Softwr

Software · head to head

Gusto vs Podio

Gusto logo

Gusto

Software

The people platform for small businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podio logo

Podio

Software

The flexible team collaboration platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Gusto customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues; Podio the free plan stops at 5 users and 100 items across the whole organisation
  • They diverge on capability: Gusto covers Automated payroll, Podio covers Workspaces.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gusto and Podio actually diverge.

Attributes where Gusto and Podio differ
AttributeGustoPodio
Starting price$49/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20112009

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 Podio

  • Workspaces
  • Apps
  • Workflows
  • Tasks
  • Calendar
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Gusto

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

Podio

  • Building custom workspaces and apps without codenot Gusto
  • Project and task management for a small teamnot Gusto
  • Client collaboration with external users on the paid plansnot Gusto
  • Simple workflow automation between appsnot 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

Podio

  • The free plan stops at 5 users and 100 items across the whole organisation
  • Workflow automation is capped at 25,000 actions a month even on Premium at $19.20 per user
  • API access is a paid add-on from $23 a month, and higher call rates run to $159
  • Extra automation is billed separately, from $39 up to $559 a month
  • Visual reports, email integrations and PDF generation all require Premium

Pricing, plan by plan

Gusto

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Gusto review.

Podio

On request
  • FreeFree
    • 5 employees
    • Basic features
  • Basic$7.2/month
    • Unlimited employees
    • User management
    • Automations

Which should you pick?

Choose Gusto if

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

Choose Podio if

  • You need workspaces.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want apps.
Podio review

Questions people ask

Is Gusto or Podio better?
Neither clearly leads. Gusto starts at $49/month and Podio at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gusto or Podio?
Gusto starts at $49/month and Podio at On request.
Does Gusto or Podio run on more platforms?
Gusto runs on Web. Podio runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Podio is typically brought in for.
What can Gusto do that Podio cannot?
Gusto covers Automated payroll, Tax filing, Benefits administration, Time tracking. Podio covers Workspaces, Apps, Workflows, Tasks. 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
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
Share

Related pages

More on Gusto

More on Podio

Keep looking

Other head to heads