HR & Payroll · 2026 Comparison

Gusto vs OnPay

Last Updated: 2026-05-14

Which HR & Payroll tool is right for your business in 2026? We compared 20 features across pricing, integrations, ease of use, and more.

Gusto

HR & Payroll

"Gusto is a full-service payroll platform designed for small businesses. It simplifies payroll, benefits, hiring, and compliance."

Visit Gusto →

OnPay

HR & Payroll

"OnPay is an online payroll service that helps small businesses manage payroll, taxes, and HR tasks efficiently."

Visit OnPay →

View Comparison For

🏆 Winner for Small Business

Gusto

Gusto is the overall winner for small business due to better pricing, user interface, and payroll frequency options.

Try Gusto Free →

✅ Gusto is best for…

• Affordable base price
• Excellent user interface
• Comprehensive payroll features

✅ OnPay is best for…

• Lower per employee cost
• Basic compliance tools
• Simple integration options

🏆 Winner for Mid Market

Gusto

OnPay wins in mid-market due to their advanced compliance tools, lower transition fees, and built-in time tracking.

Try Gusto Free →

✅ Gusto is best for…

• More integrations available
• Enhanced user management
• Better payroll frequency options

✅ OnPay is best for…

• Advanced HR compliance tools
• Built-in time tracking
• Lower overall employee costs

🏆 Winner for Enterprise

Gusto

Gusto is favored in enterprise due to superior scalability, faster reporting speed, and enhanced customer support.

Try Gusto Free →

✅ Gusto is best for…

• Greater scalability for larger teams
• Superior reporting capabilities
• Enhanced customer support options

✅ OnPay is best for…

• Basic compliance features
• Less scalable for larger organizations
• Limited customer support

Pricing Plans

Gusto Plans

Core $39/mo

Complete $49/mo

Concierge $149/mo

OnPay Plans

Basic $40/mo

Premium $60/mo

Feature Comparison

Pricing

2 features

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Base Price	$39/month	$40/month	Gusto
Per Employee Cost	$6/employee	$5/employee	OnPay

Base Price Gusto wins

Gusto

$39/month

OnPay

$40/month

Per Employee Cost OnPay wins

Gusto

$6/employee

OnPay

$5/employee

Payroll Processing

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Payroll Frequency Options	Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly	Biweekly, Monthly	Gusto

Payroll Frequency Options Gusto wins

Gusto

Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly

OnPay

Biweekly, Monthly

Payroll Features

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Automatic Tax Calculations	Yes	Yes	Gusto

Automatic Tax Calculations Gusto wins

Gusto

Yes

OnPay

Yes

User Interface

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Ease of Use	Very intuitive	Moderately intuitive	Gusto

Ease of Use Gusto wins

Gusto

Very intuitive

OnPay

Moderately intuitive

Integrations

2 features

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Third-Party App Integrations	Over 30 integrations	Over 20 integrations	Gusto
Accounting Software Integration	QuickBooks, Xero	QuickBooks	Gusto

Third-Party App Integrations Gusto wins

Gusto

Over 30 integrations

OnPay

Over 20 integrations

Accounting Software Integration Gusto wins

Gusto

QuickBooks, Xero

OnPay

QuickBooks

Customer Support

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Support Channels	Email, Chat, Phone	Email, Chat	Gusto

Support Channels Gusto wins

Gusto

Email, Chat, Phone

OnPay

Email, Chat

Reporting

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Custom Reporting Features	Yes	Limited	Gusto

Custom Reporting Features Gusto wins

Gusto

Yes

OnPay

Limited

Features for Employees

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Employee Self-Service Portal	Yes	Yes	Gusto

Employee Self-Service Portal Gusto wins

Gusto

Yes

OnPay

Yes

Onboarding

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Employee Onboarding Features	Yes	No	Gusto

Employee Onboarding Features Gusto wins

Gusto

Yes

OnPay

Compliance

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
HR Compliance Tools	Basic tools included	Advanced tools included	OnPay

HR Compliance Tools OnPay wins

Gusto

Basic tools included

OnPay

Advanced tools included

Accessibility

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Mobile App	Full features	Limited features	Gusto

Mobile App Gusto wins

Gusto

Full features

OnPay

Limited features

User Management

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Roles and Permissions	Custom roles	Standard roles	Gusto

Roles and Permissions Gusto wins

Gusto

Custom roles

OnPay

Standard roles

Tax Management

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
W-2 Generation	Yes	Yes	Gusto

W-2 Generation Gusto wins

Gusto

Yes

OnPay

Yes

Employee Types

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Contractor Payment Support	Yes	Yes	Gusto

Contractor Payment Support Gusto wins

Gusto

Yes

OnPay

Yes

Time Tracking

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Time Tracking Integration	Third-party integration only	Built-in time tracking	OnPay

Time Tracking Integration OnPay wins

Gusto

Third-party integration only

OnPay

Built-in time tracking

Scalability

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Employer Size Support	1-100 employees	1-50 employees	Gusto

Employer Size Support Gusto wins

Gusto

1-100 employees

OnPay

1-50 employees

Security

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Data Encryption	Yes	Yes	Gusto

Data Encryption Gusto wins

Gusto

Yes

OnPay

Yes

Performance

1 feature

Feature	Gusto	OnPay	Winner
Reporting Speed	Fast	Moderate	Gusto

Reporting Speed Gusto wins

Gusto

Fast

OnPay

Moderate

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, Gusto or OnPay?

Gusto is generally more affordable, with starting prices at $39/month compared to OnPay's $40/month.

Who is Gusto best suited for?

Gusto is highly recommended for businesses that specifically need: affordable base price, excellent user interface, comprehensive payroll features.

When should I choose OnPay instead?

OnPay is the better choice if your primary focus is: lower per employee cost, basic compliance tools, simple integration options.

What is the final verdict on Gusto vs OnPay?

Gusto is the overall winner for small business due to better pricing, user interface, and payroll frequency options.

Compare Alternatives

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HR & Payroll

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Gusto vs OnPay

Gusto

OnPay

✅ Gusto is best for…

✅ OnPay is best for…

✅ Gusto is best for…

✅ OnPay is best for…

✅ Gusto is best for…

✅ OnPay is best for…

Pricing Plans

Gusto Plans

OnPay Plans

Feature Comparison

Feature Score Summary

Pricing

Payroll Processing

Payroll Features

User Interface

Integrations

Customer Support

Reporting

Features for Employees

Onboarding

Compliance

Accessibility

User Management

Tax Management

Employee Types

Time Tracking

Scalability

Security

Performance

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, Gusto or OnPay?

Who is Gusto best suited for?

When should I choose OnPay instead?

What is the final verdict on Gusto vs OnPay?

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