Softwr

Software · head to head

Gusto vs Zenoti

Gusto logo

Gusto

Software

The people platform for small businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zenoti logo

Zenoti

Software

Enterprise spa and salon software

From
$200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Gusto customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues; Zenoti zenoti publishes no prices: the pricing page names plans by business type but gives no rate, no per location fee and no minimum, and routes every enquiry to a quote or demo
  • They diverge on capability: Gusto covers Automated payroll, Zenoti covers Appointment booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gusto and Zenoti actually diverge.

Attributes where Gusto and Zenoti differ
AttributeGustoZenoti
Starting price$49/month$200/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 Zenoti

  • Appointment booking
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Marketing automation
  • Employee management
  • Membership management
  • Gift cards
  • Business intelligence

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • SOC2
  • PCI DSS

What people use each for

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

Gusto

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

Zenoti

  • Running multi location spa, salon and medspa chains on one platformnot Gusto
  • Centralising appointment booking, point of sale and inventory across sitesnot Gusto
  • Managing memberships, packages and customer marketing for large operatorsnot 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

Zenoti

  • Zenoti publishes no prices: the pricing page names plans by business type but gives no rate, no per location fee and no minimum, and routes every enquiry to a quote or demo
  • Multi location pricing is described as customised to the customer's footprint, so two buyers of the same size are not guaranteed the same rate
  • Communication costs such as messaging are billed on consumption on top of the plan
  • Functionality is extended through paid add ons rather than being included in a single plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Gusto

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Gusto review.

Zenoti

$200/month
  • Essential$200/month
    • Appointment booking
    • Client management
    • POS
  • Professional$350/month
    • Everything in Essential
    • Marketing automation
    • Inventory management
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Multi-location
    • Custom integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Gusto if

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

Choose Zenoti if

  • You need appointment booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want point of sale.
Zenoti review

Questions people ask

Is Gusto or Zenoti better?
Neither clearly leads. Gusto starts at $49/month and Zenoti at $200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gusto or Zenoti?
Gusto starts at $49/month and Zenoti at $200/month.
Does Gusto or Zenoti run on more platforms?
Gusto runs on Web. Zenoti 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 Zenoti is typically brought in for.
What can Gusto do that Zenoti cannot?
Gusto covers Automated payroll, Tax filing, Benefits administration, Time tracking. Zenoti covers Appointment booking, Point of sale, Inventory management, Marketing automation. Both handle QuickBooks, Xero, SOC2, PCI DSS.

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 Zenoti

Keep looking

Other head to heads