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Gusto vs Workday
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Gusto and Workday.
Last reviewed:
| Feature | Gusto | Workday |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Enterprise |
| Free Tier | No | No |
| Monthly Cost (Solo) | $40 | N/A |
| Target Audience | solopreneurs, small-business | enterprise |
| Verified | No | No |
| Solo-Friendly | Yes | No |
| Open Source | No | No |
| Editorial Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Categories | HR & Recruiting, Finance | HR & Recruiting, Finance |
| Key Features | Automated payroll, Tax filings (federal, state, local), Benefits administration, Workers' comp, Time tracking | Human capital management, Global payroll, Talent management, Workforce planning, Financial management |
| Free Tier Quality | None | None |
Pricing Breakdown
Gusto
Simple: $40/month + $6/person. Plus: $80/month + $12/person. Premium: $135/month + $16.50/person. Contractor: $35/month + $6/person.
Workday
Quote-based. Estimated $100-200/employee/year for core HCM. Implementation: $500K-2M+. No free tier or trial.
Integration Overlap
Shared Integrations (1)
Slack
Only in Gusto (7)
QuickBooksXeroFreshBooksCloverShopifyGusto WalletZapier
Only in Workday (7)
SalesforceMicrosoft TeamsServiceNowSAPADPGreenhouseLinkedIn
Use Case Fit
Gusto
- * Small business payroll
- * Tax filing and compliance
- * Employee benefits administration
- * Contractor payment management
- * New hire onboarding
Workday
- * Enterprise HR management
- * Global payroll processing
- * Workforce planning and analytics
- * Talent management and succession
- * Financial management and ERP
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
Workday
Pros
- + Comprehensive HR and finance platform
- + Global payroll capabilities
- + Strong workforce analytics
- + Continuous innovation
Cons
- - Extremely expensive
- - Long implementation timelines
- - Requires dedicated admin team
- - Not suitable for SMBs
Editorial Verdict
For solo founders on a budget, Gusto wins with solo-friendly pricing. For the highest-rated experience, Workday edges ahead with a 4.4/5 editorial rating.
Sarah Chen
Editor-in-Chief