Gusto
QuickBooks Online
| Feature | Gusto | QuickBooks Online |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $40/mo | From $30/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | small-businesses, startups, accountants, us-companies | small-businesses, accountants, freelancers, e-commerce |
| Founded | 2011 | 1992 |
| Payroll | ✓ | ✓ |
| Benefits | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tax Filing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Onboarding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Hiring | ✓ | ✗ |
| Compliance | ✓ | ✗ |
| Invoicing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Expense Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bank Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reports | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tax Prep | ✗ | ✓ |
| Inventory | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ QuickBooks Online Pros
- Most popular small business accounting tool
- Excellent integration ecosystem
- Automatic bank feed reconciliation
- Tax preparation and 1099 filing
✗ QuickBooks Online Cons
- Expensive for basic needs
- Frequent price increases
- Can be slow with large datasets
The Verdict
Gusto is built for small businesses and startups, with a focus on payroll and benefits. QuickBooks Online targets small businesses and accountants and leads with invoicing and expense-tracking.
On pricing, QuickBooks Online is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $30/mo compared to $40/mo for Gusto. That $10/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
Both tools are a solid fit for small businesses, accountants — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
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.