Founder-owned Utah PEO serving small and mid-size employers in all 50 states
Stratus HR is a PEO that quotes companies of 5 to 500+ employees (sweet spot: 20 to 150), most often Utah and Mountain West SMBs (10 to 250 employees). Founder-owned Utah PEO with 25+ years of local employment-law depth, a dedicated-consultant service model and a published 99% client retention rate. Neither IRS CPEO certified nor ESAC accredited, so the federal tax-liability shift and third-party financial assurance that larger peers carry are absent.
Our take
Stratus HR is a credible regional pick for Utah and Mountain West employers who want an HR partner they can reach by name instead of a national call center. Their local employment-law depth is real, they will quote industries that the startup-focused PEOs turn away, and the retention numbers they publish suggest clients stay. The tradeoff is credentials: without CPEO certification or ESAC accreditation, buyers do not get the federal sole-liability tax shift or the independent financial assurance that peers of similar size carry, and we flag that explicitly for any CFO who asks. We also push for a benefits comparison against a larger master plan before recommending them to multi-state buyers.
Read our full Stratus HR review: our score, how it prices, where it is strong, what to check before signing, and who should choose it.
• Utah and Mountain West SMBs (10 to 250 employees)
• Employers wanting a named HR consultant rather than a ticket queue
• Mixed blue- and white-collar workforces
• Companies replacing a payroll-only vendor with bundled HR
• Buyers who require IRS CPEO certification
• Buyers who require ESAC accreditation
• Tech-first companies wanting a Rippling-style platform
• Companies needing international hiring
Compare Stratus HR against other PEOs
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Get a free comparison →📅 Schedule a callRead: Stratus HR alternatives comparedAnswers come from Stratus HR’s profile in our directory, verified September 2026.
Stratus HR fits: Utah and Mountain West SMBs (10 to 250 employees), Employers wanting a named HR consultant rather than a ticket queue, Mixed blue- and white-collar workforces and Companies replacing a payroll-only vendor with bundled HR. Its published company-size range is 5 to 500+ employees (sweet spot: 20 to 150), and it writes Construction, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Professional Services and Retail. Founder-owned Utah PEO with 25+ years of local employment-law depth, a dedicated-consultant service model and a published 99% client retention rate.
Stratus HR is not the right fit for: Buyers who require IRS CPEO certification, Buyers who require ESAC accreditation, Tech-first companies wanting a Rippling-style platform and Companies needing international hiring. Neither IRS CPEO certified nor ESAC accredited, so the federal tax-liability shift and third-party financial assurance that larger peers carry are absent.
Stratus HR does not publish rates. Pricing model: Per-employee-per-month, quoted per client, 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. Stratus HR 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 Stratus HR are Helpside, Avitus Group and G&A Partners. The right alternative depends on why you are looking. The usual reason: Neither IRS CPEO certified nor ESAC accredited, so the federal tax-liability shift and third-party financial assurance that larger peers carry are absent. A free side-by-side puts Stratus HR next to the PEOs that fit your headcount, states and industry.