GustovsWave Payroll
Unbiased side-by-side comparison of verified reviews, user ratings, features, and pros/cons to help you decide which software fits your business needs.
Quick answer: Gusto vs Wave Payroll
In our 2026 comparison of Gusto and Wave Payroll, Gusto comes out ahead overall (weighted score 92% vs 16% for Wave Payroll). Gusto is rated 4.8/5 from 130 user reviews. Gusto starts at $35/month.
Last updated
| At a glance | Gusto | Wave Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Payroll Software | Payroll Software |
| User rating | 4.8/5 (130 reviews) | No reviews yet |
| Starting price | $35/mo | Not listed |
| Listed features | 24 | 5 |
| Integrations | 6 | — |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Ease of use | 4.7/5 | — |
| Customer support | 4.2/5 | — |
Gusto
Starting Price
Simple monthly subscription plus per-person pricing; payroll, benefits, hiring, and HR tools included in plans.
Community Pulse
Advanced Ratings
Pros
- Comprehensive all-in-one cloud platform combining full-service payroll, automated tax filing, benefits administration, and HR tools for SMBs .
- Intuitive, user-friendly interface available via web and mobile app, with lifetime portal access for employees to view pay stubs and tax forms .
- Unlimited payroll runs at every plan level with month-to-month subscription options, no long-term lock-in contracts required .
Cons
- Pricing is higher than some competitors; Simple plan starts at (49/month+6/person with 2–4 day direct deposit speeds .
- Simple plan only supports single-state payroll; multi-state payroll requires upgrading to Plus or Premium plans
- No dedicated advisor or priority support on lower plan tiers (Simple and Plus); requires Premium plan (180/month+22/person) for dedicated support
Wave Payroll
Starting Price
Contact Vendor
Community Pulse
Advanced Ratings
Pros
No pros extractedCons
No cons extractedProduct Overview
What each platform does and who it's for
Primary Category
The main classification for each product
Editorial Quality Rating
Independent expert panel ratings and quality validations
Gusto
Expert Score
Wave Payroll
Expert Score
Integration Ecosystem
Compare supported third-party apps and services
Gusto Integrations
Wave Payroll Integrations
No top integrations listed
Platform Support
Supported platforms across each product
Gusto
Wave Payroll
Sentiment & Feedback
Real-world pros and cons from verified users
Gusto Feedback
User sentiment analysis
- Comprehensive all-in-one cloud platform combining full-service payroll, automated tax filing, benefits administration, and HR tools for SMBs .
- Intuitive, user-friendly interface available via web and mobile app, with lifetime portal access for employees to view pay stubs and tax forms .
- Unlimited payroll runs at every plan level with month-to-month subscription options, no long-term lock-in contracts required .
- Integrates with nearly 150 third-party tools including Asana, DocuSign, Freshbooks, and QuickBooks for workflow automation
- Very easy to use,Excellent payroll automation,Affordable pricing,Strong customer satisfaction
- Pricing is higher than some competitors; Simple plan starts at (49/month+6/person with 2–4 day direct deposit speeds .
- Simple plan only supports single-state payroll; multi-state payroll requires upgrading to Plus or Premium plans
- No dedicated advisor or priority support on lower plan tiers (Simple and Plus); requires Premium plan (180/month+22/person) for dedicated support
- Limited enterprise functionality,Advanced HR features require higher plans,International payroll limitations
- Limited enterprise functionality
Wave Payroll Feedback
User sentiment analysis
Feature Comparison
Detailed side-by-side capability checklist
Gusto
24/29 features
- API integrations
- Analytics reporting
- App Integrations
- Collaborative workflows
- Compliance Support
- Security
- Security compliance
- Cross-device sync
- Cloud access
- Team collaboration
- Time Tracking
- Time tracking and PTO management
- Contractor Payments
- Automation
- Multi-platform support
- Benefits Administration
- Employee Self-Service
- Employee benefits administration
- Employee onboarding and self-service
- Full-service payroll processing
- HR management
- Hiring and Onboarding
- Onboarding
- Payroll
- Automated tax filing
- Compliance Reporting
- Reporting
- Reporting & Analytics
- Document management
Wave Payroll
5/29 features
- API integrations
- Analytics reporting
- App Integrations
- Collaborative workflows
- Compliance Support
- Security
- Security compliance
- Cross-device sync
- Cloud access
- Team collaboration
- Time Tracking
- Time tracking and PTO management
- Contractor Payments
- Automation
- Multi-platform support
- Benefits Administration
- Employee Self-Service
- Employee benefits administration
- Employee onboarding and self-service
- Full-service payroll processing
- HR management
- Hiring and Onboarding
- Onboarding
- Payroll
- Automated tax filing
- Compliance Reporting
- Reporting
- Reporting & Analytics
- Document management
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Pricing & Plans
Compare plans, features, and starting points side-by-side
Gusto Pricing
SUBSCRIPTIONBase fee plus $6 per person.
Base fee plus $9 per person.
Exclusive pricing for scale.
Wave Payroll Pricing
SUBSCRIPTIONLogin to see detailed pricing plans & tiers
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No credit card required. Create account
Community Intelligence
Real-time crowdsourced comparison feedback and buyer signals.
Community Matchup Voting
Real-time crowdsourced buyer signals
Community vs. Editorial Alignment
Agreement between algorithmic rating & user voting
Gusto
Calculated by features, pricing, support & ratings.
Awaiting Votes
Cast your vote above to update results.
Which software did you choose?
Share your decision anonymously with the community
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Head-to-Head Winner Analysis
Data-backed performance comparisons across pricing, features, usability, and support
Matchup Scoreboard
At-a-glance scorecard results
Weighted Overall Scorecard
Normalized composite performance scores
Smart Recommendation Matrix
Head-to-head decision matrix based on your business workflow
- Users wanting a streamlined, user-friendly workspace interface
- Teams looking for native integration with core workflow tools
- Teams needing broad multi-platform accessibility across desktop, mobile, and web
- HR teams needing automated, compliant payroll processing with tax filing support
- Organizations looking for a reliable, verified Payroll Software solution
Gusto
Dimension scorecard
Multi-Dimension Performance
Winner Breakdown & Analysis
Gusto wins overall with a weighted score of 92% based on user rating, pricing, features, usability, and support.
Comparable pricing accessibility ($35/mo (No Free Trial)).
Gusto lists the most features (24 features).
Not enough data on the other product(s) to rank this dimension fairly.
Not enough data on the other product(s) to rank this dimension fairly.
Widest platform availability (3 Platforms: Web, iOS, Android).
Wave Payroll
Dimension scorecard
Multi-Dimension Performance
Winner Breakdown & Analysis
Wave Payroll is a runner-up with a composite score of 16%.
Comparable pricing accessibility (SUBSCRIPTION (No Free Trial)).
Offers 5 features (fewer than the category leader).
No data available for this product on this dimension yet.
No data available for this product on this dimension yet.
Available on 1 Platform: Web, fewer than the leader.
Final Verdict:Gusto
Gusto scores higher across 4 of 11 key dimensions with a 76-point lead in our weighted analysis.
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Frequently asked questions: Gusto vs Wave Payroll
Which is better: Gusto or Wave Payroll?
Gusto scores higher across 4 of 11 key dimensions with a 76-point lead in our weighted analysis. The best choice still depends on your team's workflow, budget and required integrations — use the side-by-side sections above to check the details that matter to you.
How do users rate Gusto and Wave Payroll?
Gusto is rated 4.8/5 from 130 user reviews. Ratings come from approved user reviews on SoftwareHope.
How much do Gusto and Wave Payroll cost?
Gusto starts at $35/month. Always confirm current pricing on the vendor's site, as plans change.
Which platforms do Gusto and Wave Payroll support?
Gusto supports Web, iOS and Android; Wave Payroll supports Web.
Most Helpful Reviews
Community-voted helpful feedback from verified users
Highly reliable software with great performance. Essential tool for professionals looking for efficiency and clean organization.
Highly reliable software with great performance. Essential tool for professionals looking for efficiency and clean organization.
Gusto has been an outstanding addition to our workflow. The intuitive interface and fast processing speed make completing daily tasks effortless.
Gusto has been an outstanding addition to our workflow. The intuitive interface and fast processing speed make completing daily tasks effortless.
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