Starting and running a small business can often feel like navigating a labyrinth. Thankfully, finding your way through payroll doesn’t have to be. Enter Gusto Payroll, your trusted companion in the journey towards streamlined, efficient payroll management.
In the following video, I share my experience of using Gusto Payroll, while also comparing it with other Payroll services like Paychex, ADP, and QuickBooks. It’s important to find a good payroll service that will make doing payroll a breeze for you:
I hope Gusto saves you a lot of frustration that I wish I didn’t have to go through, especially because now you can get a $100 Visa Gift Card with your Gusto subscription.
If you’re looking at setting up a 401k for your business and you want more hand-holding, then I would recommend a service like ADP. I say this about ADP because Gusto is great for self-service, and you pay less for that reason, but when you need more service to ensure your 401k is running smoothly, you may want to check out a service like ADP.
Ok, let’s get into business!
Table of Contents
Gusto Payroll
Gusto is a comprehensive, cloud-based platform offering a suite of services tailored to meet your small business needs, including payroll, benefits administration, HR, and more.
A trailblazer in the industry, Gusto has helped over 100,000 small businesses in the U.S. streamline their payroll process, ensuring employees get paid on time and accurately.
Why Do You Need a Payroll Service?
Payroll services are the lifeblood of any business. They ensure your employees are compensated accurately and on time – a crucial aspect of maintaining a satisfied, productive workforce. Furthermore, these services help you stay compliant with labor laws and regulations, saving you potential legal headaches down the line. Efficient payroll management can also free up your time, allowing you to focus on the core aspects of your business.
Gusto Review: The Revolution!
Gusto Payroll stands out in the realm of payroll services, offering a highly intuitive, user-friendly interface that even payroll novices can navigate with ease. The platform’s wide range of services caters to businesses of all shapes and sizes, making it an excellent choice for startups, small businesses, and medium enterprises.
From handling complex payroll calculations to managing tax filings and W-2s, Gusto takes the heavy lifting off your plate. Moreover, the platform offers HR tools like time tracking, hiring and onboarding, employee benefits, and more, making it a comprehensive solution for all your HR needs.
Best VoIP Services for Your Business
Features
Gusto Payroll shines with its myriad features. To begin with, the platform offers unlimited payroll runs and automatic payroll options, simplifying payroll processing. Additionally, its direct deposit and check options offer flexibility in payment methods.
Gusto’s tax compliance feature is another key highlight. It handles all federal, state, and local taxes, ensuring you’re always compliant. The platform also offers seamless integration with popular accounting software, making it easy to keep your financial records in order.
Another standout feature is its HR tools. From hiring to retirement, Gusto manages the entire employee lifecycle, providing a comprehensive solution for small businesses.
Let’s break it down for you:
- Payroll processing: Gusto automates the entire payroll process, allowing you to calculate and run payroll with ease. It handles tasks such as calculating employee wages, deductions, and tax withholdings.
- Employee self-service: Gusto provides an employee self-service portal where employees can access their pay stubs, tax forms, and update their personal information. They can also submit time-off requests and view their vacation balances.
- Tax filings and payments: Gusto takes care of all federal, state, and local payroll tax filings on your behalf. It calculates the taxes owed, generates tax forms (such as W-2s and 1099s), and files them with the appropriate agencies. Gusto also facilitates tax payments, making sure you stay compliant.
- Direct deposit and paycards: With Gusto, you can offer direct deposit to your employees, allowing them to receive their wages directly into their bank accounts. Alternatively, Gusto also supports paycards, which are reloadable debit cards that can be used by employees without a bank account.
- New hire onboarding: Gusto streamlines the onboarding process for new employees. It collects all the necessary information, such as tax forms and employment agreements, and guides new hires through the paperwork, making the process efficient and paperless.
- Time tracking integration: Gusto integrates with various time tracking systems, making it easy to import employee hours and calculate accurate payroll. This integration eliminates manual data entry and reduces errors.
- PTO tracking: Gusto allows you to track and manage paid time off (PTO) for your employees. You can set up your company’s PTO policies, track accrued balances, and enable employees to request time off directly through the employee self-service portal.
- Benefits administration: Gusto provides tools to manage employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and commuter benefits. It helps you track eligibility, enroll employees, and handle deductions for benefits.
- Reports and analytics: Gusto generates a variety of payroll reports that provide insights into your payroll data. You can access reports such as payroll summaries, tax filings, and employee details. These reports help you analyze your payroll expenses and stay compliant with reporting requirements.
- Integration with accounting software: Gusto seamlessly integrates with popular accounting software platforms like QuickBooks and Xero. This integration ensures that your payroll data is accurately transferred to your accounting system, simplifying your financial processes.

These are some of the main features included in Gusto’s payroll service. It’s worth noting that Gusto offers different pricing plans with varying levels of features and support, so the availability of specific features may depend on the plan you choose.
Price and Comparison List
Here’s a comparison box outlining the different Gusto Payroll service plans along with their respective prices:
CORE PLAN | COMPLETE PLAN | CONCIERGE PLAN | |
PRICE PER MONTH | $39 base fee | $39 base fee | $149 base fee |
+ $6 per person | + $12 per person | + 12 per person | |
PAYROLL FEATURES | |||
Full Service Payroll | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Employee Self-Service | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Direct Deposit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Tax Filings and Payments | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
New hire onboarding | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Time-tracking integration | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ |
PTO tracking | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ |
Health benefits | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ |
Retirement benefits | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ |
Worker’s compensation | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ |
HR Support | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ |
Additional Features | State tax filings and forms | State tax filings and forms | State tax filings and forms |
Employee cashout | Employee cashout | Employee cashout | |
FICA tip credit | FICA tip credit | FICA tip credit | |
Certified HR Advisors | Certified HR Advisors | Certified HR Advisors | |
Certified HR Pros | |||
Dedicated support team |
Hidden Fees?
One of the commendable aspects of Gusto Payroll is its transparency in pricing. There are no hidden fees or tricky pricing models; what you see is what you get. All costs are clearly laid out in their pricing plans, ensuring businesses can budget accurately without any surprises.
Still, you may need to search for anything that involves:
- Additional Services: Some advanced features or services may come at an additional cost. For example, certain integrations, advanced reporting, or HR advisory services might require an extra fee. Gusto offers different plans with varying features, so additional services may have different costs depending on the plan.
- Tax Filings and Compliance: Payroll services often handle tax filings and compliance on behalf of businesses. While Gusto includes tax filings and payments in its plans, there may be additional fees for specific scenarios such as multistate payroll or certain tax forms.
- Add-Ons: Payroll services may offer add-on services that come with an extra cost. These include workers’ compensation insurance, employee benefits administration, or time tracking integrations. These add-ons may have their own fees separate from the base payroll service.
It’s essential to carefully review the terms and conditions, pricing details, and any available documentation provided by Gusto or any other payroll service to ensure you have a clear understanding of the fees involved.
What People Say About Gusto Payroll
Gusto Payroll consistently earns high marks in customer reviews. Users frequently praise the platform’s simplicity, ease of use, and excellent customer service. Many also highlight its comprehensive features and transparent pricing, making Gusto a trusted choice for small businesses.

If you’re looking at setting up a 401k for your business and you want more hand-holding, then I would recommend a service like ADP. I say this about ADP because Gusto is great for self-service, and you pay less for that reason, but when you need more service to ensure your 401k is running smoothly, you may want to check out a service like ADP.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Gusto Payroll provides a comprehensive, user-friendly solution to handle your business’s payroll needs. Its robust features, straightforward pricing, and positive customer reviews make it an excellent choice for any small business looking to streamline their payroll processes and more. Give Gusto Payroll a try and experience the difference for yourself!