Gusto

Gusto simplifies payroll, benefits, HR, and tax compliance for small businesses.

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  • Overview
  • Features
  • Pricing
  • Pros
  • Cons
  • Reviews

Gusto Overview

  • Updated December 15, 2025

Gusto is a cloud-based business accounting software designed for small businesses, offering streamlined payroll processing, employee benefits management, HR tools, and tax compliance. It automates tasks like calculating paychecks, filing taxes, and managing benefits enrollment, saving time and reducing errors.

With an intuitive interface, Gusto supports businesses in maintaining compliance, tracking employee time, and providing robust reporting, making it a comprehensive solution for managing workforce-related financial and administrative tasks.

Key Features

  • Payroll Automation: Automatically calculates, files, and pays local, state, and federal payroll taxes, withholds deductions, and generates tax forms, ensuring compliance and reducing manual errors.
  • Employee Self-Onboarding: Allows new employees to onboard themselves by entering their details, streamlining the setup process and saving time for business owners.
  • Time Tracking: Enables employees to track hours worked through a mobile app or other channels, syncing hours, PTO, and holidays with payroll for accurate payments.
  • Employee Benefits Management: Offers health insurance, 401(k) plans, HSA, FSA, and commuter benefits, with no extra fees for health premium payments, simplifying benefits administration.
  • HR Tools: Provides hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, and talent management features, supporting compliance and employee development with customizable resources.
  • Integrations: Seamlessly connects with accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, and FreshBooks, as well as time-tracking and expense management tools, enhancing operational efficiency.
  • Insights and Reporting: Delivers data-backed reports and analytics on payroll costs, team growth, and retention, providing actionable insights for business decisions.
  • Multi-State Payroll: Supports payroll processing across all 50 states, ideal for businesses with remote or distributed teams, ensuring compliance with varying state regulations.
  • Mobile App Access: Allows employees to view pay stubs, track hours, and access tax forms via a mobile app, promoting self-service and convenience.
  • Direct Deposit: Offers two-day direct deposit on the Simple plan and next-day on Plus and Premium plans, ensuring timely and accurate employee payments.
  • Bill Pay: Manages bill payments within the platform, saving time and reducing costs for business financial operations.
  • Gusto Global: Facilitates payments to global contractors and hiring international employees, supporting businesses with international operations.
  • Accountant Dashboard (Gusto Pro): Provides accountants with tools to manage client payroll, monitor deadlines, and offer strategic advice using employee data analytics.
  • Compliance Alerts: Proactively monitors accounts to prevent fraudulent transactions and sends alerts to ensure compliance with tax and regulatory changes.
  • Scalable Plans: Offers flexible plans (Contractor Only, Simple, Plus, Premium) with add-ons, allowing businesses to customize features based on size and needs.

Price

Plan Name Base Price Per Person / Contractor Fee Promo Notes
Contractor Only $35/mo → $0/mo during promo 60% off base for first 6 months
Simple (single-state payroll) $49/mo → $19.60/mo during promo + $6/mo per person 60% off for 3 months
Plus (multi-state & advanced tools) $80/mo → $32/mo during promo + $12/mo per person 60% off for 3 months
Premium (HR, dedicated advisor, analytics) $180/mo → $72/mo during promo + $22/mo per person 60% off for 3 months

Check pricing details: https://gusto.com/pricing

Pros

Competitor Why Gusto Stands Out (Pros)
OnPay Gusto offers an all‑in‑one platform that includes payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR tools with transparent pricing and broad state support.
Rippling Gusto is simpler and easier to use and has more affordable pricing for small teams, while still offering automated tax filing and benefits enrollment.
QuickBooks Payroll Gusto combines payroll with benefits and HR modules, and offers a more modern, user‑friendly experience compared to QuickBooks’ payroll‑only focus.
ADP Gusto gives an intuitive, streamlined experience and honest pricing, and includes benefits and filing without charging hidden fees.
Deel (or Remote global players) For U.S.‑based teams, Gusto delivers excellent domestic payroll, benefits, and compliance features without requiring a global EOR package.

Cons

Competitor Where Gusto May Lag (Cons)
OnPay Gusto’s higher‑tier plans (Plus, Premium) are more expensive, and advanced features come only at higher price points.
Rippling Gusto does not offer the same level of IT, device management, or automation; it focuses mostly on payroll and HR.
QuickBooks Payroll Gusto may lack tighter integration with accounting if you’re already deeply in QuickBooks ecosystem; some firms prefer QB native flow.
ADP ADP offers powerful global payroll and enterprise‑level HR tools; Gusto is more U.S.‑focused and may lack scale for large companies.
Deel (global players) Gusto doesn’t support comprehensive international employee payroll via EOR; it’s limited for global hiring and compliance.

Verified Customer Reviews

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