Managing a team involves more than just running payroll or tracking hours—it’s about creating a seamless experience for your employees while staying compliant with taxes, labor laws, and benefits regulations. For many small and medium-sized businesses, handling these processes manually or across multiple tools can quickly become overwhelming.
That’s where Gusto comes in. Gusto is an all-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits platform that simplifies the most complex aspects of workforce management. Designed with modern businesses in mind, it automates payroll, streamlines onboarding, manages employee benefits, and ensures compliance—all from one intuitive dashboard.
In this guide, we’ll explore how Gusto works, its key features, and why it has become a trusted HR and payroll solution for thousands of businesses across industries.
What Is Gusto?
Gusto is a cloud-based HR and payroll platform built to help businesses handle everything related to employee management—payroll, benefits, hiring, onboarding, and compliance—in one place.
Since its founding in 2011, Gusto has evolved from a simple payroll processor into a comprehensive HR suite that empowers employers to focus on growth instead of administrative work.
Whether you’re a startup with five employees or a growing company with hundreds, Gusto scales effortlessly, ensuring you can manage every stage of the employee lifecycle.
Key Features of Gusto
Let’s take a closer look at the standout features that make Gusto a go-to solution for businesses.
1. Payroll Made Simple
At its core, Gusto’s payroll system is built for ease and accuracy. You can run payroll in minutes, with automatic tax calculations, deductions, and filings handled for you.
Key Highlights:
- Automatic federal, state, and local tax filings
- Direct deposit and contractor payments
- Auto-sync of employee hours and benefits
- Multiple pay schedules and payment options
- Support for bonuses, reimbursements, and tips
Gusto ensures your payroll runs smoothly—even when you forget to press “submit.” With AutoPilot Payroll, businesses can set up recurring payments that process automatically, reducing manual effort.
2. Effortless Employee Onboarding
Hiring a new employee no longer means piles of paperwork. With Gusto, you can send offer letters, collect e-signatures, and have your new hire complete all tax and banking forms online.
Onboarding Features Include:
- Digital offer letters and contracts
- Automated W-4, I-9, and direct deposit setup
- New hire state reporting
- Employee self-onboarding dashboard
This automation saves HR teams valuable time and creates a smooth, professional experience for new employees—setting the tone for a great first impression.
3. Comprehensive Benefits Management
Attracting and retaining talent often depends on offering the right benefits. Gusto helps you manage health insurance, dental, vision, life insurance, and 401(k) plans—all from one centralized system.
Benefits Administration Includes:
- Health insurance management in all 50 states
- 401(k) retirement plans with automated deductions
- Dental, vision, and life insurance options
- HSAs and FSAs management
- Workers’ compensation coverage
Employers can browse a wide range of benefit plans, compare costs, and enroll employees—all without leaving the platform.
4. Time Tracking and PTO Management
Gusto simplifies time tracking, allowing employees to clock in and out directly within the platform. Hours automatically sync with payroll, eliminating the need for manual data entry.
Features Include:
- Employee time tracking
- Automatic overtime calculation
- Paid time off (PTO) requests and approvals
- Holiday and sick leave tracking
- Integrated scheduling options
For remote or hybrid teams, this ensures that time records are accurate and payroll reflects real working hours.
5. HR Tools and Compliance Support
Beyond payroll, Gusto functions as a full-fledged HR management system. It includes features to manage employee records, performance, and compliance, ensuring your business meets every legal requirement.
HR Tools Include:
- Secure employee document storage
- Custom employee handbooks and policies
- Org charts and employee directories
- Compliance alerts and guidance
- Performance management and feedback tools
Gusto also helps you stay compliant with changing labor laws, from minimum wage updates to tax form requirements, minimizing the risk of costly errors.
6. Insights and Reporting
Gusto provides data-driven insights that help you understand labor costs, analyze team performance, and make strategic HR decisions.
Reporting Options Include:
- Payroll summaries
- Benefits cost analysis
- Tax liability reports
- Custom reports and export options
With real-time analytics, business owners and HR managers can get a clearer picture of where their money is going and how to optimize workforce expenses.
7. Integrations That Work for You
Gusto integrates with many popular business tools, making it easy to connect your HR and financial systems.
Popular Integrations:
- Accounting: QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks
- Time tracking: TSheets, Homebase
- Project management: Asana, Trello
- Expense tracking: Expensify
- Productivity tools: Slack, Google Workspace
These integrations ensure that your HR ecosystem runs seamlessly, keeping data consistent across platforms.
Why Businesses Choose Gusto
Thousands of small and medium businesses rely on Gusto for a reason—it’s designed to make HR and payroll effortless while enhancing the employee experience.
Here are some reasons why Gusto stands out:
- Ease of use: Intuitive design means no learning curve for HR teams or employees.
- Automation: Saves time by automating repetitive payroll and compliance tasks.
- Transparency: Employees can easily view pay stubs, benefits, and tax forms.
- Compliance confidence: Keeps you compliant with tax laws and labor regulations.
- Scalability: Works just as well for startups as it does for growing organizations.
By centralizing payroll, benefits, and HR in one system, Gusto allows teams to focus more on people and less on paperwork.
How Gusto Enhances Employee Experience
Modern employees expect transparency and convenience. Gusto’s employee self-service portal allows staff to access pay history, manage personal details, view benefits, and download tax documents—all without HR intervention.
Employees also appreciate the clarity and professionalism of automated pay slips and benefits dashboards. The ease of digital onboarding and direct deposit setup improves engagement and trust from day one.
For employers, this translates to a more organized, productive, and satisfied workforce.
Gusto for Accountants and Advisors
Gusto isn’t just for business owners—it also provides tools for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial advisors.
Professionals can manage multiple client accounts, process payrolls efficiently, and access tax reports in one secure portal. This helps financial advisors offer greater value while saving hours in administrative work.
Security and Compliance
Data security is critical when managing payroll and employee information. Gusto uses bank-level encryption and multi-factor authentication to protect sensitive data.
In addition, Gusto complies with federal and state tax regulations, ensuring filings and payments are accurate and timely. It also offers guidance on maintaining compliance with employee classification, benefits laws, and workplace regulations.
Support and Customer Experience
Gusto is known for its responsive customer support and educational resources. Users can access help through chat, email, or phone, and the platform also offers a robust knowledge base with tutorials and HR templates.
Whether you’re a first-time employer or a seasoned HR professional, Gusto’s support system helps ensure a smooth experience from setup to daily operations.
Pricing Overview
Gusto offers flexible pricing plans based on business size and needs. Each plan includes payroll automation, tax filing, and core HR features, with advanced options for benefits, time tracking, and compliance tools.
Businesses can choose from monthly subscription tiers, paying per employee, and can scale up as their workforce grows. This flexibility ensures you only pay for what you need.
Final Thoughts
Managing HR and payroll doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. With Gusto, businesses can automate their most tedious tasks, ensure compliance, and provide employees with a transparent and modern experience.
By unifying payroll, benefits, onboarding, and HR tools in one place, Gusto empowers companies to focus on what truly matters—building great teams and driving growth.
If your business is ready to move beyond spreadsheets and manual payroll processes, Gusto offers a smarter, simpler way to handle everything from hiring to paying your team—efficiently and accurately.
Affiliate Disclosure:
This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we trust.
