QuickBooks and Gusto solve different problems. QuickBooks keeps your books: income, expenses, invoices and reports. Gusto pays your people and handles payroll taxes. The real question is how you want to run payroll, and where your books live.
What each one does
- QuickBooks is accounting software. It records every money movement, sends invoices, tracks bills and produces reports such as profit and loss.
- Gusto is payroll software, with benefits and HR tools. It calculates pay, pays your team, and files and pays payroll taxes.
Gusto describes itself as payroll, benefits and HR, so you still need an accounting tool for your full books. QuickBooks only runs payroll if you add its payroll service. So the choice is usually between two set-ups:
- QuickBooks for accounting, plus QuickBooks payroll.
- QuickBooks for accounting, plus Gusto for payroll, connected.
Who can use them
Gusto's payroll terms say the payroll service is only available in the United States, excluding US territories. QuickBooks payroll prices below come from its US site, and options differ in other countries. If you are outside the US, look for a payroll provider in your country, and ask your accountant which ones connect to your accounting tool.
Prices, as of October 2026
US prices in US dollars, from each vendor's page. Prices change often, and both run offers for new customers.
- Simple: 49 dollars a month plus 6 dollars per person. Payroll in one state, tax filings and payments, unlimited pay runs.
- Plus: 80 dollars a month plus 12 dollars per person. Adds multi-state payroll, next-day pay, and time tracking and scheduling.
- Premium: 180 dollars a month plus 22 dollars per person. Adds a named advisor, HR guidance and same-day pay.
QuickBooks payroll is sold in bundles with accounting:
- Workforce Payroll with Simple Start: 88 dollars a month plus 6.50 dollars per employee, with next-day direct deposit.
- Workforce Payroll with Essentials: 125 dollars a month plus 6.50 dollars per employee, with same-day direct deposit.
- Workforce Premium with Plus: 203 dollars a month plus 10 dollars per employee, adding HR and time tools.
To compare fairly, add the cost of accounting to Gusto. For example, Gusto Simple plus QuickBooks Online Simple Start at 38 dollars a month is your real total for that set-up. Then do the sum for your own number of employees.
How Gusto and QuickBooks work together
Gusto's help centre says that when you connect the two, Gusto builds a journal entry in QuickBooks Online each time you run payroll. It uses your QuickBooks chart of accounts. You map each payroll item, such as wages and employer taxes, to an account once. After that, payroll lands in your books without retyping.
Gusto also connects to other accounting tools. In the US, Xero's own payroll is powered by Gusto, at 36 dollars a month plus 6 dollars per employee or contractor, as of October 2026. See QuickBooks vs Xero if you are still choosing your accounting tool.
How to decide
- Want one bill and one login? QuickBooks with its own payroll.
- Want payroll, benefits and HR in a tool built around them? Gusto, connected to your accounting.
- Already happy with Xero or another accounting tool? Gusto, or your tool's own payroll partner.
- Paying staff in more than one state? Check which plan includes multi-state payroll.
- Not sure? Ask your accountant which they support best.
Before your first payroll
Payroll has legal deadlines and penalties. Before you run the first one, set up your employer tax accounts, collect each employee's forms, and agree a pay schedule. How to hire your first employee covers the wider steps. If you are the only person in the business, how to pay yourself explains the common options, which depend on how your business is set up.
Payroll rules differ by state and country. This post is not tax advice. Ask an accountant or payroll specialist to check your set-up.