OnPay vs Gusto
A detailed comparison to help you choose between OnPay and Gusto.
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Verdict: Gusto wins
Gusto scores 4.3/5, edging out OnPay at 4.1/5. Best for US small businesses with 5–50 employees that want payroll, taxes and benefits handled in one system by a non-specialist.
OnPay Payroll voor MKB | Gusto Payroll & HR (VS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1 (1 review) | 4.3 (1 review) |
| Pricing Model | paid | paid |
| Starting Price | Pricing varies | Pricing varies |
| Best For | US small businesses and the accountants who serve them who want full-service payroll with every feature in one transparent plan and no international footprint. | Best for US small businesses with 5–50 employees that want payroll, taxes and benefits handled in one system by a non-specialist. |
| Free Tier | ||
| API Access | ||
| Team Features | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Tags | — | — |
OnPay
Pros
- + One plan with everything in it: at time of writing $49 base + $6/worker/month covers payroll, tax filing in all 50 states, direct deposit and the HR toolkit (onpay.com/Payroll)
- + Per-worker fee applies once per month no matter how many pay runs — weekly payroll does not multiply your bill
- + Tax accuracy guarantee: OnPay covers penalties and interest on filing errors it makes
- + Free setup and migration with human help, which is the hard part of switching payroll providers
- + Accountant-friendly: multi-client dashboard, filterable custom reports and accounting exports with no integration fees
Cons
- - US-only — no international payroll, EOR or contractor-of-record capability
- - Benefits administration without a shopping layer: no marketplace to compare plans, you source your own carrier
- - HR features are basic (onboarding, PTO, documents) — not a full HRIS with recruiting or performance cycles
- - No native time clock; you integrate TSheets, Clockify or similar (third-party review, smbhrreviews.com)
- - Published base price conflicts across sources ($40 in older reviews vs $49 on the vendor site) — confirm current pricing before budgeting
Gusto
Pros
- + Full-service payroll with unlimited runs and automatic federal/state/local tax filings included on every paid plan (gusto.com/pricing)
- + Setup wizard and payroll worksheet made my first test run a review-and-approve job, not a calculation job — a first-time employer can configure a 5-person team in under an hour
- + Transparent per-person pricing with a published plan comparison; a 10-person team is $109/month on Simple at time of writing
- + Benefits stack (health, 401(k), HSA/FSA, workers' comp, commuter) is integrated with payroll rather than a separate portal
- + Premium includes payroll migration from a previous provider plus same-day and instant pay — the only plan where the white-glove service exists
Cons
- - US-only: no international payroll or EOR, so any overseas hire needs a second system
- - Base fee distorts value for micro-teams — $79/month effective for 5 people on Simple versus $6.49/person at 100 (peopleopsclub.com)
- - Multi-state payroll, time tracking and configurable PTO are gated to Plus at $80 + $12/person, a 91% monthly jump for a 25-person company over Simple
- - Add-ons can exceed the next tier: Plus-level features bought on Simple ran ~$214/month versus $200 for Plus itself on published rates
- - Priority support is sold separately ($30/month + $3/person per published add-on rates) and compliance alerts sit on Premium only
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, OnPay or Gusto?▼
Gusto scores higher at 4.3/5 vs 4.1/5 for OnPay, making it the better-rated option in our comparison.
What is the difference between OnPay and Gusto?▼
OnPay: OnPay is payroll software for small businesses, handling pay runs, tax filing and benefits administration in all US states. Gusto: Gusto is payroll and HR software for US small businesses, covering pay runs, tax filing, benefits and onboarding.
Is OnPay or Gusto more affordable?▼
OnPay starts at €0/mo, Gusto starts at €0/mo. Check the comparison table above for current pricing.
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