US Software & Technology Payroll / Accounting - PPC Market Share Analysis August 2026

Leveraging Adthena’s Whole Market View, this analysis explores recent trends in Google Ads for the US Payroll / Accounting category from the last month. Our Data Analyst, Ask Arlo provides commentary on key findings.

Payroll / Accounting – US

Google AI Overview visibility for Software & Technology Payroll / Accounting US

See how often AIOs appear and how search intent is distributed across buying signals.

AIO Frequency

How often a Google AI overview appears on search terms relevant to this category.

Frequency Percentage
Frequency 41.9619752094
58.0380247906
41%

Complex Query Frequency

A complex query is a longer, more detailed search that often contains multiple keywords, specific conditions, or multi-part questions.

Frequency Percentage
Frequency 34
66
34%

Search Intent Distribution

Breakdown of search queries by their underlying goal.

Intent Distribution
Investigational 13%
Transactional 7%
Navigational 15%
Seasonal 0%
Local 0%
Problem Solving 12%

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Market Exposure

Share of Clicks for top 10 US Software & Technology Payroll / Accounting brands

Here are the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Clicks for the last month.

Share of Clicks - Last month
Share of Clicks - Last month
Domain Share of clicks
quickbooks.intuit.com 55.07
turbotax.intuit.com 12.02
paycom.com 7.38
gusto.com 4.64
adp.com 3.87
xero.com 2.43
sage.com 2.22
freshbooks.com 1.13
skynova.com 0.95
surepayroll.com 0.83
others 9.46
  • quickbooks.intuit.com - 55.07%
  • turbotax.intuit.com - 12.02%
  • paycom.com - 7.38%
  • gusto.com - 4.64%
  • adp.com - 3.87%
  • xero.com - 2.43%
  • sage.com - 2.22%
  • freshbooks.com - 1.13%
  • skynova.com - 0.95%
  • surepayroll.com - 0.83%
  • others - 9.46%

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QuickBooks dominates with 55.07% click share, overshadowing TurboTax’s 12.02%. Paycom and Gusto follow, while ‘others’ collectively hold 9.46%.

Market Exposure

Share of Spend for the top 10 US Software & Technology Payroll / Accounting brands

Curious about your market position? Here you can see the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Spend for the last month. 

Share of Spend - Last Month
Share of Spend - Last Month
Date quickbooks.intuit.com sage.com adp.com gusto.com xero.com freshbooks.com paycom.com forbes.com netsuite.com mangopractice.com
2026/08/01 45.34% 9.72% 4.94% 3.91% 7.36% 1.42% 2.08% 1.06% 5.07% 0.9%
2026/08/02 44.68% 9.65% 3.47% 3.31% 5.09% 2.04% 2.08% 1.64% 5.83% 3.12%
2026/08/03 49.93% 13.87% 3.81% 3.19% 4.32% 1.97% 2.19% 1.35% 3.63% 0.82%
2026/08/04 40.2% 10.43% 5.52% 4.24% 7.61% 2.12% 1.54% 2.41% 7.41% 0.21%
2026/08/05 32.47% 8.65% 8.5% 6.71% 10.39% 1.08% 1.49% 2.45% 5.3% 0.5%
2026/08/06 33.52% 9.88% 6.56% 7.02% 6.93% 1.02% 1.75% 3.36% 9.72% 1.16%
2026/08/07 30.22% 8.57% 7.67% 6.13% 12.84% 0.64% 2.43% 1.66% 7.06% 1.58%
2026/08/08 35.21% 7.11% 6.16% 10.45% 5.67% 1.54% 4.99% 5.92% 0.27% 0.49%
2026/08/09 36.48% 7.23% 7.61% 6.12% 5.52% 0.75% 2.89% 1.6% 2.66% 3.8%
2026/08/10 34.74% 8.72% 8.39% 6.84% 2.91% 1.36% 2.14% 1.62% 1.54% 4.15%
2026/08/11 34.73% 14.67% 12.37% 3.4% 5.26% 1.07% 1.58% 1.16% 2.87% 4.84%
2026/08/12 40.74% 12.91% 5.01% 5.36% 7.31% 1.37% 0.96% 2.15% 1.57% 0.97%
2026/08/13 30.97% 19.32% 8.19% 3.61% 7.42% 1.47% 1.95% 1.62% 0.09% 1.62%
2026/08/14 36.31% 15.36% 8.01% 4.58% 4.32% 2.25% 2.09% 2.35% 0.15% 1.76%
2026/08/15 42.13% 17.39% 3.97% 2.76% 5.39% 1.8% 3.09% 2.21% 0.04% 2.81%
2026/08/16 39.13% 14.6% 4.55% 3.12% 6.07% 1.21% 0.45% 2.51% 0.03% 7.63%
2026/08/17 45.23% 16.52% 2.42% 3.94% 5.09% 0.97% 2.99% 0.72% 0.03% 3.03%
2026/08/18 56.35% 7.01% 3.88% 3.94% 1.43% 0.99% 1.14% 0.79% 0.02% 6.18%
2026/08/19 45.44% 19.41% 3.37% 4.94% 2.08% 1.06% 1.93% 2.6% 0.01% 3.65%
2026/08/20 39.49% 15.69% 5.48% 3.73% 5.42% 1.56% 2.8% 2.15% 1.32% 3.29%
2026/08/21 40.92% 16.2% 6.43% 4.87% 3.03% 1.02% 2.18% 1.73% 0.02% 2.59%
2026/08/22 40.11% 16.33% 5.05% 5.43% 4.3% 1.43% 2.15% 2.64% 0% 2.13%
2026/08/23 43.02% 17.14% 4.32% 3.84% 5.5% 2.27% 2.48% 2.27% 0.01% 2.53%
2026/08/24 41.61% 18.81% 4.13% 4.88% 3.6% 2% 2.93% 2.91% 1.08% 1.79%
2026/08/25 46.07% 16.22% 3.99% 4.65% 3.33% 1.79% 2.58% 2.34% 0.22% 0.49%
2026/08/26 47.79% 16.9% 4.82% 4.28% 3.25% 3.05% 2.81% 0.79% 0.01% 0.48%
2026/08/27 43.76% 15.43% 4.81% 5.17% 7.8% 2.16% 2.63% 2.23% 0.02% 1.41%
2026/08/28 44.83% 15.34% 4.68% 5.17% 6.38% 2.14% 2.16% 0.75% 0.01% 1.77%
2026/08/29 45.06% 14.94% 5% 5.53% 5.99% 1.69% 2.3% 2.48% 0.02% 0.01%
2026/08/30 49.61% 9.46% 4.55% 5.9% 4.52% 2.36% 1.86% 1.45% 0.01% 0.44%
2026/08/31 50.83% 11.29% 5.17% 4.07% 4.03% 2.47% 2.44% 0.97% 0.52% 0.05%
  • quickbooks.intuit.com
  • sage.com
  • adp.com
  • gusto.com
  • xero.com
  • freshbooks.com
  • paycom.com
  • forbes.com
  • netsuite.com
  • mangopractice.com

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

QuickBooks led August with fluctuating spend, peaking at 56.35 on the 18th. Sage saw a mid-month surge, while ADP and Gusto maintained steady growth. Xero and FreshBooks had varied trends, ending with moderate shares.

Market Exposure

Competitor Count for US Software & Technology Payroll / Accounting

Ever wondered how many competitors you’re up against in your industry? Well look no further, here we can see the number of advertisers bidding over the last month. 

Competitor Count - Last month
Competitor Count - Last month
Date Competitor Count
2026/08/01 524
2026/08/02 524
2026/08/03 510
2026/08/04 525
2026/08/05 454
2026/08/06 443
2026/08/07 440
2026/08/08 427
2026/08/09 438
2026/08/10 451
2026/08/11 461
2026/08/12 452
2026/08/13 426
2026/08/14 429
2026/08/15 420
2026/08/16 417
2026/08/17 413
2026/08/18 405
2026/08/19 378
2026/08/20 391
2026/08/21 392
2026/08/22 382
2026/08/23 376
2026/08/24 382
2026/08/25 361
2026/08/26 381
2026/08/27 384
2026/08/28 414
2026/08/29 430
2026/08/30 426
2026/08/31 439

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

August began with 524 advertisers, fluctuating throughout the month, reaching a low of 361 on the 25th. The month concluded with 439 advertisers, indicating a decline.

Campaign Efficiency

Market Loss & Market Gains for US Software & Technology Payroll / Accounting

Here we’re looking at the Top 10 biggest industry movers by market share gains and losses for the last 30 days.

Market Loss & Market Gains - Last month
Market Loss & Market Gains - Last month
Name Market Trend
quickbooks.intuit.com 3.93%
paycom.com 1.38%
paycor.com 0.45%
freshbooks.com 0.36%
paychex.com 0.3%
xero.com -0.37%
avalara.com -0.41%
gusto.com -0.47%
turbotax.intuit.com -1.35%
adp.com -3.25%

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QuickBooks surged with a 3.93% click share increase, while ADP faced a 3.25% decline. Paycom and FreshBooks also saw positive growth, contrasting with declines for TurboTax and Gusto.

Campaign Efficiency

US Software & Technology Payroll / Accounting Share of Impressions

Take a look at the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Impressions over the last month.

Date quickbooks.intuit.com xero.com gusto.com freshbooks.com paycom.com turbotax.intuit.com sage.com forbes.com adp.com surepayroll.com
2026/08/01 35.17% 7.33% 4.76% 3.08% 4.24% 3.68% 4.44% 1.27% 5.05% 2.41%
2026/08/02 36.77% 7.08% 4.33% 4.11% 4.27% 2.88% 4.23% 1.57% 2.63% 1.4%
2026/08/03 40.63% 6.99% 4.06% 3.61% 5.04% 3.17% 5.94% 2.57% 1.96% 1.6%
2026/08/04 37.14% 8.88% 5.3% 3.35% 3.35% 1.99% 4.38% 2.68% 4.86% 1.47%
2026/08/05 30.86% 9.46% 7.52% 2.65% 2.52% 5.26% 2.79% 2.73% 6.65% 1.46%
2026/08/06 31.5% 12.7% 8.99% 2.45% 2.96% 6.04% 3.51% 2.06% 2.29% 1.23%
2026/08/07 26.79% 7.09% 8.33% 2.02% 4.31% 5.8% 2.35% 2.65% 8.35% 1.73%
2026/08/08 26.66% 5.5% 15.59% 4.39% 7.85% 5.6% 2.64% 2.73% 2.71% 1.18%
2026/08/09 30.22% 6.89% 9.24% 1.17% 4.98% 9.65% 3.18% 2.05% 4.21% 1.39%
2026/08/10 32.01% 2.89% 8.72% 2.25% 3.56% 3.77% 2.35% 1.16% 7.73% 1.03%
2026/08/11 31.74% 6.7% 2.68% 2.93% 3.49% 6.42% 5.31% 1.05% 12.4% 1.28%
2026/08/12 34.38% 6.26% 7.61% 3.5% 1.84% 7.29% 4.98% 2.48% 1.63% 1.35%
2026/08/13 30.87% 5.52% 4.24% 3.76% 3.41% 7.13% 5.52% 1.05% 8.67% 1.79%
2026/08/14 32.28% 4.3% 6.1% 3.82% 3.6% 7.92% 4.82% 2.28% 7.07% 2.23%
2026/08/15 41.57% 5.51% 3.08% 3.24% 5.87% 6.25% 5.63% 1.68% 1.25% 0.62%
2026/08/16 35.9% 3.26% 4.4% 3.99% 1.01% 7.75% 5.14% 2.06% 3.97% 0.74%
2026/08/17 40.1% 4.96% 7.32% 1.39% 5.98% 5.5% 6.72% 0.98% 0.82% 0.97%
2026/08/18 46.13% 1.79% 4.74% 1.99% 2.46% 8.02% 3.44% 0.93% 1.22% 0.92%
2026/08/19 39.35% 2.52% 8.13% 2.99% 3.95% 10.37% 6.41% 1.71% 1.57% 1.44%
2026/08/20 32.85% 3.58% 6.94% 4.48% 5.25% 8.04% 4.72% 1.42% 3.43% 0.92%
2026/08/21 32.32% 3.04% 6.21% 1.63% 4.06% 6.77% 5.61% 1.6% 6.58% 1.82%
2026/08/22 27.75% 7.7% 11.87% 4.43% 3.03% 3.92% 5.17% 3.96% 3.36% 2.65%
2026/08/23 31.74% 7.34% 8.03% 6.8% 4.41% 3.97% 5.81% 2.36% 2.27% 1.76%
2026/08/24 31.62% 8.08% 9.17% 7.42% 5.1% 4.08% 5.71% 2.64% 2.76% 2.72%
2026/08/25 32.81% 7.91% 10.12% 5.82% 4.18% 4.55% 5.5% 1.78% 2.14% 2.33%
2026/08/26 32.44% 7.33% 9.85% 6.13% 4.74% 4.08% 5.83% 0.99% 3.99% 1.79%
2026/08/27 29.98% 13.13% 11.99% 5.96% 4.47% 4.05% 4.75% 2.31% 2.77% 1.39%
2026/08/28 30.75% 10.4% 9.29% 5.8% 3.7% 3.33% 4.98% 1.43% 4.36% 2.11%
2026/08/29 30.96% 10.74% 9.16% 4.03% 3.95% 3.45% 4.4% 2.49% 4.26% 0.7%
2026/08/30 30.82% 10.23% 10.84% 3.93% 2.95% 3.39% 3.46% 1.86% 2.2% 3.16%
2026/08/31 38.6% 9.85% 6.65% 5.26% 3.87% 3.78% 3.56% 2.96% 2.27% 1.96%
  • quickbooks.intuit.com
  • xero.com
  • gusto.com
  • freshbooks.com
  • paycom.com
  • turbotax.intuit.com
  • sage.com
  • forbes.com
  • adp.com
  • surepayroll.com

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In August 2026, QuickBooks led with fluctuating impressions, peaking mid-month. Xero and Gusto showed varied trends, while FreshBooks and Paycom maintained steady shares. TurboTax and Sage experienced minor shifts. Forbes, ADP, and SurePayroll had minimal impact.

Campaign Efficiency

Google Text Ad Copy Insights & Creative Trends for US Software & Technology Payroll / Accounting

Ever wondered how your rivals’ ads are doing? Here we can see the top-performing ads in the industry over the last month.

Google Text Ad Copy Insights & Creative Trends for US Software & Technology Payroll / Accounting - Last month
  1. 1
    QuickBooks® Online https://quickbooks.intuit.com › quickbooks › online

    QuickBooks® With Confidence — Accounting Agent Automates And Categorizes Transactions And Preps Your Books For Tax Time.

  2. 2
    Online Payroll & Tax Service | SurePayroll: Your Last Switch https://www.surepayroll.com › online › payroll

    Switch to SurePayroll for quick, easy payroll. Stay for the features & service you need.

  3. 3
    TurboTax® Official Site https://turbotax.intuit.com › official-site

    Online Tax Filing — File Your Taxes Online w/ America's Leader In Taxes. File And Get Your Tax Refund. Simple Or Complex, We Can Help You Get Your Taxes Done Right! Start Today. File On Any Device.

  4. 4
    Wave: SMB Software Alternative - Discover Why Wave Is Better https://www.waveapps.com › switch-to › wave

    SMB owners know Wave is the easy way to get organized and stay tax-ready year-round.

  5. 5
    Ditch Quick, Try Xero | Switch to Xero Now https://www.xero.com

    Manage your business' financial tasks with Our easy-to-use accounting software. Xero accounting...

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In the competitive landscape of Google PPC, QuickBooks® Online stands out by emphasizing automation and tax preparation. SurePayroll highlights ease and essential features, while TurboTax® promises comprehensive tax filing. Wave appeals to SMBs with simplicity, and Xero promotes user-friendly financial management.

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