Gusto

Overview

Gusto provides an integrated platform for human resources (HR), payroll, and benefits administration, designed primarily for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Established in 2011, the platform consolidates various HR functions into a single system, aiming to simplify administrative tasks for employers. Its core offerings include automated payroll processing, tax filing, and direct deposit capabilities, which are configured to handle federal, state, and local tax obligations according to Gusto's support documentation. The system also supports year-end tax form generation, such as W-2s and 1099s.

Beyond payroll, Gusto facilitates the management of employee benefits. This includes offering and administering health insurance, 401(k) plans, workers' compensation, and other fringe benefits. The platform integrates with various benefit providers, allowing businesses to select and manage plans directly through the Gusto interface. For HR management, Gusto includes tools for employee onboarding, document management, time tracking, and compliance support. It provides resources and guidance to help businesses adhere to employment regulations, including features for new hire reporting and access to HR professionals for advice.

Gusto's target audience benefits from a platform that can scale with their growth, from managing a few contractors to a larger team requiring comprehensive benefits. The system is designed for ease of use, with a user interface that aims to reduce the complexity often associated with HR and payroll administration. Employee self-service portals allow staff to access pay stubs, update personal information, and manage their benefits, reducing direct inquiries to HR departments. While platforms like ADP Run also cater to SMBs with similar offerings as detailed on ADP's website, Gusto differentiates itself through its emphasis on user experience and integrated benefits marketplace.

The platform supports various employment types, including W-2 employees and 1099 contractors, allowing businesses to manage diverse workforces within one system. Its compliance features include SOC 2 Type II certification and adherence to GDPR, indicating a focus on data security and privacy. Gusto also provides a developer API, enabling businesses and partners to integrate payroll and HR data with other business applications, such as accounting software, time tracking tools, and HR information systems (HRIS).

Key features

• Full-Service Payroll: Automates payroll runs, calculates and files federal, state, and local taxes, and handles direct deposits.
• Employee Benefits Administration: Offers and manages health insurance, 401(k)s, workers' compensation, HSAs, FSAs, and commuter benefits.
• HR Tools: Provides employee onboarding workflows, document management, customizable offer letters, and an employee directory.
• Time Tracking: Includes tools for employees to track hours, submit timesheets, and integrate with payroll for accurate compensation.
• Hiring & Onboarding: Streamlines the process of bringing new hires on board, including e-signatures for documents and new hire reporting.
• Compliance Management: Offers resources and alerts for HR compliance, including state and federal regulations, and manages W-2s and 1099s.
• Employee Self-Service: Allows employees to access pay stubs, update personal information, manage benefits, and view PTO balances.
• Reporting: Generates various payroll and HR reports for financial analysis and compliance audits.
• Integrations: Connects with accounting, time tracking, and business operations software via its API.

Pricing

Gusto offers several pricing tiers structured with a monthly base fee plus a per-person charge. The Contractor Only plan is free for employers but charges per contractor. All plans include full-service payroll, employee self-service, and contractor payments. The prices are current as of May 7, 2026.

For detailed and up-to-date pricing information, refer to the official Gusto pricing page on their website.

Common integrations

Gusto offers an API for developers to build custom integrations and connect with various business applications. Common integration categories include accounting, time tracking, expense management, and HR information systems.

• Accounting Software: Integrates with platforms like QuickBooks Online and Xero for syncing payroll data with general ledgers as described in Gusto's support articles.
• Time Tracking: Connects with systems such as Homebase and When I Work to import approved hours directly into payroll.
• Expense Management: Facilitates data exchange with platforms like Expensify for streamlined expense reimbursement.
• HRIS & ATS: Integrates with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and other HR Information Systems for seamless data flow from hiring to payroll.

Alternatives

• ADP Run: A comprehensive payroll and HR solution for small businesses, offering tax filing, HR support, and timekeeping.
• Paychex Flex: Provides payroll processing, HR administration, and benefits management with various service levels for businesses of all sizes.
• Rippling: An employee management platform that unifies HR, IT, and finance, allowing businesses to manage payroll, benefits, and device management in one system.

Getting started

Developers can interact with the Gusto API to manage payroll, employee data, and more. The API uses RESTful principles and OAuth 2.0 for authentication. Below is a conceptual example of how to fetch a list of employees using a hypothetical Python client, assuming you have obtained an access token.

import requests

# Replace with your actual access token
ACCESS_TOKEN = "YOUR_GUSTO_ACCESS_TOKEN"
API_BASE_URL = "https://api.gusto.com/v1"

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {ACCESS_TOKEN}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
}

company_id = "YOUR_COMPANY_ID" # Replace with the ID of the company you want to query

try:
    response = requests.get(f"{API_BASE_URL}/companies/{company_id}/employees", headers=headers)
    response.raise_for_status() # Raise an exception for HTTP errors

    employees = response.json()
    print("Successfully fetched employees:")
    for employee in employees:
        print(f"  - {employee['first_name']} {employee['last_name']} (ID: {employee['id']})")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as err:
    print(f"HTTP error occurred: {err}")
    print(f"Response content: {err.response.text}")
except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError as err:
    print(f"Connection error occurred: {err}")
except requests.exceptions.Timeout as err:
    print(f"Timeout error occurred: {err}")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as err:
    print(f"An unexpected error occurred: {err}")

Before running this code, you would need to register your application with Gusto to obtain client credentials and go through the OAuth flow to get an access token. The Gusto developer documentation provides detailed guides on how to set up your application, authenticate, and use specific API endpoints for various operations.