Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Bear vs Gusto

Bear logo

Bear

Productivity

Markdown notes for Apple devices

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gusto logo

Gusto

All industries

The people platform for small businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bear built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client; Gusto customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear and Gusto actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear and Gusto differ
AttributeBearGusto
Starting priceOn request$49/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
CategoryProductivityAll industries
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bear

Nothing recorded that Gusto does not also cover.

Only in Gusto

  • Automated payroll
  • Tax filing
  • Benefits administration
  • Time tracking
  • Employee onboarding
  • HR compliance
  • Workers' comp
  • 401(k) management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bear

No use cases recorded yet. See the Bear review.

Gusto

  • Payroll processingnot Bear
  • Benefits administrationnot Bear
  • Tax compliancenot Bear
  • Employee onboardingnot Bear
  • Time trackingnot Bear

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bear

  • Built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client
  • Free tier is limited to 3 themes, 1 app icon and restricted export formats; iCloud sync requires Bear Pro
  • Bear Pro is $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year after a 7 day free trial

Gusto

  • Customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues
  • Weak reporting capabilities, cannot export data to spreadsheets for analysis
  • Support staff lacks deep payroll expertise and knowledge
  • Rehired employees do not have settings reset, causing manual cleanup work
  • City tax handling requires additional monitoring and monitoring
  • Onboarding can have issues with bank account verification and tax registration

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Bear review.

Gusto

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Gusto review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Bear if

Nothing in the data separates Bear from Gusto on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Bear review

Choose Gusto if

  • You need automated payroll.
  • You also want tax filing.
Gusto review

Questions people ask

Is Bear or Gusto better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear starts at On request and Gusto at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear or Gusto?
Bear starts at On request and Gusto at $49/month.
Does Bear or Gusto run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What can Bear do that Gusto cannot?
Gusto covers Automated payroll, Tax filing, Benefits administration, Time tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Gusto: What is Gusto's starting price?

Gusto starts at $49 per month plus $6 per person. The company also offers a Contractor-only plan for $35 per month plus $6 per contractor.

Source
Gusto: Does Gusto include unlimited payroll runs?

Yes, all Gusto plans include unlimited payroll runs at no extra charge, including off-cycle payrolls.

Source
Gusto: What core features are included in Gusto?

All plans include payroll processing, tax administration, digital onboarding, benefits enrollment, time tracking, performance management, and next-day direct deposit for most plans.

Source
Gusto: Does Gusto support integrations?

Yes, Gusto integrates with accounting software, applicant tracking systems, benefits providers, time-tracking tools, and other business platforms to reduce data entry.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Bear

More on Gusto

Keep looking

Other head to heads