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Software · head to head

Gusto vs Paycom

Gusto logo

Gusto

Software

The people platform for small businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paycom logo

Paycom

Software

HR and payroll technology led by employees

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Gusto customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues; Paycom no public API and no transparent integration capabilities
  • They diverge on capability: Gusto covers Automated payroll, Paycom covers Payroll.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gusto and Paycom actually diverge.

Attributes where Gusto and Paycom differ
AttributeGustoPaycom
Starting price$49/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Founded20111998

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Paycom

  • Payroll
  • Time and Attendance
  • HR Management
  • Talent Acquisition
  • Talent Management
  • Learning Management
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Gusto

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

Paycom

  • Payroll processing with employee self-verification through Betinot Gusto
  • Time and attendance tracking with schedulingnot Gusto
  • Talent acquisition and onboardingnot Gusto
  • Benefits and compliance administrationnot Gusto
  • Automated time-off decisions through GONEnot 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

Paycom

  • No public API and no transparent integration capabilities
  • Limited integrations with third-party ATS, LMS, or performance tools
  • Custom pricing makes cost forecasting difficult
  • Proprietary system philosophy limits flexibility compared to more open platforms
  • Does not support global payroll and benefits

Pricing, plan by plan

Gusto

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Gusto review.

Paycom

On request
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • Payroll
    • Time and Labor
    • HR Management

Which should you pick?

Choose Gusto if

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

Choose Paycom if

  • You need payroll.
  • You also want time and attendance.
Paycom review

Questions people ask

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

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
Paycom: Does Paycom offer a free trial?

No. Paycom does not offer a free trial. Pricing depends on company size and modules and requires a custom quote.

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
Paycom: Can Paycom integrate with third-party tools?

Paycom has no public API and fewer than 50 integrations. Paycom's philosophy is that you should use their built-in modules for everything. Custom integrations require commercial partnership approval.

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
Paycom: What are Paycom's core features?

Paycom is a single-database payroll and HR platform featuring custom reporting tools, org chart visualization, employee self-service portal, and a tax center dashboard for compliance management.

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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