ADP Workforce Now
Comprehensive HR and payroll platform for mid-sized businesses with integrated payroll, benefits, talent management, and compliance tools.
Website: gusto.com
Gusto at a glance
- Best for
- US small businesses and the firms that serve them
- Pricing model
- Base fee plus per-employee monthly charge
- Deployment
- Cloud, with employee mobile app
- Regions
- United States
- Key integrations
- QuickBooks Online, Xero, FreshBooks, QuickBooks Time
Last reviewed . Pricing and features change frequently — confirm current details with the vendor.
Gusto is a cloud payroll, benefits, and HR platform for small and mid-sized US businesses, covering automated payroll runs, federal, state, and local tax filing, benefits administration, employee onboarding, and time tracking.
How accounting firms use it
It is one of the most commonly recommended client payroll platforms in US practice, largely because the division of labour suits firms well: clients can run routine payroll themselves while the firm retains oversight and handles the exceptions. That reduces the firm’s involvement in cycle-to-cycle processing without giving up visibility.
The partner program provides a single dashboard covering every client account, so a firm reviews payrolls across its book without separate logins. Firms choose between billing clients at a discounted partner rate and taking a revenue share on direct-billed clients, which lets payroll be either a service line or a retention tool.
Key features
Payroll runs handle salaried, hourly, and contractor payments across multiple schedules, with automatic tax calculation, filing, and payment at federal, state, and local levels. Multi-state support covers remote workforces, with registration assistance available where a client is newly hiring in a state.
Benefits administration spans health insurance, 401(k), HSA, FSA, and workers’ compensation, with policies managed in the same place as payroll so deductions flow through without reconciliation. Onboarding covers offer letters, I-9 and W-4 collection, and e-signature.
Payroll journals sync to QuickBooks Online, Xero, and FreshBooks with per-client account mapping.
Who it’s best for
US small businesses from one employee to around a hundred, and firms that want clients to self-manage routine payroll under supervision. Setup is straightforward enough that onboarding a client rarely requires a dedicated implementation project.
Clients growing past that headcount, or needing benefits brokerage and dedicated service representatives, typically move to ADP Workforce Now or Paychex Flex. Clients wanting benefits access via co-employment instead look at Justworks or TriNet.
Gusto FAQ
- Is Gusto free for accountants?
- The partner program itself carries no cost. Firms get a dashboard covering all client accounts, and can choose between billing clients directly at a discounted partner rate or having clients billed directly while the firm receives a revenue share. People Advisory tools and certification training are included with partner status.
- Does Gusto handle multi-state payroll?
- Yes. It registers and files in all US states and handles employees working across state lines, including local taxes where applicable. State registration assistance is available as a paid service, which matters for clients hiring remotely without an internal HR function.
- How does it integrate with QuickBooks and Xero?
- Payroll journals sync automatically to QuickBooks Online, Xero, and FreshBooks, with account mapping configured per client so wages, taxes, and benefits post to the right accounts. The sync runs each pay cycle, which removes the manual journal entry that otherwise follows every payroll.
- How does Gusto compare to ADP and Paychex?
- Gusto is generally simpler to set up and administer, with transparent published pricing, and suits businesses up to roughly 100 employees. ADP and Paychex scale further into HR, benefits brokerage, and dedicated service teams, and are the more common choice above that headcount or where a client needs a named representative rather than support tickets.
Gusto Alternatives
Other payroll tools for accounting firms, ordered by how much of Gusto's functionality they cover.
BambooHR
HR and payroll software helping growing companies manage workforce processes, automated HR, payroll, and employee self-service.
ClockOn
ClockOn is an Australian workforce management platform combining rostering, time and attendance, award interpretation, and STP payroll in one system.
Deel
Global payroll and compliance platform for hiring and paying employees and contractors in 150+ countries with local tax compliance.
Justworks
PEO and HR platform simplifying payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR administration for small businesses with enterprise-level benefits access.