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Independent Review

Helpside Review 2026

Family-owned Intermountain West PEO for small businesses; formerly A Plus Benefits, rebranded in 2017

Founded: 1990·Best for: 20 to 150 employees (sweet spot: 25 to 100)·Quote-only, typically PEPM or percentage of payroll

Our take

Helpside is a credible regional option for small employers in Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Wyoming who want a PEO with people they can actually meet. The service model is genuinely local, the benefits shelf is respectable for a PEO this size, and the 2025 High Road PEO merger deepened their Idaho presence. What we flag every time is the credential stack: they carry NAPEO membership but are neither on the IRS CPEO list nor ESAC accredited, so buyers who need the federal tax-liability shift or bonded financial assurance should look elsewhere. Outside the Intermountain West footprint we usually steer clients to a national PEO instead.

What Helpside does well

  • ✓Deep Utah and Intermountain West roots, with offices in Lindon UT, Phoenix, Meridian ID, Overland Park KS and St. Louis
  • ✓Local named service teams rather than a national call center, which is their stated differentiator
  • ✓Master medical program with six plan options (four PPO, two HDHP) plus dental, vision, supplemental lines and 401(k)
  • ✓Serves more than 800 client companies by its own count, which is real scale for a regional PEO
  • ✓Independent and family-led since founding, so no private equity roll-up churn

Watch-outs and limitations

  • ⚠Not on the IRS CPEO list, so no federal sole-liability tax shift
  • ⚠Not ESAC accredited, so no bonded financial assurance
  • ⚠Footprint is concentrated in the Intermountain West and a handful of expansion metros
  • ⚠No published pricing; everything is quoted per client

✓ Best for

• Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Wyoming small businesses

• Employers wanting a named local service team

• Companies with 20 to 150 employees

• First-time PEO buyers in the Intermountain West

⚠ Not ideal for

• Buyers who require IRS CPEO status

• Buyers who require ESAC accreditation

• Tech-first employers wanting a modern self-service platform

Our ratings

Technology platform3/5
Service quality4/5
Benefits access3/5
Compliance depth3/5

Quick facts

Founded
1990
Pricing model
Quote-only, typically PEPM or percentage of payroll
Typical cost
Quoted per client; not published
Best company size
20 to 150 employees
Contract flexibility
Annual agreements typical; confirm notice and exit terms in the CSA

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