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HR · head to head

CharlieHR vs Gusto

CharlieHR logo

CharlieHR

HR

HR software built for small businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gusto logo

Gusto

Payroll

The people platform for small businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CharlieHR has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CharlieHR starter plan price increases to £20/month after 6-month promotional period; Gusto customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues
  • They diverge on capability: CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Gusto covers Automated payroll.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CharlieHR and Gusto actually diverge.

Attributes where CharlieHR and Gusto differ
AttributeCharlieHRGusto
Starting priceFree$49/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile (iOS/Android)Web
CategoryHRPayroll
Founded20152011

Identical on both: 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 CharlieHR

  • Employee Database
  • Time Off Management
  • Onboarding
  • Performance Reviews
  • Team Engagement
  • Company Directory
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365

Only in Gusto

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

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

CharlieHR

  • HR management for small to large teamsnot Gusto
  • Employee onboarding and time off managementnot Gusto
  • Performance reviews and employee engagementnot Gusto

Gusto

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

Where each one falls short

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

CharlieHR

  • Starter plan price increases to £20/month after 6-month promotional period
  • Pricing based on team headcount brackets, not per-user
  • Add-ons (Charlie Recruit, Charlie Advice) cannot be purchased standalone
  • Charlie Advice and Recruit require base Charlie subscription
  • Prices shown exclude 20% UK VAT

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

CharlieHR

Free
  • Starter (1-4 team members)$5/month
    • Introductory rate for first 6 months
    • Then £20/month
  • Small (5-14 team members)$45/month
    • Covers 5-14 employees
  • Medium (15-29 team members)$105/month
    • Covers 15-29 employees
  • Large (30-99 team members)$180/month
    • Covers 30-99 employees

Gusto

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Gusto review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CharlieHR if

  • You need employee database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android).
  • You also want time off management.
CharlieHR review

Choose Gusto if

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

Questions people ask

Is CharlieHR or Gusto better?
Neither clearly leads. CharlieHR starts at Free and Gusto at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CharlieHR or Gusto?
CharlieHR has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CharlieHR and $49/month for Gusto.
Does CharlieHR or Gusto run on more platforms?
CharlieHR runs on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android). Gusto runs on Web.
Can I use CharlieHR for free?
Yes. CharlieHR has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Gusto starts at $49/month.
What is CharlieHR best used for?
CharlieHR is most often used for hr management for small to large teams, employee onboarding and time off management, performance reviews and employee engagement. Of those, hr management for small to large teams and employee onboarding and time off management are not what Gusto is typically brought in for.
What can CharlieHR do that Gusto cannot?
CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Time Off Management, Onboarding, Performance Reviews. Gusto covers Automated payroll, Tax filing, Benefits administration, Time tracking. Both handle Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CharlieHR: Does CharlieHR offer a free plan?

CharlieHR does not have a free plan, but offers a 7-day free trial without requiring a credit card. Pricing starts at £5/month for teams of 1-4 employees.

Source
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
CharlieHR: What are CharlieHR's core features?

Core features include employee onboarding, time off tracking, performance reviews, document storage, employee engagement tools, and benefits management with access to 30,000+ discounts.

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
CharlieHR: Does CharlieHR integrate with payroll systems?

CharlieHR integrates with major HR tech stacks and offers add-on services like Charlie Recruit for hiring automation. Payroll integration capabilities depend on the specific payroll provider you use.

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
CharlieHR: Is CharlieHR GDPR compliant?

Yes. CharlieHR is GDPR-compliant and ISO 27001-certified, providing strong data security and privacy compliance for European businesses.

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
CharlieHR: Does CharlieHR support multi-currency?

CharlieHR's pricing is primarily in GBP (British Pounds). International users can access the platform but currency and localization options may be limited.

Source
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