Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
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Short answer
In our payroll ranking, Gusto scores 88/100 and QuickBooks Payroll scores 77/100. Gusto costs less on its entry and time-tracking plans for a 10-person team and covers more HR, while QuickBooks includes faster direct deposit on cheaper plans and is cheaper at the HR-advisor tier.
Pick Gusto if…
- You want the lower bill for a small team ($109 vs $120 a month for 10 employees on the entry plans)
- You want health benefits administration in the same tool as payroll
- You also pay contractors and want a $35 contractor-only plan
Pick QuickBooks Payroll if…
- Your books already run in QuickBooks Online
- You need next-day direct deposit on the entry plan, or same-day deposit
- You want a certified HR advisor and tax penalty protection for less than Gusto Premium
What it costs
Monthly list prices × 12 for 10 employees, before introductory discounts, add-ons and taxes.
| Need | Gusto plan | Gusto per year | QuickBooks Payroll plan | QuickBooks Payroll per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll and tax filing | Simple ($49 + $6/person) | $1,308 | Workforce Payroll ($50 + $7/employee) | $1,440 |
| Plus time tracking | Plus ($80 + $12/person) | $2,400 | Workforce Premium ($88 + $13/employee) | $2,616 |
| Plus next-day direct deposit | Plus ($80 + $12/person) | $2,400 | Workforce Payroll ($50 + $7/employee) | $1,440 |
| Plus access to HR experts | Premium ($180 + $22/person) | $4,800 | Workforce Elite ($134 + $17/employee) | $3,648 |
Gusto also sells next-day direct deposit as an add-on on Simple; its price isn't shown here. QuickBooks offers either a 30-day free trial of the base price or 50% off the base price for 3 months. Prices from Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll pricing pages, checked Oct 28, 2026. Vendors change plans often; confirm before you buy.
Plans and features side by side
| Feature | Gusto | QuickBooks Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan | Simple, $49/mo + $6 per person | Workforce Payroll, $50/mo + $7 per employee |
| Multi-state payroll | Listed from Plus | Not compared here |
| Next-day direct deposit | Listed from Plus; add-on on Simple | Listed from Workforce Payroll |
| Same-day direct deposit | Not compared here | Listed from Workforce Premium |
| Time tracking | Listed from Plus | Listed from Workforce Premium |
| HR help | Core HR on Simple; HR experts on Premium | HR resource center on Premium; certified HR advisor on Elite |
| Tax penalty protection | Not compared here | Up to $25,000 a year on Elite |
| Contractor-only plan | $35/mo + $6 per contractor | Not compared here |
| Free trial | Free to set up; pay once you run payroll | 30-day trial of the base price |
| G2 user rating | 4.6/5 (13,677 reviews) | 4.4/5 (514 reviews) |
| Vettlo score | 88/100 | 77/100 |
"Listed from" means the feature first appears on that plan on the vendor's public pricing page.
Where Gusto is stronger
- Lower cost on the first two tiers. For 10 employees, Simple is $132 a year cheaper than Workforce Payroll, and Plus $216 cheaper than Workforce Premium.
- HR and benefits in one place. Core HR, employee self-service and health benefits administration sit in the same product as payroll, which is why it scores 4.5/5 on HR in our ranking against 3.5 for QuickBooks.
- Contractors. A contractor-only plan costs $35 a month plus $6 per contractor.
Where QuickBooks Payroll is stronger
- Faster pay on cheaper plans. Next-day direct deposit is on the $50 entry plan and same-day deposit from Premium; Gusto puts next-day on Plus or sells it as an add-on.
- Cheaper HR advisor. Elite, with a certified HR advisor and expert setup, costs $3,648 a year for 10 employees against $4,800 for Gusto Premium.
- Tax penalty protection. Elite pays penalty fees and interest up to $25,000 a year, terms apply.
- QuickBooks accounting. It's built by the maker of QuickBooks Online, though it also works without it.
How to decide
- Count employees and the states they work in; multi-state on Gusto starts on Plus.
- Decide whether you need next-day or same-day pay, and price the cheapest plan on each side that has it.
- If you want HR advice, compare Gusto Premium with QuickBooks Elite at your headcount.
- Set up a test payroll in each before your next pay date and check how it posts to your books.
Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll FAQ
Is Gusto cheaper than QuickBooks Payroll?
On the first two tiers, yes. For 10 employees, Gusto Simple is $109 a month against $120 for QuickBooks Workforce Payroll, and Gusto Plus $200 against $218 for Workforce Premium. At the top tier QuickBooks Elite ($304) is cheaper than Gusto Premium ($400).
Do I need QuickBooks Online to use QuickBooks Payroll?
No. Intuit says its payroll works with or without QuickBooks. Gusto lists QuickBooks among its integrations.
Which pays employees faster?
QuickBooks. Workforce Payroll includes next-day direct deposit and Premium adds same-day deposit. Gusto includes next-day deposit on Plus and sells it as an add-on on Simple.
Which scores higher in Vettlo's ranking?
Gusto, with 88/100 against 77/100 for QuickBooks Payroll. Gusto rates higher on HR and price; QuickBooks rates lower on price because its entry plan is the most expensive published one here.
Other options
If neither fits, see our full ranking of 7 payroll tools, with who each one is for and what it costs. Or see our guide to the Gusto alternatives.