Alternatives to Gusto

Last updated: 2025-11-27

Gusto: Payroll and HR platform commonly used by small U.S. businesses, often bundled with onboarding and benefits workflows.

Best for: Small businesses that want payroll plus basic HR and benefits administration in one place.

Quick comparison

Tool	Best for	Pricing	Key features
Zenefits	Small businesses that want HR administration plus payroll in a unified system.	Plan-based pricing, often per-employee (check vendor site).	HR management Payroll processing Benefits administration Employee self-service
QuickBooks Payroll	Small businesses already using QuickBooks that want payroll tightly connected to accounting.	Tiered plans; often base fee plus per-employee pricing (check vendor site).	Payroll processing Tax calculations/filings (varies) Direct deposit Accounting integration
OnPay	Small businesses that want reliable payroll and tax filing without a heavy HR suite.	Typically a base fee plus per-employee pricing (check vendor site).	Payroll processing Tax filings Direct deposit Contractor payments
Paycor	Mid-sized businesses that need payroll plus HR tools and reporting beyond basic SMB needs.	Custom pricing; varies by modules and headcount (check vendor site).	Payroll automation HR management Reporting Compliance support
Rippling	Growing teams that want payroll integrated with broader HR workflows and scalable administration.	Modular pricing; typically per-employee with add-ons (check vendor site).	Payroll processing HR management Workflow automation Integrations

If you want the simplest setup and good SMB defaults, prioritize ease of use and support.
If you need benefits, time tracking, or HR add-ons, compare integrations and total cost.
If you have contractors or multi-state complexity, prioritize compliance features.

Common reasons include pricing, feature fit, support, integrations, or needs that change as a company grows.

Start with company size, payroll frequency, benefits needs, and integrations (accounting, time tracking, HR).