Gusto vs Wave Payroll
A detailed comparison of Gusto and Wave Payroll. See how they stack up on features, pricing, and user ratings.
At a Glance
| Gusto | Wave Payroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $40/mo | $40/mo |
| Free Trial | No | Yes |
| Free Plan | No | No |
| Features | 9 | 7 |
| Best For | SMB | SMB |
Key Differences
Gusto and Wave Payroll share 7 features. Gusto has 2+ unique features.
Only in Gusto
- Slack Integration
- Zapier Integration
Gusto
Cloud-based payroll and HR platform for small businesses handling payroll processing, benefits administration, time tracking, hiring, and compliance in one system.
Wave Payroll
Affordable payroll solution from Wave, designed for small businesses and freelancers already using Wave's free accounting software.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Gusto | Wave Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | ||
| Reporting Dashboard | ||
| EEO/OFCCP Compliance | ||
| GDPR Compliance | ||
| API Access | ||
| HRIS Integration | ||
| Slack Integration | ||
| Zapier Integration | ||
| Mobile App |
Pricing Comparison
Gusto
Wave Payroll
Integrations
Both tools integrate with
Only Gusto
Pros & Cons
Gusto
Pros
- +Best-in-class payroll for small businesses
- +Very easy to set up and use
- +Transparent, affordable pricing
- +Excellent employee self-service portal
Cons
- -Limited to US-based companies (mostly)
- -HR features less deep than dedicated HRIS tools
- -Reporting not as robust as enterprise solutions
- -Not ideal for companies over 200 employees
Wave Payroll
Pros
- +Seamless integration with Wave's free accounting and invoicing
- +Affordable pricing for very small teams
- +Direct deposit and automatic payroll tax calculations
- +Simple interface designed for non-accountants
Cons
- -Full tax-service payroll limited to certain US states
- -No HR features — purely payroll
- -Fewer features than competitors like Gusto at a similar price point
- -No benefits administration
Which Should You Choose?
Gusto leads on both user ratings and feature coverage in this comparison.
Choose Gusto if:
- • Your company is SMB size
- • Higher user ratings matter to you (4.5 vs 4.1)
- • You need a more feature-rich solution (9 vs 7 features)
- • Best-in-class payroll for small businesses
Choose Wave Payroll if:
- • Your company is SMB size
- • You want to try before committing (free trial available)
- • Seamless integration with Wave's free accounting and invoicing
How we evaluate tools
Our ratings combine verified user reviews from G2 and Capterra with hands-on feature analysis. Pricing is checked against official sources. We may earn a commission through affiliate links, but this never influences our rankings or recommendations. Read our full methodology.