Family-owned Intermountain West PEO for small businesses; formerly A Plus Benefits, rebranded in 2017
Helpside is a PEO that quotes companies of 20 to 150 employees (sweet spot: 25 to 100), most often Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Wyoming small businesses. Regional Intermountain West PEO with offices in Utah, Arizona, Idaho and the Kansas City metro, serving 800-plus small business clients with local named service teams. Neither IRS CPEO certified nor ESAC accredited, which is a credential gap worth flagging for finance-led or audit-sensitive buyers.
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.
Read our full Helpside review: our score, how it prices, where it is strong, what to check before signing, and who should choose it.
• 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
• Buyers who require IRS CPEO status
• Buyers who require ESAC accreditation
• Tech-first employers wanting a modern self-service platform
Compare Helpside against other PEOs
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Get a free comparison →📅 Schedule a callRead: Helpside alternatives comparedAnswers come from Helpside’s profile in our directory, verified September 2026.
Helpside fits: Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Wyoming small businesses, Employers wanting a named local service team, Companies with 20 to 150 employees and First-time PEO buyers in the Intermountain West. Its published company-size range is 20 to 150 employees (sweet spot: 25 to 100), and it writes Construction, Healthcare, Legal, Senior Living and Professional Services. Regional Intermountain West PEO with offices in Utah, Arizona, Idaho and the Kansas City metro, serving 800-plus small business clients with local named service teams.
Helpside is not the right fit for: Buyers who require IRS CPEO status, Buyers who require ESAC accreditation and Tech-first employers wanting a modern self-service platform. Neither IRS CPEO certified nor ESAC accredited, which is a credential gap worth flagging for finance-led or audit-sensitive buyers.
Helpside does not publish rates. Pricing model: Quote-only, typically PEPM or percentage of payroll, quoted per client from your census, state mix and workers comp class codes. Contract terms: Annual agreements typical; confirm notice and exit terms in the CSA.
No. Helpside is not on the IRS certified PEO (CPEO) list and is not ESAC accredited. Without CPEO status, joining mid-year can restart FICA and FUTA wage bases unless the PEO qualifies as a successor employer, so ask how they handle it.
The providers most often compared with Helpside are Stratus HR, Avitus Group and Nextep. The right alternative depends on why you are looking. The usual reason: Neither IRS CPEO certified nor ESAC accredited, which is a credential gap worth flagging for finance-led or audit-sensitive buyers. A free side-by-side puts Helpside next to the PEOs that fit your headcount, states and industry.