OnPayPowerful people tech, backed by real experts
vs
Patriot SoftwareAffordable and easy-to-use online accounting and payroll software for small businesses
Comparison · Payroll · weekly run Nov 3
OnPay vs Patriot Software
Which one do AI engines recommend, and how do they differ on price, fit and features?
The short answer
OnPay is the stronger AI pick in Payroll: it has a visibility score of 22.2 versus 19.3 for Patriot Software, and ranks ahead in 84% of the answers that name both.
Choose OnPay if…
- You want the brand AI engines rank higher (22.2 vs 19.3)
- You want a lower entry price ($15 vs $17)
- Per seat pricing suits your budget better than flat tiers
- Transparent flat-fee pricing
Choose Patriot Software if…
- AI answers describe it more positively (65% vs 54% positive)
- You need SOC 2 Type II coverage
- Flat tiers pricing suits your budget better than per seat
- Low-cost, budget-friendly payroll for small businesses
AI visibility side by side
Latest weekly run · Nov 3
| Metric | OnPay | Patriot Software |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 22.2% | 19.3% |
| Change vs last week | New | New |
| Rank in Payroll | #5 | #6 |
| Share of voice | 5.9% | 6.3% |
| Mentions this run | 27 | 28 |
| Positive in AI answers | 54% | 65% |
The stronger value in each row is marked with a ✓.
Visibility score trend
Weekly runs over the last 60 days
OnPay 0pp · Patriot Software 0pp over 0 weekly runs.
Engine by engine
OnPay leads on 1 of 3 engines
ChatGPT
AI Mode
Perplexity
OnPayPatriot Software
Head to head in AI answers
19 engine answers name both brands
16OnPay ranked higher
3Patriot Software ranked higher
| Prompt | Engine | OnPay | Patriot Software |
|---|---|---|---|
| What are the best payroll tools in 2026? | Perplexity | #5 | #14 |
| Best payroll platform for startups | ChatGPT | #5 | #6 |
| Best payroll platform for startups | AI Mode | #6 | #7 |
| Compare the leading payroll platforms | Perplexity | #2 | #8 |
| Alternatives to the most popular payroll platform | ChatGPT | #5 | #7 |
| Alternatives to the most popular payroll platform | AI Mode | #5 | #6 |
| Alternatives to the most popular payroll platform | Perplexity | #4 | #9 |
| Most affordable payroll platform that is still reliable | ChatGPT | #4 | #1 |
| Most affordable payroll platform that is still reliable | AI Mode | #2 | #1 |
| Which payroll platform offers a free trial? | ChatGPT | #1 | #2 |
| Which payroll platform offers a free trial? | AI Mode | #1 | #2 |
| Which payroll platform offers a free trial? | Perplexity | #3 | #4 |
Features, pricing & fit
| Dimension | OnPay | Patriot Software |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per seat | Flat tiers |
| Entry price | $15 per seat / mo | $17 / mo |
| Free plan | No | No · 30-day trial |
| Onboarding fee | Included | — |
| Deployment | Cloud-based | Cloud-based, 100% online software accessed from any internet-connected device without downloads |
| Compliance | — | SOC 2 Type II |
| Support | Phone, Chat, Email, Live HR support | Free USA-based phone, email and chat support, 9a.m. to 7p.m. ET, Monday to Friday |
| Founded | — | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Atlanta, GA, USA | Canton, Ohio |
| Employees | 51–200 | 51–200 |
| Funding | Series B | Series A (undisclosed, led by RZC Investments) |
| Best for | Small businesses, and accounting firms that run payroll for their clients | US small businesses with up to 500 employees, and the accountants and bookkeepers who serve them |
Plans side by side
OnPay
Payroll Essentials$49per month plus $6 per worker
HR$15per month plus $2 per worker
HR + Time Tracking$21per month plus $4 per worker
Bundled HR$71per month plus $1 per worker
Bundled HR + Time Tracking$81per month plus $4 per worker
Time Tracking$15per month plus $4 per worker
Patriot Software
Accounting Basic$20month
Accounting Premium$30month
Basic Payroll$17month plus $4 per worker paid
Full Service Payroll$37month plus $5 per worker paid
Pros and cons
Themes from the AI answers that mention each brand
OnPay
- Transparent flat-fee pricing
- Free trial with full access
- Unlimited pay runs
- Simple, easy starting point for small businesses
- Good value and budget-friendly
Patriot Software
- Low-cost, budget-friendly payroll for small businesses
- Straightforward, no-frills service
- Free trial available
- US-based customer support
- Clear published pricing
- Limited advanced HR features
- No standard annual-billing discount
Data collected ·ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode·coverage 100%·next run
Cite as: SlateIndex, “OnPay vs Patriot Software”, https://slateindex.ai/compare/onpay-vs-patriot-software, data of Nov 3, 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0.