Comparison
Payroll Software vs. Accountant-Run Payroll
Gusto, ADP, Paychex, OnPay, Patriot, and Rippling all do the mechanical job well, as do the PEO options such as Justworks and TriNet: they calculate the run, move the money, file the federal and state returns, and produce W-2s and 1099s. Pricing across the category is a monthly base plus a per-employee-per-month charge, with PEOs priced differently again; check each vendor's own pricing page for a current figure, since tiers change (checked 2026-08-04). If your question is which platform to pick, we cover that separately in ADP vs. Gusto and Gusto vs. Rippling.
The platform is rarely where payroll goes wrong. It goes wrong in the setup and the exceptions: an S-corp owner whose reasonable compensation was never set, a state you started withholding in without registering there, a benefit coded pre-tax that should not have been, an agency notice sitting unopened. Rubric Financial runs payroll inside the same engagement that closes the books and prepares the returns, on your platform and in your account, so the setup is deliberate and someone owns the exceptions. The software is still Gusto or ADP. What changes is who is accountable when the notice arrives.
At a glance
| Attribute | Rubric Financial | Payroll Software |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Payroll run and reviewed inside your accounting and tax engagement | A self-serve platform that you operate |
| Platform | We work in Gusto, ADP, and the other major platforms; the account stays yours | The vendor's own platform |
| S-corp reasonable compensation | Set, documented, and revisited alongside the tax position it supports | Mechanically supported; choosing the amount remains your decision |
| Multi-state registration | State registrations, withholding, and unemployment accounts handled for you | Guided workflows, with the owner completing most state registrations; some vendors offer registration as a paid add-on |
| Agency notices | We read them, respond, and reconcile the account afterwards | Vendor support handles notices arising from filings they made |
| Reconciliation to the books | Payroll ties to the general ledger every month as part of the close | Syncs to your accounting system; reconciling it is still someone's job |
| Contractor classification | Reviewed as a tax position, not just as a payment type | Pays contractors and issues 1099s as directed |
| Service scope | Payroll, plus bookkeeping, accounting, business and personal tax, FP&A, fractional CFO, business valuation | Payroll, tax filings, and in most cases benefits administration |
| Pricing model | Included in the engagement fee, or scoped separately if payroll is all you need | Monthly base plus per-employee-per-month; PEOs price per employee or as a percentage of payroll (see each vendor's pricing page; checked 2026-08-04) |
| Best for | Owners with an S-corp, multiple states, or a mixed W-2 and contractor workforce | Simple, stable, single-state payrolls with someone in-house to own them |
Who each is best for
Run it yourself if
- You have a handful of W-2 employees in one state and no owner-compensation question to settle
- Your setup is already correct and stable, and you are comfortable answering agency notices yourself
- You have an office manager or bookkeeper who owns the payroll calendar and does it reliably
- You want the lowest cost and are willing to own the compliance work that comes with it
- Your entity is a sole proprietorship or single-member LLC with no owner payroll at all
- You have already decided the question is payroll software vs full-service payroll from the same vendor
Have your accountant run it if
- You are an S-corp and reasonable compensation needs to be set, documented, and revisited as profit changes
- You have employees in more than one state and need multi-state payroll registration, withholding, and unemployment accounts done properly
- A federal or state payroll notice has arrived and you are not sure who is supposed to answer it
- You want payroll, the books, and the tax return prepared by one firm so that all three agree
- You mix W-2 employees and 1099 contractors and want the classification decided deliberately, not by default
- You onboard, terminate, or change benefits often enough that setup errors are a matter of time
Keep reading
1099-NEC
IRS form used to report payments to non-employee contractors and freelancers.
GlossaryW-2
IRS form reporting wages, tips, and tax withholding for employees.
GlossarySchedule K-1
IRS form reporting a partner's, S-corp shareholder's, or trust beneficiary's share of income, deductions, and credits.
GlossaryPassthrough Entity
A business entity that doesn't pay federal income tax; income passes through to the owners.
GuideS-corp vs. LLC for Small Business Owners
When the S-corp election actually saves money for an LLC owner, and when it costs more in headaches than it pays in taxes.
GuideK-1 Income: What It Is and How to File It
If you're a partner, S-corp shareholder, or LLC member, you'll get a K-1. Here's how to read it and where each number lands on your 1040.
Want to talk it through?
We're happy to tell you honestly if Rubric Financial is the wrong fit for your business. If we're the right fit, we'll scope a plan tailored to your needs with a fixed monthly fee.
We'll tell you honestly if we're the right fit.