Gusto vs Paylocity: Complete Comparison 2026
An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.
Gusto
4.6(5,247 reviews)
Payroll and HR platform for small businesses with benefits, compliance, and hiring tools.
Paylocity
4.3(1,847 reviews)
Cloud HR and payroll platform for mid-market companies with modern employee experience.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Gusto | Paylocity |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Small businesses and startups (1-100 employees) | Mid-market companies (100-5,000 employees) |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Contact Sales |
| Starting Price | $40/mo | Contact Sales |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| Platforms | WEB, IOS, ANDROID | WEB, IOS, ANDROID |
| Rating | 4.6/10 | 4.3/10 |
Pros & Cons
Gusto
Pros
- Excellent payroll that handles all 50 states flawlessly
- Easy setup—most companies run first payroll same day
- Affordable benefits access typically reserved for larger companies
- Clean, intuitive interface for employers and employees
- Strong customer support for complex payroll questions
Cons
- HR features are basic compared to dedicated HRIS platforms
- Gets expensive as employee count grows past 50
- Limited international capabilities—US focused
- Reporting and analytics could be more powerful
Paylocity
Pros
- Modern, consumer-grade user experience
- Strong employee engagement and collaboration features
- On-demand pay option for hourly workers
- Video creation tool for training content
- Good balance of features and usability
Cons
- Pricing is quote-based and not transparent
- Feature richness creates a learning curve
- Customer support quality inconsistent
- Some advanced features require additional modules
Pricing Comparison
| Product | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Gusto | subscription | $40/mo |
| Paylocity | contact sales | Contact Sales |
Our Verdict
Choose Gusto if...
You need Small businesses and startups (1-100 employees) and prefer subscription pricing.
Choose Paylocity if...
You need Mid-market companies (100-5,000 employees) and prefer contact sales pricing.
Still Not Sure?
Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.