM platform for established nonprofits that need payroll and workforce management.
- Time tracking
5.8/10★★★☆☆Visit ADP -
Best forNonprofits wanting comprehensive HR automation
A broad HR and payroll suite for nonprofits that want one employee-data system.
- Time tracking
5.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Paycom
Patriot Payroll Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Patriot Payroll?
PayFWDs: #1 in our Nonprofit Payroll Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.2 out of 10. A nonprofit-focused payroll platform built for grant allocation and multi-state compliance.
Is there a free alternative to Patriot Payroll?
Yes. Payroll4Free has a free plan or a free tier.
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Patriot Payroll?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Payroll4Free starts lowest, at $15/mo.
Why do people look for Patriot Payroll alternatives?
Basic Payroll leaves tax remittance to the employer; Full Service Payroll costs $37 per month; Time and attendance is an optional feature.
Which Patriot Payroll alternative has the most employee limit?
Payroll4Free, with 9 employees.
How do I switch from Patriot Payroll?
Export your data from Patriot Payroll (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Patriot Payroll.
How to Switch from Patriot Payroll
- Export your data from Patriot Payroll (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Patriot Payroll.
Patriot Payroll vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Tax filing included | Multi-state payroll | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Patriot Payroll | No | $17/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.5 |
| 1 | PayFWDs | Yes | Yes | 9.2 | ||
| 2 | MIP Payroll | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | ||
| 3 | Justworks Benefits | No | Yes | Yes | 8.0 | |
| 4 | Payroll4Free | Yes | $15/mo | Yes | Yes | 7.8 |
| 5 | ChurchSoftware Payroll | No | $25/mo | Yes | Yes | 7.7 |
| 6 | CDM+ | No | $25/mo | 7.1 | ||
| 7 | QuickBooks Payroll | No | $50/mo | Yes | Yes | 6.9 |
| 8 | OnPay | No | Yes | Yes | 6.8 | |
| 9 | SurePayroll | No | $20/mo | Yes | Yes | 6.6 |
| 10 | Gusto | No | 6.4 | |||
| 11 | Rippling | 6.2 | ||||
| 12 | Paylocity | No | 6.0 | |||
| 13 | Paycor | No | 5.9 | |||
| 14 | ADP Workforce Now | 5.8 | ||||
| 15 | Paycom | No | 5.7 |
Head-to-Head
- Patriot Payroll vs PayFWDs
- Patriot Payroll vs MIP Payroll
- Patriot Payroll vs Justworks Benefits
- Patriot Payroll vs Payroll4Free
- Patriot Payroll vs ChurchSoftware Payroll
- Patriot Payroll vs CDM+
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update