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Gusto vs QuickBooks
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Gusto and QuickBooks.
| Feature | Gusto | QuickBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Paid |
| Free Tier | No | No |
| Monthly Cost (Solo) | $40 | $15 |
| Target Audience | solopreneurs, small-business | solopreneurs, small-business |
| Verified | No | Yes |
| Solo-Friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | No | No |
| Editorial Rating | 4.3/5 | 4/5 |
| Categories | HR & Recruiting, Finance | Finance |
| Key Features | Automated payroll, Tax filings (federal, state, local), Benefits administration, Workers' comp, Time tracking | Invoicing, Expense tracking, Tax preparation, Bank feeds, Mileage tracking |
| Free Tier Quality | None | limited |
Pricing Breakdown
Gusto
Simple: $40/month + $6/person. Plus: $80/month + $12/person. Premium: $135/month + $16.50/person. Contractor: $35/month + $6/person.
QuickBooks
Simple Start: $30/month. Essentials: $60/month. Plus: $90/month (inventory). Advanced: $200/month. Self-Employed: $15/month. 50% off first 3 months frequently.
Integration Overlap
Shared Integrations (2)
Only in Gusto (6)
Only in QuickBooks (8)
Use Case Fit
Gusto
- * Small business payroll
- * Tax filing and compliance
- * Employee benefits administration
- * Contractor payment management
- * New hire onboarding
QuickBooks
- * Small business bookkeeping
- * Invoice creation and tracking
- * Expense categorization and tracking
- * Payroll and tax filing
- * Financial reporting and P&L
Gusto
Pros
- + Easiest payroll setup in the industry
- + Automatic tax calculations and filings
- + Great benefits marketplace
- + Handles contractor 1099s too
Cons
- - Per-person pricing gets expensive
- - HR features less deep than BambooHR
- - International payroll not supported
- - Customer support wait times can be long
QuickBooks
Pros
- + Industry standard for small business accounting
- + Strong tax preparation features
- + Bank feed integration
- + Huge accountant ecosystem
Cons
- - Pricing has increased significantly
- - Interface can be cluttered
- - Frequent upselling
Editorial Verdict
For solo founders on a budget, QuickBooks wins with solo-friendly pricing and a limited free tier. For the highest-rated experience, Gusto edges ahead with a 4.3/5 editorial rating.
Sarah Chen
Editor-in-Chief