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Gusto vs Todoist

Gusto logo

Gusto

All industries

The people platform for small businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Todoist logo

Todoist

All industries

The world's #1 task manager and to-do list app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Todoist 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; Todoist no built-in time tracking for tasks; requires third-party integration like Toggl
  • They diverge on capability: Gusto covers Automated payroll, Todoist covers Natural language input.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gusto and Todoist actually diverge.

Attributes where Gusto and Todoist differ
AttributeGustoTodoist
Starting price$49/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
Founded20112007

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (All industries).

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 Todoist

  • Natural language input
  • Recurring tasks
  • Projects and sub-tasks
  • Labels and filters
  • Priority levels
  • Productivity tracking
  • Templates
  • Notifications

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Google Calendar
  • 2FA

What people use each for

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

Gusto

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

Todoist

  • Personal task managementnot Gusto
  • Team project coordinationnot Gusto
  • Goal trackingnot Gusto
  • Habit buildingnot Gusto
  • Daily planningnot 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

Todoist

  • No built-in time tracking for tasks; requires third-party integration like Toggl
  • Free plan limited to 5 personal projects only
  • No Gantt charts, resource allocation, or advanced project management features for large enterprises
  • Phone support not available; email and help center only
  • Calendar view and advanced filtering only available on paid plans

Pricing, plan by plan

Gusto

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Gusto review.

Todoist

Free
  • BeginnerFree
    • 5 personal projects
    • Smart Quick Add
    • Task reminders
  • Pro$5/month
    • 300 personal projects
    • Calendar layout
    • Custom task reminders
  • Business$8/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Shared team workspace
    • Up to 500 team projects

Which should you pick?

Choose Gusto if

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

Choose Todoist if

  • You need natural language input.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want recurring tasks.
Todoist review

Questions people ask

Is Gusto or Todoist better?
Neither clearly leads. Gusto starts at $49/month and Todoist at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gusto or Todoist?
Todoist has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $49/month for Gusto and Free for Todoist.
Does Gusto or Todoist run on more platforms?
Gusto runs on Web. Todoist runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Todoist for free?
Yes. Todoist 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 Todoist is typically brought in for.
What can Gusto do that Todoist cannot?
Gusto covers Automated payroll, Tax filing, Benefits administration, Time tracking. Todoist covers Natural language input, Recurring tasks, Projects and sub-tasks, Labels and filters. Both handle Slack, Google Calendar, 2FA.

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
Todoist: Does Todoist work offline?

Basic editing and task management work offline, but advanced features like syncing reminders and shared updates require internet connectivity.

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
Todoist: Does Todoist have a free plan and what does it include?

Yes, Todoist offers a free Beginner plan with 5 personal projects, Smart Quick Add, task reminders, flexible layouts, 3 filter views, and 1 week activity history. More advanced features require the Pro or Business plans.

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
Todoist: Can I use Todoist on mobile devices?

Yes, Todoist offers native apps for both iOS and Android with over 30 million downloads. Mobile apps provide full task management functionality across devices.

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
Todoist: What integrations does Todoist support?

Todoist integrates with over 100 apps including Slack, Google Calendar, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, and Toggl Track. Additional integrations are available through Zapier, Make, and IFTTT automation platforms.

Source
Todoist: How much does Todoist cost?

Free plan is $0. Pro plan costs $5/month (billed annually) or $7/month (monthly billing). Business plan costs $8/month per user (annual) or $10/month per user (monthly), as of December 2025.

Source
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Related pages

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