Gusto vs SurePayroll: Which Is the Better Payroll Solution for You?

Gusto and SurePayroll are popular payroll processing programs with a lot to offer. However, a closer look reveals significant differences. Gusto is a general-purpose payroll software with greater HR and integration functionality, making it a good choice for nearly all small businesses, although it’s more expensive. SurePayroll, on the other hand, is cheaper and more limited but has some great options for nanny and household payroll. In short:

• Gusto: Best for small businesses needing full-service payroll with solid HR tools
• SurePayroll: Best for startups, household payroll, and companies on a tight budget

If you find neither Gusto nor SurePayroll suitable for your needs and want an HR platform with strong payroll support, we recommend:

• Paychex: Best for solopreneurs and small to large businesses needing flexible HR solutions with dedicated payroll support

Gusto vs SurePayroll Compared

• Pricing
• Key Features

	Visit Gusto	Visit SurePayroll
HR Payroll Evaluation	4.66 out of 5	3.70 out of 5
Special Promotions*	Discounted pricing for some plans	Up to six months free payroll for businesses Two months free payroll for household employers
Starter Monthly Pricing	$6 per employee + $40 base fee	$5 per employee + $29.99 base fee (for Full-Service plan) $4 per employee + $19.99 base fee (for No Tax Filing plan)**
Contractor-only Payroll Plan	$6 per contractor + $35 base fee	✕
Multiple State Tax Filing	Included in higher plans	$9.99 monthly (for Full-Service plan only)
Local Tax Filing	Included in all plans	$9.99 monthly for Ohio and Pennsylvania local tax filings (for Full-Service plan only)
	Read our full Gusto review	Read our full SurePayroll review

*This can change at any time. Visit the providers’ websites to view the latest promotions on offer.

**For the “No Tax Filing” plan, SurePayroll will calculate all employee payments and deductions but you have to handle payroll tax remittances and filings yourself.

	Visit Gusto	Visit SurePayroll
Unlimited Payroll	✓	✓
Payment Options	Direct deposit, pay cards, pay on demand; checks (manual print only)	Direct deposit, checks (manual print only)
Direct Deposit Timelines	Two and four days; next-day option in higher tiers	Two days
International Payroll	Global contractors only (in 90+ countries)	✕
Health Insurance in 50 States	37 states	✓
Time Tracking	Included in higher plans	Via third-party software integration (costs extra)
HR Tools	Hiring, performance reviews, employee surveys, directory, HR forms	HR forms, background checks, skills testing
Customer Support	Email and chat; phone support five days per week	Email and chat; phone support on weekdays and Saturdays
	Read our full Gusto review	Read our full SurePayroll review

Both Gusto and SurePayroll have strong features, user-friendly interfaces, and great pricing, often making our best-of lists, like these:

• Best Restaurant Payroll Software
• Best Payroll Software for Accountants
• Best Self-employed Payroll

• Best Church Payroll Services
• Best Payroll Software for Mac Users

When to Choose Each

Alternatives to Gusto & SurePayroll

While both Gusto and SurePayroll are good options for small businesses, if your company is larger or has more complex HR needs, consider other providers like Paychex or ADP.

	Best For	Starter Monthly Pricing	Our Review
	Solopreneurs and businesses needing dedicated payroll support	$5 per employee plus a $39 base fee	Read our Paychex review
	Visit Paychex
	Growing companies looking for scalable plans	Custom-priced	Read our ADP review
	Visit ADP
	Tech-heavy companies that want HR, payroll, and IT solutions	$8 per employee plus a $35 base fee*	Read our Rippling review
	Visit Rippling

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	Best For	Starter Monthly Pricing	Our Review
	Solopreneurs and businesses needing dedicated payroll support	$5 per employee plus a $39 base fee	Read our Paychex review
	Visit Paychex
	Growing companies looking for scalable plans	Custom-priced	Read our ADP review
	Visit ADP
	Tech-heavy companies that want HR, payroll, and IT solutions	$8 per employee plus a $35 base fee*	Read our Rippling review
	Visit Rippling

*Pricing is based on a quote we received

If you want more information about which options to look for when choosing a payroll service, check our guide on finding the right payroll solution for your business.

Most Affordable: SurePayroll

In comparing SurePayroll vs Gusto for pricing, both offer multiple plans with zero setup fees and let you process payroll as many times as you need in a month. Pricing is also fully transparent with payroll subscription costs (for the basic plan) that don’t exceed $1,200 per year for 10 employees. However, we found SurePayroll as the more affordable option of the two, charging only $29.99 plus $5 per employee monthly for full-service payroll (Gusto’s basic plan costs $40 + $6 per employee monthly).

• Payroll Fees
• Add-ons

Pricing Score	5 out of 5	5 out of 5
Number of Plans	Three, plus a contractor-only payroll option	Two
Base Fees ($/Month)	Simple: $40 Plus: $60 Premium: Call for quote	Full-Service: $29.99 No Tax Filing: $19.99
Per-employee Fees ($/Month)	Simple: $6 per worker Plus: $12 per worker Premium: Call for quote	Full-Service: $5 per worker No Tax Filing: $4 per worker
Contractor-only Payroll ($/Month)	$35 base fee + $6 per contractor	No special plan
Multiple State Filing	Included in higher tiers	$9.99 monthly (for Full-Service plan only)
Local Tax Filing	Included in all plans	$9.99 monthly for Ohio and Pennsylvania (for Full-Service plan only)
State Tax Registration	Varies by state	N/A
R&D Tax Credits	15% of identified tax credits	N/A
HR Advisor	$8 per worker for the Plus plan only* (included for free in the Premium tier)	✓

*This add-on includes access to an HR adviser and priority support (email support plus a direct line for phone assistance).

	Visit Gusto	Visit SurePayroll
Benefits Broker Integration ($/Month)	$6 per eligible employee ($0 if you use Gusto brokers)	Call for quote
Benefits Fees ($/Month)	HSA: $2.50 per participant FSA: $4 per participant ($20 monthly minimum) Dependent care FSA: $4 per participant ($20 monthly minimum) Commuter benefits: $4 per participant ($20 monthly minimum)	Call for quote
401(k) Savings	Pricing varies by 401(k) integration	Call for quote
529 College Savings ($/Month)	$4 per participant ($20 monthly minimum)	N/A
International Contractor Payments	Call for quote	N/A
Third-party Integration Fees ($/Month)	None	Stratustime integrated time clock: $5 + $3 per employee Time clock integration: $9.99 Accounting integration: $4.99

For simple payroll, SurePayroll is the obvious winner. It offers two plans. For $19.99 + $4 per employee per month, it processes your payroll and calculates your taxes, but you need to handle paying taxes yourself. If you’d like SurePayroll to handle your tax payments and get its Tax Penalty Protection Plan, you need to use the full-service plan for $29.99 + $5 per employee per month. This is cheaper than Gusto’s most basic plan ($40 + $6 per employee monthly), which also includes tax filing.

However, be aware that some services, like integrations and multistate tax filing, incur additional fees. If you need benefits for your employees, you’ll also need to talk to a SurePayroll representative about pricing for those functions. SurePayroll offers multiple free months if you commit to an annual plan, although you have to contact sales for exact details.

When to Use Gusto

Gusto is more expensive, but also offers more by way of HR assistance, benefits management, and time tracking. Similar to SurePayroll, its prices are all listed on the website, making it easy to calculate and do comparisons. Payroll tax filings are included in its basic plan and multistate tax filings in its higher tiers. SurePayroll, even with its full-tax plan, charges extra for multiple states as well as for local tax filing. This can add up to almost $20 per month in extra fees.

If you only pay contractors, Gusto has a contractor-only payroll plan that includes four-day direct deposits, unlimited pay runs, and 1099-NECs at the end of the year. It even handles new hire reporting—a service that SurePayroll doesn’t offer for contractors.

Best for Pay Processing: Gusto

	Visit Gusto	Visit SurePayroll
Payroll Features Score	4.75 out of 5	4.5 out of 5
Automatic Pay Runs	✓	✓
Multiple Pay Rates and Schedules	✓	✓
Payroll Calculations and Tax Deductions	✓	✓
Payroll Tax Filings and Year-end Reporting	✓	Included in the Full-Service plan, but local tax filings in OH/PA cost extra
Payment Options	Direct deposit, pay cards, pay on-demand (via Gusto Wallet); check (manual printing only)	Direct deposit, checks (manual printing only)
Direct Deposit Timelines	Two and four days; next-day option in higher tiers
Tip Credits and Wage Garnishments	✓	✓
Time Tracking	Included in higher tiers	Add-on or via third-party integration
Online Paystubs via Self-service Portal	✓	✓

As far as basic features go, SurePayroll and Gusto are reasonably close. However, Gusto earned a higher score for pay processing because its starter plan includes payroll tax filings across all levels (federal, state, and local). With SurePayroll, you have to pay extra for local tax filings in Ohio and Pennsylvania even if you get its Full-service plan. Also, Gusto includes time tracking in its higher plans, whereas SurePayroll charges extra for it or requires a third-party integration (which also costs extra).

You can set up multiple pay schedules and even put them on autopilot, such as for salaried workers whose pay never changes. (Source: Gusto Demo)

You get more payment options with Gusto—from direct deposits to manual paychecks and pay cards (via Gusto Wallet). The Gusto Wallet even allows employees to take advantage of financial tools, such as splitting paychecks among different accounts and on-demand pay (getting access to wages as employees earn them rather than having to wait until payday). This is a great option for younger employees who may not have traditional bank accounts.

In addition, you can pay international contractors if you have the international contractor payment add-on. And even if you stop using Gusto, you and your employees get lifetime access to their payroll information.

When to Use SurePayroll

If you have seasonal services where you may not need payroll for a month or more, you can contact SurePayroll about pausing your services while still keeping the information handy for quick reactivation. They charge a minimal fee for this. Gusto does not offer such a service.

Another use case for SurePayroll is household payroll, which Gusto does not cover. SurePayroll offers all the functions of its plans plus helps with benefits and household employee management.

SurePayroll makes it easy to create and approve payroll as well. (Source: SurePayroll Demo)

Further, if you’re always on the go, SurePayroll has a mobile app (for iOS and Android devices) that lets you manage, edit, and approve payrolls. You can even access employee contact information and view payroll totals, payment methods, and reports on earnings, taxes, and deductions. Gusto does not have a downloadable mobile app, although the website is mobile-friendly.

Best for HR Features: Gusto

	Visit Gusto	Visit SurePayroll
HR Features Score	4.75 out of 5	3 out of 5
New Hire Reporting	✓	✓
Employee Self-onboarding	✓	✕
Offer Letters	✓	✓
HR Forms	✓	✓
Health Benefits in All States	37 states	✓
Workers’ Compensation in All States	✓	Ohio, North Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming are not covered
HR Advisor	Included in highest plan	✓
Other HR Tools	Job postings and applicant tracking Business app provisioning Performance reviews Employee survey	Background checks Drug screening Behavioral assessments Skills testing Personal development inventories

Gusto offers more for HR than SurePayroll, although many of its tools are included in the higher-priced plans. When it comes to hiring and onboarding, Gusto is the clear winner as it can post jobs and track applicants. After you’ve selected your new hire, it offers several tools to make those first few days easy—like crafting offer letters and sending them through Gusto. You can also create orientation documents and onboarding checklists that new hires can follow to get started, and even better, allow them to fill out and sign forms online to get things rolling fast.

Gusto walks you through the hiring and onboarding process. (Source: Gusto Demo)

In terms of employee benefits, we had to give this one a little thought because while Gusto offers more benefits itself, its health benefits are not available in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming (as of this writing). SurePayroll, on the other hand, can broker benefits for all 50 states. Both charge extra for benefits as well. In the end, they seem closely matched.

However, Gusto offers a wide range of both standard and non-standard employee benefits. It offers 529 college savings in addition to health, dental, vision, 401(k), HSA, FSA, and commuter benefits. Finally, your employees who sign up for a Gusto Wallet account get financial management tools and early paycheck access of up to $500 (Gusto Cashout)—something SurePayroll does not offer.

When to Use SurePayroll

Gusto does not provide some HR services like background checks, skills testing, and behavioral assessments for candidates—SurePayroll can, but these tools may cost extra. Household employers who plan to use SurePayroll’s nanny payroll services will find these services handy as they can easily order background checks for new household staff.

SurePayroll may lack the performance review module that Gusto offers in its higher tiers, but its personal development inventories can be used to provide objective criteria for identifying employee strengths and weaknesses. While it also does not have financial tools like Gusto Wallet, SurePayroll can help you purchase general liability, commercial auto, umbrella, BOP, E&O, D&O, and EPLI coverage. It also works through Paychex for health, dental, vision, and other benefits like HSAs. Plus, its 401(k) plans are designed for small businesses.

SurePayroll offers multiple HR documents and forms for download. (Source: SurePayroll video)

Best for Reporting: Tie

	Visit Gusto	Visit SurePayroll
Reporting Score	5 out of 5	5 out of 5
Basic Reports	Available	Available
Report Customizations	✓	✓

In comparing Gusto vs SurePayroll for reporting, both providers offer basic payroll reports with customization options. However, Gusto offers more reports mainly because of its additional HR solutions for hiring employees, tracking attendance, managing performance reviews, and running staff surveys.

Best for Ease of Use & Customer Support: Gusto

	Visit Gusto	Visit SurePayroll
Ease of Use Score	4 out of 5	3.13 out of 5
Learning Curve	Relatively easy	Relatively easy
Ease of Use	Good	Good
Setup Wizard	✓	✓
FAQs and How-to Guides	✓	✓
Third-party Software Integrations	Accounting systems Collaboration tools Expense management Hiring solutions Learning management Point-of-sale (POS) systems Time tracking software	Accounting systems Time tracking software
Dedicated Representative	Included in highest tier	✕
Customer Support Types	Phone, email, and chat	Phone and chat
Direct Phone Line for Support	Available in the highest tier; costs extra for the Plus plan	✕
Support Hours	Mondays to Fridays, from 6 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific time	Mondays to Fridays, from 8 a.m.–7 p.m. Central time  Saturdays, from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. CT

Setup with Gusto is easy, and there are online guides or you can ask for assistance. The user interface is bright, clean, and easy to follow. There are a lot of tools, so it can take a little time to learn, but overall, it’s among the easiest to use.

Compared to SurePayroll, it offers stronger online help features and tutorials, as well as advanced training for its partners. Support is available via phone, email, and chat. If you subscribe to its higher tier, you get a dedicated client success manager (CSM) and priority support that includes access to a direct phone line to contact customer service.

It also integrates with several third-party software, allowing you to connect Gusto’s platform with systems that businesses typically use. Some of its partners include ApplicantPro, Asana, Box, Clover, Deputy, FreshBooks, Greenhouse, Homebase, JazzHR, QuickBooks, When I Work, and Xero.

When to Consider SurePayroll

SurePayroll is generally simple to learn and use. Navigating through its features is also fairly easy. While it doesn’t have Gusto’s priority support option with a dedicated CSM, SurePayroll’s customer service team is available weekdays and Saturdays (Gusto only offers weekday support).

Best for User Popularity: Gusto

	Visit Gusto	Visit SurePayroll
Popularity Score	5 out of 5	2.5 out of 5
User Feedback	Mostly positive	Mostly positive
Average User Ratings*	4.35 out of 5	4.25 out of 5
Average Number of Reviews*	More than 2,100	Close to 350

*Data from third-party review sites (such as G2 and Capterra)

To compare Gusto vs SurePayroll on user popularity, we looked at each providers’ average overall ratings and the number of reviews on third-party review sites like G2 and Capterra. Gusto received perfect marks in this criterion because its average user ratings is 4 and up and its average number of reviews exceeded 1,000. While SurePayroll also earned average user ratings of 4 and up, its number of reviews is significantly smaller (fewer than 500).

What Users Think: Gusto vs SurePayroll

Methodology: How We Evaluated Gusto vs SurePayroll

We evaluated SurePayroll vs Gusto by looking at each provider’s pricing structures, features, and ease of use. We also checked whether HR professionals are available to give expert advice. Customer support was also an important factor, since small business owners may need help navigating through the software.

Click through the tabs below for a more detailed breakdown of our evaluation criteria.

Bottom Line

In comparing Gusto vs SurePayroll, both have solid features for paying employees and contractors but Gusto generally comes out on top. It offers more HR functions to help you efficiently manage the employee lifecycle—from hiring to retiring. Plus, you are granted access to priority support and a dedicated CSM if you get its highest tier. Unless you are looking for household payroll or need a cheaper option, Gusto is the better choice. Sign up for a Gusto account and take the headache of payroll off your plate.

Visit Gusto