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Gusto vs Hubstaff

Gusto logo

Gusto

All industries

The people platform for small businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Hubstaff logo

Hubstaff

Productivity

Time tracking and team management for remote teams

From
$5.99/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Gusto customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues; Hubstaff billed per seat; the pricing page's own proration example states the Team plan costs $10 per seat per month, with fees adjusted when seats are added or removed mid-cycle
  • They diverge on capability: Gusto covers Automated payroll, Hubstaff covers Time tracking with timer.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gusto and Hubstaff actually diverge.

Attributes where Gusto and Hubstaff differ
AttributeGustoHubstaff
Starting price$49/month$5.99/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows
CategoryAll industriesProductivity
Founded20112012

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Gusto

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

Only in Hubstaff

  • Time tracking with timer
  • Activity monitoring
  • GPS location tracking
  • Screenshots
  • Reports and analytics
  • Invoicing
  • Team management
  • Mobile apps

What people use each for

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

Gusto

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

Hubstaff

  • Productivitynot Gusto
  • Collaborationnot Gusto
  • Task managementnot Gusto
  • Organizationnot Gusto

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

Hubstaff

  • Billed per seat; the pricing page's own proration example states the Team plan costs $10 per seat per month, with fees adjusted when seats are added or removed mid-cycle

Pricing, plan by plan

Gusto

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Gusto review.

Hubstaff

$5.99/month
  • FreeFree
    • Basic time tracking
    • Limited to 1 user
    • Basic reports
  • Starter$5.99/month
    • Time tracking
    • Team management
    • Reports
  • Pro$9.99/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • GPS tracking
    • Activity monitoring

Which should you pick?

Choose Gusto if

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

Choose Hubstaff if

  • You need time tracking with timer.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want activity monitoring.

Questions people ask

Is Gusto or Hubstaff better?
Neither clearly leads. Gusto starts at $49/month and Hubstaff at $5.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gusto or Hubstaff?
Gusto starts at $49/month and Hubstaff at $5.99/month.
Does Gusto or Hubstaff run on more platforms?
Gusto runs on Web. Hubstaff runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
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 Hubstaff is typically brought in for.
What can Gusto do that Hubstaff cannot?
Gusto covers Automated payroll, Tax filing, Benefits administration, Time tracking. Hubstaff covers Time tracking with timer, Activity monitoring, GPS location tracking, Screenshots.

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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