Gusto
Lever
| Feature | Gusto | Lever |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $40/mo | Contact sales |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | small-businesses, startups, accountants, us-companies | tech-companies, growing-companies, talent-teams, recruiters |
| Founded | 2011 | 2012 |
| Payroll | ✓ | ✗ |
| Benefits | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tax Filing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Onboarding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Hiring | ✓ | ✗ |
| Compliance | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ats | ✗ | ✓ |
| Talent Crm | ✗ | ✓ |
| Nurture Campaigns | ✗ | ✓ |
| Interview Scheduling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Analytics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Gusto Pros
- Easiest payroll software to set up and run
- Automatic federal, state, and local tax filings
- Health insurance and 401(k) brokering built-in
- Excellent employee onboarding experience
✗ Gusto Cons
- US-only — no international payroll
- Gets expensive as headcount grows
- Limited HR features compared to BambooHR
✓ Lever Pros
- Combined ATS + CRM
- Great candidate experience
- Nurture campaigns
- Clean UI
✗ Lever Cons
- Expensive
- Limited reporting
- Customization constraints
The Verdict
Gusto is built for small businesses and startups, with a focus on payroll and benefits. Lever targets tech companies and growing companies and leads with ats and talent-crm.
Lever uses custom enterprise pricing, while Gusto starts at $40/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
Feature-wise, Gusto offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Lever takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.