Gusto vs Paylocity
Choose Gusto for transparent US SMB payroll (award). Choose Paylocity when mid-market payroll+HR with Community/Ignite AI is the job and you will take a quote. Compare published pricing, hiring, core HRIS, payroll, scheduling, training, time tracking, integrations, and mobile.
Gusto
US SMB payroll + benefits + light HR — Simple from $49/mo + $6/person; Plus $80 + $12; Premium $180 + $22.
Best for
- • Published SMB payroll
- • Month-to-month US pay runs
Starting from $49.00/user/mo
No free plan
VS
Our verdict
Choose Gusto for transparent US SMB payroll (award). Choose Paylocity when mid-market payroll+HR with Community/Ignite AI is the job and you will take a quote.
Paylocity is better for
- ✓ Hiring workflow
- ✓ Core HRIS depth
- ✓ Scheduling depth
- ✓ Training depth
Tie
- • Payroll processing
Choose Gusto if: Published SMB payroll
Choose Paylocity if: Mid-market HR + payroll
Paylocity
US mid-market HR + payroll (+ finance/IT) — custom quote (‘Explore Payroll Pricing’); Ignite AI. Landscape vs Gusto.
Best for
- • Mid-market HR + payroll
- • Employee Community / Ignite AI
No free plan
Evidence & transparency
Sources and research process behind this comparison.
Sources
4
Criteria
11
Screenshots
0
Sources consulted
| Title | Product | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Gusto — Official Site | Gusto | official-product-page |
| Gusto Pricing | Gusto | official-pricing-page |
| Paylocity — Official Site | Paylocity | official-product-page |
| Paylocity Pricing | Paylocity | official-pricing-page |
Methodology steps
- 1Collect first-party product and pricing evidence
- 2Map both products to the same category criteria
- 3Record criterion outcomes with confidence and sources
- 4Publish only when editorial gates allow indexing
Methodology version 1.0.0.
Affiliate relationships never change comparison outcomes. We evaluate both products on the same criteria and allow ties when evidence does not support a universal winner.
Read full methodology →Some visit links may be affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Comparison outcomes are never based on commission.