Gusto vs Payroll City

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Our analysts compared Gusto vs Payroll City based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Payroll Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Gusto is a web-based payroll system for medium-sized organizations. It handles benefits, compliance, direct deposit, employee self-service, employee management, payment processing and taxes. Using automation, calculators and other administrative and HR modules, users can streamline the entire process of paying employees. It integrates with other technologies to offer expanded services such as accounting, bookkeeping, POS, time tracking and other business operations. In addition to filing taxes, it scans the laws of over 50 states to ensure accurate state and federal payments, helping organizations avoid penalties.
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Payroll City is a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline payroll management and related tasks. It is particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses seeking an efficient and reliable way to handle payroll processing, tax calculations, and compliance requirements. The software offers a range of benefits, including automated payroll calculations, direct deposit capabilities, and detailed reporting features. Users appreciate its intuitive interface and robust customer support, which make it easier to navigate complex payroll tasks.

Popular features of Payroll City include employee self-service portals, time and attendance tracking, and customizable payroll reports. These features help businesses save time and reduce errors, enhancing overall operational efficiency. Compared to similar products, Payroll City is often praised for its user-friendly design and comprehensive functionality, making it a preferred choice for many organizations.

Pricing details for Payroll City are not readily available, and it is recommended that users contact SelectHub for a personalized pricing quote based on their specific needs. This approach ensures that businesses receive a tailored solution that fits their budget and requirements.

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Product Insights

  • Flexible and Easier to Use: Guides admins through set-up and features a user-friendly interface. Let employees account for unexpected expenses, up to 40% of their paycheck, by automatically taking the amount out of their next check.
  • More Cost-Effective: Take advantage of a one-month free trial before full implementation. Subscribe on a monthly basis or based on a price quote, depending on the business’s needs.
  • Better Compliance: Check for updated tax law ensures that the proper documents are filed on time and follow the most recent legislation. Help users keep in compliance with ACA, ERISA and HIPAA standards. Record tests to comply with nondiscrimination policies from the IRS or benefits programs such as FSAs.
  • Timer Saver: Cut down on busy work and manual data entry to save valuable employee hours in payroll processing and tax filing. Manage and complete administrative work by accessing premade job templates, HR guides, live harassment prevention webinars, fitness tests, handbooks, best practices, manuals and more.
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  • Save Time: Process payments faster with a straightforward system. Guarantee employee access to correct wages, without the time-consuming and error-prone manual pay distributions. 
  • Stay Compliant: Rely on automated tax deductions and garnishment to accurately manage finance. Avoid stress and costly mistakes by staying compliant with changing tax laws and requirements. 
  • Cut Labor Costs: Delegate procedures like time and attendance tracking new hire onboarding to the end-to-end platform to save money and decrease billable hours on slow-moving processes. 
  • Grow Together: Concentrate on more pressing growth operations by implementing scalable software. Evolve to meet the changing needs of employees and departments with flexible platform options and attentive support representatives. 
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  • Payroll Processing: Automatically calculate employee checks and file taxes while using online faxing, filing and signing technologies.
    • Payroll Reports: Send money out weekly, bi-weekly, twice a month or monthly. Calculate an employee’s gross pay before taxes by simply entering the amount they should receive. Figure out overtime pay for hourly workers whether they have one or multiple pay rates. Leverage other payroll capabilities such as calculating unlimited and off-cycle payrolls, employee reimbursements, bonuses and more.
    • Automated Taxes: Calculate, file and pay all payroll taxes per local and federal legislation through direct deposit. Generate and send 940, 941, 1099, 8974 and W-2 forms for full-time employees and independent contractors. Manage deductions, garnishments and send child support in all states except for South Carolina. Make adjustments, get support and enter claims for the Federal R&D Tax Credit, FLSA minimum wage requirements and the FICA Tip Credit tax.
    • E-Signatures: Sign and file important documents and forms such as W-2’s, 1099s, 940s, 941s and 8974s. Make it easier to get everyone’s ducks in a row, even when separated by thousands of miles.
    • Leave Tracking: Set up and monitor vacation time, time off and sick time. Choose federal holidays or create other holidays for organizations that accommodate different faiths, locations or cultures.
  • Benefits: Make the necessary deductions automatically for medical insurance, 401(K) contributions and more. Give employees dental, medical and vision insurance and help them find the appropriate plan. Provide other benefits such as 529 (college) savings, commuter perks, disability insurance, FSAs, HSAs, life insurance and workers’ compensation.
  • Wallet: Manage banking accounts, emergency funds, paychecks and savings. Create as many as five saving goals, which deduct funds automatically from the correlating spending accounts — transfer funds from savings to spending easily. Put paychecks in different accounts and let workers see checks and the specifics of deductions, hours and taxes. Give access to paystubs, the Wallet app and W-2s.
  • Worker Management: Give workers digital paystubs accessible by the payday email, account or Wallet app. Let employees send money to charities, organize workers into departments and set policies for PTO and sick leave. Customize and assign various permissions to ensure users can access the appropriate content but not sensitive data.
  • Self-Service: Let employees complete tasks like adding dependents, picking out plans and scheduling changes to plans based on personal details. Let them retain access to specific account information after termination to cut down on unnecessary content. Organize reports based on teams or departments and let workers sign essential documents like I-9s and W-4s.
  • New Employees: Report new hires to the government automatically. Send out onboarding papers before new staff members start so they can fill out bank details, contact information and W-4s. Use an onboarding to-do list for tasks like adding employees to the payroll, background checks, filling out an employee’s I-9, setting up benefits and signing forms.
  • Directory: Create an address book of employees with profile pictures and contact information. Give new workers org charts to see where they fit in the organization. Organize fun facts, t-shirt or merch orders, birthdays and communal coffee dates.
  • Calendar Sync: Track deadlines, birthdays and employee anniversaries and sync with other calendars in iCalendar, Google, and Outlook.
  • Integrations: Uses closed APIs. Integrate with platforms like Accelo, Asana, Box, Clover, Dropbox, Expensify, FreshBooks, Github, G Suite, Homebase, Microsoft 365, QuickBooks Online, Receipt Bank, Slack, SpotOn, TSheets, Veryfi, When I Work, Xero, Ximble, Zoom and more. Contact the vendor for custom connections.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Generate and download reports for benefits, payment history, bank transactions, PTO, contract work, tax payments and more
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  • Comprehensive Pay Management: Calculate and pay accurate wages per employee with detailed history and reporting. Account for tax deductions and filings for any state in the US. 
  • POS Compatibility: Integrate platform with many top POS systems to elevate pay management for companies in the food and service industries. Combine with Aloha, Aldelo, PCAmerica, Revention, Future POS, MicroSale, Digital DIning, POSLink, PCMX and FreeTime for complete pay and POS support. 
  • Analyze Data: Sort through data from pay history, paid time off and employee 401(k)s to run reports from within the program. Spot trends and act accordingly. Adjust tracked fields in the Small Business HRIS to see only the most critical employee data. 
  • Digital Library: Use templates for job descriptions and postings, employee handbooks, job descriptions and postings in the online HR library. Customize templates with company-specific information. 
  • Self-Service Portal: Allow new hires to complete onboarding with digital I9 and W4 filings. Enroll in benefits by using the integrated EaseCentral platform alongside your broker. 
    • Employee Records: Find and reprint past pay stubs in the employee portal for increased record keeping. 
  • Partnerships: Offer accounting professionals a competitive expansion of services instead of stealing their client base. Work with accountants in a turn-key partnership to offer behind-the-scenes office support and extend existing client services and solutions. 
  • Compliance: Avoid costly errors with automatic compliance and garnishments are reflective of changing state and federal laws. Mitigate personnel challenges with ACA and labor administration regulations. 
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Product Ranking

#7

among all
Payroll Software

#120

among all
Payroll Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Gusto
Payroll City
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Benefits Management Dashboard And Reporting Expense Management Mobile Capabilities Payroll And Tax Management Platform Capabilities Security And Compliance Time And Attendance Management 95 40 90 54 89 87 80 63 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 2802 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 15 reviews
93%
of users recommend this product

Gusto has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 93% when considering 2802 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

95%
of users recommend this product

Payroll City has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 95% when considering 15 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

4.2 (23)
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4.3 (305)
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4.73 (15)
4.7 (2474)
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Awards

Gusto stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Payroll City stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Easy to Use: Just under 70% of all reviewers found this product easy to use with 10% specifically praising the design.
Great Conflict Resolution: The customer service was noted for being helpful, knowledgeable and excellent at resolving errors.
Helpful Features: Around 40% of reviewers said they appreciated the functionality, particularly praising the tax system, deductions, payroll processing and multiple payment options.
Appropriate Pricing: Over 30% of users felt that the price was well worth the system.
Good for Small Business: This was called a good choice for small businesses in over 10% of reviews.
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User-Friendly Interface: Payroll City is known for its easy-to-use platform, making payroll processing smooth and straightforward.
Strong Customer Support: Users consistently praise Payroll City's responsive and knowledgeable customer support team.
Seamless Integrations: The software integrates well with popular accounting and ERP systems, ensuring data accuracy and reducing manual effort.
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Issues with Certain Functionality: While around 40% felt the solution worked well, another 40% reported issues, especially with the time tracking and integration features.
Slow/Pushy Customer Support: Around 10% of users reported negative experiences with customer service. Of them around 50% felt the staff was pushy and trying to upsell them and 50% felt they had to wait too long for answers or couldn't get in touch with them online.
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User-Friendly Interface: Payroll City is known for its easy-to-use platform, making payroll processing smooth and straightforward.
Strong Customer Support: Users consistently praise Payroll City's responsive and knowledgeable customer support team.
Seamless Integrations: The software integrates well with popular accounting and ERP systems, ensuring data accuracy and reducing manual effort.
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Gusto is a well-reviewed payroll solution which many users enjoy for its good design and easy-to-use features. It’s UI and payroll processing abilities in particular make it a popular choice for automating payroll. Many also feel it handles benefits and PTO well. Some say it's an affordable choice given what it does while others note that it’s on the pricey side. The time tracking features aren’t universally loved. Users are split on the integration abilities with around 10% satisfied and around 10% dissatisfied. All in all, it appears to be a good solution for small and medium-sized businesses looking to streamline their payroll. Keep an eye on the price and, as always, demo extensively before buying.

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Is Payroll City the key to unlocking simplified payroll management? Users seem to think so! Payroll City generally receives positive reviews, with users praising its user-friendly interface and responsive customer service. One user raved about the platform's ability to "talk" to their accounting software, highlighting the seamless integration with other systems like ERP and timekeeping, which sets it apart from competitors that suffer from data loss during transfers. This ease of use, coupled with robust features, makes handling complex payroll tasks a breeze. However, some users expressed a desire for more advanced reporting features, indicating room for improvement. A standout feature of Payroll City is its exceptional customer support. Users consistently commend the knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful staff who go above and beyond to provide solutions and address concerns. One user even exclaimed, "Ask for [rep's name], she is the best!!!", showcasing the personalized assistance provided. While a few users mentioned occasional miscommunications with customer service, these instances appear to be rare. Overall, Payroll City excels in its simplicity, making it ideal for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a reliable and efficient payroll solution. The platform's intuitive design, coupled with exceptional customer support, ensures a smooth and hassle-free payroll experience, freeing up businesses to focus on what matters most – growth and success.

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