CharlieHR vs Patriot Software Pricing (2026)

How do these two stack up on price? Here's what each one costs, what you get, and where the value sits.

CharlieHR Patriot Software
Starts at $5/mo $17/mo
Number of plans 1 4
Free plan
Free trial
Pricing model flat-rate hybrid

Charlie

$5/mo
  • Onboarding
  • Time off
  • Performance reviews
  • Employee engagement
  • Perks & benefits
  • Docs & employee data

Accounting Basic

$20/mo
  • Unlimited customers & invoices
  • Unlimited vendors, contractors, & payments
  • Automatic bank imports
  • Income & expense tracking
  • Accept credit card payments
  • Robust financial reporting
  • Account reconciliation

Accounting Premium

Popular
$30/mo
  • Create & send estimates
  • Users-based permissions
  • Recurring invoices
  • Send invoice payment reminders
  • Manage receipts & documents
  • Add subaccounts

Basic Payroll

$17/mo
  • Free direct deposit
  • Free employee portal
  • Unlimited payrolls
  • Auto payroll
  • Pay contractors in payroll
  • Free health benefit integration
  • Robust payroll reports

Full Service Payroll

$37/mo
  • Federal tax filings & deposits
  • State tax filings & deposits
  • Local tax filings & deposits
  • Year-end payroll tax filings at no additional fee
  • Tax filing reliability guaranteed

CharlieHR vs Patriot Software FAQ

Which one is cheaper?
CharlieHR starts lower at $5/mo, compared to $17/mo for Patriot Software.
Can I use either one for free?
Neither has a free plan. But CharlieHR and Patriot Software offer a free trial.
How do they charge?
Different approach here. CharlieHR uses flat-rate pricing, while Patriot Software goes with hybrid. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.
Which one is a better deal?
Depends on what you need. CharlieHR: At £20/month for up to 4 people (post-promo), Charlie is positioning as an affordable HR foundation for UK SMBs — cheaper than Rippling or BambooHR at small scale, but the promo is doing a lot of heavy lifting to make that first impression land. They're clearly going after the 'first proper HR tool' buyer, not teams already running sophisticated people ops. Patriot Software: Patriot undercuts Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll pretty aggressively on base price, positioning itself as the budget-friendly option for small businesses that don't need bells and whistles. They're going after price-sensitive micro-businesses and solopreneurs who find competitors' per-employee fees add up too fast.

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