Heartland Payroll vs Gusto Comparison
Heartland Payroll
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Medium Business
- Small Business
Heartland Payroll is a payroll management software for small and medium sized companies. It handles all your payroll processing requirements such as bi-weekly, monthly or yearly paychecks, cost accounting and tracking of…
Gusto
Starting at $49 /user/month
- 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…
Heartland Payroll leads on user satisfaction with a 4.6-star rating across 118 reviews.
Spotsaas Analysis
Heartland PayrollGusto
Heartland Payroll is tailored for small to mid-sized businesses with a focus on payroll efficiency and strong support, making it ideal for those in retail, hospitality, and healthcare with 20-500 employees. Gusto, on the other hand, offers a simple, integrated solution for businesses with 1-100 employees, particularly appealing to those seeking an all-in-one HR and payroll platform.
- Best for small to mid-sized businesses - Focus on payroll efficiency and strong support - Ideal for retail, hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing - Suitable for 20-500 employees - Offers automated tax filings - Integrated payment processing to reduce manual work
- Best for small to mid-sized businesses - Simple, integrated payroll and HR solution - Ideal for 1-100 employees - User-friendly interface with straightforward setup - Combines payroll, benefits, hiring, and compliance - Suitable for HR Managers and Payroll Administrators
Heartland Payroll vs Gusto — at a glance
| Feature | Heartland Payroll | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Reviews | 118 | 873 |
| Starting price | Contact for pricing | $49 /user/month |
| Free trial | No | Yes |
| Free version | No | No |
| Best for | Medium Business, Small Business | Freelancers / Consultants, Medium Business, Small Business |
| Category | Payroll Software | Payroll Software |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud |
| API | — | Available |
| Support modes | 24/7 (Live rep) | Business Hours, Online |
| Certifications | — | SOC 2, GDPR |
| Data residency | US | US |
Key differences between Heartland Payroll and Gusto
- Pricing: Gusto starts at $49 /user/month. Heartland Payroll pricing is not publicly listed.
- Free trial: Gusto offers a free trial; Heartland Payroll does not.
- Target audience: Heartland Payroll is built for Medium Business and Small Business, while Gusto targets Freelancers / Consultants and Medium Business.
- User satisfaction: Heartland Payroll scores higher with a 4.6-star average.
- Deployment: Heartland Payroll supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; Gusto supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.
Heartland Payroll vs Gusto — find the better fit before you commit.
Which tool fits your team best
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Where each product wins, per real buyers
Most Payroll 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.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
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Heartland Payroll vs Gusto: Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Best for small to mid-sized businesses needing streamlined payroll with strong support.
- You run a retail, hospitality, or healthcare business with 20-500 employees.
- You want automated tax filings and integrated payment processing to reduce manual work.
- You value responsive, knowledgeable payroll specialists for personalized customer support.
- Your company is a large enterprise with complex payroll needs requiring high customization.
- You need a highly customizable payroll entry and reporting system beyond standard options.
Best for small to mid-sized businesses needing simple, integrated payroll and HR.
- 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.
- Your business requires highly complex or heavily customized payroll processing.
- You are a large enterprise with extensive, process-heavy HR workflows.
Heartland Payroll: Best for small to mid-sized businesses needing streamlined payroll with strong support. Gusto: Best for small to mid-sized businesses needing simple, integrated payroll and HR.
Description | Heartland Payroll is a payroll management software for small and medium sized companies. It handles all your payroll processing requirements such as bi-weekly, monthly or yearly paychecks, ... Read More about Heartland Payroll | 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 |
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Entry Level Pricing |
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Free Trial Availability |
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SpotScoreWhat's this? ↗ | 8.7/10 | 9.7/10 |
User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | ||
Best Company Size | 20-50 employees51-500 employees | 1-50 employees51-100 employees |
Get pricing help | 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.
Key strengths
- Integrated Payments & Payroll: Combines payroll with Heartland's payment processing, simplifying employee compensation and business transactions.
- Compliance & Tax Filing: Automates federal, state, and local tax filings, helping reduce compliance risks and administrative workload.
- User-Friendly Platform: Designed to simplify payroll with easy-to-use dashboards, direct deposit options, and responsive customer support.
- 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
- 20–500 employees
- Retail, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, and small to mid-sized businesses
- Payroll Managers, HR Directors, Finance Officers, Business Owners, and Operations Managers
- 1-100 employees
- Human Resources, Retail, Restaurants, Nonprofits, Professional Services
- HR Managers, Payroll Administrators, Business Owners, Office Managers
Reasons buyers look elsewhere
- Businesses seeking deeper integration between payment processing and payroll may explore other all-in-one providers.
- Companies requiring advanced HR management, benefits administration, or time tracking may consider broader HCM platforms.
- Firms with multi-state or complex compliance needs might look for payroll solutions specializing in regulatory support.
- 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.
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How do Heartland Payroll and Gusto Compare on Features?
Total Features | 12 Features | 54 Features |
|---|---|---|
Unique Features | No unique features | No unique features |
Get Quote | Get Quote |
Compare Heartland Payroll 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.
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Pricing Page | Pricing information not available |  |
Heartland Payroll vs Gusto: Other Details
Organization Types supported |
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Platforms Supported |
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API Support |
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Get help choosing | Get help choosing |
Heartland Payroll vs Gusto Security & Compliance
Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.
SOC 2 | — | ✓ Yes |
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HIPAA | ✗ No | ✗ 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 | 🇺🇸 US |
Heartland Payroll User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | ||
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Rating Distribution | ||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Users appreciate the user-friendly platform and strong customer service but note onboarding challenges and portal access issues. What buyers like
Common complaints
| 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
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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Positive Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
| Negative Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
Heartland Payroll and Gusto Customers
Customers | No Customers information available. |  Handlebar Cyclery  Dwg  American Canning |
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Media and Screenshots
Screenshots | No screenshots available. |  4 Screenshots |
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Videos |  2 Videos |  1 Videos |
Top Alternatives to Heartland Payroll and Gusto in 2026
Alternatives |
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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, Heartland Payroll or Gusto?
- Heartland Payroll edges out the other on user ratings (4.6 vs 4.4). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do Heartland Payroll and Gusto offer a free trial?
- Gusto offers a free trial. Heartland Payroll does not.
- What is the starting price of Heartland Payroll vs Gusto?
- Heartland Payroll starts at Contact for pricing. Gusto starts at $49 /user/month.
- What are the top alternatives to Heartland Payroll?
- Top alternatives to Heartland Payroll include QuickBooks Payroll, OnPay, Square Payroll, Patriot Payroll, SurePayroll.
- What are the top alternatives to Gusto?
- Top alternatives to Gusto include Paylocity Web Pay, Greenshades, Paychex Flex, Zenefits, SumoPayroll.