The Complete Gusto VS QuickBooks Online Payroll Comparison

Small businesses in 2021 can breathe easy knowing that there are tons of affordable, feature-rich payroll and HR software to choose from. Among the most popular of these platforms are Gusto and Intuit Online Payroll, each of which offers different plans and prices depending on your business’s size and goals. Of course, it’s tough to know which software solution makes the most sense for you without some digging into their finer details, which is exactly what this article aims to do.

Gusto VS QuickBooks Online Payroll

Gusto works best for new companies that need full-service payroll processing and HR resources, while QuickBooks’s strong accounting, time-tracking, and health insurance options are great for companies with lots of hourly employees who work in multiple states and want quick access to their list of benefits.

Before we go for a deep dive into how Gusto and QuickBooks Online’s price points and features compare, let’s zoom out for a bird’s eye view of their biggest selling points and ideal audience.

Gusto Overview

Gusto, which started as ZenPayroll in 2012, is a cloud-based payroll and HR platform that aims to make it easier for businesses to focus on growth and scaling. As of 2020, Gusto serves more than 100,000 U.S.-based companies via four main plans for salaried employees. And with its seamless combination of benefits administration, 401(k)s, HR, and onboarding services — packaged into a software platform that’s valid for use in all 50 states — it’s easy to see why this payroll solution has gained such a large user base.

Gusto’s plans, even its lowest-priced ‘Core’ plan, do a superb job of balancing payroll management functions with processes that can help small businesses streamline HR. The most robust features available, such as time-tracking capabilities and an on-call center of HR professionals, are unfortunately barred until you purchase the higher-level (read: more expensive) plans. With that said, Gusto still offers a range of functionality for payroll processing and employee management even with its most affordable plan.

Intuit Online Payroll Overview

Intuit Quickbooks Payroll integrates directly with QuickBooks online for an intuitive payroll solution. The online platform balances an interface that’s familiar to existing QuickBooks users with many added integrations and a large selection of features. Business owners must ensure they have an existing QuickBooks Online account before they can begin using Intuit Online Payroll, after which they can enjoy an easy setup to get started.

Intuit Online Payroll makes it particularly easy for businesses to track and provide benefits for employees who operate in multiple states. Unlike with Gusto, businesses can use QuickBooks Payroll to cover employees with health insurance benefits in any U.S. state. And, also unlike Gusto, Intuit Online Payroll has highly robust time-tracking tools that businesses can use for non-salaried, hourly employees.

Which Is Best For My Business Needs: QuickBooks Payroll Or Gusto?

Gusto and Intuit Online Payroll overlap with each other in more ways than one. But at the end of the day, the one you choose for your business will depend on your immediate and long-term focuses, as well as what you’ll be using the software for most often.

Choose Gusto If…

• You staff fewer than 100 employees and need to streamline their payroll system

• You employ mostly 1099 contractors who work in multiple states

• You value top-notch, easy-to-reach customer service support representatives

Choose Intuit Online Payroll If…

• You already use QuickBooks for your functional accounting and want to quickly and easily integrate it with Inuit Online Payroll

• You want faster direct deposit options for your employees, which is especially helpful for out-of-state employees on different pay runs

• You mostly employ W2 employees for whom you want low per-employee fees.

Gusto VS QuickBooks Online Payroll Comparison: The Final Verdict

Gusto’s seamless combination of payroll processing, new hire onboarding, and HR and benefits management services makes it one of the most robust and affordable software solutions for small businesses. Its transparent pricing model and structure provide clients with peace of mind no matter which plan they choose. And, its 401(k) and savings plans are all easily accessible through the software’s benefits options.