{"question": "best payroll software for small businesses", "category": "payroll-software", "category_name": "payroll software", "audience": "small-businesses", "audience_name": "small businesses", "engine": "Claude (Anthropic) with web search", "model": "claude-opus-5", "asked_at": "2026-10-10T22:29:03Z", "permalink": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/payroll-software-small-businesses-2026-10-10", "question_page": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/payroll-software/small-businesses", "brands_named": [{"position": 1, "brand": "Gusto", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 2, "brand": "OnPay", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 3, "brand": "Patriot", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 4, "brand": "QuickBooks", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 5, "brand": "QuickBooks Online", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 6, "brand": "Rippling", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 7, "brand": "Deel", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 8, "brand": "Homebase", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 9, "brand": "Paycom", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 10, "brand": "Patriot Payroll", "label": "mentioned"}], "sources_cited": [{"url": "https://www.techradar.com/uk/in/best/best-payroll-software", "domain": "techradar.com", "source_type": "review"}, {"url": "https://dupple.com/learn/best-payroll-software", "domain": "dupple.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.techrepublic.com/article/rippling-vs-gusto/", "domain": "techrepublic.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.g2.com/compare/onpay-vs-patriot-payroll", "domain": "g2.com", "source_type": "review"}, {"url": "https://gusto.com/product/compare/features/best-payroll-small-business", "domain": "gusto.com", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://www.patriotsoftware.com/payroll/best-payroll-software-for-small-businesses/", "domain": "patriotsoftware.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.joinhomebase.com/blog/best-payroll-software", "domain": "joinhomebase.com", "source_type": "other"}], "answer_text": "# Best payroll software for small businesses\n\n**1. Gusto** - My default recommendation for most US small businesses. Full-service payroll (it files federal, state, and local taxes automatically), plus benefits administration, onboarding, and contractor payments in the same system. Pricing is transparent at ~$49/mo + $6/employee. The interface is genuinely easy enough that a non-accountant owner can run payroll without dread.\n\n**2. OnPay** - The better pick if you want clean full-service payroll without paying for HR features you won't use. Same ballpark price (~$49/mo + $6/worker), but the base price is flat across all 50 states and it handles unusual cases well - restaurants with tipped wages, farms (Form 943), churches, nonprofits. Consistently rated as highly as Gusto on support.\n\n**3. Patriot Software** - The budget choice. Full Service plan runs ~$37/mo + $5/employee and still files your taxes for you, which makes it the cheapest option that doesn't leave tax filing on your desk. Trade-off: it's US-only and the HR/benefits side is thin. Good for a simple 1-10 person US team watching every dollar.\n\n**4. QuickBooks Payroll** - Only if you already run QuickBooks Online. The accou", "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"}}