Paylocity vs Gusto: Complete Comparison 2026
An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.
Paylocity
4.3(1,847 reviews)
Cloud HR and payroll platform for mid-market companies with modern employee experience.
Gusto
4.6(5,247 reviews)
Payroll and HR platform for small businesses with benefits, compliance, and hiring tools.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Paylocity | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Mid-market companies (100-5,000 employees) | Small businesses and startups (1-100 employees) |
| Pricing Model | Contact Sales | Subscription |
| Starting Price | Contact Sales | $40/mo |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| Platforms | WEB, IOS, ANDROID | WEB, IOS, ANDROID |
| Rating | 4.3/10 | 4.6/10 |
Pros & Cons
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
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
Pricing Comparison
| Product | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Paylocity | contact sales | Contact Sales |
| Gusto | subscription | $40/mo |
Our Verdict
Choose Paylocity if...
You need Mid-market companies (100-5,000 employees) and prefer contact sales pricing.
Choose Gusto if...
You need Small businesses and startups (1-100 employees) and prefer subscription pricing.
Still Not Sure?
Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.