Patriot Payroll vs Workday Comparison: Reviews, Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2026

Detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right solution for your team

Updated Apr 2026 8 min read

Patriot Payroll

0.0 (0 reviews)

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.

Starting at $17/mo
Free Trial 30 days
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Workday

0.0 (0 reviews)

Workday is a unified cloud platform that manages your global workforce, financial operations, and planning processes through a single AI-driven system to streamline enterprise resource management and organizational growth.

Starting at --
Free Trial NO FREE TRIAL

Quick Comparison

Feature Patriot Payroll Workday
Website patriotsoftware.com workday.com
Pricing Model Subscription Custom
Starting Price $17/month Custom Pricing
FREE Trial ✓ 30 days free trial ✘ No free trial
Free Plan ✘ No free plan ✘ No free plan
Product Demo ✓ Request demo here ✓ Request demo here
Deployment saas cloud mobile
Integrations QuickBooks Online QuickBooks Desktop Patriot Accounting Patriot Time & Attendance Patriot HR Vestwell 401(k) Advisors Workers Comp Salesforce Slack Microsoft Teams Adobe Sign DocuSign ServiceNow Kronos ADP Microsoft 365 Google Workspace
Target Users small-business mid-market mid-market enterprise
Target Industries
Customer Count 0 0
Founded Year 2002 2005
Headquarters Canton, USA Pleasanton, USA

Overview

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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.

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Workday

Workday provides a unified cloud environment where you can manage your people, finances, and operational data in one place. Instead of toggling between disconnected systems, you get a single source of truth for everything from payroll and benefits to procurement and financial reporting. You can automate manual accounting tasks, track employee performance, and manage global compliance requirements through an intuitive interface designed for modern teams.

The platform is built specifically for mid-market and enterprise organizations that need to scale complex operations. You can use its built-in AI to surface talent insights, predict financial trends, and simplify repetitive administrative workflows. Because it operates on a single version of software, you always have access to the latest features and security updates without the headache of manual upgrades.

Overview

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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.
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Workday Features

  • Human Capital Management. Manage the entire employee lifecycle from recruitment to retirement while tracking skills, performance, and global compensation in one place.
  • Financial Management. Streamline your core accounting processes, manage global spend, and gain real-time visibility into your financial health with automated reporting.
  • Adaptive Planning. Create flexible budgets and forecasts using real-time data so you can pivot your business strategy quickly when market conditions change.
  • Payroll and Cloud Connect. Process payroll accurately across multiple countries and integrate with external providers while maintaining a single record for every employee.
  • Talent Optimization. Identify skill gaps within your team and use AI-driven recommendations to match employees with new internal opportunities and growth paths.
  • Spend Management. Control your organization's indirect spend and streamline procurement workflows with automated invoice processing and strategic sourcing tools.

Pricing Comparison

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Patriot Payroll Pricing

Basic Payroll
$17
  • Setup wizard and free support
  • Guaranteed accurate calculations
  • Free direct deposit
  • Print checks on your own
  • Employee self-service portal
  • Unlimited payroll runs
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Workday Pricing

Pros & Cons

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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
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Workday

Pros

  • Unified data source eliminates the need for multiple third-party integrations
  • Highly customizable reporting allows you to drill down into specific metrics
  • Regular automated updates ensure you always use the most current version
  • Excellent mobile app provides full functionality for managers on the go

Cons

  • Significant time investment required for initial implementation and setup
  • Steep learning curve for administrators managing complex backend configurations
  • Search functionality can be difficult to navigate for casual users
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