Patriot Payroll
Patriot Payroll is an easy-to-use cloud-based software designed to help American small business owners run payroll accurately in minutes with guaranteed calculations and optional full-service tax filing support.
Wave
Wave is a comprehensive business management platform providing small business owners with integrated tools for professional invoicing, automated bookkeeping, and secure payment processing to streamline their financial workflows.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Patriot Payroll | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Website | patriotsoftware.com | wavecnct.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $17/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 30 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✘ No product demo |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2002 | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Canton, USA | Toronto, Canada |
Overview
Patriot Payroll
Patriot Payroll provides a straightforward way for you to manage your company's payroll without needing an accounting degree. You can choose between a basic plan where you handle your own tax deposits or a full-service option where the platform manages all federal, state, and local tax filings for you. The interface is designed for speed, allowing you to finish a standard payroll run in just three simple steps.
You can easily manage employee direct deposits, print checks, and handle various pay types like commissions and bonuses. The software also includes a free employee portal where your team can view their pay stubs and tax forms independently. It is built specifically for U.S. small businesses with 1 to 500 employees who need a reliable, no-frills solution that keeps them compliant with tax laws.
Wave
Wave provides you with a suite of financial tools designed specifically for freelancers, consultants, and small business owners. You can stop manual data entry by connecting your bank accounts to automatically track income and expenses. The platform allows you to create professional, customized invoices that reflect your brand and help you get paid faster through integrated credit card and bank payment options.
You can manage your entire back office from a single dashboard, switching between multiple businesses without extra costs. The software handles the heavy lifting of bookkeeping by automatically categorizing transactions and generating essential financial reports like profit and loss statements. It scales with your needs, offering optional paid add-ons for payroll processing and personalized bookkeeping support while keeping the core accounting features free.
Overview
Patriot Payroll Features
- Three-Step Payroll Run your entire payroll in just minutes by entering hours, reviewing the totals, and clicking submit.
- Full-Service Tax Filing Let the experts handle your federal, state, and local payroll tax filings and deposits with a 100% accuracy guarantee.
- Employee Self-Service Give your team 24/7 access to their own pay stubs, W-2s, and time-off balances through a secure online portal.
- Flexible Payment Options Choose between free direct deposit or printing your own paper checks at no additional cost to your business.
- Time and Attendance Sync Connect your payroll directly to integrated time tracking to eliminate manual data entry and reduce human errors.
- Multiple Pay Rates Manage different pay rates and types for various roles or departments within your company from a single dashboard.
Wave Features
- Unlimited Invoicing. Create and send professional, customized invoices to as many clients as you need without any monthly limits.
- Automated Bookkeeping. Connect your bank accounts to automatically sync transactions and categorize your business expenses in real-time.
- Online Payments. Accept credit cards and bank transfers directly through your invoices to get your funds deposited faster.
- Receipt Scanning. Snap photos of your receipts with the mobile app to automatically record expenses and stay tax-ready.
- Financial Reporting. Generate instant reports like Profit & Loss and Balance Sheets to understand your business health at a glance.
- Multi-Business Support. Manage multiple separate businesses or side hustles from a single account login without paying extra fees.
Pricing Comparison
Patriot Payroll Pricing
- Setup wizard and free support
- Guaranteed accurate calculations
- Free direct deposit
- Print checks on your own
- Employee self-service portal
- Unlimited payroll runs
- Everything in Basic, plus:
- Federal tax filings and deposits
- State tax filings and deposits
- Local tax filings and deposits
- Year-end W-2 and W-3 processing
- Tax filing accuracy guarantee
Wave Pricing
- Unlimited invoicing and estimates
- Unlimited accounting and tracking
- Unlimited bank connections
- Credit card and bank payments
- Standard email support
- Everything in Starter, plus:
- Automated receipt transcription
- Unlimited user collaborators
- Automated late payment reminders
- Live chat and phone support
- Discounted payment transaction rates
Pros & Cons
Patriot Payroll
Pros
- Extremely intuitive interface that requires no training
- Highly responsive and knowledgeable US-based support
- Very affordable pricing compared to major competitors
- Quick and painless initial setup process
- Reliable and accurate tax calculations every time
Cons
- Limited advanced HR features for larger corporations
- No native mobile app for employers
- Integration options are fewer than enterprise platforms
Wave
Pros
- Core accounting and invoicing features are completely free
- User-friendly interface is easy for non-accountants to navigate
- Seamless integration between invoicing and the general ledger
- Mobile app allows for easy on-the-go expense tracking
Cons
- Customer support is limited for free tier users
- Lacks advanced inventory management for product-based businesses
- Bank connection sync issues occasionally require manual fixes