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
Preciate
Score 9.0 out of 10
N/A
Preciate is an employee recognition platform from the company of the same name in Dallas.N/A
TriNet HR Plus
Score 4.7 out of 10
N/A
HR Plus (formerly Zenefits) is TriNet’s administrative services organization (ASO) solution, combining expert support and administration with a technology platform for HR, payroll, and benefits.N/A
Pricing
GustoPreciateTriNet HR Plus
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
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
GustoPreciateTriNet HR Plus
Free Trial
YesNoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeOptional
Additional DetailsGusto offers three pricing plans for payroll, benefits, and HR.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
GustoPreciateTriNet HR Plus
Considered Multiple 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.
Preciate
Chose Preciate
HeyTaco: fun idea, but didn't allow for needed customization to match core values. Also, more expensive.
Chose Preciate
I don't like using LinkedIn because it is too personal and not private enough, also recognition gets lost after you post it. With Preciate, the employee or person can take the recognition along with them at their next role or job. I also think that the company stands for some …
Chose Preciate
The only tools that are close are Slack and chatter, which to me are not as useful or user-friendly, nor do they allow you to take the recognition and connections with you. I am confident that Preciate's platform helps you to build real and long-lasting relationships.
TriNet HR Plus
Chose TriNet HR Plus
I think overall it stacks up well compared to Insperity. What I think is above and beyond is the number of training sessions that are offered and the educational resource of The Wing.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
TriNet HR Platform offers more comprehensive features and functionality than Paycom. I believe TriNet has better-trained and informed representatives to assist its clients.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
TriNet HR Platform provides full PEO services and functionality at the best price for a company of our size. The added functions of expense, time entry, ATS, performance, and learning/training are nice perks as well.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
ADP had made some promises as far as integration with our accounting system. To date it has not worked. So, it manually inputted like TriNet. However, the reports in TriNet are much more easily understandable
Chose TriNet HR Plus
We've gone with Gusto, after years of using.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
Paychex flex is better and more robust and at a lower cost. They will actually respond to your emails as well.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
I personally run two businesses and have had no problems receiving support from Gusto. In my opinion, it has been an absolute delight in comparison to Zenefits.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
We selected Zenefits because of good sales pitched and touted integrations and it turned out we had no after sale support nor integration were straight forward.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
This is very user friendly and does well
Chose TriNet HR Plus
I love how easy it is to run payroll with zenefits. Having close to 300 employees can make it a challenging task, but the software is so user friendly that uploading it all is a breeze and then all deductions, contributions, taxes, etc. is taken care of from there! Plus having …
Chose TriNet HR Plus
Easier to use and more modern. Everything on Zenefits is quick and easy to access, if I can't figure something out or have any questions I can call the help desk and I get a real person to help me navigate where I need to go and what I need to do.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
Compared to my past experiences, Zenefits is hands down the best format. It is much easier to understand and navigate.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
I have not used any other products similar to Zenefits.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
I have only used Zenefits within the last couple of years. I don't remember the other platforms that we used back in the day. I will tell you this, Zenefits is the only platform I want to use currently and moving forward. This platform is very user-friendly and I don't plan on …
Chose TriNet HR Plus
My last job had something similar to Zenefits but it functioned very poorly - half the time it was so glitchy and you weren't able to log in correctly or the screen would be white. My experience with Zenefits has been night and day in comparison because I can actually retrieve …
Chose TriNet HR Plus
I have never used a platform similar to Zenefits. I worked at Lifetime and they had developed their own platform but it wasn't user-friendly and we didn't have access to an app on our own device if you weren't a hiring manager. I prefer Zenefits because it enables you to check …
Chose TriNet HR Plus
The employee site is much more intuitive and easier to navigate. The Paychex Flex site is overly complicated with extra steps.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
I have only used Gusto as an employee, not an administrator. I found both Zenefits and Gusto to be user-friendly and easy from the employee perspective. Ultimately, as an administrator, I went with Zenefits because they offer a discount for nonprofit organizations.
Chose TriNet HR Plus
Zenefits beats both these products for my organization because Zenefits streamlines processes, offers state of the art functionality for my organization, and is user friendly for my employers. The other two products, although good, are archaic in design and difficult for …
Chose TriNet HR Plus
We haven't had to look for anything else because we're happy with Zenefits.
Features
GustoPreciateTriNet HR Plus
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
9.1
Ratings
9% above category average
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
7.2
Ratings
12% below category average
Pay calculation9.50 Ratings00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors8.50 Ratings00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Benefit plan administration8.70 Ratings00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.60 Ratings00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management9.10 Ratings00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Reimbursement management9.10 Ratings00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment00 Ratings00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
6.6
Ratings
21% below category average
Employee demographic data00 Ratings00 Ratings6.50 Ratings
Employment history00 Ratings00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Job profiles and administration00 Ratings00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.00 Ratings00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Organizational charting00 Ratings00 Ratings5.50 Ratings
Organization and location management00 Ratings00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)00 Ratings00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
6.5
Ratings
23% below category average
Approval workflow00 Ratings00 Ratings6.50 Ratings
Balance details00 Ratings00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment00 Ratings00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
6.9
Ratings
17% below category average
View and generate pay and benefit information00 Ratings00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Update personal information00 Ratings00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
View company policy documentation00 Ratings00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Employee recognition00 Ratings00 Ratings4.50 Ratings
View job history00 Ratings00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
7.0
Ratings
14% below category average
Tracking of all physical assets00 Ratings00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
6.3
Ratings
18% below category average
Report builder00 Ratings00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Pre-built reports00 Ratings00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Ability to combine HR data with external data00 Ratings00 Ratings5.50 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
6.5
Ratings
20% below category average
New hire portal00 Ratings00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Manager tracking tools00 Ratings00 Ratings5.50 Ratings
Performance and Goals
Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
2.9
Ratings
94% below category average
Corporate goal setting00 Ratings00 Ratings3.20 Ratings
Individual goal setting00 Ratings00 Ratings3.20 Ratings
Line-of sight-visibility00 Ratings00 Ratings2.20 Ratings
Performance tracking00 Ratings00 Ratings3.20 Ratings
Performance Management
Comparison of Performance Management features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
6.5
Ratings
19% below category average
Performance plans00 Ratings00 Ratings6.50 Ratings
Performance improvement plans00 Ratings00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Review status tracking00 Ratings00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Review reminders00 Ratings00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Multiple review frequency00 Ratings00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Succession Planning
Comparison of Succession Planning features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
4.2
Ratings
60% below category average
Create succession plans/pools00 Ratings00 Ratings2.00 Ratings
Candidate ranking00 Ratings00 Ratings5.60 Ratings
Candidate search00 Ratings00 Ratings4.60 Ratings
Candidate development00 Ratings00 Ratings4.60 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
Gusto
-
Ratings
Preciate
-
Ratings
TriNet HR Plus
5.6
Ratings
33% below category average
Job Requisition Management00 Ratings00 Ratings5.10 Ratings
Company Website Posting00 Ratings00 Ratings6.10 Ratings
Publish to Social Media00 Ratings00 Ratings5.10 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting00 Ratings00 Ratings5.10 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention00 Ratings00 Ratings5.90 Ratings
Applicant Tracking00 Ratings00 Ratings6.50 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts00 Ratings00 Ratings5.50 Ratings
Best Alternatives
GustoPreciateTriNet HR Plus
Small Businesses
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.2 out of 10
Sogolytics
Sogolytics
Score 8.5 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
Bonusly
Bonusly
Score 9.5 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
Nexthink
Nexthink
Score 7.4 out of 10
PeopleStrong
PeopleStrong
Score 10.0 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
GustoPreciateTriNet HR Plus
Likelihood to Recommend
9.1
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
6.5
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
8.5
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.5
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
6.5
(0 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
8.5
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
3.2
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
8.8
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
8.8
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
8.9
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
8.9
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
8.9
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
GustoPreciateTriNet HR Plus
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
If you have a fast-growing team that is on the same training journey, it allows you to see who is and who is not engaged. I carefully measure who participates in consistent recognition and discussions, and my findings so far are that there is a correlation between recognition and engagement. Most of my least engaged employees when it comes to Preciate recognition assignments or suggestions tend to also be the lowest-performing reps when it comes to metrics or results. I am currently measuring the top users to see what affects recognition has on morale and enthusiasm.
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I think as a small business owner, this system gives peace of mind. When I'm onboarding an employee I can automatically integrate the process with Gmail and Quickbooks. I feel like they are always doing work in the background and I don't have to keep checking up on them or verifying the work that's been done
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
  • Making recognition easy
  • Keeping the team informed
  • Motivating the team to stay active and to keep working even though we are disconnected
Read full review
  • Simple platform for running payroll. It is easy to adjust pay, see deductions, reimburse employees, manage bonuses, etc. It takes literally 5 minutes or less to run payroll - which is huge.
  • Zenefits has a great system for getting new employees on boarded with the employee handbook, financial stuff, legal employment verification, and more. Makes it so that I can be a little more hand-off during that process.
  • Zenefits does a great job of reminding me if there are things coming up like benefits renewal, or legally mandated updates to renewing our employee handbook, new tax laws, etc. - so that I don't feel like there are important things slipping through the cracks.
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
  • I would love to see more web based videos and FAQ's.
  • More branding.
Read full review
  • Support is a little bit tricky - they always get back, but isn't the most intuitive support as you have to go through a list of preset options for what you are wanting to contact them about
  • No support for 9/80 schedule (every other Friday off)
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
No answers on this topic
It's a great, easy to use platform that allows all staff to easily engage at the appropriate level of engagement for their needs. It has saved us countless hours for how we track our staff and our ability to easily pull reports. I highly recommend this platform to anyone
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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
No answers on this topic
It's extremely user friendly and customer service is super helpful. The app needed help a while back but it has greatly improved. There were issues with files being cut off, and when I was onboarded, it actually cut my offer letter off hiding important information. Since then, it's been fixed so they are continually improving.
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Reliability and Availability
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
We have not experienced any application errors or unplanned outages in the two years I have been using this app. Sometimes there is a lag in the time keeping/ confirming your location, however, it quickly resolves itself within seconds and more often than not is an internet connection error
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Performance
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
This app always loads extremely quickly and in a reasonable time frame. Like I said, when we do experience lags from this app, it is more often than not an internet connection error
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
Preciate is always ready to help with questions or problems. They are good at follow up and also being proactive when new versions or upgrades are released. They also do a great job putting useful information on social media like LinkedIn and Twitter, that information is useful when we have an issue. Additionally, they have been really good at taking our suggestions and incorporating them into future builds and versions.
Read full review
Zenefits support staff and employees are great at what they do. They are friendly and extremely helpful. Questions and concerns submitted are always responded to in a timely manner. The explanations are thoughtful and quickly resolve the issues. If a solution can not be ready fixed they will work diligently until it’s resolved in full
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In-Person Training
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Can't really say just because I would not know.
Read full review
Online Training
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
It went through successfully.
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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
Unfortunately I do not have any insights on the implementation of Zenefits as I was not employed with this company when Zenefits was introduced. Based on how effortless it is to use Zenefits, I wouldn't image there would be many issues with the implementation of Zenefits
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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 don't like using LinkedIn because it is too personal and not private enough, also recognition gets lost after you post it. With Preciate, the employee or person can take the recognition along with them at their next role or job. I also think that the company stands for some amazing things.
Read full review
We used QuickBooks Online Payroll from 2014 to 2019 and transitioned to Zenefits Payroll at the beginning of 2020 when Zenefits Payroll shortly after Zenefits Payroll became available in all 50 states. We made the transition to provide our employees with one powerful app to view their paystubs, request time off, view their benefits information, manage their pre-tax spending accounts, and look up contact information of their fellow team members
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Scalability
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
It is very easy to use and does not require the end user to go to multiple sites to obtain many facets of HR/ Payroll information that the app offers
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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
  • Great ROI, it's reasonably priced.
  • Has enforced core values that otherwise would have been announced one day and forgotten the next.
  • Improves cross-team relationships.
Read full review
  • Lost time. I spent more time trying to fix problems than doing many of these tasks manually the year before.
  • Lost money. Given the product was a headache, I wasted the onboarding fee, the subscription fee, and am now paying delinquent fees to tax authorities.
  • Stress. I've got a company to lead, dealing with payroll issues every month does not help.
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

TriNet HR Plus Screenshots

Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of HR ManagementScreenshot of HR ManagementScreenshot of HR Management