# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for payroll software (small businesses) on 2026-09-26

## In short

On 2026-09-26, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best payroll software for small businesses". It named 6 brands, in this order: Gusto, OnPay, QuickBooks, ADP RUN, Rippling and Airwallex.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best payroll software for small businesses |
| Asked on | 2026-09-26 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 6 |
| Sources cited | 6 |
| Audience | small businesses |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-26 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/payroll-software-small-businesses-2026-09-26
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-09-26 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> Here's what I'd actually recommend, roughly in the order I'd suggest looking at them:
> 
> **1. Gusto - the default pick for most small businesses.** Full-service payroll with automatic federal/state/local tax filing, unlimited payroll runs, employee self-onboarding, and benefits built in. The interface is genuinely pleasant, which matters when you're the one running payroll at 11pm. Pricing is ~$50/mo + $6.50/employee on the base plan after a May 2026 increase, with Plus/Premium tiers adding HR tooling and tax-penalty protection. This is where I'd start unless you have a specific reason not to.
> 
> **2. OnPay - best value if you just want payroll done right.** One flat plan at $49/mo + $6/person, no tier upgrades to unlock multi-state payroll or benefits admin. Nothing is paywalled behind a higher plan, which makes the bill predictable. It's lighter on HR features than Gusto, and accountants tend to like it. Pick this over Gusto if you want simplicity and a lower ceiling on cost.
> 
> **3. QuickBooks Payroll - if you already use QuickBooks.** The integration is the whole argument: payroll entries land in your books without a sync layer to babysit. If you're not already on QuickBooks, it's no

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

| Position | Brand | How it was named |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gusto | recommended |
| 2 | OnPay | recommended |
| 3 | QuickBooks | recommended |
| 4 | ADP RUN | recommended |
| 5 | Rippling | recommended |
| 6 | Airwallex | mentioned |

## Sources the engine cited

- https://gusto.com/resources/guides/best-payroll-small-business (vendor)
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/best-payroll-services/ (other)
- https://www.patriotsoftware.com/payroll/best-payroll-software-for-small-businesses/ (other)
- https://payrollsoftwareguide.com/comparisons/ (other)
- https://gusto.com/product/compare/gusto-vs-rippling (vendor)
- https://www.airwallex.com/en-us/blog/best-payroll-software (vendor)

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

Alerts and membership: Answer Watch Pro, 79 USD per month: https://bikoosh.com/answers. Bikoosh is monitoring assistance, not complete protection.

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.