# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for payroll software (small businesses) on 2026-09-12

## In short

On 2026-09-12, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best payroll software for small businesses". It named 13 brands, in this order: Gusto, you're, OnPay, Patriot, ADP, ADP RUN.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best payroll software for small businesses |
| Asked on | 2026-09-12 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 13 |
| Sources cited | 7 |
| Audience | small businesses |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-12 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/payroll-software-small-businesses-2026-09-12
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-09-12 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> Here's who I'd actually point you to, roughly in the order I'd consider them:
> 
> **1. Gusto** - My default recommendation for most small businesses. Full-service payroll with automatic federal/state/local tax filing, unlimited payroll runs, contractor payments, and genuinely good onboarding/benefits administration built in. The interface is the friendliest of the bunch, which matters when you're the one running payroll at 9pm. Starts around $49/mo + $6/employee. It's the pick if you want one tool to handle payroll *and* the HR paperwork around it.
> 
> **2. OnPay** - The best value if you want everything in one flat price. Single plan, no tiers, no upsells: payroll, tax filing, HR tools, multi-state, all included at roughly $40/mo + $6/employee. Especially strong if you have employees in more than one state or you're in a niche vertical (it handles farm/agricultural payroll, nonprofits, restaurants with tip credits better than most). Support has a strong reputation.
> 
> **3. Patriot Software** - The cheapest credible full-service option, around $17/mo + $4/employee for basic payroll, ~$37+/mo for full service with tax filing. If you have a handful of employees in a single state and don't ne

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

| Position | Brand | How it was named |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gusto | recommended |
| 2 | you're | mentioned |
| 3 | OnPay | mentioned |
| 4 | Patriot | mentioned |
| 5 | ADP | mentioned |
| 6 | ADP RUN | mentioned |
| 7 | Paychex Flex | mentioned |
| 8 | QuickBooks | mentioned |
| 9 | QuickBooks Online | mentioned |
| 10 | Online | mentioned |
| 11 | Square | mentioned |
| 12 | Square POS | mentioned |
| 13 | Patriot Payroll | compared |

## Sources the engine cited

- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/best-payroll-services/ (other)
- https://www.techradar.com/uk/in/best/best-payroll-software (review)
- https://www.business.org/finance/accounting/patriot-vs-gusto-payroll/ (other)
- https://onpay.com/insights/best-small-business-payroll-software-picks/ (vendor)
- https://gusto.com/product/solutions/size/small-business (vendor)
- https://www.patriotsoftware.com/payroll/best-payroll-software-for-small-businesses/ (other)
- https://www.adp.com/resources/articles-and-insights/articles/t/the-best-payroll-software-providers-for-small-businesses.aspx (vendor)

The question page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/payroll-software/small-businesses

Answer Watch records what one AI answer engine said on one date, nothing more. Each page names the engine and the model, carries the date the question was asked, and lists the brands that appeared in the answer in the order the engine gave them, with the sources it cited. It is a measurement, not a ranking, not a recommendation and not a claim about the world. Brands that did not appear in an answer are not named on any public page. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.