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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

    PeopleGuru™

    Score7.4 out of 10
    N/APeopleGuru is a cloud-based Human Capital Management solution designed for mid-market organizations. From recruitment to retirement, PeopleGuru HCM manages the entire employee life cycle. PeopleGuru's single platform, single database, solution includes: HR, Payroll, Benefits Management, Onboarding, Recruiting, Reporting and Analytics, ACA Management, Salary Administration, Performance Management, and Social Collaboration Tools. In addition to PeopleGuru's next generation technology, PeopleGuru…N/A
    Pricing
    GustoPeopleGuru™
    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
    GustoPeopleGuru™
    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
    GustoPeopleGuru™
    Considered Both Products
    Gusto
    No answer on this topic
    PeopleGuru™
    Chose PeopleGuru™
    PeopleGuru HCM is a not stop experience. I did not have to utilize multiple systems for all my data.
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    91%
    Would buy again
    488 Answers
    85%
    Would buy again
    11 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    92%
    Delivers good value for the price
    395 Answers
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    11 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    94%
    Happy with the feature set
    501 Answers
    92%
    Happy with the feature set
    12 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    89%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    254 Answers
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    11 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    93%
    Implementation went as expected
    311 Answers
    75%
    Implementation went as expected
    9 Answers
    Features
    GustoPeopleGuru™
    Payroll Management
    Comparison of Payroll Management features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    9.2
    514 Ratings
    11% above category average
    PeopleGuru™
    7.5
    12 Ratings
    6% below category average
    Pay calculation9.6493 Ratings7.712 Ratings
    Support for external payroll vendors8.58 Ratings00 Ratings
    Benefit plan administration8.9358 Ratings4.28 Ratings
    Direct deposit files9.5497 Ratings8.211 Ratings
    Salary revision and increment management9.4383 Ratings7.810 Ratings
    Reimbursement management9.5127 Ratings9.04 Ratings
    Off-cycle/On-Demand payment00 Ratings8.39 Ratings
    Human Resource Management
    Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    PeopleGuru™
    6.5
    13 Ratings
    19% below category average
    Employee demographic data00 Ratings5.812 Ratings
    Employment history00 Ratings5.711 Ratings
    Job profiles and administration00 Ratings7.710 Ratings
    Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.00 Ratings7.011 Ratings
    Organizational charting00 Ratings4.49 Ratings
    Organization and location management00 Ratings8.19 Ratings
    Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)00 Ratings6.99 Ratings
    Leave and Attendance Management
    Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    PeopleGuru™
    6.6
    11 Ratings
    19% below category average
    Approval workflow00 Ratings7.311 Ratings
    Balance details00 Ratings5.911 Ratings
    Annual carry-forward and encashment00 Ratings6.79 Ratings
    Employee Self Service
    Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    PeopleGuru™
    8.1
    13 Ratings
    0% above category average
    View and generate pay and benefit information00 Ratings7.913 Ratings
    Update personal information00 Ratings8.213 Ratings
    View company policy documentation00 Ratings7.810 Ratings
    Employee recognition00 Ratings8.96 Ratings
    View job history00 Ratings7.99 Ratings
    Asset Management
    Comparison of Asset Management features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    PeopleGuru™
    6.0
    5 Ratings
    30% below category average
    Tracking of all physical assets00 Ratings6.05 Ratings
    HR Reporting
    Comparison of HR Reporting features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    PeopleGuru™
    6.6
    13 Ratings
    13% below category average
    Report builder00 Ratings5.913 Ratings
    Pre-built reports00 Ratings6.313 Ratings
    Ability to combine HR data with external data00 Ratings7.76 Ratings
    Onboarding
    Comparison of Onboarding features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    PeopleGuru™
    7.6
    10 Ratings
    4% below category average
    New hire portal00 Ratings7.910 Ratings
    Manager tracking tools00 Ratings7.26 Ratings
    Performance and Goals
    Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    PeopleGuru™
    7.3
    2 Ratings
    8% below category average
    Corporate goal setting00 Ratings6.41 Ratings
    Individual goal setting00 Ratings7.22 Ratings
    Line-of sight-visibility00 Ratings8.21 Ratings
    Performance tracking00 Ratings7.32 Ratings
    Performance Management
    Comparison of Performance Management features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    PeopleGuru™
    6.4
    4 Ratings
    20% below category average
    Performance plans00 Ratings6.24 Ratings
    Performance improvement plans00 Ratings6.43 Ratings
    Review status tracking00 Ratings6.24 Ratings
    Review reminders00 Ratings6.43 Ratings
    Multiple review frequency00 Ratings6.53 Ratings
    Succession Planning
    Comparison of Succession Planning features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    PeopleGuru™
    6.1
    2 Ratings
    25% below category average
    Create succession plans/pools00 Ratings5.51 Ratings
    Candidate ranking00 Ratings6.41 Ratings
    Candidate search00 Ratings6.32 Ratings
    Candidate development00 Ratings6.41 Ratings
    Recruiting / ATS
    Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Gusto and PeopleGuru™
    Feature
    Gusto
    -
    Ratings
    PeopleGuru™
    6.9
    6 Ratings
    11% below category average
    Job Requisition Management00 Ratings7.15 Ratings
    Company Website Posting00 Ratings7.65 Ratings
    Publish to Social Media00 Ratings6.33 Ratings
    Job Search Site Posting00 Ratings6.44 Ratings
    Duplicate Candidate Prevention00 Ratings8.12 Ratings
    Applicant Tracking00 Ratings6.25 Ratings
    Notifications and Alerts00 Ratings6.75 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    GustoPeopleGuru™
    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
    GustoPeopleGuru™
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.2
    (538 ratings)
    7.3
    (13 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    10.0
    (12 ratings)
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    Usability
    9.5
    (362 ratings)
    6.4
    (2 ratings)
    Support Rating
    1.3
    (25 ratings)
    7.7
    (2 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    1.0
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    5.5
    (2 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.6
    (13 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    GustoPeopleGuru™
    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
    PeopleGuru™
    I'd say PeopleGuru is well suited for most businesses -- a more significant (200+ employees) company may want to use something with a sleeker design. This provider is willing to work with cannabis businesses, which is unusual for payroll providers now.
    Incentivized
    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
    PeopleGuru™
    • One system for all human resource functions.
    • Easy ticketing function if you have an issue with the software.
    • Cost effective option.
    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
    PeopleGuru™
    • Position change future dating
    • Timecard reporting including approval (multiple reports to show timecard with approval)
    • W2 Reconciliation Reports (had to calculate wages to verify accuracy)
    • Benefit Plan effective dating & how it affects the deduction effective dating (results in payroll errors if not careful)
    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
    PeopleGuru™
    The software is cost-effective and exceeds our needs compared to the previous software.
    Incentivized
    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
    PeopleGuru™
    The software is intuitive and user friendly.
    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
    PeopleGuru™
    The customer service is great for the most part. There are a few issues with tax filings but overall I am pleased with the customer service provided by PeopleGuru.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Online Training
    Gusto
    No answers on this topic
    PeopleGuru™
    The trainer was difficult to understand.
    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
    PeopleGuru™
    The implementation process was cumbersome and stressful. It took an extremely long time to complete this process. We had to learn a lot on the fly because this was the first implementation for all of us. The process would have been a lot easier if there was a third party that could assist with a lot of the work required to transfer and verify data.
    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
    PeopleGuru™
    PeopleGuru is better than other cannabis-friendly payroll systems, like CheckWriters or MyPaperlessOffice (companies so small they were not available in your dropdown). It is not as good as bigger companies that are not cannabis-friendly, like ADP or Paylocity. ADP is super expensive but given the choice I would be with Paylocity over PeopleGuru.
    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
    PeopleGuru™
    • Less platforms that need to be managed or maintained
    • Less platforms to pay monthly or annual fees for
    • More costly than Gusto
    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

    PeopleGuru™ Screenshots

    Screenshot of A single employee profile panel stores all employee data including personal documents, PTO requests, banking, skills, certifications, and awards.Screenshot of PeopleGuru HCM is delivered with client defined dashboards which can be configured and controlled by an employee and/or administrator to improve the employee experience and drive user adoption. All dashboards can be exported to Excel.Screenshot of A user experience designed to help employees select the right benefits for themselves, family members, and dependents.Screenshot of The Employee Master, which can be used to manage a large, dynamic workforce. Filter by different locations, departments, or other various structures.Screenshot of the employee portal, available either via mobile or self-service, where employees have access to their pay stubs, W-2s, compensation statements, and PTO management.Screenshot of PeopleGuru's Daily Feed- communication platform to engage, reward, recognize, and collaborate with people. With the Daily Feed, employees can communicate with work groups, use direct private messaging, and publish posts for their peers.