Running a business is hard enough managing payroll, taxes, and employee benefits shouldn’t make it harder. That’s where Gusto comes in. 💼
Whether you’re a startup founder, a small team owner, or managing remote workers across the U.S., Gusto promises to take the stress out of HR and payroll with a simple, all-in-one platform. ➡️
In this post, we’ll break down how Gusto works, what real users are saying, its pricing, pros and cons, and whether it’s truly the right fit for your business in 2025.
👉 Ready to see if Gusto can save you time, money, and headaches? Let’s dive in.
1. A Quick Look at Gusto
Gusto is a cloud-based payroll & HR software made for small to medium-sized businesses. It helps you:
- Run payroll automatically
- Pay employees and contractors
- File taxes with ease
- Handle employee benefits and compliance
2. Gusto Features Explained
Discover Gusto’s key features that simplify payroll, HR, onboarding, and team management for small businesses.
2.1 Payroll Automation
Gusto makes payroll super simple. Once you set it up, it can run on its own every pay cycle. It automatically calculates salaries, tax deductions, and even files state and federal taxes for you. This saves hours of manual work and reduces the chances of costly mistakes.
✅ Key Highlights:
- Direct deposit and pay cards available
- Run payroll automatically on schedule
- Auto-calculate federal, state & local taxes
- Unlimited payroll runs (even for bonuses or off-cycle payments)
- Supports both employees and contractors
2.2 Employee Onboarding
Hiring someone new? Gusto helps you onboard them without paperwork chaos. From sending offer letters to collecting tax documents, everything can be done online no printing or scanning needed. New hires can also complete their setup on their own, which saves you time.
✅ Key Highlights:
- Welcome emails and tool access setup
- Send offer letters with digital signatures
- Collect W-4, I-9, and other forms online
- Customizable onboarding checklists
- Self-onboarding for new employees
2.3 Benefits Management
Gusto allows you to offer professional-level benefits even if you’re a small business. You can give your team access to health, dental, and vision insurance, plus 401(k), HSA, and more. Everything is managed in one place and it’s compliant with government requirements.
✅ Key Highlights:
- Employees can choose or update plans online
- Health, dental, and vision insurance plans
- 401(k), HSA, FSA, and commuter benefits
- Automatic compliance and document filing
- Benefits synced directly with payroll
2.4 Time Tracking & PTO
With Gusto, your team can clock in and out, request time off, and track hours worked all within the same platform. You don’t need extra tools for time tracking or leave approvals. It’s especially useful if you pay hourly workers or offer paid time off (PTO).
✅ Key Highlights:
- Admins get alerts for time approval
- Built-in time tracking and shift logging
- PTO request and approval system
- Syncs worked hours directly into payroll
- Overtime tracking
2.5 Contractor Payments
If you work with freelancers or contractors, Gusto helps you manage their payments and tax forms too. You can pay them on schedule, send 1099 forms automatically, and even onboard them digitally just like employees.
✅ Key Highlights:
- Pay contractors directly via Gusto
- One-time or recurring payments supported
- Auto-generate and send 1099s at year-end
- Self-onboarding for contractors
- Track payments in one clean view
2.6 Integrations
Gusto plays nicely with other popular tools you may already use. From accounting platforms like QuickBooks and Xero to time tracking and communication apps, these integrations help you avoid data entry and automate tasks across systems.
✅ Key Highlights:
- Integrates with accounting tools: QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks
- Connect with time tracking: TSheets, Homebase, Connecteam
- CRM and comms: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace
- Syncs data for payroll, hours, expenses, and more
- Reduces manual errors by automating sync
3. Gusto Pricing: Plans That Fit Different Business Sizes
Gusto offers four pricing tiers depending on your business needs:
| Plan | Base Price (Monthly) | Per Person Fee | Best For | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | $49/mo | $6/mo per person | Small businesses needing basic payroll | – Single-state payroll – Unlimited payroll runs – Automated tax filings – Employee self-service portal |
| Plus | $80/mo | $12/mo per person | Growing teams needing HR & time tools | – Multi-state payroll – Next-day direct deposit – Time tracking & PTO – Hiring and onboarding tools – Health benefits management |
| Premium | $180/mo | $22/mo per person | Scaling companies with advanced HR needs | – Dedicated service advisor – Certified HR expert access – Performance tools – Custom reports & analytics – Priority support & migration |
4. How Easy Is Gusto to Use? A Look at Its Interface
Gusto is known for its clean and simple interface. Even if you’ve never used payroll software before, it guides you step-by-step from setting up your company to running your first payroll.
The main dashboard shows you upcoming tasks like paydays, tax filings, and new hire actions. Everything is well-labeled, and you’ll see helpful tooltips throughout, so there’s no confusion.
Employees get their own login to check paystubs, tax forms, and benefits which means fewer questions for HR. And while there’s no full employer app, the mobile-friendly site still works well for most tasks.
In short, Gusto is built to feel easy even for non-tech users making it a great choice for small business owners.
5. Gusto’s Customer Service: Is It Really Helpful?
Gusto offers support through live chat, phone (on higher plans), and email. While setup is mostly self-guided, many users say the help center articles are clear and easy to follow.
However, some users report mixed experiences with Gusto’s customer service. For basic questions, live chat usually works well. But for complex issues like tax adjustments or form corrections, replies can take longer especially during tax season.
So, while Gusto’s support is available, it may not be super fast every time. Businesses needing frequent or high-touch support might find this limiting unless they upgrade to higher plans.
6. Real User Reviews and Ratings
Across the web, Gusto generally gets positive ratings. Most small business owners love how easy it is to run payroll and how it simplifies taxes. On sites like Capterra and Trustpilot, Gusto scores around 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Common praise includes:
- Clean and easy-to-use interface
- Automatic tax filing
- Smooth employee onboarding
But some negative feedback points to delayed support and limited features for larger teams.
Still, for businesses with fewer than 50 employees, user feedback is largely positive especially when switching from manual processes or Excel sheets.
7. Who Should (or Shouldn’t) Use Gusto?
Use Gusto if:
- You want to automate tax filing and benefits
- You have a small to mid-sized business
- You want an easy payroll system without hiring an accountant
- You’re managing remote or hybrid teams
Avoid Gusto if:
- You need deep integrations with custom software
- You’re scaling quickly and need advanced enterprise tools
- You want 24/7 human support on all plans
Gusto is built for simplicity, not complexity.
8. Is Gusto Worth It? Final Thoughts
If you’re a small business owner tired of spreadsheets, manual tax filing, or HR headaches, Gusto is definitely worth a look.
It’s simple, modern, and powerful enough to run payroll, onboard employees, and manage benefits all from one place.
It’s not perfect, especially if your team is large or your needs are complex.
But for most growing teams under 50 employees, Gusto strikes the right balance between ease and features.
👉 Try the free demo and see if Gusto fits your team’s needs.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (2025)
1. Does Gusto offer a free trial?
Yes, Gusto offers a free demo and trial so you can explore the platform before committing.
2. Can I use Gusto if I only hire contractors?
Yes, Gusto has a Contractor-Only plan starting at $35/month + $6 per contractor.
3. Is Gusto available in all U.S. states?
Yes, Gusto operates in all 50 U.S. states and supports both single and multi-state payroll.
4. Does Gusto handle tax form filing?
Absolutely. Gusto automatically files federal, state, and local taxes, plus year-end forms like W-2s and 1099s.
5. Can employees access their own pay info?
Yes, employees get their own self-service portal to download paystubs, update details, and view tax forms.
6. Does Gusto integrate with accounting software?
Yes, it integrates smoothly with tools like QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, and more.