For the success of any small or large-sized business, payroll management and human resources (HR) processes are essential. Tasks like tax filings, compliance, employee benefits, and time tracking can quickly become overwhelming without the right tools. That’s where payroll software comes in, offering businesses a way to optimize operations and save time. 

Two popular options, Gusto and QuickBooks Online (QBO) Payroll, are designed to simplify these responsibilities. Each has its strengths, but finding the right fit depends on your unique business needs. This Gusto vs QBO Payroll guide will compare both platforms by highlighting their features, benefits, and pros and cons to help you choose the best solution for your team. 

Gusto Vs QBO Payroll: At A Glance

Standout Feature 

Gusto 

QBO Payroll 

Payroll Processing 

Automatic payroll runs, direct deposit, and tax filings at the federal, state, and local levels 

Quick payroll processing with QuickBooks integration for easy financial tracking 

Tax Filing 

Automatic tax calculations and filings, including year-end forms like W-2 and 1099 

Auto-calculation of taxes with e-filing for federal and state payroll taxes 

Time Tracking 

Built-in time tracking tools, paid time off (PTO) management, and overtime calculations 

Integrated with QuickBooks Time app for employee time tracking and job costing. 

HR Tools & Onboarding 

Full-service HR tools, employee onboarding, and document storage 

HR tools with employee self-service portal for pay stubs and benefits info 

Pricing Structure 

Transparent pricing based on business size and features, starting from $35/month 

Pricing starts at $40/month and varies based on number of employees and features  

What Is Gusto?

Gusto HR software is a cloud-based payroll and HR management platform designed to simplify how businesses manage their employees and payroll processes. It offers a full range of services, including payroll automation, benefits administration, and compliance support. The software is particularly popular among small and medium-sized businesses that want to optimize HR tasks without sacrificing quality or compliance. 

Gusto makes it easy to onboard new hires, automate tax filings, and manage employee benefits with its intuitive interface. In addition to payroll, it provides tools for improving employee satisfaction, such as automated birthday reminders, performance reviews, and surveys. 

Unique Features Of Gusto 

  • Employee Onboarding Tools: Provides automated onboarding workflows, allowing employees to complete paperwork like W-4s and I-9s electronically
  • Employee Engagement Tools: Includes features to improve workplace morale, such as employee surveys, peer recognition, and automated reminders for birthdays and anniversaries
  • Talent Management: Offers tools for performance evaluations and career development that enable you to support a work culture that motivates and retains your talented team
  • Gusto Global: Provides a streamlined solution to onboard and pay contractors in 120+ countries. For full-time hiring, the Employer of Record (EOR) service enables companies to hire employees globally

Who Are The Main Users? 

Gusto primarily serves small and medium-sized businesses across a variety of industries, including: 

  • Retail 
  • Technology 
  • Healthcare 
  • Professional services 
  • Freelancers and startups 

Pros And Cons Of Gusto 

Pros 

  • Reduced paperwork through a digital onboarding process
  • Employees can access their documents from anywhere via the mobile app
  • Offers responsive and knowledgeable support

Cons 

  • Businesses may experience slight delays in payroll runs during the initial setup
  • Lack of scalability for businesses with complex HR needs or larger workforces

What Is QBO Payroll?

QuickBooks Online Payroll (QBO Payroll) is a cloud-based payroll management solution that integrates smoothly with QuickBooks, a prominent accounting software. Developed by Intuit, QBO Payroll is designed to simplify payroll processing while ensuring accurate tax filings and compliance for small and medium-sized businesses.  

The platform is embedded within QuickBooks' ecosystem, which makes it an ideal choice for businesses already using QuickBooks for accounting. QBO Payroll handles the complexities of payroll without requiring extensive manual input. The software offers convenience for automated tax calculations, direct deposit, employee self-service portals, and much more. 

Unique Features Of QBO Payroll 

  • Tax Penalty Protection: Offers a tax penalty guarantee, covering up to $25,000 in tax penalties if Intuit makes an error
  • Loan: Provides business loans to support your growth, whether you're covering a large expense or funding a new venture
  • Inventory: Allows to track inventory, manage products and vendors, receive low stock notifications, and easily import product data from Excel or Google Sheets
  • E-File Unlimited 1099s: Allows to e-file unlimited 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC forms through QuickBooks. This automated process simplifies year-end tax filing, ensuring compliance

Who Are The Main Users? 

QBO Payroll is ideal for small to mid-sized businesses and industries, including: 

  • Retail 
  • Construction 
  • Professional services 
  • Construction 
  • Restaurants 

Pros And Cons Of QBO Payroll 

Pros 

  • Ensures employees are paid promptly with same-day direct deposit
  • Covers up penalties in case of errors in tax filings
  • Generate detailed, customizable reports for insights into payroll costs

Cons 

  • Customer support quality can be slow sometimes
  • It may be complex to set for non-Quickbooks users

Gusto Vs QBO Payroll: Side-By-Side Comparison

1. Payroll Automation 

Gusto offers an intuitive automated payroll system, allowing businesses to set recurring schedules for hourly, salaried, or contract employees without manual intervention. The platform calculates all necessary deductions, including taxes, benefits contributions, and garnishments, before finalizing the payroll.

It also handles payroll adjustments for bonuses or reimbursements and syncs these updates smoothly with time-tracking data. A standout feature is its multi-state payroll support, ensuring compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Additionally, Gusto automates the filing of federal, state, and local taxes, including year-end W-2 and 1099 forms, saving business time.

QBO Payroll also delivers a payroll automation system, and its capabilities ensure that payroll runs are processed quickly. The same-day direct deposit makes certain that employees are paid without delays. Like Gusto, QBO Payroll automatically calculates deductions for taxes, benefits, and garnishments.

Payroll data is automatically updated in QuickBooks, which ensures all financial records are in sync without any additional input. This is a valuable feature for businesses that rely on QuickBooks for managing budgets, expenses, and invoicing. Additionally, QBO Payroll ensures compliance by filing federal and state taxes.

Winner: Gusto takes the edge here because of its superior multi-state payroll compliance and powerful local tax filing capabilities.

2. Time Tracking Integration 

Gusto offers a built-in time tracking system that directly integrates with payroll. Employees can log their hours, PTO, and overtime through Gusto’s platform, and this data automatically syncs with payroll to ensure accurate payments. It also provides tools for managing holiday pay and tracking labor costs, which gives employers insights into how time is spent.

Additionally, the software smoothly integrates with Timeero, a time, mileage, and GPS tracking solution that allows for easy data export to Gusto for streamlined payroll processing.

QBO Payroll integrates with QuickBooks Time (TSheets), a time-tracking solution that supports advanced features like job costing, GPS tracking, and employee scheduling. Employees can clock in and out via mobile devices, which makes it ideal for businesses with field workers or remote teams.

This data feeds directly into payroll to ensure accurate calculations for hourly employees and overtime pay. The advanced capabilities of QuickBooks Time set QBO Payroll apart, especially for industries like construction and professional services that require precise tracking of labor costs.

Winner: This ends as a tie! Both platforms offer seamless time-tracking integration with payroll for accurate payments. Gusto provides a built-in system with Timeero integration for additional tracking, while QBO Payroll offers advanced GPS tracking for remote teams.

3. Employee Self-Service 

Gusto offers an intuitive self-service platform designed to empower employees by giving them easy access to their payroll, tax, and benefits information. Through the portal, employees can view and download pay stubs, W-2s, and 1099s, update personal information like direct deposit details, and enroll in benefits plans.

One standout feature is that it integrates with Gusto Wallet, which helps employees manage their finances through early wage access and savings tools. Additionally, the portal provides transparency by displaying all benefits details, accrued PTO, and work schedules, and this makes it an all-in-one tool for employees.

QBO Payroll includes an employee self-service portal that allows workers to access pay stubs, tax forms, and benefits enrollment. The portal also integrates with QuickBooks Time, which enables employees to track hours and request PTO directly. Additionally, through the account management self-service tool, users can manage their subscriptions, view billing history, update payment options, and download invoices.

It also allows for actions such as requesting refunds or canceling and re-subscribing to products. The tool provides a secure and convenient way to manage account activities, with users able to review account information and make necessary changes directly through the platform.

Winner: Gusto takes the lead here. While both platforms offer solid self-service tools, Gusto’s inclusion of financial wellness features like Gusto Wallet adds significant value for employees.

4. Paying Contractors 

Gusto allows businesses to pay contractors via direct deposit, checks, or even on-demand payments by offering flexibility in how contractors receive compensation. Gusto’s system tracks the payments made to contractors and ensures that businesses remain compliant with tax regulations by automatically generating the necessary 1099 forms at year-end.

One of the key advantages is its automatic syncing with payroll runs. When a contractor is added to the system, their payment information integrates smoothly with the regular payroll process, reducing administrative tasks. Additionally, Gusto provides an easy-to-use dashboard for contractors to view their payment history and access tax documents.

QBO Payroll contractor payments is an optimized solution designed to simplify the payment process for contractors. With next-day direct deposit, businesses can ensure timely and efficient payments to their contractors. The platform allows contractors to set up a free account by providing their W-9 forms and bank deposit details.

Additionally, it helps businesses stay tax-time ready by facilitating the e-filing of 1099 forms and handling payroll taxes. For businesses that manage both contractors and employees, QBO Payroll offers a complete payroll solution, including employee payments, tax filing, and benefits administration, all in one platform.

Winner: QBO Payroll stands out with its next-day direct deposit feature, which ensures faster and more efficient payments to contractors.

5. Pricing Comparison 

Gusto offers transparent, flexible pricing for its payroll and HR services. The available plans are:

  • Simple: $40/month, plus $6 per employee
  • Plus: $80/month, plus $12 per employee
  • Premium: $180/month, plus $22 per employee
  • Contractor Only: $35/month, plus $6 per contractor
  • On the other hand, QBO Payroll offers various pricing options to accommodate businesses of all sizes, with a free 30-day trial. The plans

  • Simple Start: $35/month
  • Essentials: $65/month
  • Plus: $99/month
  • Advanced: $235/month
  • Winner: Gusto wins here as it offers more flexible, scalable pricing with a dedicated plan for contractors, making it a better fit for growing businesses.

    Final Verdict: Choosing The Right Payroll Solution

    When it comes to selecting the best payroll software, both Gusto and QBO Payroll offer advanced solutions that cater to different business needs. Each platform brings a host of powerful features that make payroll management smoother and more efficient, but the decision ultimately depends on the specific requirements and goals of your business.  

    If you’re a growing business looking for a comprehensive, all-in-one HR solution, Gusto’s broader feature set might be the best match. However, if your business already uses QuickBooks and you need payroll that integrates easily, QBO Payroll could be a suitable choice. 

    Ultimately, the right payroll software for your business will depend on how you prioritize factors in this Gusto vs QBO Payroll guide. In both cases, you will be investing in a powerful tool that can help optimize your payroll processes and ensure compliance.