QuickBooks Payroll vs Gusto

The short answer

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.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Oct 12, 2026

QuickBooks Payroll

Starting price: $50/mo + $7/employee/mo
Best for: QuickBooks Online users who want payroll in the same Intuit account

Choose QuickBooks Payroll if

Your books already run in QuickBooks and you want payroll in the same Intuit account.
You want to try it first: QuickBooks Payroll offers a free trial on monthly plans.
You want a tax penalty guarantee: Intuit states one on the Elite plan, with conditions.
You plan to grow past small-business size: QuickBooks Payroll lists mid-market companies as a segment.

What QuickBooks Payroll costs Alternatives to QuickBooks Payroll

Gusto

Starting price: $49/mo + $6/employee/mo
Best for: US small businesses that want payroll tax filing on every plan

Choose Gusto if

You want the lower entry price: $49 a month plus $6 per person on Simple.
You connect payroll to other apps: Gusto lists 150+ native integrations and an open API.
You want unlimited payroll runs on every plan.
You want no setup fee and month-to-month terms.

What Gusto costs Gusto alternatives

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. Monthly	$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 payroll	9 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. 153	4 documented	153 native
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 companies	Small businesses, mid-market companies	Small businesses

Key differences

Where QuickBooks Payroll and Gusto differ (8)
Attribute	QuickBooks Payroll	Gusto
Free trial
Best for	Small businesses, mid-market companies	Small businesses
Mobile apps	iOS (QuickBooks Workforce), Android (QuickBooks Workforce)	iOS (Gusto Mobile), Android (Gusto Mobile)
Open API
Support channels	Phone, chat, online support hub and community	Phone, email, chat, online help center, dedicated account partner (Premium)
Founded	1984	2012
Headquarters	Mountain View, California, US	San Francisco, California, US
Ownership	Publicly traded	Private

Show 9 attributes where they are the same

Where they are the same (9)
Attribute	QuickBooks Payroll	Gusto
Pricing model	Base fee + per employee	Base fee + per employee
Price transparency	Published	Published
Free plan
Contract term	Monthly	Monthly
Minimum employees	1	1
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud
Webhooks
Automatic tax filing
Contractor payments

Price by headcount

QuickBooks Payroll Workforce Payroll$50/mo base + $7/employee/mo
Gusto Simple$49/mo base + $6/employee/mo

Estimated list price per month by scenario
Employees	QuickBooks Payroll Workforce Payroll	Gusto Simple
10	$120/mo	$109/mo (lowest)
50	$400/mo	$349/mo (lowest)
200	$1,450/mo	$1,249/mo (lowest)

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 (9.3/10).

From $17/mo + $4/employee/mo

More QuickBooks Payroll comparisons

More Gusto comparisons

Frequently asked questions

Is Gusto cheaper than QuickBooks Payroll?

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.

Do QuickBooks Payroll and Gusto offer a free trial?

QuickBooks Payroll lists a free trial; Gusto does not.

Is QuickBooks Payroll or Gusto more secure?

Both QuickBooks Payroll and Gusto state HIPAA (BAA). Only QuickBooks Payroll states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001.

Who are QuickBooks Payroll’s biggest competitors?

QuickBooks Payroll ranks #2 of 14 in our payroll software ranking. Besides Gusto, the highest-scored are Patriot Payroll, Paychex Flex, and OnPay. Every alternative, matched to the reason you might switch: QuickBooks Payroll alternatives.

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. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.

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