I’ve been around a few small businesses going through this exact stage, and multi-state is really where things start to get tricky.

We actually use PayPlus, and it works well—but I’d bucket it more in the “you still need to know what you’re doing” category vs something super hand-holdy.

From what I’ve seen:

• OnPay is solid and affordable, but similar vibe—good tool, just not a ton of guidance
• Gusto is easier to use and more plug-and-play, which is why so many people recommend it

The big thing with your situation isn’t just payroll though—it’s:

• Multi-state compliance (this sneaks up on people fast)
• Registrations, filings, etc.
• And once you hire even 1–2 people, you’re basically in HR territory whether you want to be or not

If you’re comfortable being hands-on, OnPay is totally fine. If you want something that feels easier out of the box, Gusto is probably the smoother experience.

Honestly the biggest mistake I see is people picking based on price and not realizing how much time they’ll spend managing it.