Smartsheet vs Gusto
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Smartsheet and Gusto.
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Verdict: Gusto wins
Gusto scores 4.3/5, edging out Smartsheet 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.
Smartsheet Collaborative work management and project automation platform | Gusto Payroll & HR (VS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1 (1 review) | 4.3 (1 review) |
| Pricing Model | freemium | paid |
| Starting Price | Free tier available | Pricing varies |
| Best For | Operations, PMO, and marketing-ops teams that think in spreadsheets and need dependencies, automation, and executive dashboards in one system. | 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 | free tierteam featuresapi access | — |
| Visit Smartsheet → |
Smartsheet
Pros
- + Formula engine and cross-sheet linking handled campaign tracking with dependencies and rollups that lighter project tools cannot express at all
- + Dashboards with unlimited widgets on Business and up make a genuine executive-facing reporting surface, not just an internal summary
- + Visual automation builder got a form-to-sheet-to-Slack chain running in under ten minutes in my test, and it fired reliably
- + Unlimited free Contributors and Viewers on paid plans means read-only stakeholders never touch the bill
- + Enterprise add-on stack (Control Center, DataMesh, Data Shuttle) covers programme-level work that mid-market competitors leave to consultants
Cons
- - Pro plan is only available to new customers, and the free plan closed to new users on 28 August 2024 — entry options are narrower than the marketing suggests
- - 250 automation runs per month on Pro is a low ceiling; a 20-person ops team would clear it in weeks
- - Pro gates features I consider core: conditional form logic, workload tracking, and multi-sheet reports all require Business
- - No refunds for unused subscription portions and 30 days' notice required for plan changes (Smartsheet billing FAQ)
- - Per-Member billing adds up for editor-heavy teams, and native document co-editing is thin compared with Notion-class tools
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, Smartsheet or Gusto?▼
Gusto scores higher at 4.3/5 vs 4.1/5 for Smartsheet, making it the better-rated option in our comparison.
What is the difference between Smartsheet and Gusto?▼
Smartsheet: Cloud-based platform that combines spreadsheet functionality with project management tools, enabling teams to plan, track, automate, and report on work. Gusto: Gusto is payroll and HR software for US small businesses, covering pay runs, tax filing, benefits and onboarding.
Is Smartsheet or Gusto more affordable?▼
Smartsheet starts at €0/mo, Gusto starts at €0/mo. Check the comparison table above for current pricing.
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