Rippling vs Patriot Payroll

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Our analysts compared Rippling vs Patriot Payroll based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Payroll Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Rippling is a cloud-based, unified platform that helps manage employee data, payroll, benefits, devices, apps and more, seamlessly integrating essential HR, IT and financial functions. Designed for small and medium businesses, it lets administrators oversee operations from HR to IT with a single click.

Features include custom reporting and graphs, digital document management, time tracking, workflow approval management and provisioning. It enables users to automate administrative work from onboarding new hires to offboarding.
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Patriot Payroll is a full-service accounting and payroll software that offers a variety of integrative add-ons to users. The system’s core functions assist with core payroll tasks, while the add-on features enable the system to function as a full HR suite. This web-based payroll solution processes the payment, calculates taxes, creates reports, runs time and attendance and manages invoices.
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$8/User, Monthly
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$21 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
Small 
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Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
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Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Powerful Reporting: Provide employee turnover insights for HR, app usage monitoring for IT and compensation trends for finance. The platform facilitates the creation of customized reports and graphs, providing crucial data for informed decision-making. Run powerful prebuilt reports like compensation and payroll journal reports, or create custom reports and graphs using any employee attribute. 
  • Automatic Tax Filing: The system simplifies payroll tax calculations and filing, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local agencies. From W2s and W4s to 1099s and new hire filings, automate all compliance-related tasks, bringing peace of mind to administrative processes. 
  • Go Paperless: Digitize and manage every document, from offer letters to employee handbooks, streamlining processes and reducing reliance on paper.
  • Seamless Integration: Connect with over 500 apps to set up new hires in platforms like Slack, issue corporate cards that integrate directly with the Rippling's Financial Cloud payroll system, control door access with Proxy, and automate manual tasks through the Rippling App Shop. 
  • Unified Employee Database: Get accurate employee data across all modules, eliminating manual entry and minimizing errors in the workforce management process. The system’s advanced Rippling Recruiting ATS integrates seamlessly with their Headcount Planning and Compensation Bands products. 
  • Robust Data Protection: Enhance security by incorporating Cylance for real-time, AI-powered threat detection, safeguarding devices from malware and viruses.
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  • Accuracy: Define tax settings during the setup process. Calculate taxes automatically along with standard payroll processing, eliminating the chance of human error. Get the system tested and audited regularly.
  • User-Friendly: Guide users through the payroll process, making it easy to use. Take advantage of the free trial to see if it’s a good fit. Adopt it quickly to cut down on lost revenue due to training.
  • Easy-to-Customize: Customize payroll settings and choose from a variety of payment methods. Accommodate many types of business and specific payment structures.
  • Scalability: Adjust pricing and other capabilities to meet the needs of businesses of any size. Users can also cancel any month with a penalty. Allow a company room for growth while ensuring it’s not too expensive.
  • Better Security: Use encryption and systems that are bonded and audited to keep data safe. Ensure data integrity.
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  • Onboarding and Offboarding: Onboard employees across departments from anywhere in the world with a single click, setting up payroll, benefits, devices, and apps like Slack and Microsoft 365 within 90 seconds, according to the vendor. When employees are offboarded, the system automatically disables departing employees’ devices. 
  • Payroll: Users need not worry about deductions, paid time off or promotions — the payroll feature is synced with all employee data and HR systems. New hires are set up in payroll and pro-rated automatically. Tools like payrun comparison allow users to compare the current pay run against a previous one, so they can see how variables like promotions and PTO affect employee pay stubs. The module’s global payroll feature expands HR, IT and financial services abroad.
  • Benefits Administration: The system streamlines all a company’s benefits offerings in one place, from healthcare to 401(k)s. Users can choose from preexisting benefits or shop for new benefits, receiving recommendations on the best options. They can also talk with a licensed Rippling advisor or invite their own broker. New hires are automatically invited to review benefit plans and enroll online. 
  • Workflow Management: Automates changes in the chain of approval, empowering managers to define and execute changes quickly and easily. Managers can and make changes, like giving someone a raise, without giving up control.
  • Time Tracking: Managers can set a PTO policy that meets the team's requirements. They can then review and approve vacation requests with a click. Logged hours and paid time off are synced with payroll. 
  • ATS: Rippling Recruiting offers a comprehensive toolset, from candidate assessments and in-platform scheduling to feedback forms and customizable email templates. One-click hiring workflows make it easier to manage onboarding. It also integrates with Rippling Headcount Planning and Compensation Band.
  • Rippling Headcount Planning and Compensation Bands: Achieve visibility and alignment for HR, finance and hiring managers with a single source of data and better access controls.
    • Stakeholders can view actual and projected headcount, and automation saves time during the approval process.
    • Compensation reporting helps track pay trends and prevent over or underpaying. Workflows provide alerts when compa-ratios change and automate the process of enforcing compensation policies.
  • ACA and Cobra Administration: Ensures compliance by automatically delivering ACA notices, and it collects and submits employees’ COBRA payments. It also offers FSA, HSA and commuter benefits on one, pre-tax debit card. 
  • IT and Operations Management: Users can automatically buy, configure, secure and manage company devices — both Apple and Android — with an IT system connected to a single employee record. Administrators gain total visibility into every device across the company. They can remotely track employees’ security status and app usage, make changes, and re-assign devices to new employees. They can also install apps on work computers according to attributes like role and location. 
  • Security: Facilitates app management, controls employee access with single sign-on (SSO), and ensures data security with multi-factor authentication and device encryption features. Managers can disable computers during offboarding, encrypt employees’ hard drives, enable multi-factor authentication, push OS and security updates, and lock and wipe lost or stolen devices. 
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  • Payroll Processing: Use payroll with three steps and local, state and federal taxes. Create invoices, see the payment history, pay bills, print records and add employees. Accept payments from credit cards, make and send out estimates, import bank interactions, reconcile accounts and manage documents and receipts. Manage garnishments, PTO and print W-2s.
  • Invoice Management: Create and store invoices as well as setting up recurring invoices, reminders and more.
  • Tax Calculation: Calculate, file and pay taxes. Use the basic subscription package to assist with tax calculations; however, it can’t help filing or paying taxes.
  • Time-Off Tracking: Track time-off balances and activity through the employee portal.
  • Year-End Reports: Generate printable W-2, 940 and 941 documents. File W-2’s and W-3’s electronic.
  • Time and Attendance: Add-on time and attendance services for an additional fee that will enable the system to assist with clock-in and clock-out functionality and allow users to access time cards electronically.
  • Core HR: Add core HR functions to the payroll solution for an additional fee. This add-on allows users to track employment history, census data and share documents with employees.
  • Accounting: Operate cash-based and or accrual accounting. Help accountants with their tasks.
  • Reporting: Download reports in PDF or CSV format in a year-to-date format. Filter by checks, employee, location or totals. See contributions, deductions, earnings, employer payments, hours and withheld taxes. Understand potential issues with a tax liability report.
  • Multiple Devices: Use the program on a variety of devices, including mobile and tablets.
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Product Ranking

#46

among all
Payroll Software

#17

among all
Payroll Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

80
65
94
45
60
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48
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Security and Compliance
Benefits Management
Native Integrations and Extensibility
Payroll and Tax Management
Time and Attendance Management
Payroll and Tax Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Rippling
Patriot Payroll
+ Add Product + Add Product
Benefits Management Dashboard And Reporting Expense Management Mobile Capabilities Payroll And Tax Management Platform Capabilities Security And Compliance Time And Attendance Management 94 60 50 43 85 83 97 85 45 40 48 61 88 65 80 44 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

86%
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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 4543 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 1898 reviews
97%
of users recommend this product

Rippling has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 97% when considering 4543 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

96%
of users recommend this product

Patriot Payroll has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 96% when considering 1898 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

n/a
5.0 (14)
4.9 (1154)
4.8 (358)
4.88 (1615)
4.8 (1513)
4.9 (1354)
n/a
4.4 (420)
4.3 (13)

Awards

Rippling stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Patriot Payroll stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Global Payroll and Benefits: Rippling streamlines international payroll and benefits administration, eliminating the need for disparate systems and manual processes.
Automated Onboarding and Offboarding: New hires can be onboarded efficiently with automated workflows that handle paperwork, equipment provisioning, and systems access. Similarly, offboarding processes are streamlined, ensuring smooth transitions and compliance.
Customizable Workflows: Rippling allows HR teams to create custom workflows tailored to their specific needs, automating tasks such as approvals, data collection, and notifications.
Integrations: Rippling integrates seamlessly with various HR and business applications, including payroll, benefits, time and attendance, and applicant tracking systems, creating a unified HR ecosystem.
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Excellent Customer Service: Over 90% of users that discussed the support loved the customer service.
Useful Features: Users said the system had good functionality in over 90% of comments that discussed it.
Simple UI: More than 80% of reviewers who talked about the navigation said the solution was easy to use.
Affordable: Commenters felt the price was appropriate in over 80% of the comments that mentioned it.
Fluid Implementation: Over 80% of reviewers that discussed setup felt the implementation process was smooth.
Tax Forms: Users found the tax forms easy to find and fill out in more than 80% of comments that discussed it.
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Steep Learning Curve: The platform's complexity can be overwhelming for new users, especially those unfamiliar with HR software. Navigating the interface and understanding its features may require significant time investment and training.
Customer Support Challenges: Some users have reported difficulties reaching customer support or experiencing slow response times, leading to frustration when seeking assistance with technical issues or general inquiries.
Integrations and Customization Limitations: While Rippling offers various integrations, it may not seamlessly connect with all existing HR systems or third-party tools used by businesses, potentially requiring additional configuration or workarounds.
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Long Lead Time Direct Deposit Issues: Over 70% of users who talked about direct deposit complained about the long lead time.
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Navigating the realm of human resources software can feel like venturing into a labyrinth, but Rippling appears to be a guiding light for many businesses. Users frequently highlight its user-friendly interface, making it accessible even for those with limited experience in HR software. Affordability is another key factor that resonates with users, especially when compared to the often hefty price tags of similar solutions. The comprehensive suite of features offered by Rippling further solidifies its appeal, encompassing everything from payroll and benefits administration to talent management and time tracking. This all-in-one approach eliminates the need for multiple, disparate systems, streamlining HR processes and reducing administrative burdens. Rippling distinguishes itself through its seamless integrations with third-party applications, such as Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Office 365. This interconnectedness fosters a more cohesive and efficient work environment, allowing data to flow effortlessly between different platforms. Additionally, Rippling's automation capabilities empower businesses to automate repetitive tasks, such as onboarding new employees or processing payroll, freeing up valuable time and resources. The platform's robust reporting and analytics tools provide valuable insights into workforce trends and performance, enabling data-driven decision-making. Considering its strengths and weaknesses, Rippling emerges as an ideal solution for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a comprehensive, yet affordable and user-friendly HR platform. Its scalability ensures that it can grow alongside a business, adapting to evolving needs and complexities. While larger enterprises with more intricate HR requirements might require a more customizable solution, Rippling's core functionalities and ease of use make it a compelling choice for businesses looking to optimize their HR operations and enhance overall efficiency.

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Patriot Payroll is a straightforward payroll app with some HR core functionality mixed in. Users like its ease of use and felt the support was responsive, understood the problem well and gave them enough resources. The features were well-reviewed, especially the insurance forms and tax filing abilities, making it administratively advantageous. The users loved the implementation process, which they said went smoothly, guided by the knowledgeable support team. Overall, reviewers felt it was within an appropriate price range for its functionality. On the downside, users didn’t like that the direct deposit required four days of lead time for regular ACH funding. This software may be a good option for small businesses looking to bring their payroll online.

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