Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll (2026): Which Should Your Small Business Use?
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Prices last checked October 27, 2026. Prices below were checked against each company’s own pricing page on this date. We re-check the prices in every guide at least once a month.
Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll (now sold as QuickBooks Workforce) are two of the most common choices for small business payroll. Both run full-service payroll and file taxes for you, and their entry prices are within a dollar of each other. The real question is whether your books live in QuickBooks.
Here’s how they compare, based on each company’s own pricing pages.
The short answer
- Choose Gusto if you want the easiest payroll experience with benefits and HR tools built in, whatever accounting software you use.
- Choose QuickBooks Payroll if your books are already in QuickBooks Online and you want payroll to flow straight into them.
Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll at a glance
| Gusto | QuickBooks Payroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most small businesses | QuickBooks Online users |
| Entry plan | $49/mo + $7/person (Simple) | $50/mo + $7/employee (Workforce Payroll) |
| Cost for 5 employees | $84/mo | $85/mo |
| Mid-tier plan | $99/mo + $12/person (Plus) | $88/mo + $13/employee (Premium) |
| Time tracking | From Plus ($99/mo base) | From Premium ($88/mo base) |
| Intro offer when we checked | None listed | 50% off base price for 3 months |
Monthly prices before taxes and introductory discounts.
Pricing compared
Gusto
Simple is $49 a month plus $7 per person and covers payroll in one state. Plus is $99 a month plus $12 per person and adds multi-state payroll, time tracking, scheduling and next-day pay. Premium is $179 a month plus $22 per person and adds a named advisor and HR guidance. Every plan includes unlimited payrolls and tax filings.
QuickBooks Payroll
Workforce Payroll is $50 a month plus $7 per employee and includes full-service payroll, auto payroll and next-day direct deposit. Workforce Premium is $88 a month plus $13 per employee and adds time tracking, same-day direct deposit and HR tools. Workforce Elite is $134 a month plus $17 per employee. When we checked, Intuit was offering 50% off the base price for the first 3 months.
Where Gusto wins
- Easier setup and payroll runs for first-time employers
- Benefits, 401(k) and HR tools in the same system
- Works well with any accounting software
Where QuickBooks Payroll wins
- Payroll flows directly into QuickBooks Online
- Time tracking and same-day deposit on Premium at a lower base price than Gusto Plus
- An introductory discount for new customers
Our verdict
Compare Gusto, QuickBooks and other providers for your exact team size with our free payroll cost calculator.
If you use QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Payroll saves you and your accountant time, and that usually settles it. Everyone else should start with Gusto, our top payroll pick, for its simpler experience and built-in benefits tools.
See every Gusto plan and team-size costs in Gusto pricing, or compare the lowest-price option in Patriot Payroll pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Does Gusto work with QuickBooks?
Yes. Gusto connects to QuickBooks Online, so you can use Gusto for payroll and still keep your books in QuickBooks.
Which is cheaper, Gusto or QuickBooks Payroll?
At the entry level they’re nearly identical: $49 plus $7 per person for Gusto, and $50 plus $7 per employee for QuickBooks. QuickBooks’ introductory discount makes the first 3 months cheaper.
Compare all five providers in our guide to the best payroll software for small business.
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