{"question": "best payroll software for freelancers", "category": "payroll-software", "category_name": "payroll software", "audience": "freelancers", "audience_name": "freelancers", "engine": "Claude (Anthropic) with web search", "model": "claude-opus-5", "asked_at": "2026-10-21T00:42:02Z", "permalink": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/payroll-software-freelancers-2026-10-21", "question_page": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/payroll-software/freelancers", "brands_named": [{"position": 1, "brand": "Gusto", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 2, "brand": "OnPay", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 3, "brand": "Patriot", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 4, "brand": "Patriot Payroll", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 5, "brand": "QuickBooks", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 6, "brand": "Square", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 7, "brand": "Square Payroll", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 8, "brand": "Deel", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 9, "brand": "Wise", "label": "mentioned"}], "sources_cited": [{"url": "https://www.selfemployed.com/affordable-payroll-software-2026/", "domain": "selfemployed.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://work-club.com/best-payroll-apps-freelancers-2026/", "domain": "work-club.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://gusto.com/resources/best-contractor-payroll-software", "domain": "gusto.com", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://wise.com/us/blog/batchtransfer-payroll-software-1099-contractors", "domain": "wise.com", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://relayfi.com/blog/best-1099-software-small-businesses-guide", "domain": "relayfi.com", "source_type": "other"}], "answer_text": "Quick framing first, because it changes the answer: if you're a sole proprietor or single-member LLC, **you don't need payroll at all** - you pay yourself with owner's draws and handle quarterly estimated taxes. Payroll software only becomes relevant if you've elected S-corp status (so you must pay yourself a W-2 salary), or if you're paying other freelancers/subcontractors. Here's who I'd use in each case.\n\n## If you're an S-corp paying yourself a salary\n\n1. **Gusto** - my default recommendation. Clean interface, files your 941/940/W-2 automatically, handles the owner-salary case well, and it's the one most accountants and bookkeepers already know how to work with. ~$49/mo + $6/person.\n2. **OnPay** - best value if you want one flat price with nothing feature-gated. $40/mo + $6/person, all tax filings included, no upsell tiers. Slightly plainer than Gusto but genuinely full-service.\n3. **Patriot Payroll** - the budget pick at $17/mo basic, $37/mo with tax filing. Unlimited pay runs. Less polished, but for a single-employee S-corp running the same salary every month, polish barely matters.\n4. **QuickBooks Payroll** - only if you already live in QuickBooks for bookkeeping. The integr", "answer_truncated": true, "measurement": "One answer from one engine on one date. Not a ranking and not a claim about the world; brands the engine did not name are not recorded.", "limitation": "Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.", "alerts": {"name": "Answer Watch Pro", "price_usd": 79, "period": "month", "gets": "daily change alerts for up to 5 brands in what one AI answer engine says, history, CSV export. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included", "url": "https://bikoosh.com/answers"}}