{"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": "2026-10-13T23:21:23Z", "permalink": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/payroll-software-small-businesses-2026-10-13", "question_page": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/payroll-software/small-businesses", "brands_named": [{"position": 1, "brand": "Homebase", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 2, "brand": "Gusto", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 3, "brand": "OnPay", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 4, "brand": "QuickBooks", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 5, "brand": "QuickBooks Online", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 6, "brand": "Square", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 7, "brand": "Square Payroll", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 8, "brand": "Square POS", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 9, "brand": "ADP", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 10, "brand": "ADP RUN", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 11, "brand": "ADP Workforce Now", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 12, "brand": "Rippling", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 13, "brand": "Deel", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 14, "brand": "Remote", "label": "mentioned"}], "sources_cited": [{"url": "https://www.joinhomebase.com/blog/best-payroll-software", "domain": "joinhomebase.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"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://peoplemanagingpeople.com/tools/gusto-vs-adp-run/", "domain": "peoplemanagingpeople.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://costbench.com/best/payroll-for-small-business/", "domain": "costbench.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.techradar.com/uk/in/best/best-payroll-software", "domain": "techradar.com", "source_type": "review"}], "answer_text": "Here's how I'd rank them, with the caveat that a lot of what surfaces on this query is vendor-authored (\"best payroll software\" pages written by Homebase and Gusto that happen to rank themselves first), so treat the ordering below as my read rather than theirs.\n\n**1. Gusto** - ~$49/mo + $6/employee (Simple tier). My default recommendation for most small businesses under ~25 employees. Full-service payroll with automatic federal/state/local tax filing, benefits and 401(k) administration built in, published pricing, and month-to-month billing with no termination fee. The onboarding is genuinely self-serve, which matters when you don't have an HR person.\n\n**2. OnPay** - ~$49/mo + $6/employee, one flat tier. The pick if you want full-service payroll without feature gating or upsells. Everything (multi-state, benefits, HR tools) is in the base price, and it handles unusual cases well - agriculture (Form 943), churches/clergy, restaurants with tip credits.\n\n**3. QuickBooks Payroll** - ~$50/mo + $6.50/employee. Worth it specifically if you already run QuickBooks Online. The payroll-to-books sync removes real reconciliation work. If you don't use QuickBooks, there's no reason to start here", "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"}}