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Software · head to head

Gusto vs Homebase

Gusto logo

Gusto

Software

The people platform for small businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Homebase logo

Homebase

Software

Scheduling, time tracking and HR for hourly teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Homebase has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Gusto customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues; Homebase free Basic plan is capped at 10 employees and a single location

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gusto and Homebase actually diverge.

Attributes where Gusto and Homebase differ
AttributeGustoHomebase
Starting price$49/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Gusto

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

Only in Homebase

Nothing recorded that Gusto does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Gusto

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

Homebase

No use cases recorded yet. See the Homebase review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Homebase

  • Free Basic plan is capped at 10 employees and a single location
  • Paid plans are billed per location per month ($30, $70 or $120), so a multi-location business pays the rate again for each site
  • Payroll is a separate add-on at $39 per month plus $6 per month per employee paid
  • Tip Manager and Task Manager are further add-ons billed per location per month on top of the base plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Gusto

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Gusto review.

Homebase

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Homebase review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Gusto if

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

Choose Homebase if

  • You want to start without paying.
Homebase review

Questions people ask

Is Gusto or Homebase better?
Neither clearly leads. Gusto starts at $49/month and Homebase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gusto or Homebase?
Homebase has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $49/month for Gusto and Free for Homebase.
Does Gusto or Homebase run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Homebase for free?
Yes. Homebase has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Gusto starts at $49/month.
What is Gusto best used for?
Gusto is most often used for payroll processing, benefits administration, tax compliance, employee onboarding. Of those, payroll processing and benefits administration are not what Homebase is typically brought in for.
What can Gusto do that Homebase 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
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Related pages

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