Gusto vs. QuickBooks Payroll: Complete Comparison

Over 100,000 small businesses nationwide use the payroll, HR, and benefits platform Gusto. In more than 38 states, Gusto provides alternatives for employee benefit plans. Gusto is another cloud-based platform featuring interfaces for Xero and QuickBooks accounting software.

For tracking financial health and controlling income and expenses, QuickBooks is the accounting program that small businesses use the most. It is possible to charge customers, collect payment from them, generate reports, and file tax returns. Anyone, from a freelancer to a small business, can use the large selection of tools that QuickBooks has to offer.

Excellent reviews are given for two payroll services: Gusto and Intuit QuickBooks. Although both companies offer comprehensive payroll services, Gusto is regarded as being more user-friendly and scalable for startups and new businesses. In its top-tiered plan, QuickBooks enables you to pay employees more quickly with same-day direct payments for a single-stop picture of a company’s financial health.

Both Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll are outstanding online, Automated payroll systems that let small business owners set up and process payroll, handle employee benefits, and file payroll taxes. Gusto is ideal for companies that want to expand beyond 50 people and would gain from additional HR features. On the other hand, QuickBooks Payroll is excellent for smaller organizations that already use QuickBooks Online for accounting and desire the adaptability of managing payroll using an app.

There are numerous parallels between Gusto and QuickBooks when compared side by side. Employees have access to a site provided by both payroll services to view and manage their pay. Payroll administrators won’t have to do a lot of extra work as a result. Both programs interface with outside companies, including accounting and time-tracking services, although QuickBooks works best when used in conjunction with other Intuit products.

Overview of Gusto vs. QuickBooks

GUSTO	QUICKBOOKS
Gusto provides additional features and services to operate effectively.	Comparing QuickBooks to Gusto, less functionality are offered.
You can integrate with outside parties via Gusto.	Only a few Intuit tools can be integrated with QuickBooks. You must manually enter data when performing accounting.
Gusto offers top-notch HR support. Most of your payroll and HR processes can be handled in one place.	You will not get this feature in QuickBooks.
Gusto offers all these services but prices extra because you cannot pay for just the features you require. It offers a full bundle.	The price of QuickBooks varies depending on the options that a user wishes to use.
No online services are offered by Gusto.	You can do all of your business accounting tasks online with QuickBooks Online due to its online platform.
There isn’t a quality mobile app for Gusto.	QuickBooks is particularly practical because it features a proper mobile app for iOS and Android.
Gusto pays its employees within a couple of days.	Employees in QuickBooks only receive one day’s pay.
Its user-friendly interface includes on boarding checklists, step-by-step setup instructions, and automation options.	Its user-friendly interface includes on boarding checklists, step-by-step setup instructions, and automation options.
From 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, customer support is accessible by phone, email, and chat.	There is always chat help available, and there is phone support 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT on weekends.
It provides commuter benefits, 401(k) Plans, health insurance, free health benefits administration, HSAs, and FSAs. It also offers 529 college savings plans.	Employees have access to their paychecks, W-2s, and PTO balances via the Workforce Portal website.
Employees may access their paychecks and W-2s, manage their hours, and create savings goals with the Gusto Wallet app.	It provides free health benefits administration, 401(k) plans, and insurance coverage.
It is suitable for small enterprises that need a strong HR environment and have more than 50 employees.	For small firms with fewer than 50 employees who currently use the QuickBooks product line, it is preferable.
Pricing: Simple: $40 monthly plus $6 per for each employee. Plus: $80 each month plus $12 each month for each employee. Quote-based pricing is a premium.	Pricing: Basic: $45 per month plus $4 for each employee. Premium: $75 monthly plus $8 for each employee. Elite: $125 monthly plus $10 for each employee.
All three plan tiers automatically calculate, file, and pay federal, state, and local payroll taxes. There aren’t any additional state filing costs.	All three plan tiers automatically calculate, file, and pay Federal and State Payroll Taxes. Inclusion of local filing in the Premium and Elite plans. Only the Elite plan includes filing in multiple states.

Comparison Between Gusto and QuickBooks

Consideration and comparison of key elements are necessary before choosing and implementing the best online accounting software. We have developed a feature comparison that includes the many features QuickBooks Online and Gusto have to offer in order to provide an in-depth comparative analysis. Another issue we took into account was deployment, as QuickBooks Online is compatible with both iOS and Android mobile platforms in addition to Windows, Macintosh, and desktop platforms. On the other hand, Gusto is supported on mobile platforms for iOS and Android as well as desktop platforms for Windows and Macintosh.

1. Benefits and HR

Compared to QuickBooks Payroll, Gusto has more HR-specific tools, such as employee surveys, a business organizational chart, a coworker directory, customizable employee profiles, and online offer letters. Business owners can upgrade to Gusto’s top-tier Premium package for limitless access to HR specialists, an HR resource centre, and a dedicated support team.

The HR help centre is a feature of QuickBooks Payroll’s Premium plan, and access to a private HR advisor is a feature of the Elite plan, which is the highest tier. Although its HR capabilities are customizable, they are limited to employee handbooks, on boarding checklists, and job descriptions.

In addition to health, dentistry, and vision insurance, Gusto offers more benefit packages than QuickBooks Payroll. A 529 college savings account, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, and commuting perks are further Gusto choices.

2. Integrations

Regardless of the plan you choose, Gusto enables you to link with other point-of-sale, accounting, and time-tracking programs (QuickBooks Online included). If you don’t use your program with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Payroll is only compatible with other Intuit integrations. Simply said, You’ll have to manually enter your payroll information into your accounting software if you don’t utilize a QuickBooks package. If you do utilize QuickBooks Online, it will be very simple to add QuickBooks Payroll to your current strategy.

3. Direct Payment

The Core plan of QuickBooks Payroll offers next-day direct deposit, while the Premium and Elite subscriptions offer same-day direct deposit. Payroll must be submitted by 5 p.m. PT the day before payday in order to get a next-day direct deposit. It must be filed by 7 a.m. PT on the morning of payday in order to receive same-day direct deposit. In its Plus and Premium programs, Gusto offers next-day direct deposits as the quickest option. Direct Deposit is available for two days with the Simple plan.

4. Adaptability

While QuickBooks Payroll is best suited for small businesses with up to 50 employees, Gusto can handle very small enterprises with a few employees as well as medium-sized businesses with several hundred. For companies with more than 150 people, it won’t work.

5. Tracking of time

Employees can clock in and out and measure time spent on specific projects using the internal time-tracking tools offered by Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll. But what makes the higher-tier plans of QuickBooks Payroll unique is the inclusion of GPS monitoring. Teams that work at various job sites will find the tool, which also allows you to track employee mileage, to be extremely useful. When an employee enters or exits a job site, an employer can set up a geo-fence to remind them to clock in and out.

6. Mobile Application

Despite being mobile-friendly, Gusto does not have a dedicated mobile app that allows employers to manage payroll while on the road. You can process payroll, see reports, modify employee information, file taxes, and set reminders with QuickBooks Payroll’s free, fully featured mobile app for iOS and Android.

7. Consumer Assistance

At Gusto, sales and customer support teams offer complete assistance for all of your products. Every weekday, they are reachable by phone, email, and chat. Access to helpful customer service by phone, email, and chat is included with all of Gusto’s products Monday through Friday. Moreover, FAQ and Help Center are accessible every day of the week, round-the-clock. On their website, QuickBooks has an extensive knowledge base. Customers can call the QuickBooks support staff if they’d want to chat with a live person.

8. Tax Returns

Your payroll taxes must be filed appropriately at all times. Gusto automatically collects and files payroll taxes so you don’t have to. W-2 and 1099 papers for your employees and contractors are easily filed through the website. Also, file your local, state, and federal taxes for no additional charge. Additionally, you can manage tax filings across several states without charging extra.

The payroll tax obligations of your business can also be handled through QuickBooks Payroll. Similar to Gusto, the service can calculate, file, and pay your payroll taxes. The payroll package only includes one state file, and for the Core and Premium service tiers, additional states cost $12 per month. Users must print off the forms for local tax filings and mail them to their local tax collecting authorities.

9. Pricing

Pricing of Gusto

Users can select from four pricing tiers offered by Gusto. Examine the specifics and choose the strategy that is best for your company:

Easy Plan: A simplified set of integrated benefits and automatic payroll services costs $40/month (base pricing) plus $6/month per person. It also has employee profiles and self-service, Gusto-brokered health insurance administration, employee health and financial benefits, payroll and time off reports, customized admin permissions, integrations for accounting, time tracking, expense management, and more. It also has full-service single-state payroll with W-2s and 1099s.

Plus Plan: $80/month (basic pricing) + $12/month per worker; comprehensive payroll, benefits, and HR solutions for firms creating a wonderful place to work. It includes everything in the Plus plan plus the following extras: HR Resource Center, Compliance Alerts, Access to Certified HR Experts, Payroll Migration and Account Setup, Health Insurance Broker Integration, Discount for R&D Tax Credit, Waived Fees and Exclusive Pricing, Performance Reviews, Employee Surveys and Insights, Performance Reviews, and Employee Surveys.

Contractor Plan: $0/month (base fee) + $6/month per person for contractor-only enterprises that have not yet hired W-2 employees.

Pricing of QuickBooks

There are four pricing tiers for QuickBooks that need monthly payments. Customer assistance, app integration, and secure bank connections are all features included in all plans. Regular promotions include discounts and a free 30-day trial.

FREELANCER

Self-Employment: $5/month

• Count miles
• Track your income and expenses.
• A quarterly tax estimate
• Create reports
• Send invoices and accept payments

LATIN BUSINESS

Simple Beginning: $7/month

• Track your income and expenses.
• Increasing tax deductions
• Send invoices and accept payments
• Create reports
• Provide estimates

Essentials of Track Sales & Sales Tax: $17/month

• Track your income and expenses.
• Increasing tax deductions
• Send invoices and accept payments
• Send estimates and run reports
• Monitor sales and sales tax
• Pay bills.
• Numerous users

Track Time Plus: $25/month

• Track your income and expenses.
• Increasing tax deductions
• Send invoices and accept payments
• Create reports
• Provide estimates
• Monitor sales and sales tax
• Pay bills.
• Numerous users
• Time and inventory tracking
• Organize 1099 workers

For additional fees, small business plans provide Enhanced Payroll or Full Service Payroll alternatives.

Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll are comparable in terms of reporting features, usability, automated federal and state tax filing, and payroll automation choices. Both of the tools, which have won slots on Nerd Wallet’s list of the best business software, are easy to use, have cutting-edge user interfaces, and include essential automation capabilities that save time.

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