Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Gusto
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
Gusto offers payroll, benefits and compliance capabilities. Gusto is scaled for small to mid-sized businesses, and emphasizes an easy to use interface.
$496
per month
Iris HR Software
Score 8.1 out of 10
N/A
Iris HR Software (formerly Octopus HR, acquired by Iris Software Group April 2016) is an HR suite.
$1.50
per month per user
Pricing
GustoIris HR Software
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
Standard
$1.50
per month per user
Plus
$2
per month per user
Pro
$3.50
per month per user
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
GustoIris HR Software
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsGusto offers three pricing plans for payroll, benefits, and HR.Prices are in British Pounds.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
GustoIris HR Software
Considered Both Products
Gusto
Chose Gusto
I think Gusto has much better marketing than the rest of their competition, and it has the assets to get in front of more people, like on live TV during a sports game, so I just knew about it before the others. When comparing, I think feature-wise and usability were big for …
Chose Gusto
Quick Books was more than we needed for a simple consulting firm.
Chose Gusto
I like Gusto because it's much more user-friendly than Workforce. I would rate QB a 6/10 and Gusto a 10/10 for user reliability and friendliness.
Chose Gusto
When I first started with this company 5 years ago we used QuickBooks Time. I used it for about a year before we switched over to Gusto. QB Time was accurate and organized, but very chaotic and clunky to use. That software provided way too much info all at once and was not …
Chose Gusto
In my opinion, Rippling had a super bad UX. I felt like it was impossible to find the areas I wanted to go to- their site navigation simply did not make sense. With Gusto it's so much easier to naviagate.
Chose Gusto
I have not tried any other products like Gusto, so I cannot speak to how it compares.
Chose Gusto
I have evaluated Rippling, it is more expensive but does have more of the features for connecting to other systems to make onboarding and off boarding team members easier. It is more complex and will take time to implement, so I do think Gusto has a lot of whats needed for …
Chose Gusto
While I never actually got to the point of trying out ADP, I had several conversations with an ADP representative, and it seemed that they would be able to provide the same (if not less) level of service for a significantly higher price.
Chose Gusto
It is more user-friendly, but I feel like the company still has some things to figure out before it is seamless.
Chose Gusto
Gusto was at a price point that fit our budget, without all the extra features our small company would not take advantage of. It was truly the right fit for our growing company, and we are happy that we made this switch! Looking forward to seeing more capabilities come out as …
Chose Gusto
Not sure what we used before I came into my role. We started using Gusto when we changed accounting services and it was their recommended platform to use.
Chose Gusto
Paycom was more than we needed for our payroll and human resource needs at this time. While it may offer additional integrations, features, and other bells and whistles it wasn't something we needed in the short team and Gusto meets our current and short term future needs. We …
Chose Gusto
I believe Gusto is the superior tool compared to these two. It's ease of use and 'all in one' HR platform makes it second to none. Gusto offers more features and does not look ancient like these other tools. Ease and functionality and the numerous possibilities make it above …
Chose Gusto
Gusto is cheaper and just much more user friendly than other tools with similar skill sets that I have used previously. I much prefer its user interface, how the mobile app and desktop work seamlessly, and how just how much more affordable it is. While it still is expensive, …
Chose Gusto
Gusto is a cost-effective solution for small businesses who don't require added modules, complex integrations or advanced reporting. Simple and effective!
Chose Gusto
From an employee point of view, Gusto makes it much easier to track your hours and clock in.
Chose Gusto
They are both user friendly and both are easy to start implementing.
Chose Gusto
Gusto is more cost-effective and has been very responsive to inquiries.
Chose Gusto
Rippling has been more than frustrating to work with, to say the least. Gusto doesn't just do what a payroll software should do; they make it so easy that it doesn't feel like a burden. The comparison is unmatched. Gusto doesn't meet expectations; it blows them out of the …
Chose Gusto
Paychex way to big for a small business. Never able to get immediate help when needed.

Toast Payroll outsourced company with lots nice features but needs more time to figure it out.
Iris HR Software
Chose Iris HR Software
Iris HR Software is a more mature product and is getting more functionality all the time compared to other products that we've trialed. Everything boils down to cost at the end of the day and we feel that Iris HR Software is more cost effective year on year compared to our …
Chose Iris HR Software
I would say the pricing is good but it could be better. Also, the customer service is amazing they do such a great job and you can tell they know what they are doing. Visually it is very easy to use and looks very professional. It is a quick set up and they do their best to …
Chose Iris HR Software
Very different platforms. You get a lot of bang for your buck using Octopus HR. It's a much more modern and simple layout and that's something forward thinking companies definitely enjoy.
Features
GustoIris HR Software
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
9.1
Ratings
10% above category average
Iris HR Software
7.6
Ratings
7% below category average
Pay calculation9.50 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors8.50 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Benefit plan administration8.70 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.60 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management9.10 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Reimbursement management9.10 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Iris HR Software
8.6
Ratings
6% above category average
Employee demographic data00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Employment history00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Job profiles and administration00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Organizational charting00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Organization and location management00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Iris HR Software
8.3
Ratings
2% above category average
Approval workflow00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Balance details00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Iris HR Software
8.2
Ratings
0% below category average
View and generate pay and benefit information00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Update personal information00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
View company policy documentation00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Employee recognition00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
View job history00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Iris HR Software
7.0
Ratings
14% below category average
Tracking of all physical assets00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Iris HR Software
7.3
Ratings
3% below category average
Report builder00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Pre-built reports00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Ability to combine HR data with external data00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Iris HR Software
8.5
Ratings
6% above category average
New hire portal00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Manager tracking tools00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Performance and Goals
Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Iris HR Software
8.3
Ratings
3% above category average
Corporate goal setting00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Individual goal setting00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Line-of sight-visibility00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Performance tracking00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Performance Management
Comparison of Performance Management features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Iris HR Software
8.4
Ratings
6% above category average
Performance plans00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Performance improvement plans00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Review status tracking00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Review reminders00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Multiple review frequency00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Succession Planning
Comparison of Succession Planning features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Iris HR Software
8.0
Ratings
2% above category average
Create succession plans/pools00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Candidate ranking00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Candidate search00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Candidate development00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Iris HR Software
7.8
Ratings
0% below category average
Job Requisition Management00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Company Website Posting00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Applicant Tracking00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
GustoIris HR Software
Small Businesses
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.2 out of 10
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.2 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.1 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.1 out of 10
Enterprises
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.1 out of 10
PeopleStrong
PeopleStrong
Score 10.0 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
GustoIris HR Software
Likelihood to Recommend
9.1
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.5
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
3.4
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
GustoIris HR Software
Likelihood to Recommend
Gusto is well-suited for small businesses looking for a one-stop platform for payroll, tax-related tasks, and onboarding. It has many automated features that make tasks related to running a business/running an S-Corp simpler. I have not tried any other similar platforms, so I am unsure how it compares, but the pricing Gusto offers feels reasonable compared to other providers.
Read full review
I would definitely recommend Octopus HR if companies need every employee, not just one HR team, to use it. I think it's too much and would suggest something like Taleo for one team to use. Key questions would be: Do you need a simple platform? Are you using this just for your HR team or will everyone need access? Is the way employees request PTO at your company disorganized?
Read full review
Pros
  • Quarterly tax access for CPA
  • Gusto makes it easy for our CPA to access quarterly tax data directly, which saves us time and ensures tax reporting stays accurate for our LLC.
  • IRS support via human reps
  • Whenever we get confusing IRS mail, I forward it to Gusto. A real human rep either walks me through next steps or handles it directly—huge peace of mind.
  • Payroll automation
  • Once payroll is set up, it runs smoothly and automatically with little effort on my part. It’s reliable, affordable, and a great “set it and forget it” solution for a small business.
Read full review
  • Fantastic customer support
  • Ease of use
  • All employees have access
  • Easy to download documents
Read full review
Cons
  • I honestly don't have any complaints about Gusto as it stands.
  • Maybe add 2-factor authentication for security purposes. I haven't seen that being part of the login process yet.
  • I think Gusto pushes its easy Gusto card payroll method a bit too much. I'd like to see direct deposit as the main method it suggests and the Gusto card as a secondary one.
Read full review
  • initial scope/setup support (outside of template)
  • Contacting support can be difficult
  • case sensitive username for end users (email addresses have to match exactly)
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
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
Employees don't complain about it! If anything they've commented on how nice of a tool it is to have.
Read full review
Usability
Wonderful overall usability – especially for the new business owner. The user interface is clean and intuitive, so it's easy to find what you're looking for. They also have great explanation pages ingrained into the process, so if you get stuck knowing what to do next, there's a link right there to walk you through the process!
Read full review
Iris HR Software is a stable and fairly intuitive product which has had a positive impact on our organisation. We have had some support issues but generally feel we've had a positive experience and our personnel and finance teams have benefitted from this process structure. Whilst contacting the correct Iris HR Software support channel has been our biggest issue once we have established contact our tickets have been raised and resolved promptly.
Read full review
Support Rating
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.
Read full review
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
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
Read full review
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
I think Gusto has much better marketing than the rest of their competition, and it has the assets to get in front of more people, like on live TV during a sports game, so I just knew about it before the others. When comparing, I think feature-wise and usability were big for Gusto.
Read full review
I would say the pricing is good but it could be better. Also, the customer service is amazing they do such a great job and you can tell they know what they are doing. Visually it is very easy to use and looks very professional. It is a quick set up and they do their best to give you what you want and need.
Read full review
Return on Investment
  • It saves me time and energy - I'm not worried about being compliant or having everything I need for tax season. It's all there!
  • I don't wonder when my team is working- they can easily log in and out of the system.
  • I don't have to handle updating information when an employee or contractor has changes - they have their own portal.
Read full review
  • Greater central data visibility for our CEO and Trustees
  • Comprehensive self service portal of Staff
  • Cloud managed solution
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