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Gusto

Best Gusto Alternatives

10 products that do the same job as Gusto, matched to the reason you might switch, with similarity scores and published prices.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Facts checked

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Alternatives by reason for switching

  • Lower published price

    Patriot Payroll

    $117 a month at 25 employees vs $199 for Gusto.

    $17/mo + $4/employee/mo

  • More native integrations

    Rippling

    650 native integrations listed by the vendor vs 153 for Gusto.

    650

  • Built for larger companies

    Paycor

    Serves enterprise companies; Gusto does not list enterprise among the sizes it serves.

    Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises

  • Free trial

    QuickBooks Payroll

    Offers a free trial; Gusto does not.

    Yes

  • Free plan

    Homebase

    Has a free plan; Gusto does not.

    Yes

Gusto alternatives, closest first

Products built for the same job come first, then products that also cover it, each group by similarity: the share of categories (50%), company sizes served (30%) and pricing model (20%) a product shares with Gusto.

Built for the same job

  1. Patriot Payroll

    vs Gusto: $117 vs $199 a month at 25 employees. Payroll Software score 9.3 vs 8.1.

    Patriot Payroll vs Gusto

    Similarity75 of 100

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

  2. Paychex Flex

    vs Gusto: $164 vs $199 a month at 25 employees. Same Payroll Software score (8.1).

    Gusto vs Paychex Flex

    Similarity73 of 100

    From $39/mo + $5/employee/mo

  3. Square Payroll

    vs Gusto: $185 vs $199 a month at 25 employees.

    Square Payroll vs Gusto

    Similarity70 of 100

    From $35/mo + $6/employee/mo

  4. SurePayroll

    vs Gusto: $120 vs $199 a month at 25 employees. Payroll Software score 5.0 vs 8.1.

    SurePayroll vs Gusto

    Similarity70 of 100

    From $20/mo + $4/employee/mo

  5. ADP RUN Powered by ADP

    vs Gusto: Quote-only pricing; Gusto publishes its prices. Payroll Software score 3.8 vs 8.1.

    Gusto vs ADP RUN Powered by ADP

    Similarity68 of 100
  6. OnPay

    vs Gusto: Same list price as Gusto: $199 a month at 25 employees. Payroll Software score 7.6 vs 8.1.

    OnPay vs Gusto

    Similarity65 of 100

    From $49/mo + $6/employee/mo (Payroll Essentials plan)

  7. QuickBooks Payroll

    vs Gusto: $225 vs $199 a month at 25 employees. Payroll Software score 8.8 vs 8.1.

    QuickBooks Payroll vs Gusto

    Similarity55 of 100

    From $50/mo + $7/employee/mo

  8. Paycor

    vs Gusto: Quote-only pricing; Gusto publishes its prices. Payroll Software score 6.3 vs 8.1.

    Similarity39 of 100
  9. Netchex

    vs Gusto: Quote-only pricing; Gusto publishes its prices. Payroll Software score 4.8 vs 8.1.

    Netchex vs Gusto

    Similarity35 of 100

Also cover what Gusto does

  1. Justworks

    vs Gusto: $250 vs $199 a month at 25 employees.

    Justworks vs Gusto

    Similarity67 of 100

    From $50/mo + $8/employee/mo

Why buyers look beyond Gusto

  1. Faster pay costs extra on lower plans

    Same-day pay is $90 and instant pay is $100 per payroll on Simple and Plus; both are included in Premium. Business Compliance is $85 per month per state on an annual contract unless you are on Premium.

  2. New accounts start on slower deposits

    Most new employers start on 4-day pay. 2-day pay opens after a 15-day wait and one successful payroll debit.

  3. Payroll is US-only

    Gusto runs payroll for US employees only. Contractors abroad are paid through a separate add-on in more than 120 countries.

  4. Fees grow with headcount

    Per-person fees run from $6 to $22 a month by plan, so cost rises with each employee, a point reviewers raise.

  5. Reporting and mobile limits

    Less suited to teams that need custom reports or full administration on mobile, according to reviewers.

Gusto vs its closest alternatives

Payroll Software comparison: LeadChange Score, pricing and verified features
ProductScoreStarting price per employeeStarting base feePricing modelFree trialOpen APISOC 2 Type II
Gusto8.1$6/employee/mo$49/moBase fee + per employeeNot verified
Patriot Payroll9.3$4/employee/mo$17/moBase fee + per employeeNot verified
Paychex Flex8.1$5/employee/mo$39/moBase fee + per employeeNot verifiedNot verified
Square PayrollNot scored$6/employee/mo$35/moBase fee + per employeeNot verifiedNot verified
SurePayroll5.0$4/employee/mo$20/moBase fee + per employeeNot verifiedNot verified
ADP RUN Powered by ADP3.8Not verifiedNot verifiedQuote onlyNot verified
OnPay7.6$6/employee/mo$49/moBase fee + per employeeNot verified
QuickBooks Payroll8.8$7/employee/mo$50/moBase fee + per employee

Alternatives to similar products

Frequently asked questions

What are the best alternatives to Gusto?

The closest alternatives to Gusto in Payroll Software are Patriot Payroll (75% similar), Paychex Flex (73% similar), and Square Payroll (70% similar), by the categories, company sizes and pricing model they share. Patriot Payroll vs Gusto: $117 vs $199 a month at 25 employees. Payroll Software score 9.3 vs 8.1.

What is a cheaper alternative to Gusto?

Patriot Payroll: $117 a month at 25 employees vs $199 for Gusto.

Which Gusto alternatives publish their prices?

Of the alternatives to Gusto, Patriot Payroll, Paychex Flex, Square Payroll, SurePayroll, OnPay, and QuickBooks Payroll publish list prices for at least one plan. Gusto publishes its prices too.

Which Gusto alternative scores highest?

Patriot Payroll (75% similar to Gusto), with a LeadChange Score of 9.3/10 in Payroll Software against 8.1 for Gusto, among the 3 closest alternatives. For small businesses, Paychex Flex (8.1/10) is the top-scored alternative that lists them as a target.

Why do teams look for Gusto alternatives?

The fit limits documented for Gusto: faster pay costs extra on lower plans, new accounts start on slower deposits, and payroll is US-only. The “Why buyers look beyond Gusto” section explains each one from its source.

Which Gusto alternatives integrate with Xero?

Paychex Flex, ADP RUN Powered by ADP, OnPay, and Justworks list Xero among their notable integrations, like Gusto.

Which Gusto alternatives offer a free trial?

Of the alternatives to Gusto, Patriot Payroll, OnPay, and QuickBooks Payroll list a free trial; Gusto does not.

Is Patriot Payroll better than Gusto?

Patriot Payroll scores 9.3/10 in Payroll Software against 8.1 for Gusto; which fits better depends on your headcount, budget and the modules you need. Feature by feature: Gusto vs Patriot Payroll.

Switching from Gusto?

Tell us why you’re leaving and when your contract ends, and see the alternatives that fit, with verified evidence for what you need, ranked without regard to who pays us.

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