{"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": "2026-10-18T00:11:04Z", "permalink": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/payroll-software-small-businesses-2026-10-18", "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": "QuickBooks", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 4, "brand": "QuickBooks Online", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 5, "brand": "Patriot", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 6, "brand": "ADP RUN", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 7, "brand": "Paychex", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 8, "brand": "Paychex Flex", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 9, "brand": "Homebase", "label": "mentioned"}], "sources_cited": [{"url": "https://gusto.com/product/pricing", "domain": "gusto.com", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing/", "domain": "quickbooks.intuit.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/software/best/payroll", "domain": "nerdwallet.com", "source_type": "review"}, {"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"}, {"url": "https://peoplemanagingpeople.com/tools/gusto-vs-adp-run/", "domain": "peoplemanagingpeople.com", "source_type": "other"}], "answer_text": "# Best payroll software for small businesses\n\nHere's who I'd actually name, roughly in order:\n\n**1. Gusto** - my default recommendation for most US small businesses (say 1-50 employees). Full-service payroll with automatic federal/state/local tax filing, clean interface your bookkeeper won't fight you on, unlimited payroll runs, and solid benefits/health insurance brokerage built in. $49/mo + $6/person on the Simple plan; Plus ($80 + $12) adds time tracking and multi-state payroll. Month-to-month, no contract. It's the one with the fewest regrets.\n\n**2. OnPay** - the best value if you don't need the HR bells and whistles. One flat price (~$49/mo + $6/person) with *everything* included: multi-state payroll, unlimited runs, all tax filings, benefits - no tier gating or module upsells. Especially good for restaurants, farms (it handles Form 943), nonprofits, and anyone employing across several states.\n\n**3. QuickBooks Payroll** - the obvious pick *only if* you already run QuickBooks Online for your books. The integration is genuinely seamless, which saves real reconciliation work. Core is $50/mo + $6.50/employee. Caveat: Core doesn't handle local tax filings, so check your city/county", "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"}}