Gusto vs. QuickBooks Payroll

Getting payroll wrong can be a time-consuming and costly affair, especially because sensitive details like bank accounts and Social Security Numbers are involved. That’s why security is our main priority. Over 500,000 businesses trust us with their payroll, leading us to process tens of billions of dollars each year. Here’s how we keep your sensitive information safe:

• At every stage, we employ industry-standard encryption. All stored data is encrypted using AES-256, while all data in transit is encrypted using TLS 1.2.

• We regularly test our software so we can stop problems before they occur.

• Each Gusto account is monitored for suspicious or fraudulent activity. If we notice something wrong with your account, we’ll notify you right away.

• We only work with vendors and integration partners who demonstrate their commitment to exemplary security protocols.

• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is enabled on every account to ensure only the right people see sensitive information.

• Each of our employees goes through security training, even if their role doesn’t involve interacting with sensitive information.

Along with our payroll security measures, we regularly make sure that our benefits administration is airtight. Our benefits platform is in line with COBRA, HIPAA, and ACA’s stringent security, privacy, and compliance standards. That means your team’s protected health information (PHI) is in safe hands.

Read more about our security practices across our payroll, benefits, and HR offerings.

Thanks to our intuitive migration process, you can join Gusto at any time of the year. When you switch to Gusto, your personal, dedicated payroll specialist will walk you through the entire process, saving you hours of time and reducing setup errors. If you have 10 or more employees, we’ll do it for you–you’ll be set up with your new payroll platform before you know it.

To set up a new account or transfer an existing payroll over to Gusto, we recommend that you gather some basic information before reaching out.You will need your EIN and your team’s addresses and salaries. If you’re making the switch in the middle of the year, it’s also important that you provide any documentation about the payroll taxes you’ve already.

If you need more information about Gusto, our sales team can answer any questions. You can reach our team directly by emailing [email protected], calling (855) 590-3993, or through live chat in the corner of our website. Our sales team is ready to chat Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.

Many small businesses choose Gusto for its intuitive interface, transparent pricing, and all-in-one payroll and HR features. QuickBooks Payroll can be a strong choice for companies deeply embedded in the QuickBooks accounting ecosystem, but it focuses more narrowly on payroll and may require additional tools for HR and benefits. Gusto delivers a more complete solution for managing your team, with everything from onboarding to benefits administration included.

No—Gusto is not bookkeeping software. Our platform focuses on payroll, HR, benefits, and compliance tools, helping you manage the people side of your business. However, we integrate with popular accounting systems like QuickBooks, Xero, and FreshBooks, so your payroll data flows seamlessly into your books.

Some businesses pair Gusto with accounting platforms like Xero, FreshBooks, or Wave to create a complete back-office solution. This combination allows them to maintain robust accounting while also getting a more modern, integrated HR and payroll experience.

Our Simple plan starts at $49/mo + $6/mo per person, which includes full-service payroll, employee self-service, and core HR tools. Plus and Premium plans add advanced HR features, performance tracking, and compliance support. Pricing is straightforward and scales with your needs—no hidden fees.

Gusto combines payroll, HR, benefits, compliance, scheduling, and performance tools into one easy-to-use platform designed for small businesses. Our emphasis on transparency, automation, and excellent customer support means you spend less time on admin work and more time focusing on your business.

Both Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll publish transparent, tiered pricing — Gusto starts at $49/month plus $6/employee, while QuickBooks Payroll's Core plan starts at $50/month plus $6/employee — but the real cost difference shows up in what's included at the entry tier versus what requires an upgrade.

• Gusto Simple: $49/mo + $6/employee — single-state payroll, tax filing, and core HR features included.

• QuickBooks Payroll Core: $50/mo + $6/employee — but HR support, time tracking, and same-day direct deposit require the $85/mo + $9/employee Premium tier.

• Published pricing, easier to budget: Unlike some payroll providers that require a sales call to get any pricing at all, both Gusto and QuickBooks list their rates publicly, making it possible to compare real costs before signing up.

Gusto tends to fit nonprofits and retail businesses that want payroll bundled with HR support — onboarding, compliance alerts, and benefits — in one system, while QuickBooks Payroll suits organizations that already run bookkeeping in QuickBooks and want payroll to post directly into existing fund- or department-level accounting.

• Nonprofits tracking by fund or program: QuickBooks's accounting-native structure can make allocating payroll costs to grants or programs more direct.

• Retail teams wanting built-in HR support: Gusto's compliance alerts and onboarding tools reduce admin overhead for businesses without a dedicated HR person.

QuickBooks Payroll's biggest advantage is that it's built directly into the QuickBooks accounting ecosystem, while Gusto takes a connect-to-anything approach — integrating with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, and other accounting platforms so you're not locked into one system.

• QuickBooks: accounting and payroll in one login, no separate integration needed if you're already on QuickBooks.

• Gusto: works with QuickBooks or Xero (and others), so switching accounting software later doesn't mean switching payroll providers too.

Gusto is generally the simpler choice for a single-owner S-corp paying themselves a W-2 salary, since it handles owner payroll, tax filings, and compliance automatically. QuickBooks makes more sense if the owner is already keeping their books in QuickBooks and wants payroll to post directly into those accounts.

• Built for solo payroll: Gusto's guided setup handles reasonable-compensation payroll for single-owner S-corps without requiring payroll expertise.

• Books already in QuickBooks: If your bookkeeping already lives there, adding QuickBooks Payroll avoids maintaining a second system just for payroll.

QuickBooks Payroll has an edge for accountants already managing client books in QuickBooks, since payroll posts directly into the same accounts they're already reconciling . Gusto is the better fit when a client wants payroll and HR handled separately from, or alongside, whatever accounting system they use.

• Books-first workflow: If clients are already on QuickBooks Online, payroll data flows straight into the ledger without a separate sync step.

• HR-first workflow: For clients who need onboarding, benefits, and HR support alongside payroll, Gusto keeps that in one login instead of stacking tools.

Reviewers on G2 and Reddit consistently rate Gusto higher for ease of use and onboarding, while QuickBooks Payroll reviewers tend to praise its tight accounting sync but flag a steeper learning curve for anyone without an accounting background.

• Ease-of-use edge: Independent reviewers repeatedly cite Gusto's guided setup and clean interface as standout strengths versus QuickBooks Payroll.

• Where QuickBooks wins reviews: Users already in the QuickBooks ecosystem often prefer it for keeping payroll and books under one login.

Gusto offers deeper built-in HR technology — onboarding checklists, offer letters, e-signatures, PTO management, and compliance alerts ship with the core product, while QuickBooks Payroll's HR tools are largely limited to employee self-service for pay stubs and W-2s unless you upgrade to a higher tier.

• HR included, not bolted on: Gusto's onboarding, document storage, and compliance flags are part of every plan.

• QuickBooks HR sits behind higher tiers: Offer letters and broader HR document management require QuickBooks's Premium or Elite plans, or outside software.

Yes. Gusto integrates directly with both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop, syncing payroll journal entries automatically so payroll and books stay aligned without manual data entry.

• Direct, native sync: Gusto connects to QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop as separate, supported integrations — not a single generic export.

• No middleman required: Payroll runs push straight into your existing chart of accounts, so you don't have to maintain a workaround just to keep books current.