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Drake Tax vs Gusto Comparison

Last updated:

Drake Tax

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Small Business
  • Medium Business

Drake Tax is professional-grade tax preparation software designed for CPAs, enrolled agents, and tax preparation firms of all sizes. Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Franklin, NC, Drake serves over 70,000 tax profess…

Gusto

4.4(873 reviews)

Starting at $49 /Month + $6/Employee

  • Free Trial
  • Freelancers / Consultants
  • Medium Business

Gusto is a comprehensive HR platform designed to help businesses of all sizes thrive. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling rapidly, Gusto provides the tools and guidance you need to grow and nurture your team. Tru…

Gusto leads on user satisfaction with a 4.4-star rating across 873 reviews.

Drake Tax vs Gusto — at a glance

FeatureDrake TaxGusto
Rating—4.4 / 5
Reviews—873
Starting priceContact for pricing$49 /Month + $6/Employee
Free trial No Yes
Free version No No
Best forSmall Business, Medium Business, Large EnterprisesFreelancers / Consultants, Medium Business, Small Business
CategoryAccounting SoftwarePayroll Software
Integrations8+ apps—
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - WindowsSaaS/Web/Cloud
API—Available
Support modesPhone Support, Email/Help Desk, Knowledge Base, FAQs/ForumBusiness Hours, Online
Certifications—SOC 2, GDPR
Data residency—US

Key differences between Drake Tax and Gusto

  • Pricing: Gusto starts at $49 /Month + $6/Employee. Drake Tax pricing is not publicly listed.
  • Free trial: Gusto offers a free trial; Drake Tax does not.
  • Target audience: Drake Tax is built for Small Business and Medium Business, while Gusto targets Freelancers / Consultants and Medium Business.
  • Deployment: Drake Tax supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows; Gusto supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Drake Tax vs Gusto — find the better fit before you commit.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Accounting Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Drake Tax - Professional Tax Software
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Gusto - Payroll Software
Talk to an expert
Talk to an expert

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Drake Tax vs Gusto: Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Drake Tax

Best for

Small Business, Medium Business, Large Enterprises

Gusto

Best for small to mid-sized businesses needing simple, integrated payroll and HR.

Choose if
  • You want an all-in-one platform combining payroll, benefits, hiring, and compliance.
  • Your team values a user-friendly interface with straightforward setup and workflows.
  • You need strong integrations with accounting tools like QuickBooks Online.
Consider alternatives if
  • Your business requires highly complex or heavily customized payroll processing.
  • You are a large enterprise with extensive, process-heavy HR workflows.

Drake Tax typically suits Small Business and Medium Business. Gusto tends to fit Freelancers / Consultants and Medium Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description

Drake Tax is professional-grade tax preparation software designed for CPAs, enrolled agents, and tax preparation firms of all sizes. Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Franklin, NC, Drake ... Read More about Drake Tax

Gusto is a comprehensive HR platform designed to help businesses of all sizes thrive. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling rapidly, Gusto provides the tools and guidance you need to ... Read More about Gusto

Entry Level Pricing

  • Not Available
  • Starts from $49 , monthly

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial

SpotScore

What's this? ↗

Not Available

9.7/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

4.38

(873)

Best Company Size

—
1-50 employees51-100 employees
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Get pricing help

Where each option fits best

See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.

Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.

Strengths

Key strengths

Gusto

  • Streamlined Payroll Processing: Gusto simplifies payroll management, letting administrators run payroll in just a few clicks. Managers can save time and reduce errors, confirming employees get paid accurately and on time.
  • Benefits Management: With Gusto, offering employee benefits is straightforward. From health insurance to retirement plans, you can manage and customize benefits packages that improve employee satisfaction and retention.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Both managers and employees appreciate Gusto's intuitive design. This user-friendly platform means less training time for staff and more focus on what really matters – growing your business.
Best fit

Best fit

Gusto

  • 1-100 employees
  • Human Resources, Retail, Restaurants, Nonprofits, Professional Services
  • HR Managers, Payroll Administrators, Business Owners, Office Managers
Watchouts

Reasons buyers look elsewhere

Gusto

  • Users may seek alternatives to Gusto if they require specific features not offered by the platform, such as advanced payroll reporting or industry-specific compliance tools that better meet their unique business needs.
  • Companies with larger workforces might explore alternatives for scalability, as they may find that other solutions provide more robust support for managing high employee volumes efficiently.
  • Budget-conscious businesses might look for more cost-effective payroll and HR solutions, especially if they find Gusto's pricing structure doesn't align with their financial goals or operational requirements.

Software Demo

Demo

No software demo available

Drake Tax has not given any software demo yet

If you're the owner of this profile, add your demo.Contact us

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  • Independent advice — matched to your business
  • Understand the tradeoffs before you talk to vendors
  • Free 15-min call with a software advisor.

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How do Drake Tax and Gusto Compare on Features?

Total Features

4 Features

54 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

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Compare Drake Tax and Gusto on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

      Starting From

      • Not Available
      • $49 , monthly

      Pricing Plans

      • Not Available
      • Simple

        $49

        /Month + $6/Employee

        • Full-service, single-state payroll

        • Unlimited runs & automated tax filings

        • Employee portal for paystubs & self-service

      • Plus

        $80

        /Month + $12/Employee

        • Everything in the Simple plan, plus

        • Multi-state payroll w/ Next-Day Direct Deposit

        • Time tracking & PTO management

        Show more +

      • Premium

        $180

        /Month + $22/Employee

        • All Plus features, plus:

        • Dedicated service advisor

        • Access to certified HR experts

        Show more +

      Pricing Page

      Pricing information not available

      Gusto pricing

      Drake Tax vs Gusto: Other Details

      Organization Types supported

      • Freelancers
      • Large Enterprises
      • Medium Business
      • Small Business
      • Individuals
      • Freelancers
      • Large Enterprises
      • Medium Business
      • Small Business
      • Individuals

      Platforms Supported

      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Browser Based (Cloud)

      Modes of support

      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online
      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online

      API Support

      • Not Available
      • Available
      Visit Website
      Get help choosing

      Drake Tax vs Gusto Security & Compliance

      Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

      SOC 2

      —
      ✓ Yes

      HIPAA

      —
      ✗ No

      GDPR

      —
      ✓ Yes

      ISO 27001

      —
      ✗ No

      Single Sign-On (SSO)

      —
      ✓ Yes

      Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

      —
      ✓ Yes

      Data Encryption

      —
      ✓ Yes

      Audit Logs

      —
      ✓ Yes

      Data Residency

      —
      🇺🇸 US

      Drake Tax User Reviews & Rating Comparison

      User Ratings

      No reviews available for the product

      Rating Distribution

      No reviews available for this product

      677

      36

      12

      15

      117

      Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

      No expert review available for this product

      Buyer sentiment

      Overall positive sentiment highlights ease of use and comprehensive features, tempered by some concerns over support consistency and limited advanced customization.

      What buyers like

      • Ease of use
      • Customer support
      • Integration with accounting tools

      Common complaints

      • Support communication issues
      • Limited advanced customization

      Pros and Cons

      No pros or cons available for this product

      • Simplifies payroll processing and tax compliance for non-experts

      • Robust integrations with accounting platforms like QuickBooks Online

      • Responsive and efficient customer support

      • Occasional errors or inconsistencies in support communication

      • Challenging transition process from other payroll providers without guidance

      Positive Reviews

      No reviews available for the product

      No reviews available for the product

      Used Drake Tax or Gusto? Tell buyers what actually differs.

      Integrations

      Integration with other apps

      No Integration information available.

      Drake Tax and Gusto Customers

      Customers

      No Customers information available.

      Handlebar Cyclery

      Handlebar Cyclery

      Dwg

      Dwg

      American Canning

      American Canning

      Media and Screenshots

      Screenshots

      No screenshots available.

      gusto

      4 Screenshots

      Videos

      No videos available.

      video-0

      1 Videos

      Top Alternatives to Drake Tax and Gusto in 2026

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      Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

      Frequently asked questions

      Which is better, Drake Tax or Gusto?
      Gusto edges out the other on user ratings (4.4 vs -1.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case, so use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
      Do Drake Tax and Gusto offer a free trial?
      Gusto offers a free trial. Drake Tax does not.
      What is the starting price of Drake Tax vs Gusto?
      Drake Tax starts at Contact for pricing. Gusto starts at $49 /Month + $6/Employee.
      What are the top alternatives to Drake Tax?
      Top alternatives to Drake Tax include Xero, Zoho Books, Divvy, Countingup, LeaseQuery.
      What are the top alternatives to Gusto?
      Top alternatives to Gusto include Paylocity Web Pay, Greenshades, Paychex Flex, Zenefits, SumoPayroll.