SurePayroll4.9/10
Gusto8.1/10
Scored in Payroll Software
The short answer
Both publish their prices. SurePayroll's Full Service plan costs $29 a month plus $7 per employee, and a No Tax Filing plan costs $20 plus $4 for owners who file taxes themselves. Gusto Simple costs $49 a month plus $6 per person for payroll in one state with tax filing.
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
SurePayroll wins 1Gusto wins 11 tie
| Dimension | SurePayroll | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| PricingSurePayroll Full Service lists $29 a month plus $7 per employee against Gusto Simple's $49 plus $6: $99 against $109 at 10 employees, equal at 20. SurePayroll bills year-end forms, multi-state payroll and accounting integration as add-ons. Multi-state payroll: $9.99 a month (first state included), Year-end W-2 and 1099-NEC forms: $50 base plus $5 per form, billed annually, Accounting software integration: $4.99 a month, Time clock integration: from $5 a month plus $3 per employee, Employment law support: from $30 a month, 401(k): quoted by plan, Local tax filing: a separate fee where local taxes apply (amount not stated on the pricing page)3 | $29/mo + $7/employee/mo (Full Service plan) | $49/mo + $6/employee/mo |
| IntegrationsGusto's App Directory lists 154 apps and it documents a REST API with webhooks. SurePayroll prices an accounting software integration at $4.99 a month and a time clock integration separately. 1544 | 1 documented | 8 documented (vendor says 154) |
| Fit and supportBoth list small businesses as their segment and offer weekday phone support. SurePayroll includes onboarding at no extra charge; Gusto charges no setup fee either. Small businesses1 | Small businesses | Small businesses |
| Attribute | SurePayroll | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Base fee + per employee1 | Base fee + per employee2 |
| Price transparency | Published3 | Published2 |
| Free trial | 3 | 9 |
| Contract term | Monthly3 | Monthly2 |
| Best for | Small businesses1 | Small businesses7 |
| Mobile apps | 3 | iOS (Gusto Mobile), Android (Gusto Mobile)9 |
| Automatic tax filing | 1 | 2 |
| Contractor payments | 1 | 2 |
| Employees | SurePayroll Full Service | Gusto Simple |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $99/mo (lowest) | $109/mo |
| 50 | $379/mo | $349/mo (lowest) |
| 200 | $1,429/mo | $1,249/mo (lowest) |
The lowest monthly cost in each row is highlighted.
Monthly list price of each product’s entry plan with published per-employee pricing.
Pricing. SurePayroll Full Service lists $29 a month plus $7 per employee against Gusto Simple's $49 plus $6: $99 against $109 at 10 employees, equal at 20. SurePayroll bills year-end forms, multi-state payroll and accounting integration as add-ons.
Capabilities. Both file payroll taxes and allow unlimited pay runs. Gusto adds benefits administration, hiring, time and HR modules; SurePayroll focuses on payroll, with insurance and 401(k) sold alongside.
Integrations. Gusto's App Directory lists 154 apps and it documents a REST API with webhooks. SurePayroll prices an accounting software integration at $4.99 a month and a time clock integration separately.
Fit and support. Both list small businesses as their segment and offer weekday phone support. SurePayroll includes onboarding at no extra charge; Gusto charges no setup fee either.
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)10
SurePayroll's Full Service costs $29 a month plus $7 per employee and No Tax Filing $20 plus $4, against $49 a month plus $6 per person on Gusto's Simple plan. SurePayroll adds charges for year-end W-2 and 1099 forms ($50 plus $5 per form) and for multi-state payroll ($9.99 a month).
Below 20 employees, yes, on full-service list prices: $99 against $109 a month at 10 employees. From 21 people Gusto Simple costs less, and SurePayroll's add-ons for year-end forms and multi-state payroll change the total.
It suits small employers that want full-service payroll at a low list price, free two-day direct deposit and household payroll. It is less suited to buyers who want benefits administration and HR tools in the same subscription.
Paychex. It completed the acquisition of SurePayroll in February 2011.
Neither lists a free trial; both sell through a demo or a quote.
Gusto states HIPAA (unverified for SurePayroll).
37 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 14, 2026.
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology
Our independent review of Oct 30, 2026 asked for changes. How we review
We have not tested either product hands-on: this page uses public information only.
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The 11 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.
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.
Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.
