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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Gusto

    Score8.9 out of 10
    N/AGusto offers payroll, benefits and compliance capabilities. Gusto is scaled for small to mid-sized businesses, and emphasizes an easy to use interface.

    $49

    per month

    Namely

    Score7.2 out of 10
    N/ANamely is an end-to-end HR, benefits, and payroll solution for mid-sized businesses. The cloud-based platform can be used to manage the entire HR process.N/A
    Pricing
    GustoNamely
    Editions & Modules
    Simple: A streamlined set of automatic payroll features and benefits integrations
    $49/month + $6/mo per person
    per month
    Plus: Comprehensive payroll, benefits, and HR tools for employers building a great place to work
    $80/month + $12/mo per person
    per month
    Premium: Scalable payroll and benefits, expert HR, and dedicated support for the complex needs of growing teams
    $180/month + $22/mo per person
    per month
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    GustoNamely
    Free Trial
    YesNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeRequired
    Additional DetailsGusto offers three pricing plans for payroll, benefits, and HR.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    GustoNamely
    Considered Both Products
    Gusto
    No answer on this topic
    Namely
    Chose Namely
    We've used a variety of HRIS and payroll software in the past: ADP, Zenefits, Gusto, Namely, and now, Justworks.

    Of all of them but, Justworks and Gusto are far and away the winners. Namely is just not competitive with them from a UX perspective, attractiveness of benefits …
    Incentivized
    Chose Namely
    Namely was able to check all of the boxes in the most affordable way
    Incentivized
    Chose Namely
    Haven't used a similar product.
    Incentivized
    Chose Namely
    I selected Namely because it offered the most functions and integration that I was looking for at the time (two years ago). It was not the most affordable option, but worth the extra features.
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    91%
    Would buy again
    488 Answers
    66%
    Would buy again
    58 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    92%
    Delivers good value for the price
    395 Answers
    71%
    Delivers good value for the price
    50 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    94%
    Happy with the feature set
    501 Answers
    69%
    Happy with the feature set
    61 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    89%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    254 Answers
    54%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    30 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    93%
    Implementation went as expected
    311 Answers
    61%
    Implementation went as expected
    36 Answers
    Features
    GustoNamely
    Payroll Management
    Comparison of Payroll Management features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    9.2
    514 Ratings
    11% above category average
    Namely
    6.9
    127 Ratings
    14% below category average
    Pay calculation9.6493 Ratings9.0111 Ratings
    Support for external payroll vendors8.58 Ratings5.553 Ratings
    Benefit plan administration8.9358 Ratings8.1109 Ratings
    Direct deposit files9.5497 Ratings8.9113 Ratings
    Salary revision and increment management9.3383 Ratings4.1100 Ratings
    Reimbursement management9.5127 Ratings6.657 Ratings
    Off-cycle/On-Demand payment00 Ratings6.057 Ratings
    Human Resource Management
    Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    Namely
    7.0
    143 Ratings
    11% below category average
    Employee demographic data00 Ratings7.7132 Ratings
    Employment history00 Ratings7.9138 Ratings
    Job profiles and administration00 Ratings7.130 Ratings
    Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.00 Ratings7.0132 Ratings
    Organizational charting00 Ratings4.6134 Ratings
    Organization and location management00 Ratings6.3129 Ratings
    Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)00 Ratings8.382 Ratings
    Leave and Attendance Management
    Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    Namely
    7.4
    124 Ratings
    8% below category average
    Approval workflow00 Ratings6.5121 Ratings
    Balance details00 Ratings7.1116 Ratings
    Annual carry-forward and encashment00 Ratings8.595 Ratings
    Employee Self Service
    Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    Namely
    8.3
    141 Ratings
    3% above category average
    View and generate pay and benefit information00 Ratings8.5129 Ratings
    Update personal information00 Ratings9.1140 Ratings
    View company policy documentation00 Ratings7.5127 Ratings
    Employee recognition00 Ratings7.8116 Ratings
    View job history00 Ratings8.4134 Ratings
    Asset Management
    Comparison of Asset Management features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    Namely
    5.9
    53 Ratings
    31% below category average
    Tracking of all physical assets00 Ratings5.953 Ratings
    HR Reporting
    Comparison of HR Reporting features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    Namely
    8.2
    121 Ratings
    9% above category average
    Report builder00 Ratings8.5117 Ratings
    Pre-built reports00 Ratings8.5112 Ratings
    Ability to combine HR data with external data00 Ratings7.574 Ratings
    Onboarding
    Comparison of Onboarding features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    Namely
    6.7
    116 Ratings
    16% below category average
    New hire portal00 Ratings8.7110 Ratings
    Manager tracking tools00 Ratings4.885 Ratings
    Performance and Goals
    Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    Namely
    4.1
    96 Ratings
    64% below category average
    Corporate goal setting00 Ratings6.086 Ratings
    Individual goal setting00 Ratings3.194 Ratings
    Line-of sight-visibility00 Ratings3.172 Ratings
    Performance tracking00 Ratings4.189 Ratings
    Performance Management
    Comparison of Performance Management features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    Namely
    5.9
    107 Ratings
    28% below category average
    Performance plans00 Ratings4.696 Ratings
    Performance improvement plans00 Ratings2.268 Ratings
    Review status tracking00 Ratings7.695 Ratings
    Review reminders00 Ratings7.698 Ratings
    Multiple review frequency00 Ratings7.485 Ratings
    Succession Planning
    Comparison of Succession Planning features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    Namely
    5.9
    21 Ratings
    28% below category average
    Candidate search00 Ratings5.921 Ratings
    Recruiting / ATS
    Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Gusto and Namely
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    Namely
    8.8
    6 Ratings
    13% above category average
    Job Requisition Management00 Ratings8.95 Ratings
    Company Website Posting00 Ratings8.85 Ratings
    Publish to Social Media00 Ratings8.85 Ratings
    Job Search Site Posting00 Ratings8.95 Ratings
    Duplicate Candidate Prevention00 Ratings8.85 Ratings
    Applicant Tracking00 Ratings8.95 Ratings
    Notifications and Alerts00 Ratings8.66 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    GustoNamely
    Small Businesses
    OnPay
    Score9.9 out of 10
    Zoho People
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    APS
    Score1.4 out of 10
    Zoho People
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Enterprises
    ADP Streamline Payroll
    Score6.4 out of 10
    PeopleStrong
    Score10 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    GustoNamely
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.2
    (538 ratings)
    7.9
    (145 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    10.0
    (12 ratings)
    9.9
    (9 ratings)
    Usability
    9.5
    (362 ratings)
    8.4
    (71 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Support Rating
    1.3
    (25 ratings)
    8.0
    (27 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    5.5
    (85 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    GustoNamely
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Gusto
    Gusto is a great fit for small teams and startups that want a simple, reliable way to run payroll, manage tax filings, and give CPAs access without constant micromanagement. It’s especially useful for founders who need something that “just works.” The human support has been excellent—especially when forwarding confusing IRS mail.
    That said, it’s a bit less intuitive when it comes to benefits and compliance for fully remote companies. For example, labor law poster distribution isn’t streamlined for digital teams, and setting up benefits felt more complex than it needed to be. Still, I’d recommend Gusto to any startup looking to get payroll right from day one.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Namely
    Namely is aesthetically very pleasing and navigates like other social media platforms which can be appealing to potentially a remote workforce who interacts more online than in person. Unfortunately, it did not serve our population well as we are primarily manufacturing where people are not as interested in utilizing the HRIS for interactions when they would rather connect in person.
    Read full review
    Pros
    Gusto
    • Gusto really kills it on the simplicity. The app and website are very clear and straightforward.
    • Gusto also does a great job at being easy to navigate, visually pleasing, and logically posed.
    • Gusto communicates very clearly and provides just the right amount of communication.
    • Gusto makes the onboarding process very easy. I recently started at a new company and the process of filling out the necessary documents, filling out forms, and getting my benefit information input was soooooo easy!
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Namely
    • Namely has helped with our COVID sick leave response. It has made a major difference both with the weekly payroll and the 941 tax filing
    • Keeping track of our multiple PTO plans. Thank goodness for Namely, I have shredded my old PTO spreadsheets.
    • Employees like the convenience of the cell phone app. As a payroll administrator, I like the Geo Tracking tool where I can see where some are when the clock is in or out.
    • The flexibility inside of the payroll system both as you are finalizing an employee profile and when you are processing payroll is a major advantage.
    • The reports I get out of Namely in Excel format work well for me.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Gusto
    • Adding in previous time manually could be more accessible.
    • Notifications for when employees manually change hours.
    • We should allow 1099 users to use the mobile app instead of restricting them to the website, especially since they can just log into the full website on their mobile device.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Namely
    • Limits to custom reporting
    • No direct feed for Ohio Workers Comp (now a manual process on our end)
    • No option to place an employee on Leave of Absence and exclude them from payroll while they are "inactive"
    • No option to suppress certain deductions for certain pay types (i.e. allow 401K for commissions but block remaining deductions - also now a manual process to uncheck the suppress box for 401K for each commission check)
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Gusto
    Unless they break it, I'm never leaving. It's just too easy. Gusto is also really affordable, and for what I pay, it's worth having the historical record within the system. I like that I can go back and pull up W2's for year's past. This sort of easy access reporting, has been helpful especially when getting reports for PPP loans.
    Read full review
    Namely
    Administrators and employees love Namely. It is very easy to use and streamlined. Employees stay engaged with news feed updates and enjoy all the self service options. The time cards are very easy to access and clocking in and out for non-exempt employees is a breeze. Namely is part of our family.
    Read full review
    Usability
    Gusto
    The overall platform and its speed of response are amazing. I would recommend this to any other business owner for ease of use and reliability. Email reminders are great if I’m super busy and have forgotten a few tasks. The price point compared to local payroll service is hands down a huge win.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Namely
    It is very simple to use for myself, the HR team, and our employees. I find the payroll process very user-friendly. Reporting is simple to navigate and produce the required information requested. I know our employees enjoy the self-service feature and use it on a regular basis, which saves me time.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Gusto
    Gusto's customer service has really deteriorated lately and they seem to have really changed their focus. It used to be when you called you were routed to an individual who knew about payroll, benefits, reporting, etc. but now you get someone who seems to have not received the correct training. My last call about a dismissal payroll took me over an hour of my time and the person still could not help me and finally transferred me to someone else.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Namely
    Namely platform has pretty good support: knowledgeable and relatively fast response times. Namely Payroll and Namely Benefits are very much depending on the quality of the support agent or CSM: we have had knowledgeable and attentive ones, but also ones that have provided erroneous information or failed to respond to urgent asks in a timely manner
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Gusto
    Reach out to support immediately if you are having trouble setting up Gusto. Rather than being confused and trying to figure it out yourself, it's much better to talk to someone who knows what they are doing. Save yourself time and frustration and reach out to support
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Namely
    Implementation was a bit complicated and our company had to carry most of the weight. It often felt like our implementation manager was giving us extra work that she did not want to do herself. It also took much longer than expected - I believe almost 2 months. I believe our company carried a bit too much of the weight.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Gusto
    It's been a while since I used QuickBooks for payroll, but it doesn't even come close to it. Gusto is infinitely easier, allowing for employee time tracking, handling calculations and payments of payroll and payroll taxes, managing regulatory compliance in the background, and more. I had a lot of moments using QuickBooks Payroll where I thought, "Am I even doing this right?" — it felt like you had to have additional knowledge of HR regulations in your state to do everything correctly. Gusto has it ALL handled so you can focus your time on higher-impact tasks in your business.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Namely
    The reason I continued to choose Namely at multiple employers is due to the continuity of employee experience. And the features have continued to grow since I initially onboarded in 2014. Also, through the years, I have had terrific benefits teams. The customer service has been the worst part of the experience outside of the benefits team.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Gusto
    • For me, it is hard to quantify payroll software as having an ROI. It does save quite a bit of time per pay period, so perhaps we could assign a theoretical number to an employee taking that time. I'd say, at the least, it saves 30-60 minutes a pay period compared to a more difficult-to-use payroll software.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Namely
    • We were able to transition to a fully digital onboarding process which saved us hours in time per new hire and made the process smoother for the new hire.
    • Namely is our first HRIS and has helped the HR department to find data and information quickly.
    • Namely helped us digitize our performance management process which the company undergoes on an annual basis.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Gusto Screenshots

    Screenshot of Gusto's automated payrollScreenshot of the time-off tracking interfaceScreenshot of the source of truth for HR data

    Namely Screenshots

    Screenshot of the Namely employee dashboard. This creates a central hub to access payroll and benefits info, share announcements, celebrate milestones, and navigate everything HR, from a desk or on the go.Screenshot of Namely Payroll, which is backed by automation and built-in compliance.Screenshot of the Onboarding interface, for new hires.Screenshot of the Applicant Tracking interface, which supports processes from job posting to onboarding with tools for hiring teams and candidates.Screenshot of the Benefits Administration interface, which supports open enrollment, plan changes, and employee elections.Screenshot of the Workforce Management interface. From here, viewers can track time, manage schedules, and handle complex workforce needs.