Low Cost, same issues as full-service

This system wins on cost and that is about it. It is a very low priced alternative to the full-service shops, which are extremely overpriced for what has become a very automated technology focused service. It comes relatively highly recommended simply because of this.

Pros

This is a very low-cost solution for self-service payroll. It allows you to pay your Employees and Contractors and handles virtually all of the taxes and processing of payments to the taxing authorities. The interface is extremely intuitive. Employees are emailed all end of year documents automatically. The company also offers access to two-day payroll processing.

Cons

The customer services has gone downhill. The firm is trying to be a higher margin HR platform and benefits provider. Additionally, it has begun to focus more on marketing (commercials) than on the system itself. There was a turning point when the firm produced a commercial with a popular actress and the hold times went up exponentially and the "chat available" times decreased. There was a Intuit integration issue that seems to have finally been solved. Additionally, the firm has the same problem with missed payments and 941 misfilings that other full-service platforms have, however the customer service is lacking and resolutions take forever. The platform also can not handle an employee working in two states (more common in the North East). The cost for paying contractors is too high which limits the usefulness of the system overall - forcing a company to keep Employee Payroll, Contractor Payments, and expense reimbursements on separate systems.

We've Been With Them Since Their Beginning

I would highly recommend them. Their site is so easy to use compared to other payroll companies (especially ADP). The people are nice and the price is great for all the things you get. They're more than just a payroll company.

Pros

Easy to use. Clear, concise interface. Pricing is reasonable. They make it really easy to open a 401k account for your team even if you're a super small company. Support has usually answered within 24-48 hours. Phone support is available. Integrates relatively easily with accounting software by mapping accounts and exporting as special files.

Cons

Really, only three minor complaints: I miss their old name, ZenPayroll. Gusto just doesn't explain them like ZenPayroll did. Payroll truly is easy with them. Gusto is literally defined as "the enjoyment or vigor in doing something; zest"—the direct opposite of Zen. That's a total reversal that doesn't make sense.

Also, deposits into employee accounts show up as Gusto rather than our company.

Finally, accounting integration is dependent on downloading files and then importing. I would really like to see direct integration with the major accounting platforms like Quickbooks and Xero.

I know, I'm nitpicking in both cases, but I had to think of something...

I LOVE Gusto! Gusto is pleasant to use and takes care of soo many things I don't want to worry about

1- Saves the headache of having no idea where to start with many accounting and HR functions of your business: No business owner actually enjoys worrying about all of those things. Gusto takes many of the functions that are most confusing/frustrating as a business owner and does them for you so you feel confidence that you aren't missing anything and it's done right. 2- Saves time: It automates many of the functions that shouldn't ever be done manually. And because of that I don't have to do as much or I don't have to pay as much for routine services that don't add value to my business. 3- Saves money: As a startup, you feel like you need to figure out a lot of things a normal business would normally just pay for because you can't afford it. Gusto is affordable enough that it's doable for a young company all while doing enough work that it's easy to justify the cost, which many services fail to do.

Pros

It's SIMPLE!!! One of few products/software I unequivocally love! Most every business owner hates doing tedious accounting, payroll and HR work that takes away valuable time from their being able to work on what's most important, their business. Gusto takes care of Federal tax payments, calculations, payroll setup, and a number of other things that are a black hole to me and makes it all feel manageable. If I want to add a new employee, I just click to set up a new employee and Gusto walks you and the employee step by step through everything that needs to be done. And for far cheaper than paying an accounting firm!
I also love their playfulness and marketing. They make using their service truly a pleasure to use at every touchpoint.

Cons

I can't say this about many software that I use, but I have loved absolutely everything about Gusto. I can't say enough about it. Maybe my only complaint is that they don't take care of legal and other stuff I really dislike doing.

Want to hug Gusto

Pros

I am a bookkeeper, but I hate payroll. Hate it! It's confusing, and there are a lot of regulations, and a lot of paperwork. Gusto's online system makes it more clear than any other system I've seen, and in fact, sometimes I use it to clean up messes that other payroll services have made. I haven't seen any errors yet for my clients, and when I call about something, I've always gotten a good and useful answer. Also handy to include contractor payments for small consulting firms. Employees and contractors like the online access to pay stubs and so on.

Cons

Some things are a little inflexible, due to it being a piece of software rather than a service. So, for example, you can't tell it to add $100 to someone's paycheck once a month for a transportation allowance. Rather, you have to do $50 each paycheck. This works fine if you do payroll monthly or bi-monthly, but if you're on a 2-week system, you end up adding it manually each time. Anyway, just a few issues like that. I think their contractor system is limited and a bit expensive - I would love to add a way to be clearer about invoice numbers and other memo/description issues.

Super Payroll Solution for Small Businesses

This is my go-to solution for any client whose payroll we are involved with. We use it ourselves and highly recommend to small businesses. If you go through your accountant there is a discount on the subscription price. The subscription can be paid by the client or the accountant.

Pros

This is a cloud based solution with a subscription price that is less than the big payroll companies. I like that you can have employees "onboard" themselves by filling in their personal information and bank information for direct deposit. This increases accuracy and preserves the employee security. I also like that the business HAS to have the payroll tax payments withdrawn with the payroll submission thus enforcing compliance. Gusto does all the Payroll Tax Return fillings, you can log in and get them. There is no need to print or deliver paychecks, which saves money and time - employees can get their stubs and W-2 by download. It integrates with your accounting software for automated recording, another time saver that increases accuracy. Support is excellent, and they deal with any notices resulting from transactions on their watch. If payroll is the same each time you can set to autopay!

Cons

Some of my clients would like Gusto to submit garnishments or retirement payments, but that is not something they do.

Awesome payroll support for small businesses.

Pros

Gusto is a perfect and easy to use payroll portal both for employer & employees. It has a self on boarding system, for employers to send new hires their offer letter and paper work through its portal. Employees can easily update their address, direct deposit info, withholding all in one place. Previous month’s pay stubs can also be accessed easily. Employees can easily load W2 directly into turbo tax through its website. One can also keep track on the taxes paid. Gusto also offers detailed description and helpful tips of required information to be inputted. Its editing process is also very simple & straightforward when any changes need to be made to employee info or business features.

Cons

Gusto seems overwhelmed and unprepared for the renewal period. Also there is no invoice function, so contractors cannot submit an invoice and have their managers approve it. A separate system for contractors for invoicing needs to be maintained. Also Direct Deposit should be little faster. Customer service is also not that good.

Gusto changed my world!!

Gusto saves me so much time and worry. I know that our benefits are managed correctly and that we are always in compliance. I also know that everything on the payroll side is taken care of and if there is an issue or mistake the super amazing customer support team is ready to help!

Pros

We love using Gusto for not only our payroll but they also manage all of our benefits. Gusto managing our benefits has been such a life saver! I don't have to think about being in compliance anymore I know that they are keeping everything up to date. I get reminders when it's time to run payroll, when new employees need to sign up for benefits and when we need to renew our benefits.

Cons

Gusto has wonderful customer support the only downside for me is that when you call in you are always talking to a new person, sometimes that can make it a little challenging to efficiently get the answer or help I'm looking for, but they will help until the job is done!

Finally! A quick and easy resource for paychecks.

Pros

It is so hard to find a simple platform with a clean interface when it comes Payroll but Gusto has achieved that. I have used several different programs and Gusto is by far my favorite because of the ease of use. I also love the email they send on payday that says "Hooray! You got paid today."

Gusto seems to know what the typical employee wants when they log into their payroll application - as soon as you sign in there is a big blue button that says "See your last paystub", super helpful and saves time! You can also easily access your PTO time, year to date statistics on your wages, taxes, net salary, hours worked, and other helpful statistics.

On just a small fun note, their graphics on their website are adorable.

Cons

Honestly I do not have anything that I dislike about this software. It is incredibly simple and reliable.

Head of Business Improvmenent and HR

Pros

Support. They see every issue through as if you're the most important or the only client. They're thorough and they tolerate you if you're on a learning curve (we're an Australian business setting up our US operations and health etc benefits is a new and unnatural thing for a business to grapple with). The software is flawless and usability is perfect. We run our payroll in a few clicks, and that's because we don't choose autopilot. Used to run benefits thru Zenefits who made a lot of errors, and zenpayroll stepped in without hesitation or complaint and ran every correction. It's complete, not half cooked. It's how software and support should be done.

Cons

We are a global business, and things are done differently in other countries for payroll. For instance, we don't need to go thru the pain and inefficiently of supporting benefits in other countries. Plus there is different legislation and tax setups etc. I wish zenpayroll was configured to support payroll in other countries so companies like ours growing elsewhere could benefit from One-payroll without considering the bigger and clunkier vendors. If you're growing, most likely you're growing globally or planning to. Otherwise it's perfect.

Excellent payroll service for small businesses

I have used three other payroll services, and Gusto is much better than any of them for my business. I spend a few minutes each pay period and my employees get paid. I spend a little more time to add an employee, change a rate of pay, or remove an employee who quits, but all of those processes take a minimal amount of effort to provide me with a lot of peace of mind.

Pros

It is so easy to set up and use! On the regulatory and government side, it takes care of all filings and payments for federal and state taxes and unemployment, and it sends email reminders when I need to do something. The user interface, online help, and email help are all friendly, lighthearted, and unintimidating, but accurate and efficient, too. I have used this software for over three years, and I've never had any problem that wasn't solved quickly.

Cons

The reports are a little hard to navigate and they don't offer enough options; however, they can be exported as CSV files, so they can be customized further in a spreadsheet application like Excel. I'm having some difficulty with an employee advance that is still trying to be deducted, even though it was paid back last year, but I'm sure support can help me as soon as I get around to asking. Otherwise, great software.