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Competitor Comparison

Justworks vs. Gusto

PEO

Justworks and Gusto are both top-rated HR solutions for small businesses. Justworks provides comprehensive compliance assistance, access to HR experts and 24/7 support so that you can run your business worry-free. As a PEO, we support your employment-rated compliance needs, so you can focus on your business worry-free.

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Comparison

Justworks vs. Gusto

Get access to modern payroll software and HR services. Or pair it with rich, nationwide employee health insurance from top carriers, all through our PEO model.
Justworks Logo
Gusto Logo
Justworks Logo
Gusto Logo
Tech-Forward Platform
Electronic Signature Features
Access to High-Quality Health Insurance
Access to PEO-Sponsored Large Group Health Plans
Access to PEO-Sponsored Workers’ Comp and Disability Insurance
Proactive Compliance Support
24/7 Multi-Channel Customer Support
HR Consulting at No Extra Charge
ESAC Accredited

Tech-Forward Platform

Electronic Signature Features

Access to High-Quality Health Insurance

Access to PEO-Sponsored Large Group Health Plans

Access to PEO-Sponsored Workers’ Comp and Disability Insurance

Proactive Compliance Support

24/7 Multi-Channel Customer Support

HR Consulting at No Extra Charge

ESAC Accredited

What Sets Justworks Apart

Justworks is dedicated to helping small businesses of all kinds reach their fullest potential. Across payroll, HR, and compliance, we'll help you navigate any challenges you face today and solve any to come with our reliable support, on-demand expertise, and access to quality benefits for top-tier talent.

Simple Software Plus Reliable Support

Save time spent on HR admin and spare yourself the headache with our easy, intuitive software and reliable, expert support.

Get Set Up in MinutesSimply add your team so they can get onboarded onto Justworks. From there, you’re all set! Enroll in benefits, pay your team, and manage your team with ease.
24/7 Support When You Need ItWe’ve got your back (really). Reach out via phone, email, Slack, or chat. You can count on our support to get the answers you need when you need them.
Simple Software Plus Reliable Support Image
Flexibility to Grow With You Image

Flexibility to Grow With You

Start with Justworks Payroll or Justworks PEO and tailor your experience with the option to add on features. And with our PEO, easily upgrade your plan at any time.

The Right Fit for YouStart with a solution that meets your business needs. Then as your business and team grow, switch from Payroll to PEO or our PEO Basic plan to Plus with ease.
Add On Features As You GoTime tracking, health insurance access, open market plan access, or full-time abroad hiring with Employer of Record (EOR) launching in Canada soon — get what you need to get more done.
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We've got your back, 24/7

Running a business isn't a 9-5 job. That's why we offer our customers full-service support, whenever and wherever. By phone, email, chat, or Slack, Justworks' dedicated team is standing by 24/7, ready for the tough questions you throw our way.

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Not Our First Rodeo

Join the thousands of small businesses that partner with Justworks to handle their payroll, compliance, benefits, HR, and more - all in one place.

New Dollar Sign IconPayroll Processing Expertise

You can rely on us to help you run payroll stress-free. To put some numbers on it, we processed over $24 billion in payroll in 2022. In other words, we’re not new to this.

$24B+

Payroll dollars processed in 2022
New Tax IconA Stress-less Tax Season

Take care of your business, we’ll take care of the tax filing. Through Justworks PEO, we processed over $6 billion in federal taxes in 2022. That's $6 billion with a “B.”

$6B+

Federal taxes processed in 2022
New Local Taxes IconRemote Expansion Simplified

Expand in other states or hire remotely stress-free. Justworks PEO supports 2,000 tax localities which makes it easy for us to help file your employer-related taxes.

2,000

Number of tax localities supported
New Document IconDocuments Filed and Ready to Go

Sit back while we take care of filing W-2s and 1099s for you. We generated over 240,000 W-2s for our PEO customers in 2022. You can trust us to get the job done and get more time back for your business.

240k+

W-2s generated in 2022

$24B+

Payroll dollars processed in 2022

$6B+

Federal taxes processed in 2022

2,000

Number of tax localities supported

240k+

W-2s generated in 2022

Justworks vs. Gusto

Justworks and Gusto are both top-rated HR solutions for small businesses. Compare both solutions to see how Justworks and Gusto stack up against each other, so you can choose the best platform for your business.

Justworks vs. Gusto: which is better?

If you’re comparing Justworks vs. Gusto, here are a few things to consider. Justworks’ offerings include Justworks PEO and Justworks Payroll with the flexibility to add extra features to suit your business needs, for example, Time Tracking. Gusto is a payroll + HRIS product that offers add-on features. So depending on what your business needs are, one might be a better fit. Justworks PEO is also ESAC accredited, IRS certified, and SOC 1 and SOC 2 audited. ESAC accreditation and CPEO certification cannot be granted to Gusto as it is a payroll product, not a PEO.

Do Justworks and Gusto have the same credentials?

Long story short, Justworks and Gusto do not have the same credentials. Justworks PEO is ESAC accredited, IRS certified, and SOC 1 and SOC 2 audited, which means we’re held to the highest operational standards. As a CPEO, Justworks PEO is recognized by the IRS for meeting rigorous requirements and must demonstrate a history of financial responsibility, organizational integrity, and tax compliance. Our CPEO certification ​​means our customers can feel confident that tax filings and document submissions are being handled properly and within compliance. Because Gusto and Justworks Payroll are payroll products, they are not ESAC accredited or IRS certified. Gusto is SOC 2 audited. 

What are the benefits of Justworks PEO compared to Gusto?

Understanding the benefits of a PEO can be helpful when considering Justworks PEO vs. Gusto. Through Justworks PEO, you get bundled payroll, HR, compliance, and access to a variety of health insurance plans, plus health and wellness perks. Our PEO also enables us to provide more robust compliance support. We’ll help you stay compliant and help handle employment-related responsibilities, so you have more time for your business, whether your team is multi-state or not.

Justworks vs. Gusto: what kind of health insurance can I get access to?

Both Justworks and Gusto offer health insurance options, though Gusto is limited to offering health insurance through the open market. The main difference between Justworks vs. Gusto is that through Justworks PEO, you can access large group health plans, workers’ compensation, and disability insurance. We work directly with health insurance carriers to offer access to plans only available in the large group market. But, you aren’t just limited to our PEO-sponsored health insurance plans. We also offer an expanded variety of health insurance plans, which means we can offer the same health insurance plans Gusto offers. Through our PEO-sponsored plans, we handle the administration of health insurance like benefits enrollment, claims processing, and compliance-related tasks. Plus, wellness service access is built into your health insurance coverage at no additional cost — including primary care through One Medical, healthcare navigation through Health Advocate, and fertility and family-building benefits through Kindbody.

How does Justworks compliance support compare to Gusto?

When comparing compliance support at Justworks vs. Gusto, consider that Justworks PEO offers proactive compliance support, such as handling federal and state payroll tax filings, providing access to essentials like worker’s comp and EPLI, and sharing updates on employment regulations that can impact your business. This means less for you to worry about and handle on your own. While non-PEOs like Gusto can file W-2s, 1099s, and other state and federal documents on your behalf, Gusto is not a PEO, so filings fall under your employment insurance number (EIN). This means liability will fall on your company if any mistakes are made during the filing process and ensuring compliance largely falls on you to manage. 

Do Justworks and Gusto both offer HR consulting?

Both Justworks and Gusto offer access to HR consulting. Justworks PEO offers HR consulting for guidance on compliance, employee relations, HR best practices, and more. For Justworks PEO, access to HR consultants is included in both our Basic and Plus plans at no added cost. With Gusto, access to HR consultants is available as an add-on or through their Premium Plan.

Does Justworks offer a payroll product?

Yes, Justworks launched Justworks Payroll, a user-friendly payroll platform that streamlines payroll with the flexibility to adapt as your business needs change. In past comparisons of Justworks vs. Gusto, Justworks only offered a PEO solution. As part of our goal to help small businesses access the tools and resources to grow, we’re constantly innovating to bring new products and features to the table that enhance the customer experience.

What customer support can I expect at Justworks vs. Gusto?

Justworks PEO offers 24/7 full-service customer support via phone, email, chat, and Slack to admins and employees. Justworks Payroll offers support via phone and email with responses within one business day. All Justworks support, whether it’s for PEO or Payroll, is backed by a team of people who truly care about helping small businesses like yours succeed. We’ve even won the Stevie Award six years in a row, the world’s top honors for sales & customer service. Gusto offers support during regular business hours on weekdays.

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Learn more about PEO & Payroll

Scale your business and build your team — no matter which way it grows. Learn more about our flexible small business solutions, including our PEO and standalone payroll product.

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