Both are small-business payroll platforms with published monthly prices. Gusto's entry plan is $49 a month plus $6 per person; QuickBooks Payroll's is $50 plus $7. Gusto adds an open API and 150+ native integrations, while QuickBooks Payroll offers a free trial and sits next to QuickBooks accounting.
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Scorecard
QuickBooks Payroll wins 1Gusto wins 3
QuickBooks Payroll vs Gusto by dimension
Dimension
QuickBooks Payroll
Gusto
PricingGusto's entry plan costs less at every headcount: $49 plus $6 per person against $50 plus $7, about $109 against $120 a month at 10 employees. Both publish every plan and bill monthly. Monthly2
$50/mo + $7/employee/mo
$49/mo + $6/employee/mo
CapabilitiesWe verified 11 of the core payroll capabilities on Gusto's own pages and 9 on QuickBooks Payroll's. Both file payroll taxes automatically; Gusto also includes benefits administration and HR tools in its plans. Unlimited payroll runs, Automatic tax filing, Direct deposits or printable checks, Payroll on AutoPilot, Employee self-onboarding, PTO policies, Time tracking synced to payroll2
10 of 12 core capabilities
11 of 12 core capabilities
IntegrationsGusto lists 150+ native integrations and documents an open API, including a QuickBooks Online integration. QuickBooks Payroll works inside QuickBooks and does not list an open payroll API. 1543
6 documented
8 documented (vendor says 154)
Fit and supportQuickBooks Payroll lists small businesses and mid-market companies as target segments and offers a free trial; Gusto lists small businesses and offers no trial. Both support customers by phone and chat. Small businesses, mid-market companies4
The lowest monthly cost in each row is highlighted.
Monthly list price of each product’s entry plan with published per-employee pricing.
Analysis by dimension
Pricing. Gusto's entry plan costs less at every headcount: $49 plus $6 per person against $50 plus $7, about $109 against $120 a month at 10 employees. Both publish every plan and bill monthly.
Capabilities. We verified 11 of the core payroll capabilities on Gusto's own pages and 9 on QuickBooks Payroll's. Both file payroll taxes automatically; Gusto also includes benefits administration and HR tools in its plans.
Integrations. Gusto lists 150+ native integrations and documents an open API, including a QuickBooks Online integration. QuickBooks Payroll works inside QuickBooks and does not list an open payroll API.
Fit and support. QuickBooks Payroll lists small businesses and mid-market companies as target segments and offers a free trial; Gusto lists small businesses and offers no trial. Both support customers by phone and chat.
Security. QuickBooks Payroll documents SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. Gusto states that it maintains SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports, updated annually, without naming the report type, so the two cannot be compared on the same terms.
Neither one?
Patriot Payroll
Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (8.7/10).
From$37/mo + $5/employee/mo (Full Service Payroll plan)18
At entry level, yes. Gusto Simple costs $49 a month plus $6 per person; QuickBooks Workforce Payroll costs $50 plus $7. At 10 employees that is about $109 against $120 a month, before add-ons and state fees.
Can Gusto work with QuickBooks?
Yes. Gusto lists QuickBooks Online as a native integration that syncs a journal entry for each payroll, so you can run payroll in Gusto and keep your books in QuickBooks.
What are the downsides of Gusto payroll?
Gusto is less suited to buyers who want to try before paying: it lists no free trial. It also lists small businesses as its target segment, so larger employers should compare mid-market payroll as well.
Which is better for a small business, Gusto or QuickBooks Payroll?
Both list small businesses as a target segment. Gusto suits a business that wants payroll with HR tools and many app connections at a lower entry price; QuickBooks Payroll suits a business already keeping its books in QuickBooks.
Is QuickBooks Payroll or Gusto more secure?
Intuit lists SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 for QuickBooks at company level. Gusto says it keeps SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports, updated each year and shared after an NDA, and follows HIPAA guidelines for protected health information.
Do QuickBooks Payroll and Gusto offer a free trial?
QuickBooks Payroll lists a free trial; Gusto does not.
Who are QuickBooks Payroll’s biggest competitors?
QuickBooks Payroll ranks #2 of 15 in our payroll software ranking. Besides Gusto, the highest-scored are Patriot Payroll, Square Payroll, and OnPay. Every alternative, matched to the reason you might switch: QuickBooks Payroll alternatives.
How this page was made
What it is built from
46 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 13, 2026.
Method
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology
Independent review
Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. How we review
Hands-on testing
We have not tested either product hands-on: this page uses public information only.
Who made it
The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us
Independence and errors
Who pays us never changes a score or a rank. If something here is wrong, tell us and we correct it publicly. Request a correction
QuickBooks Payroll or Gusto? Your answer in 3 questions
Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts and list prices.
LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.We may earn a fee.
How we make money
LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.
The 18 pages this page's facts come from. The date beside each is our last check of the facts taken from it (the oldest, when they differ). The numbers beside the figures above link here.
Quotes from the sources
Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing/bundle“WORKFORCE PAYROLL Pay your team and get payroll taxes done for you. $50 + $7/employee” “Find the right payroll plan for you”
Gusto gusto.com/product/pricing“Simple Run basic payroll in one state. $49/mo + $6/mo per person” “Do I have to sign a long-term contract? Nope. Gusto is month-to-month. Cancel anytime.”
Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll“QuickBooks Workforce works for small to midsize businesses—from accountants and financial experts to hospitality companies, construction companies, truckers, and more.” “We’ll calculate, file, and pay your federal and state payroll taxes for you—100% accurate tax calculations guaranteed.”
Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/one-employee“Free trial applies to the monthly base price for the first thirty (30) days of new subscriptions to QuickBooks Online and/or Workforce.” “Expert product support: Phone and chat support included with QuickBooks Workforce during business hours. Weekend phone and chat support is only available with Workforce Premium and Elite.”
Gusto Payroll (Gusto)“We’ve got all kinds of plans for all sizes of business. Explore all the options. You’ll pay nothing ‘til you’re ready to run payroll.” “Yes, you can run payroll, check payroll status, add and view team members and manage your team all from the Gusto mobile app. Download the iOS app here and the Google Play app here.”
Gusto gusto.com/about“Our small business platform helps businesses take care of their hardworking teams.” “Launched in 2012 as ZenPayroll, Gusto serves more than 500,000 businesses nationwide.”
Gusto docs.gusto.com“Leverage Gusto's API to build your own in-app payroll solution, customized for your users' needs, with Gusto Embedded.”
Gusto gusto.com/about/contact“Our sales and support teams at Gusto are available to help you via phone, email, and chat Monday through Friday 6am – 6pm MST. For expedited support, sign in to your Gusto account.”
U.S. SEC (Intuit Inc. Form 10-K) sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/896878/000089687826000037/intu-20260731.htm“Intuit Inc. was incorporated in California in March 1984. We reincorporated in Delaware and completed our initial public offering in March 1993.” “Our principal executive offices are located at 2700 Coast Avenue, Mountain View, California 94043”
Gusto gusto.com/about/privacy“Gusto, Inc. Attn: Legal Privacy 525 20th Street San Francisco, CA 94107”
Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing“Already use QuickBooks? Just add payroll. QuickBooksWorkforcePayroll is included with all QuickBooks Workforce plans. Simply sign in to QuickBooks and add Workforce”
Gusto gusto.com/security“Gusto uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host its production servers, databases, and supporting services.”
Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/pricing“Basic Payroll is $17/month + $4 per worker paid; Full Service Payroll is $37/month + $5 per worker paid.”
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What the LeadChange Score means
A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.
High confidence: at least 80% of the critical facts are verified on primary sources.
Medium confidence: at least 50% are; the rest are missing or rely on secondary sources.
Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.
