SurePayroll vs Gusto

SurePayroll lists $29 plus $7 per worker, with free two-day direct deposit and a household-employer plan; Gusto lists $49 plus $6 per person and adds benefits, HR tools, 152 directory apps, and a REST API. On list prices, SurePayroll costs less below about 20 workers and Gusto above.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated 32 verified data points11 sources

SurePayroll

Best for
Very small businesses with simple payroll

Choose SurePayroll if

  • You employ a nanny or household worker; the $39 monthly plan includes one employee and Schedule H.
  • You have fewer than about 20 workers; SurePayroll's $29 base undercuts Gusto's $49.
  • You want free two-day direct deposit, unlimited payroll runs, and live phone and chat support.
  • You want multi-state payroll as a $9.99 monthly add-on rather than a plan upgrade.
  • You use StratusTime for time tracking; it is SurePayroll's one confirmed native integration.

Gusto

Best for
US small businesses wanting automated payroll tax filing

Choose Gusto if

  • You need benefits administration: health, dental, vision, 401(k), HSA, and FSA through one vendor.
  • You need integrations: 152 directory apps, including QuickBooks, Xero, and Slack, plus a REST API.
  • You want HRIS features such as onboarding documents, absence rules, permissions, and self-service.
  • You expect to grow; Gusto's lower per-person fee ($6 versus $7) favors it as headcount rises.
  • You weigh third-party reviews; on Capterra, Gusto is rated 4.6 out of 5 across 4,228 reviews versus SurePayroll's 4.1 across 307.

Key differences

Where SurePayroll and Gusto differ (3)
AttributeSurePayrollGusto
Mobile appsIOS, AndroidGusto employee app, Employer mobile app
Support channelsPhone, chatEmail, chat, phone, live online training
OwnershipSubsidiaryPrivate
Show 5 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (5)
AttributeSurePayrollGusto
Pricing modelBase fee + per employeeBase fee + per employee
Price transparencyPublishedPublished
Best forSmall businessesSmall businesses
Automatic tax filing
Contractor payments

Price by headcount

Estimated list price per month by scenario
EmployeesSurePayroll Small Business PayrollGusto Simple
10$99/mo (lowest)$109/mo
50$379/mo$349/mo (lowest)
200$1,429/mo$1,249/mo (lowest)

Monthly list price of each product’s entry plan with published per-employee pricing.

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. SurePayroll lists $29 plus $7 per worker; Gusto Simple lists $49 plus $6, so list prices cross at about 20 workers. SurePayroll's homepage shows Full Service at $39 plus $7, conflicting with its pricing page, and both vendors charge extra for add-ons such as multi-state.

Capabilities. Both document tax filing, direct deposit, and unlimited payroll runs. Gusto also documents HRIS and benefits administration and lists health and retirement benefits; SurePayroll documents payroll and time features only.

Integrations. Gusto documents 152 directory apps, a REST API, and webhooks. SurePayroll's integrations page was unavailable when we checked, and StratusTime is the only native integration we could confirm.

Fit and support. Both target small business. On Capterra, Gusto is rated 4.6 out of 5 across 4,228 reviews and SurePayroll 4.1 across 307, and SurePayroll reviewers report long support hold times. Only SurePayroll lists a household-employer plan.

Neither one?

Patriot Payroll

Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (6.3/10).

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

Frequently asked questions

Is SurePayroll cheaper than Gusto?

It depends on headcount. SurePayroll lists $29 per month plus $7 per worker with tax filing and unlimited payrolls; Gusto Simple lists $49 plus $6 per person. On list prices SurePayroll costs less below about 20 workers and Gusto above. SurePayroll's homepage shows $39 plus $7 for Full Service, so confirm the price at signup.

Which is better for a small business, SurePayroll or Gusto?

Both target small business. SurePayroll adds nanny and household payroll and free two-day direct deposit; Gusto adds benefits, HR tools, and time tracking on higher plans. On Capterra, Gusto is rated 4.6 out of 5 across 4,228 reviews and SurePayroll 4.1 across 307; SurePayroll reviewers report long support hold times.

Can you switch from SurePayroll to Gusto?

Both bill monthly. Gusto states no contracts and free account setup, and SurePayroll lists no implementation fee with free onboarding. SurePayroll does not publish its contract and cancellation terms, so confirm them. SurePayroll also charges $50 plus $5 per form for annual W-2 and 1099 filing, which may matter if you move mid-year.

What is the key difference between SurePayroll and Gusto?

Scope. Gusto is a payroll, benefits, and HR platform with 152 apps, a REST API, webhooks, free account setup, and no contracts. SurePayroll is a narrower payroll service with free two-day direct deposit, a household-employer plan, one confirmed native integration (StratusTime), and add-on fees for multi-state, local taxes, and year-end filing.

Does SurePayroll integrate with QuickBooks like Gusto does?

Gusto lists QuickBooks, Xero, Slack, and Google Workspace among 152 directory apps. SurePayroll's pricing page lists an accounting software integration at $4.99 per month, but its integrations page was unavailable when we checked and StratusTime is the only integration we could confirm, so we cannot confirm QuickBooks support.

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Changelog

  1. First published.

Data sources

Every value on this page links to its source below. Primary sources are the vendor's or authority's own pages.

  1. Paychex pricing page · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  2. Gusto, Inc. pricing page · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  3. Paychex app directory: Time clock integration · secondary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  4. capterra.com/p/131882/Gusto · secondary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  5. Paychex website · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  6. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gusto_(company) · secondary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  7. Gusto, Inc. website: About · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  8. Patriot Software pricing page · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026