Gusto vs Lever
Compare Gusto and Lever on features, pricing, and buyer fit using the same researched criteria.
Gusto
US SMB payroll + benefits + light HR — Simple from $49/mo + $6/person; Plus $80 + $12; Premium $180 + $22.
Best for
- • US small businesses running payroll (and benefits) for the first time
- • Teams that want published month-to-month pricing instead of HCM quotes
- • Single-state companies that can start on Simple and upgrade for multi-state
Starting from $49.00/user/mo
No free plan
VS
Our verdict
No universal winner. Choose based on which criteria matter most for your team.
Lever is better for
- ✓ Integrations
Choose Gusto if: US small businesses running payroll (and benefits) for the first time
Choose Lever if: Mid-market talent teams that want ATS and recruiting CRM together
Lever
ATS + recruiting CRM under Employ — custom quote (Core AI-powered hiring platform plus Insights/VONQ/Onboarding add-ons); demo-led, no published seat $.
Best for
- • Mid-market talent teams that want ATS and recruiting CRM together
- • Orgs already comparing Greenhouse / Lever / Ashby as the dedicated ATS shortlist
- • Teams that will take a demo rather than a self-serve ATS trial
No free plan
Feature comparison
Grouped feature support from verified product research for Gusto and Lever.
Hiring
| Feature | Gusto | Lever | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant tracking | Moderate | Strong | Lever |
| Career site & job boards | Limited | Strong | Lever |
| Interview scheduling | Limited | Strong | Lever |
Workforce
| Feature | Gusto | Lever | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workforce scheduling | Limited | Limited | Tie |
| Frontline communications | Limited | Limited | Tie |
| Time & attendance | Moderate | Limited | Gusto |
| GPS / geofence clock-in | Limited | Limited | Tie |
People & payroll
| Feature | Gusto | Lever | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core HRIS | Moderate | Moderate | Tie |
| Payroll processing | Strong | Limited | Gusto |
| Benefits administration | Strong | Limited | Gusto |
Training
| Feature | Gusto | Lever | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOP / knowledge base | Limited | Limited | Tie |
| Employee training paths | Limited | Limited | Tie |
| LMS / course commerce | Limited | Limited | Tie |
Platform
| Feature | Gusto | Lever | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| HRIS integrations | Strong | Strong | Tie |
| Analytics & reporting | Moderate | Strong | Lever |
| AI assistance | Moderate | Strong | Lever |
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