Gusto Payroll Review 2023
Gusto is a popular cloud-based payroll software option that seamlessly combines benefits administration and onboarding into a single platform for small to medium businesses.
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WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY
Senior Staff Writer
UPDATED
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Gusto
| Total Rating | 5.0 |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Good |
| Features | Excellent |
| Customer Service | Good |
| Integrations | Excellent |
| Reviews | Good |
Payroll Processing Time
Next-day to 4 DaysPricing
$40/month + $6/employee to $80/month + $12/employeeBusiness Size
Small-Medium Businesses (1-650+ Users)Gusto At A Glance
- Gusto is a full-featured payroll software solution for small to medium-sized businesses.
- With HR, benefits administration, and workers’ compensation options, Gusto is a well-developed payroll solution that can handle many business needs at a competitive and transparent price point.
- Gusto’s user interface is easy to use and full of helpful tips and explanations to help you run payroll, so it’s an excellent option for payroll novices and experts alike.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Transparent pricing
- Good customer support
- Built-in time tracking and HR
- Typical payroll processing is two to four days (next-day optional)
- Valid in all 50 states
Cons
- Cheapest plan doesn’t include built-in time tracking
- Benefits administration not available in all 50 states
Table of Contents
What Is Gusto?
Gusto is a cloud-based payroll solution that seamlessly combines benefits administration, 401(k)s, HR, and onboarding into a single platform for small to medium businesses. The company takes care of payroll calculations and tax filing for you. Gusto even has an automatic payroll service called Gusto AutoPilot, saving many business owners time and unnecessary stress.
Gusto is valid in all 50 states and works for companies with employees in multiple states. Add great customer support and upfront, affordable pricing to all of this, and it’s easy to see why Gusto receives so many positive reviews from its customers.
Like any software, Gusto isn’t without faults. The software’s cheapest plan doesn’t include built-in time tracking or next-day direct deposit. Gusto’s health benefits are not available in all 50 states yet. However, this payroll solution still has a ton to offer and is more than worth looking into.
Gusto Pricing
| Gusto Plans | Price | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | $40/month + $6/person | If your small business needs reliable, basic payroll software |
| Plus | $80/month + $12/person | If your business needs tools to handle complex payroll and team management needs |
| Premium | Custom | If your medium to large-sized business needs advanced HR and compliance tools |
| Contractor Only | $35/month + $6/person per month | If your growing business needs basic payroll and only pays contractors |
Gusto is upfront and transparent about its pricing plans. The company offers three total pricing plans for businesses that pay employees and contractors. Gusto’s Simple plan costs $40/month + $6/person per month, and its Plus plan costs $80/month + $12/person per month. Gusto’s Premium plan is for growing businesses and uses custom pricing.
A fourth pricing plan covers payments for contractors only and starts at $35/month + $6/month per person.
Gusto operates under a SaaS pricing structure with no contracts or licensing agreements. Better yet, you won’t make a single payment to Gusto until after you’re ready to make your first payroll run.
Here’s a breakdown of Gusto’s pricing:
Gusto Contractor Only
Gusto’s Contractor Only plan costs $35/month + $6/month per person and includes the following features:
- Four-day direct deposit
- 1099-NECs at years end
- State new hire reporting
- Unlimited contractor payments
Gusto Simple
Gusto’s Simple plan costs $40/month + $6/month per person and includes:
- Full-service payroll across 50 states
- Health insurance administration
- Employee self-service portal
- Integrations
- Two-day direct deposit
- W-2s and 1099
- Multiple pay rates and schedules
- PTO policies and holiday pay
- Onboarding tools
- Automatic tax filing and payments
- Gusto AutoPilot payroll
- Tip credits
- Garnishments and deductions
- Document storage
- Admin and manager permissions
Gusto Plus
Gusto’s Plus plan costs $80/month + $12/month per person and includes everything in the Simple plan, plus:
- Time tracking
- Project tracking
- eSigning
- Job postings
- Advanced PTO management
- Next-day direct deposit
- Advanced onboarding tools
- Workforce costing reports
- Employee directory
- Multi-state payroll
- Employee management tools
- Custom reports
- Customizable templates
Gusto Premium
Gusto’s Premium plan costs vary, and it includes everything in the Plus plan, plus:
- Support from certified HR professionals
- Advanced HR resources
- Dedicated support team
- Employee surveys
- Performance reviews
- Federal and state compliance support
Extra Gusto Costs & Fees
| Gusto Extra Costs | Price |
|---|---|
| Workers' Comp | Variable premiums |
| Health Insurance | Variable premiums |
| Broker Integration | $6/month/person |
| 401(k) Retirement Plans | Starts at $49/month + $8/person |
| International Contractors | Variable |
| Device Management | Contact Sales |
| 529 College Savings Account | $18/month |
Gusto offers strong benefits administration and other add-on services that integrate seamlessly with its payroll software. Employers can choose to provide health benefits, 401(k) retirement plans, workers’ compensation insurance, 529 college savings plans, and tax-advantaged savings accounts. These add-ons allow businesses to build customized benefits packages that employees can opt into.
Pricing for Gusto’s service add-ons is fairly competitive, as the platform partners with several other established providers to offer these services and doesn’t charge administration fees for certain add-ons (worker’s compensation, health insurance, etc.).
Is Gusto Easy To Use?
Gusto is well-organized, and its modern UI is easy to navigate. While some users have noted the software’s increasing number of glitches, most users report that the software is easy to use. A dashboard shows the most important payroll information for both employers and employees; a sidebar gives quick access to major features.
However, you don’t need to take our word for it. You can try the software for free by exploring Gusto’s interactive demo. Gusto’s demo is fully functional, with users able to do things like run payroll, view their employee directory, review benefits packages, manage time off requests, and much more.
Unlike other payroll services, Gusto does not handle the implementation process for you. While this means more work, it also means you will probably save a lot of time instead of waiting weeks for your software to be implemented. Gusto provides step-by-step instructions to lead you through the setup process and offers good customer support if you get stuck or have questions.
As a cloud-based payroll solution, Gusto is compatible with nearly any device so long as you have an internet connection. There are no mobile apps for employers at this time, although you can run the software on your mobile browser. Employees have access to the Gusto Wallet mobile app to manage their earnings.
Gusto Features
| Gusto Features | Availability |
|---|---|
| Payroll Tax Support | |
| Auto-Schedule Payroll | |
| Bonus Payroll | |
| Off-Cycle Payroll | |
| Employee Management | |
| Paid Time Off | |
| Time Tracking | Plus plan and up |
| HR Support | |
| Onboarding Support | |
| Benefits Administration | |
| Number Of Reports | 17+ |
Compared to other payroll software, Gusto’s offerings are decidedly robust. Beyond full-service payroll tools, Gusto’s HR tools and benefits administration are on par with those offered by the leaders in the payroll industry, such as ADP Payroll and QuickBooks Online Payroll. Gusto customers appreciate the software’s commitment to making payroll easier by offering tons of payroll resources, unlimited support, and useful automation.
Despite the wealth of features that Gusto offers, it’s not the best option for businesses that are growing quickly or large established businesses, as it’s not a very scalable option. That said, small to medium-sized businesses looking for a full-service payroll solution with some HR features, employee management tools, and support for many integrations will likely be happy with Gusto’s offerings.
Payroll Processing
Gusto bills itself as a full-service payroll solution and delivers on that claim. The software makes running bonus, off-cycle, and termination payrolls easy. If you’re pressed for time, you can save mid-payroll and return to the data later. Gusto also makes it easy to preview your payroll before submitting it — and if there is an issue after you click submit, you can cancel your payrolls. With a host of payroll processing features and options, businesses using Gusto can get their employees paid without headaches.
Here’s a breakdown of Gusto’s payroll features:
- Unlimited payroll processing in all 50 states
- Two, four, and next-day direct deposit options
- Unemployment insurance
- Garnishments
- Multiple pay schedules and rates
- Tip credits
- Check-printing
- PTO policy tracking
- Time off tracking
- Integrations
- Reports
- Gusto AutoPilot/payroll auto-scheduling
Employee Management & PTO
Gusto allows you to manage your employees and contractors within the platform easily. Adding information about your employees and contractors is simple and straightforward. You can add tons of information, including their job and payment information, personal details, time off, documents, benefits, notes, and custom fields. Gusto users can set PTO policies on any plan, including vacation and sick days. The Plus and Premium plans add custom holiday pay. Your employees can easily view the company’s paid time off policies directly from their portal.
Notable Gusto employee management and PTO features include:
- PTO policy tracking
- Holiday pay
- Anonymous employee surveys (Premium only)
- Calendar reminders
- E-signing capabilities
- Managers, departments, and team categories
- Contractor and employee management support
- Online document storage
- Access to tax forms
- Paystub printing
- Time off requests (Plus and up)
- Employee directory tools (Plus and up)
- PTO accruement
- Contractor payments across 80 countries
Time Tracking
Gusto offers built-in time tracking capabilities for users on its Plus plan and above. These built-in features offer basic time-tracking features, such as project time tracking, reporting, and calendar integration.
For businesses on the Simple plan, we recommend taking advantage of Gusto’s many integrations with powerful time-tracking software, such as QuickBooks Time, formerly known as TSheets. Here’s a look at the time tracking features offered on Gusto’s Simple plan:
- PTO policy tracking
- Time tracking integrations
- Holiday pay
- Paycheck Calculators
Here are some of the best time-tracking features for Gusto users on the Plus plan and up:
- Built-in time tracking
- Time-off tracking and reporting
- Project tracking
- Calendar syncing
- Payroll syncing
- Custom paid holidays
- Time-off requests
- Workforce costing
- Employee and contractor hours management
- Payroll compliance and overtime tools
- Mobile geolocation and time-tracking through the Gusto Wallet app
Payroll Tax Support
Gusto’s payroll tax support features can help businesses automate their tax reporting and filing, as Gusto handles the heavy lifting. Gusto also supports wage garnishments and wage compliance laws. Here’s a look at Gusto’s best payroll tax support features:
- Automated payroll tax filing and payments
- State tax registration in all 50 states
- Garnishments
- New hire reporting
- Supports 1099s, W-2s, I-9s, and W-4s
- Automatic FLSA Tip Credit Compliance
- E-sign I-9 and W-4
- View tax forms within Gusto
Reporting
Gusto has revamped its reporting feature to include a large selection of reports and more customizable report options. These reporting options make it easier to visualize business operations and identify trends. Users can choose from Gusto’s out-of-box report options, set applicable customizable fields, and get the information they need in just a few clicks. Here’s a glance at some of Gusto’s report features:
- 17 built-in report options
- Customizable reports (Plus and up)
- Workforce costing reports (Plus and up)
HR & Onboarding
Each plan comes with basic employee management, but the Premium plan adds advanced HR features, most notably, help from certified HR professionals. Each plan supports new hire reporting and a new hire welcome screen as a part of their onboarding tools. Gusto’s Simple plan has a robust set of features that helps streamline the process of hiring and managing employees. However, to get the most out of Gusto’s onboarding and HR tools, you’ll need to sign up for the Premium plan.
Here are Gusto’s HR and onboarding features:
- Digital document storage
- Online offer letters
- Onboarding checklist
- Customizable onboarding checklist (Plus and up)
- E-sign documents (Plus and up)
- Software provisioning (Plus and up)
- Certified HR professional advice (add-on to Plus/included in Premium)
- HR resource center (add-on to Plus/included in Premium)
- Compliance updates (Plus and up)
- Customizable employee handbook template (add-on to Plus/included in Premium)
Benefits Administration
Gusto makes it easy to manage your company’s benefits all in one location. Gusto’s health benefits are available in 38 states and Washington DC, with plans to expand coverage. You can view which benefits you currently offer, which ones you don’t, what you have enrolled for, and when the coverage begins.
Check Gusto’s benefits administration features:
- Licensed benefits advising
- HIPAA, ACA, and ERISA compliance
- Employee support from benefits advisors
- Online enrollment
- Worker’s compensation administration (add-on only)
- Health insurance benefits (add-on only)
- Vision and dental insurance (add-on only)
- 401(k) retirement plans and matching (add-on only)
- 529 college savings plans and management (add-on only)
- Broker integration (Plus and up)
- HSAs and FSAs (add-on only)
- Commuter benefits
Gusto Customer Service
| Gusto Support | Availability |
|---|---|
| Phone Support | |
| Email Support | |
| Support Tickets | |
| Live Chat | |
| Dedicated Support Representative | Premium plan only |
| Knowledge Base or Help Center | |
| Videos & Tutorials | |
| Company Blog | |
| Social Media |
Gusto’s customer support is available Monday through Friday from 7 AM- PM (MST). The company provides ample support resources and multiple ways to contact a representative directly to customers on all its plans. The Premium plan comes with a dedicated support team and HR and compliance support. It’s noteworthy that customers frequently praise Gusto’s customer support team.
Negative reviews about Gusto’s customer service ticked up during the pandemic’s onset, with customers citing extensive wait times and lengthy problem resolution times. Moreover, customers have taken note of the software’s growth, citing that its customer service has dropped as the software has grown.
Gusto Integrations
Gusto’s integrations have become far more diverse than in the past. The company supports 185+ integrations and an API for developers. The integrations cover everything from accounting to time tracking, point of sale, project management, expense tracking, and more.
The most notable integrations are with Xero, QuickBooks, and QuickBooks Time (a time tracking app that solves Gusto’s limited time tracking capabilities). However, Gusto’s payment processing integrations are quite limited.
Gusto Reviews
Gusto receives high praise from its users. The software has a rating of 4.7/5 stars on Capterra (based on 3,200+ ratings) and 7/10 stars on TrustRadius (based on 270+ ratings). The software’s rating has taken a hit since our last update, with many customers pointing to the company’s growth as the main factor behind Gusto’s poorer customer service.
In addition to customer reviews, you can view customer stories on Gusto’s website. Customers generally don’t have issues with Gusto’s software or features. Most negative reviews focus on troubleshooting issues, and the time it takes to resolve these issues, even with the help of customer support.
Negative Gusto Reviews
- Poor customer support
- Difficult to modify tax filings
Positive Gusto Reviews
- Saves time running payroll
- Strong benefits integrations
- Easy to use
- Transparent pricing
- Great tax support features
Is Gusto Secure?
Gusto is exceptionally transparent about its data, product, and application security protocols. The company uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host its servers, services, and databases, with primary infrastructure located in the AWS West region and a second physical location in the East. Gusto uses 256-bit SSL Encryption, firewalls, and multifactor authentification to protect customer data.
Here are some of Gusto’s notable security features:
- 256-bit SSL Encryption
- Firewalls
- Multifactor authentification
- Fraud monitoring
How Does Gusto Compare To Other Payroll Software?
| Gusto | ADP | QuickBooks Online | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | From $40/month + $6/employee to $80/month + $12/employee | Custom | $45/month +$5/person to $125/month + $10/person |
| Business Size | Small to large-sized businesses | Small to enterprize-sized businesses | Small to mid-sized businesses |
| Number Of Users | Up to 650+ | Up to 1,000+ | 150 user limit |
| Number Of States Supported | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Payroll Processing Time | Next-day to 4 day | Variable | Same-day to 5 days |
| Quality Of Features | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Quality Of Support | Good | Good | Fair |
As a popular payroll software option, Gusto boasts features that include advanced benefits administration options, full-service payroll, and an easy-to-use platform. As great as Gusto is, it’s not the only option on the market. Want to know how Gusto compares to ADP or QuickBooks? Keep reading for Gusto comparisons.
Gusto VS ADP
In the Gusto vs ADP comparison, Gusto wins out as a more affordable option, as it includes many of ADP’s add-on features in its pricing plan bundles and offers unlimited payroll processing. Unfortunately, Gusto lacks benefits administration across all 50-states, an employee mobile app, and robust reporting features — all of which ADP has.
However, there’s a lot more to the battle between ADP and Gusto. Our Gusto VS ADP comparison takes a deep dive into the differences between the two payroll software options.
Gusto VS QuickBooks Online Payroll
If your business is looking for a full-service payroll solution, both QuickBooks Online Payroll and Gusto are excellent options. Both Gusto and QuickBooks can handle your state and federal payroll taxes, wage garnishments, new-hire reporting, PTO, time tracking, and much more. Additionally, both options offer unlimited payroll runs.
One of the biggest differences between the two is the business sizes they are designed to serve. QuickBooks is best suited for smaller businesses, while Gusto can comfortably handle the needs of small to large-sized businesses. Check out our Gusto VS QuickBooks comparison for an in-depth look into what makes Gusto and QuickBooks different from one another and our thoughts on which option may best suit your business’s needs.
The Final Verdict: Is Gusto Worth It?
| Gusto Review Summary | |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Starts at $40/month + $6/person |
| Choose If You Need |
|
Gusto is an easy-to-use payroll solution that seamlessly combines payroll, HR, onboarding, and benefits management. Benefit options include medical, vision, dental, 401(k), savings plans, and more. You can also manage your workers’ compensation insurance with Gusto, making it a great option for small businesses wanting to keep everything in one easy-to-manage place. Unlike many payroll companies, Gusto offers transparent pricing, so you’ll know exactly how much running payroll will cost you.
Gusto offers good payroll features, strong employee management, and excellent customer support. With the larger plan, you can access strong HR features, including employee relations and compliance advice. The software’s downsides are limited time-tracking features, potentially long payroll processing, long wait times for problem resolution, and limited reporting. Health benefits are also not available in every state yet, although the company is working on adding these.
For large companies or companies with complex payroll needs (such as complicated pay schedules), Gusto is not an ideal choice. However, for the average small to medium-sized business looking for an affordable, easy-to-use payroll solution, Gusto is a great choice. If you’re sold on Gusto, sign up and get started with your free trial.
If you’re interested in checking out other payroll software options for your small business, you can visit our posts on the best payroll software options and the best free payroll software options for small businesses.
Good luck!
Gusto FAQs
Davina Ward
Senior Staff Writer
Davina joined Merchant Maverick in 2022, covering small business payroll and accounting. She began writing for small businesses in 2018 and has since gained expertise in the SaaS industry. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in English Literature from SUNY Geneseo in 2018. She currently resides in New York.
View Davina Ward's professional experience on LinkedIn.
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The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
Gusto |
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Gusto for yourself.
The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
Gusto |
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Gusto for yourself.
