Gusto

What it does

Gusto runs payroll (W-2 employees and 1099 contractors), files payroll taxes automatically, and offers benefits administration (health insurance, 401(k)), onboarding tools, and basic HR features like time tracking and PTO management. Pricing is tiered by feature depth, with multi-state payroll and more HR tooling unlocked at higher tiers. It's one of the most widely adopted payroll platforms for small and early-stage businesses because of its clean interface and strong accountant partner ecosystem, which connects it deeply into a lot of small business bookkeeping workflows.

Who this helps

• Small businesses running payroll for W-2 employees for the first time

• Businesses paying a mix of employees and 1099 contractors

• Bookkeepers and accountants managing payroll for multiple small business clients

• Growing teams that need benefits administration bundled with payroll