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Gusto Review

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Gusto Review

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Best overall payroll software

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Aditi Patel

10 Best Payroll Companies

Pros

  • Flexible, keeps complete employee data
  • Easy and brilliant user experience
  • Transparent payroll processing
  • Admirable apps for employees
  • All-inclusive mobile admin access

Cons

  • Simple Plan doesn’t include PTO management or time tracking services
  • Separate pages for time off and contractors during payroll
  • Doesn’t offer PEO option
  • For mandated deductions, only manual processing offered

Overview:

Gusto is a payroll service that stands out in a crowded field of established providers. It offers a smart suite of commonly used tools for small business payroll needs. Its exceptional user experience works well for both experienced payroll managers and those new to the process. First established as ZenPayroll in 2011, Gusto now services over 40,000 small businesses in 50 states.

Gusto has promised to be on your side. The company emphasizes the human aspect of human resources, highlighting ease of use, employee benefits, and automation. Gusto offers brokered health insurance and a streamlined and automated payroll process. The higher-tier plans provide access to features such as multi-state payroll, time tracking, and compliance alerts.

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Products and Services

Gusto has continuously aimed for improvement over the years, working on new functions such as state payroll tax registration, user support, HR tools, and global contractor payments. They won an Editor’s Choice award for SMBs due to the customizability, usability, and comprehensiveness they provide.

As a payroll provider, Gusto offers a variety of service plans with high flexibility. For instance, if a company only works with contractors that could benefit from the Contractor Only plan then switch to the full-payroll option if they decide to hire W-2 employees as well.

Gusto can also work as a direct healthcare broker that lets employers sync different types of insurance (dental, vision, and medical) with their payroll for free. If you a company prefers to continue working with their current healthcare broker, they can be integrated into Gusto’s system at $6 per employee.

Contractor Only

The simple Contractor only plan offers unlimited payroll runs but they are not automated. Companies would need the Simple plan if they need Gusto’s services to handle taxes. Gusto can automatically calculate, file, and pay local, state, and federal taxes.

Simple

The Simple plan provides standard features for hiring and boarding such as hiring documents, offer letter templates, and onboarding checklists. This also includes sull-service payroll for 1099 contractors and w-2 employees. Payroll managers can customize the admin permissions and integrate accounting, time tracking, and expense management. There is 24/7 access to the help center online but live customer support is limited.

Plus

The Plus plan offers everything included in the Simple plan plus some additional features. Instead of single-state payroll, companies can access multi-state payroll services, advanced features for hiring and onboarding, and tools for project and time tracking. The plan also provides insights into wages, benefits, hours, and more through the workplace cost report.

Premium

The Premium plan provides all the features in the Plus plan. It also exclusively provides access to compliance alerts and HR Resource Center. Customers get support for migrating full-service payroll as well as health insurance brokers to Gusto.

Exclusive Offer: 1 Month Free Payroll

Gusto Features

Onboarding

Gusto makes new hire onboarding easier for hiring managers. Once a job applicant is approved, the manager can click a button to onboard their new employee automatically. The system will send out all the necessary paperwork such as tax forms and contracts that the new hire needs to sign and return.

The employee records are organized into six sections. Managers can view information categorized into Personal, Performance, Job & Pay, Time Off, Benefits, and more. It’s easy to find payment methods, compensation, and tax information for a specific employee.

HR Services

HR services cover the features that make a company a better workplace. The most relevant Gusto features include health benefits for employees, tracking time off, payments, 401ks, and college savings. All these records are available on a single dashboard for ease and convenience.

Payroll

Gusto offers payroll services just like many other HR software in the market. What’s unique about them is their unlimited payroll feature. This lets managers or employers pay employees at any time with no added cost. Users do not have to wait for a scheduled payment cycle. Aside from off-cycle payments, users can also provide bonuses and cancel payments easily.

Time Management and Accounting

The Deputy time tracker can be integrated with Gusto to see how employees are using their time. Task management, attendance, and talent features help users get better insights into employee productivity. Users can also sync timesheets like Zero, QuickBooks, and TSheets to instantly update hours and add them to the company’s payments system. With the tax management features, it’s easier to make sure that books are handled in accordance with state and federal laws.

Mobile App

Gusto does not offer a dedicated mobile app, but its website is already optimized for the mobile experience. This means you can conveniently access Gusto’s services by logging directly onto their website from your mobile device, eliminating the need to download an additional app.

Pricing

Gusto offers four service tiers to customers. The most inexpensive is the contractor plan with unlimited contractor payment for contractors based in the United States. At $6 per person every month, users can create 1099 NEC and file them. The $35 base price is waived during the first six months. International contractors from more than 120 countries can also be paid for an extra cost.

Gusto Simple has a base price of $40 per month while Gusto Plus is $80 per month. With the Simple plan, users pay $6 per employee every month for a single state. With the Plus plan, a $12 per employee every month is charged but multiple states are supported.

• Contractor Only: $35 a month + $6 per contractor per month

• Simple: $40 a month + $6 per contractor/employee per month

• Plus: $80 a month + $12 per contractor/employee per month

• Premium: Available upon request

Gusto’s prices are relatively less expensive compared to other HR service providers. For a basic level plan, the Simple plan can already support SMBs and startups for an affordable price tag.

Customer Support

Gusto maintains a user-friendly website that exudes a welcoming, transparent, and straightforward atmosphere, ensuring an exceptional user experience from the outset. Upholding the same positive approach, Gusto prioritizes excellent customer service by recruiting and training dedicated support professionals to handle customer inquiries and build strong customer relationships.

Gusto provides 24/7 access to an online help center for all plan levels, although the quality of customer support varies based on the plan tier. The Simple plan offers basic support with limited access to live representatives, while the Plus tier offers expanded support hours. Premium plan customers receive a dedicated and personalized support experience. For improved customer support access, an add-on feature can be purchased for an additional $8 per month. Gusto offers customer service options through website chat, messaging via the Contact page, and phone support available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.

Exclusive Offer: 1 Month Free Payroll

Final Word

Payroll management involves intricate tasks and data. Software with a simple user interface makes it easier for managers. Gusto stands out for its superb features and for finding a way to simplify payroll management for companies. For businesses that require more HR functionality, Gusto offers plans that support project tracking.

There is a wide range of tools and features available to users, although this varies according to the type of plan they get. The price tag that comes with the comprehensive set of services also helps make Gusto a top choice.

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