What Is Gusto?
Gusto started out as ZenPayroll back in 2012. Its three founders lived together in Palo Alto – with one even bunking in the closet because they wanted to share a space but all the bedrooms were taken. They began with the initial goal of building a backend system that would allow them to pay themselves for their efforts. Today, more than 100,000 businesses across the country use Gusto to run payroll and administer benefits. It has offices in San Francisco, New York City, and Denver. Gusto also has a list of investors including celebrities like Jared Leto, Ashton Kutcher, and Alexis Ohanian.
Ranked #1 in Best Payroll Software of 2022
Gusto places No.1 in our rating of the Best Payroll Software of 2022.
It offers three plans that range in price and are designed to meet a wide variety of needs. At $39 per month, plus $6 per employee, its Core Plan isn’t the cheapest we reviewed but it’s still affordable, and it comes with everything you need to run payroll. All three of Gusto’s plans include automated payroll for salaried employees, unlimited payroll runs, direct deposit, tax filings, W-2s and 1099s, and much more. Gusto offers health insurance in most states, and you can use it to build a benefits package for your employees. Gusto’s pricier plans also come with time tracking and additional HR and administrative features.
Gusto offers a Contractor Plan for companies that don’t have any W-2 employees. The monthly payment is just $6 per payee.
Companies that need to file taxes in multiple states
Tech lovers
New businesses
Companies that are only paying independent contractors
People that hate extra fees
Gusto Is Not Recommended For:
Businesses looking for the most affordable self-service payroll software
People who want to run household payroll
Users who want expert support during the evening or weekend
If you’re into UX and you love downloading the latest apps, Gusto might be a good fit. It was born in Silicon Valley, and it’s got a very contemporary feel. Not only can you run payroll, but you can also keep track of your employees’ coffee orders or even send digital birthday cards signed by their coworkers.
Unlike some competitors we reviewed, Gusto doesn’t charge extra fees if you need to pay taxes in multiple states. In fact, Gusto’s pricing is outlined on its website, and if extra fees drive you crazy, it may be a good fit. It’s also a good option for new businesses because you can set up payroll, create a benefits package, and onboard your staff all in one place and for a manageable price.
Onboarding is efficient with Gusto’s self-onboarding system. You only need to enter a few details about your employees and Gusto sends them an email instructing them to log in and fill out the rest. And another great thing about signing up for Gusto: You can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time.
If you’re only paying independent contractors, you might also want to consider Gusto. It offers a plan with no monthly fee beyond $6 per payee, but it doesn’t offer household payroll.
If you’re the type of person who likes to be able to pick up the phone and get your questions answered anytime, Gusto might not be the best choice. Live support is available between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. PST. In contrast, some of the competitors in our ratings offer 24/7 customer service, while others offer weekend or evening hours, depending on your location. Gusto lacks a mobile app for running payroll, but you can log in through a web browser on your phone or tablet.
Finally, Gusto isn’t the most expensive payroll software in our rating of the Best Payroll Software of 2022, but it’s also not the most budget-friendly. With self-service plans from Patriot or SurePayroll, you’ll need to file your own taxes and you won’t get a ton of HR tools, but you’ll likely save money.
Gusto Image Gallery
Core
The Core Plan costs $39 per month, plus $6 per employee. It comes with everything you need to run payroll like direct deposit, payroll reports, and unlimited payroll runs. Plus, Gusto will take care of your federal, state, and local tax filings. You can also administer benefits, and your employees can use the Gusto Wallet app to access their pay stubs and W-2s.
Consider upgrading to Gusto’s Complete or Concierge plan if you want additional HR features like software provisioning, time tracking, and anonymous surveys.
Though this is the most affordable plan from Gusto, if you’re looking for low-priced, self-service payroll software, consider competitors like Patriot or SurePayroll.
Complete
The Complete Plan from Gusto costs $39 per month, plus $12 per employee. You’ll get everything that comes with the Core Plan and more. The biggest difference when it comes to running payroll is that the Complete Plan offers next-day direct deposit.
But when you check out the features beyond payroll, there are big differences. The Complete Plan has added functions like the option to e-sign documents, custom onboarding checklists, time tracking, PTO requests, and the ability to send anonymous surveys and even review the results over time.
You might want to upgrade to the Concierge Plan if you want more dedicated HR support. Not only does it come with unlimited access to a certified HR professional over the phone or chat, but also with a dedicated phone line you can call for customer support.
Concierge
Costing $149 per month, plus $12 per employee, Gusto’s Concierge plan is on the pricier end of all those we reviewed, but it comes with tons of features, including all the tools you’ll need to run payroll and administer benefits.
In terms of running payroll, you get the same features with the Complete and Concierge plans, but the latter comes with premium HR support. You’ll get access to Gusto’s HR Resource Center, where you can find job description and employee policy templates, as well as alerts when laws change so you can stay in compliance. With the Concierge plan, you also get unlimited access to HR professionals, plus a direct phone line so you can call Gusto for support.
Gusto is cloud-based, so you can sign up online, and there’s no contract. Remember, Gusto offers three plans that range in price and features, as well as an option for businesses that only pay independent contractors. If you need help deciding which plan is for you or you have questions about Gusto, contact its sales team by phone or chat. If you’ve already paid employees this year, you’ll need to have your company’s EIN, your employees’ addresses and salaries, and records of what you’ve already paid in payroll taxes.
- Choose A Plan. Consider which plan is right for you before signing up. Keep in mind, the Core Plan has everything you need to run payroll, plus Gusto will file you local, state, and federal taxes. The Complete Plan comes with added features to help you run your business, like time tracking. And the Concierge Plan includes access to certified HR professionals when you need them.
- Sign Up. Once you’ve picked a plan, click the orange “Get Started” button on Gusto’s website. It’ll prompt you to create a Gusto account.
- Set Up Your Account. There are 10 steps to set up your account. You’ll need to enter your address, some information about your workers, your tax information, and your banking details. Then pick a pay schedule, enter your past payroll information, sign some forms, confirm your bank information, and add your current unpaid tax liabilities.
Does Gusto Offer a Trial Period?
Unlike most of the other payroll software in our ratings, Gusto doesn’t offer a free trial period. But keep in mind there are no contracts, and you can cancel Gusto at any time. Gusto does, however, have a demo available on its website so you can get a feel for it before signing up.
Does Gusto Offer Direct Deposit?
Gusto offers direct deposit with all three plans, so you can send money straight to your employees without printing and signing checks. With Gusto’s Core Plan, you need to run payroll at least two days before payday, while Gusto’s Complete and Concierge plans come with next-day direct deposit. On payday, your employees will even receive a celebratory email from Gusto with a link to their paystub.
Certain customers also qualify for Gusto Cashout, a helpful tool that allows your workers to request an advance to cover emergencies.
Does Gusto Offer Automated Tax Filing?
With all three plans, Gusto will file and pay your federal, state, and local taxes. Gusto also generates your W-2s and 1099s at the end of the year and electronically distributes them to your workers. Gusto is a great choice for companies that need to file taxes in multiple states. Multistate filings are included with all three plans – that’s not something every payroll software can say.
Does Gusto Allow for Time Tracking?
With Gusto’s Complete and Concierge plans, you can track time for hourly and salaried employees. Plus, you can track projects, and your employees can submit PTO requests that automatically sync to your calendar.
Gusto also supports integrations with many time tracking softwares, which is great if you’re already using one you like or you opt for Gusto’s Core Plan, which doesn’t include time tracking.
Does Gusto Support Integrations?
Gusto supports a bunch of integrations. Syncing your accounting software can help you save time and stay accurate. With Gusto, you can integrate all the most popular accounting software including Intuit QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and Xero. Gusto also supports integrations with time tracking software including Homebase, Tsheets, and When I Work.
Plus Gusto does a lot more. You can also integrate a wide variety of Point of Sale, business administration, analytics, hiring, and other softwares.
Does Gusto Have a Mobile App?
With the Gusto Wallet app, your employees can access their pay stubs and tax documents, set up cash accounts, and more. It’s available for Apple and Android devices.
Gusto doesn’t have a mobile app for running payroll but you can still do it on your phone or tablet. Just log in to your Gusto account using your web browser. Your employees will also need to log in to Gusto using a web browser to adjust their benefits, clock in and out, or request PTO.
How Do I Contact Gusto’s Customer Service?
With all three Gusto plans, you get access to customer support. You can either call, chat, or email for help. Support is available from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST. There’s a priority line for Concierge plan customers, who also get access to a dedicated team of experts. Plus, everyone can take advantage of Gusto’s Help Center to troubleshoot issues on their own.