Gusto

gusto.com
HR & Payroll
Few Days

Payroll, benefits, and HR software for small and medium businesses.

How to Replace Gusto

Overview

Gusto is a cloud-based payroll and human resources platform that automates payroll processing, tax compliance, and benefits administration for businesses of all sizes. It combines payroll management, employee benefits, and HR tools in a single integrated platform.

Features

46 features across 17 categories

Benefits(4)

401(k) Plans

Administer and manage 401(k) retirement plans with payroll integration.

Employee Benefits Administration

Manage health insurance, 401(k), and other benefits with self-service employee enrollment.

Health Insurance Marketplace

Compare and enroll employees in health insurance plans with guided selection.

Workers' CompensationPremium

Integrated workers' compensation insurance management and reporting.

Also in: Justworks, Wagmo, 1Password

Compliance(7)

Audit Logs

Complete audit trail of all system changes and payroll modifications.

Certified PayrollPremium

Certified payroll reports for government contracts and public projects.

Compliance AlertsAIPremium

Automated notifications for compliance deadlines and regulatory changes.

Compliance LibraryPremium

Access to employment law resources and compliance documents.

Tax Compliance

Automatic federal, state, and local tax filing with real-time compliance updates.

Unemployment Insurance

Manage unemployment insurance claims and filings.

Year-End Reporting

Automated W-2 and 1099 generation with e-filing capabilities.

Also in: Insider CDP, Airtable, 1Password

Data Management(1)

Bulk Import

Import employee and payroll data in bulk via CSV files.

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Document Management(1)

Document Storage

Secure cloud storage for employee records and important documents.

Employee Engagement(1)

Survey ToolsPremium

Create and distribute employee surveys for feedback and engagement.

Employee Experience(1)

Employee Self-Service Portal

Employees can update personal info, view pay stubs, and manage benefits.

Finance(2)

Expense ManagementPremium

Capture and categorize employee expenses for reimbursement.

Payroll ReconciliationPremium

Automated reconciliation between payroll and accounting data.

Also in: Keap, Namely, Justworks

HR(7)

Employee Directory

Centralized employee information repository with role-based access controls.

Employee HandbookPremium

Tools to create and distribute customizable employee handbooks.

Employee Onboarding

Streamlined digital onboarding process with automated document collection and I-9 verification.

HR Dashboard

Centralized view of all HR and payroll data with customizable reporting.

Leave ManagementPremium

Track and manage PTO, sick leave, and other time-off policies.

Performance ManagementPremium

Tools for setting goals, tracking performance, and conducting reviews.

Termination Workflow

Guided process for employee offboarding with final pay and document requirements.

Integration(1)

API AccessPremium

Programmatic access to Gusto data and functionality via REST API.

Learning(1)

Training ManagementPremium

Assign and track employee training courses and certifications.

Mobile(1)

Mobile App

Native mobile app for iOS and Android with time tracking and document access.

Payroll(10)

Bonus and Commission TrackingPremium

Tools for calculating and processing bonus and commission payments.

Contractor Management

Create and manage 1099 contractor payments and tax documentation.

Deduction Management

Configure and manage pre-tax and post-tax deductions.

Direct Deposit

Secure direct deposit functionality for all employee payments.

Garnishment Processing

Automatic handling of wage garnishments and court-ordered deductions.

Multi-State Payroll

Support for multi-state payroll processing with location-specific compliance.

Pay Stubs and Tax Documents

Digital pay stubs, W-2s, and 1099s accessible to employees anytime.

Paycheck Delivery Options

Support for direct deposit, physical checks, and debit card payments.

Payroll Calendar

Customizable payroll schedule with automatic deadline notifications.

Payroll Processing

Automated payroll calculation and processing with support for direct deposit and tax withholding.

Recruiting(1)

Recruiting ToolsPremium

Built-in job posting and applicant tracking for hiring.

Reporting(2)

Custom ReportsPremium

Build and schedule custom payroll and HR reports with data export options.

Wage Garnishment Reports

Generate reports for wage garnishments and deductions.

Security(3)

Data Backup and Recovery

Automatic daily backups with disaster recovery capabilities.

Role-Based Access Control

Granular permission settings to control employee and admin access levels.

Single Sign-OnPremium

SAML-based single sign-on for enterprise security.

Time Management(2)

Shift ManagementPremium

Schedule shifts and manage employee availability.

Time Tracking

Built-in time clock for employees to log hours and track attendance.

Workflow(1)

Approval WorkflowsPremium

Customizable approval processes for payroll, expenses, and time-off requests.

Pricing

Core Payroll

$39/mo
  • Payroll processing
  • tax compliance
  • employee self-service

Plus

Popular
$129/mo
  • Core features plus benefits administration
  • workers' comp
  • performance management

Premium

$259/mo
  • Plus features plus leave management
  • recruiting
  • training

Cost Calculator

Keep Paying Gusto

Monthly$39/mo
Yearly$468/yr
5-Year Total$2.3k

Build It Yourself

Est. Build Time~5 hrs
Hosting$20/mo
DifficultyEasy

Total Cost Comparison

1 YearSave $228
SaaS
$468
DIY
$240
3 YearsSave $684
SaaS
$1.4k
DIY
$720
5 YearsSave $1.1k
SaaS
$2.3k
DIY
$1.2k

DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 46 features at easy complexity.

Build vs Buy

Should you build a Gusto alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 46 features.

Buy Gusto

Better Value
Monthly cost$390/mo
3-year total$14,040
Time to deployDays

Build Your Own

Development cost$36,000
Maintenance$540/mo
3-year total$55,440
Dev time~3 months

Buying Gusto saves ~$41,400 over 3 years vs building.

Estimates based on 46 features and a BuildScore of 4/5. Actual costs vary.

Integrations

28 known integrations