OnPay vs. Gusto — Which Is the Best Payroll Software?

While both services provide chat, email, and phone support as well as a help center, Gusto goes above and beyond. With Gusto, customers gain access to HR advisors as well as a dedicated support team to help troubleshoot any issues that arise. 

To use payroll software, you need one that is offered in your area. Unfortunately, Gusto only offers its health insurance coverage services in 37 states, whereas OnPay offers its services in all 50. Be sure to confirm your chosen service is offered where you’re doing business. 

While OnPay and Gusto share many similarities in features, there are a few differences. For example, Gusto’s higher tiers include time tracking features, whereas OnPay only offers this feature through third-party integrations. 

One area of similarity between the two payroll software platforms is pricing. OnPay and Gusto share identical pricing at $40 plus $6 per person per month. However, OnPay does not offer multiple payroll plans, whereas Gusto does. 

Both services offer valuable tax documentation. This includes both tax filings and year-end reporting, including W-2s and 1099, which means the services automatically calculate, file, and pay taxes, making your payroll process simpler than ever. 

With both Gusto and OnPay, you are able to run unlimited monthly pay runs. This level of flexibility allows you to process payroll at your convenience. 

Gusto is used by entrepreneurs who:

• Are looking for a service that will manage the entire employee lifecycle 
• Want options in choosing their payroll plan to increase access to features 
• Have both full-time employees and contractors on staff 

Here are some verified Gusto reviews (from TrustRadius) by customers who used this software to help their business:

“If you are managing small business and you deal with different contractors on a distance work, Gusto is the best solution for your payroll and accounting system. It is working like Swiss watches and any support you needed you'll receive it from professionals in a step-by-step explanation. Any business starts with relations, and the best improvements of your relationship is timely managed payment which is a very good provided by Gusto.”

"Gusto has worked perfectly for my small business payroll needs. It was easy to setup and has required very little maintenance to ensure I stay compliant with local and federal regulations. However it is not a full accounting suite, so you need to make sure you have an accounting solution set up for your businesses needs.”

“Gusto is a great one stop shop tool for HR and administrative tasks. It empowers workers to edit their payroll information, enroll for benefits, and request time off. It can also accomplish other tasks like tracking expenses and reimbursements. On the employee side of things, it's a pleasure to use and makes life much easier.”

OnPay is used by entrepreneurs who:

• Want to streamline the payroll and HR processes for their business 
• Offer health insurance coverage in any state 
• Employ hourly workers, not just salaried workers 

Here are some verified OnPay reviews (from TrustRadius) by customers who used this software to help their business:

"For a small business, they are a perfect fit. The online portal makes it simple to manage onboarding tasks, and facilitate payroll & direct deposit and they also integrate well with NEXT for our Worker's Compensation premiums. Support has been quick, concise and knowledgeable, and eager to assist without robot gatekeeping (which seems to be the norm these days) frustrating users who need access to support reps who can resolve specific issues."

"When we got to 8 employees we started using OnPay and it has been fantastic at reducing the amount of time I spend on payroll. I imagine for a smaller company, it may not reduce the payroll burden as much."

"Onpay has proven very useful with contractor accounting or Union type payroll with California being very problematic when it comes to payroll rules and labor laws, it's been very helpful using Onpay because they are very knowledgeable about the payroll laws in this state. They're also well suited for the restaurant industry. I have clients in both industries and we have no complaints with Onpay."

Gusto and OnPay have very similar pricing to start; however, Gusto offers several plans with varying features and prices. Here’s how the two’s offerings match up based on price and notable features included. 

Simple ($40/month plus $6/month/person)

Notable Features:

• Full-service, single-state payroll 
• Hiring and onboarding tools 
• Integrations for accounting, time tracking, and more 
• Payroll and time off reports 
• Gusto-brokered health insurance administration 

Plus ($80/month plus $12/month/person)

Notable Features:

• Full-service, multi-state payroll 
• Advanced hiring and onboarding tools 
• Time tracking and project tracking tools 
• Next-day direct deposit 
• PTO management 

Premium (Custom Pricing)

Notable Features:

• Dedicated customer service manager
• Compliance alerts 
• Access to certified HR experts 
• Health insurance broker integration
• R&D tax credit discount 
• Full-service payroll migration 

Contractor Only ($0/month plus $6/month/contractor)

Notable Features:

• Unlimited contractor payments 
• New hire reporting 
• 1099-NECs at the end of the year 
• 4-day direct deposit 
• International contractor payment add-on available 

$40/month plus $6/month/person

Notable Features:

• Unlimited monthly pay runs 
• Automated tax payments and filings 
• Free W-2 and 1099 processing 
• On-demand customer support 
• Third-party software integrations 

If you’re looking for a basic payroll solution, specifically if you run a business related to agriculture, OnPay is a good solution. However, Gusto offers much more in terms of features and functionality, as well as a variety of plans to choose from. Overall, Gusto provides a top-tier solution with everything you need to run payroll successfully. 

Seamlessly manage payroll, HR, and benefits with Gusto. Try it today.