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Software · head to head

Gusto vs Kudos

Gusto logo

Gusto

Software

The people platform for small businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kudos logo

Kudos

Software

Employee recognition that drives performance

From
$5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Gusto customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues; Kudos kudos publishes no price for any of its three tiers (Basic, Plus, Enterprise); the entire plans page gates every tier behind "Request a Demo" or "Request a Trial" with only a discount for not-for-profit organizations over 100 employees mentioned, no figures given (archived plans page, 22 February 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: Gusto covers Automated payroll, Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gusto and Kudos actually diverge.

Attributes where Gusto and Kudos differ
AttributeGustoKudos
Starting price$49/month$5/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20112010

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Kudos

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Manager recognition
  • Social recognition wall
  • Points & rewards
  • Awards & nominations
  • Anniversary celebrations
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Company values alignment

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Gusto

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

Kudos

  • Employee recognitionnot Gusto
  • Culture buildingnot Gusto
  • Employee engagementnot Gusto
  • Retention improvementnot Gusto
  • Values reinforcementnot 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

Kudos

  • Kudos publishes no price for any of its three tiers (Basic, Plus, Enterprise); the entire plans page gates every tier behind "Request a Demo" or "Request a Trial" with only a discount for not-for-profit organizations over 100 employees mentioned, no figures given (archived plans page, 22 February 2021)

Pricing, plan by plan

Gusto

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Gusto review.

Kudos

$5/month
  • Plus$5/month
    • Peer recognition
    • Social recognition wall
    • Points system
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Awards & nominations
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Gusto if

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

Choose Kudos if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want manager recognition.
Kudos review

Questions people ask

Is Gusto or Kudos better?
Neither clearly leads. Gusto starts at $49/month and Kudos at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gusto or Kudos?
Gusto starts at $49/month and Kudos at $5/month.
Does Gusto or Kudos run on more platforms?
Gusto runs on Web. Kudos runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
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 Kudos is typically brought in for.
What can Gusto do that Kudos cannot?
Gusto covers Automated payroll, Tax filing, Benefits administration, Time tracking. Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Manager recognition, Social recognition wall, Points & rewards. Both handle Slack, SOC2.

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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