Review of Gusto Payroll Services

History

Gusto, founded in 2011 by Edward Kim, Joshua Reeves, and Tomer London, was initially named “ZenPayroll”. The company was created with a mission to simplify payroll and benefits for small businesses. In 2015, it expanded its services beyond payroll, rebranding as Gusto, and has since grown to be one of the industry’s leading platforms. Gusto’s headquarters is located in San Francisco, but it serves businesses across the United States.

Gusto Payroll Services

Gusto offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to manage various aspects of human resources, making it an all-in-one platform for small to medium-sized businesses. Its main offerings include:

1. Payroll Services: Gusto’s primary service, payroll, automates the entire payroll process. It offers unlimited payrolls, automatic tax filing, and direct deposit functionality. Gusto also supports different types of pay schedules and provides an employee self-service portal.
2. Benefits Administration: Gusto provides a benefits administration service that allows companies to manage health insurance, retirement plans, and other employee benefits. They work with businesses to create tailored benefits packages.
3. HR Services: Gusto provides HR tools such as hiring and onboarding software, time-tracking tools, and compliance help. It also offers expert HR advice to help companies navigate complex HR issues.
4. Time Tracking and Scheduling: Gusto offers integrated time tracking and scheduling tools that allow businesses to track employee hours and manage schedules efficiently.

Advantages

1. User-Friendly Interface: Gusto’s platform is praised for its intuitive, easy-to-use interface. Even those with no prior experience in payroll or HR can navigate the platform with ease.
2. Automation and Integration: Gusto automates many tedious tasks such as tax filing, payroll runs, and benefits administration. It also integrates well with popular accounting and time-tracking software, reducing the need for manual data entry.
3. Transparent Pricing: Gusto offers clear, straightforward pricing, which many businesses appreciate.
4. Exceptional Customer Service: Gusto’s support team is well-regarded for its responsiveness and helpfulness.

Disadvantages

1. Suited for Small to Midsize Businesses: Gusto is designed with small to medium-sized businesses in mind. As a result, larger businesses may find that Gusto lacks some advanced features that they require.
2. Limited International Support: Gusto mainly supports businesses in the United States. While it can handle some international payroll, its capabilities in this area are limited compared to some other payroll service providers.

Cost of Gusto Payroll Service

From our research, Gusto offers three primary pricing tiers:

1. Basic: $19 per month base price + $6 per person per month. Includes full-service payroll and employee self-service and profiles.
2. Complete: $39 per month base price + $12 per person per month. Includes everything in Basic, plus hiring and onboarding tools, time-off requests, employee directory, and surveys.
3. Concierge: $149 per month base price + $12 per person per month. Includes everything in Complete, plus access to certified HR pros, and an HR resource center.

Gusto also offered a Contractor Plan with a $0 monthly base price and $6 per person per month, designed for businesses that only employ contractors.

Conclusion

Gusto offers a robust, user-friendly platform that automates many essential HR and payroll tasks. While it may not suit larger businesses or those with significant international payroll needs, it is a standout option for small to midsize U.S. businesses.

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