A quick and easy comparison guide

Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll

Based on reviews from thousands of real customers on G2, Gusto consistently receives higher ratings in these four key areas:

  • Gusto is cost-effective for small businesses compared to QuickBooks.

  • Gusto offers a more intuitive &  user-friendly payroll experience.

  • Gusto saves time with easy setup and automated reports.

Switch to Gusto and save over $2,600 on payroll & HR costs**

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We’re thrilled to be ranked G2’s #1 best software for small business of 2024!

Thinking of switching from QuickBooks? Make the move to Gusto in less than 7 days and simplify payroll today! Learn more about switching.

Compare pricing and features: Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll

Gusto
Pricing
Monthly fee
Starting at $40/mo + $6/mo per person
Starting at $45/mo + $5/mo per user
Setup fee
Free
Free
Payroll
Unlimited payrolls
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Automated federal and state tax filing
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Direct deposit
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File W-2s
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File 1099s
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Multiple pay rates and schedules
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Multiple states
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(Plus and Premium)
Extra fees (free with Elite)
Contractor payments
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E-sign I-9 and W-4
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(Premium and Elite)
Lifetime access for employees
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Household employer payroll
X
International payroll
Dollar
(International contractor add-on)
Benefits
Health benefits
Pay premiums only
Through SimplyInsured
Workers’ comp
Pay premiums only
Premiums + fees (fees waived for Premium and Elite)
Available add-ons
  • Broker integration
  • 401(k) retirement
  • Commuter benefits
  • Life and disability
  • HSA and FSA
  • 401(k) retirement
HR tools
Time tracking
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(Plus and Premium)
(Premium and Elite)
Team directory and org chart
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(Plus and Premium)
Time-off requests
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(Plus and Premium)
Online offer letters
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Secure document vault and e-signing
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Custom employee handbook
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(Premium and HR add-on)
(Elite)
Job description and policy templates
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(Premium and HR add-on)
(Premium and Elite)
Proactive compliance updates
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(Premium and HR add-on)
(Premium and Elite)
Certified HR pros
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(Premium and HR add-on)
(Elite)
Direct phone line for dedicated support
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(Premium and HR add-on)
(Elite)
Custom Onboarding Checklist
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(Plus and Premium)
Software Provisioning
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(Plus and Premium)
Integrations
QuickBooks
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Xero
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Google (G-suite) SSO
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*Competitive data on this page was collected as of June 27th, 2021 and is subject to change or update. Gusto does not make any representations as to the completeness or accuracy of the information on this page. All Gusto services listed in the payroll features comparison chart are provided by Gusto or by one of Gusto's trusted partners.me

“Gusto helps me stay on top of compliance.”

93% of surveyed customers

Save 4 hours running payroll each month

on average, compared to QuickBooks1

Save 3 hours monthly onboarding new hires

on average, compared to QuickBooks1

What to consider when choosing a payroll provider?

Evaluate the features your business needs today—and down the road.

Some payroll platforms might offer a lot of services, but they come at a cost. While a few dollars may not seem like much, these extras can eventually add up. Find a payroll platform that doesn’t charge you extra for every feature you add.

See if the provider has experience with businesses like yours.

Size is one of the most important factors to keep in mind. While some payroll solutions are great for large enterprises, they may not be able to cover the needs of small and midsize businesses. By choosing a payroll service that can serve you today and in the future, you can guarantee your needs will be met at each stage.

Consider how easy it is to switch.

Exporting and importing your existing data can be a tough task. If you’re planning on switching payroll providers, ask about the data migration process. While it’s important to understand the steps needed to transfer data, you should also ask who will oversee your migration to your new payroll service.

Get help when you need it.

Talking to customer service should be easy, especially when you’re in a bind. With so many ways to contact someone online, a good payroll service provider should offer plenty of assistance through chat, phone, and email.

Clipart of three people
Clipart of three people

#1 Best Software for Small Business of 2024

Most Innovative Companies in HR
2024

Best overall payroll software 2024

#1 Payroll Software
2024

Gusto FAQs

At Gusto, our goal is to help business owners manage their teams so they can focus on growing their companies. Our payroll platform supports the employee experience from onboarding all the way to retirement. By offering a clear payment structure, our customers rest easy knowing they won’t be charged any hidden fees.

Read more about how Gusto can take payroll, benefits, and HR off your plate.

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 400,000 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.

Prices start at just $46/month

Join more than 400,000
businesses and their teams.