Square Payroll, OnPay and Patriot Software all publish their prices, all file payroll taxes for you on their full-service plans, and all aim at very small businesses. That makes them easy to put side by side. This post reviews Patriot payroll against its two closest rivals on price: it compares what each one costs for one to five employees, what the base price leaves out and which kind of business each one fits. Every figure comes from the company's own page on the date shown.
We haven't run payroll on this product. Everything here comes from the company's own public pages, read on 8 October 2026, and prices change: check the live page before you sign up.
The three plans side by side
| Square Payroll | OnPay | Patriot Full Service | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly base fee | $35 | $49 | $37 |
| Per person each month | $6 per person paid | $6 per person paid | $5 per worker paid |
| Tax filings and payments | Federal and state, included | All 50 states, included | Included for one state; each extra state $12 a month |
| Unlimited pay runs | Yes | Yes | Per-worker fee charged once a month, not per run |
| Year-end forms by mail | Optional, $3 per mailed W-2 or 1099 | Optional, $10 per form; self-print free | Not stated in the article we read |
| Cheaper plan without filings | Contractor-only, $6 per person paid | None listed | Basic Payroll, $17 + $4 per worker |
Checked October 8, 2026. Square from squareup.com/us/en/payroll/pricing. OnPay and Patriot block automated reads of their main pricing pages, so their figures come from each company's own help-center pricing article (sources below). Prices before sales tax, which OnPay says applies in many states.
All three charge per person only for people you actually pay in the month. OnPay's help center adds one catch: an employee included in a pay run counts even if they're paid $0, so untick anyone who isn't being paid this period.
What does each cost for 1 to 5 employees?
At list prices, Square is $1 cheaper than Patriot Full Service for one employee, they tie at two, and Patriot is cheaper from three employees on, because its per-worker fee is $1 lower. OnPay costs $14 more than Square at every size.
| Employees paid | Square Payroll | Patriot Full Service | OnPay | Patriot Basic (no filings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $41 | $42 | $55 | $21 |
| 2 | $47 | $47 | $61 | $25 |
| 3 | $53 | $52 | $67 | $29 |
| 4 | $59 | $57 | $73 | $33 |
| 5 | $65 | $62 | $79 | $37 |
Over a year with three employees, that is $636 on Square, $624 on Patriot Full Service and $804 on OnPay. If you pay people in a second state, Patriot adds $12 a month for it and the gap closes: with three employees in two states Patriot comes to $64 a month against Square's $53 and OnPay's $67.
Square Payroll: cheapest at one employee, built for shift work
Square's full-service plan files federal and state payroll taxes, pays by direct deposit, check or Cash App, and includes multistate payroll, off-cycle payments and multiple pay rates at the one price. Its page lists timecard import, scheduling, direct-tip tracking, overtime calculations and labor-cost reporting, which is why it shows up so often in restaurants, cafes and shops already using Square for payments.
The contractor-only plan, at $6 a month per person paid, calculates and pays contractors but doesn't file federal and state payroll taxes, so it suits a business with no W-2 employees. Mailed paper W-2s and 1099s are an opt-in $3 per form; digital delivery is included.
OnPay: one price, every state included
OnPay keeps it to one plan: $49 a month plus $6 per person, with tax filings and payments in all 50 states, unlimited pay runs and corrections, and pay by direct deposit, debit card or checks you print. Its help center says it never charges for multi-state filings, off-cycle runs or cancelled runs, and offers no student or other discounts.
Year-end forms are free if you or your workers download and print them. OnPay will print and mail them for $10 a form. The higher base fee buys simplicity more than extra features at this size: it makes most sense if you have, or expect, staff in more than one state.
Patriot: cheapest from three employees, with a do-it-yourself tier
Patriot Software sells two payroll plans. Full Service is $37 a month plus $5 per worker paid, and its help center says the base fee includes filing in one state, with $12 a month for each additional state. Basic Payroll is $17 a month plus $4 per worker. The article doesn't describe what Basic leaves out, so check Patriot's own plan page for who files and deposits the taxes before you pick it.
Add-ons are priced separately: Time & Attendance at $6 a month plus $2 per employee using a time card, HR software at $6 a month plus $2 per employee paid, and HR Experts and Training at $45 a month. In a month with no payroll run you pay only the base fees.
Which one should a small business pick?
- One or two employees in one state, already taking card payments with Square: Square Payroll, at $41 or $47 a month.
- Three to five employees in one state, and price is the deciding factor: Patriot Full Service is a few dollars a month cheaper.
- Staff in two or more states, now or soon: OnPay, because extra states cost nothing more.
- Contractors only, no W-2 employees: Square's contractor-only plan, at $6 per person paid.
- One steady employee and an accountant who already files your returns: a lower-cost route may be enough, covered in our post on the cheapest payroll for one employee.
Whichever you choose, full-service payroll handles the deposits and the quarterly Form 941 and annual Form 940 that IRS Publication 15 (2026) requires of employers. That filing work is most of what you pay for.
Where PayDocs fits
PayDocs isn't payroll software and doesn't replace any of these three if you want filings done for you. It makes pay stubs, W-2 employee copies and 1099 recipient copies from your own figures, for employers who run payroll themselves or need a clear stub for a period. PayDocs works out federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and supported state taxes for 2026 pay dates (see what we calculate), and every line stays editable.
Previewing is free. A PDF is $4.99 per pay stub once checkout opens, less per document in packs of 4 or 12, with no monthly fee. PayDocs doesn't pay employees, deposit taxes or file any return.
This is general information about federal rules for employers, not tax or legal advice. State and local rules can add to it.
Questions
What does each cost for 1 to 5 employees?
At list prices on 8 October 2026, for one employee: Square $41, Patriot Full Service $42 and OnPay $55 a month. For five: Square $65, Patriot $62 and OnPay $79, before add-ons and sales tax.
Is Patriot Payroll cheaper than Square?
From three employees, yes, by $1 a month per extra employee. Patriot Full Service is $37 plus $5 per worker against Square's $35 plus $6. At one employee Square is $1 cheaper, and at two they cost the same.
Does OnPay charge extra for more than one state?
No. OnPay's help center says its price includes tax filings and payments in all 50 states and that it never charges extra for multiple states. Patriot Full Service charges $12 a month for each state after the first.
Which payroll is best for a restaurant with tipped staff?
Square Payroll lists direct-tip tracking, timecard import, overtime calculations and labor-cost reporting on its full-service plan, which suits a business already taking payments on Square. Check how any provider records cash tips and the tip credit before you choose.
Sources
- Square: Payroll pricing (checked 8 October 2026)
- OnPay help center: OnPay pricing (checked 8 October 2026)
- Patriot Software help center: monthly cost of payroll services (checked 8 October 2026)
- IRS: Publication 15 (2026), Employer's Tax Guide
Sources checked October 8, 2026. This article explains how pay documents work; it is not tax or legal advice.
