Gusto vs Sage Payroll
payroll head-to-head for ERP teams: evidenced capabilities, published pricing, and which ERPs each actually integrates with.
| Starting price | From $6/user/mo (published) | Subscription |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| Company size | SMB, Mid-market | SMB, Mid-market |
| Stated ERP integrations | QuickBooks, Xero | Sage |
| Vendor | Gusto, Inc. | Sage |
Our take
Where Gusto leads
- Stronger evidenced coverage on 7 of the 10 capabilities where they differ (led by contractor payments and multi-state / multi-jurisdiction tax).
- Published pricing where the alternative quotes.
- Stated QuickBooks, Xero integration the alternative doesn't list.
Where Sage Payroll leads
- Stronger evidenced coverage on 3 of the 10 capabilities where they differ (led by garnishment management and custom report builder).
- Stated Sage integration the alternative doesn't list.
Where they differ
The 10 capabilities (of 36 in the payroll taxonomy) where the evidence separates them, biggest gaps first. “Not evidenced” means our research found no public documentation of this capability — the vendor may still offer it. Confirm on a demo.
| Capability | ||
|---|---|---|
| Garnishment managementGross-to-Net Processing | Not evidenced | Core strength Wage garnishment handling |
| Contractor paymentsTime & Data Inputs | Core strength Contractor payments and 1099 handling | Not evidenced |
| Multi-state / multi-jurisdiction taxTax Filing & Compliance | Supported All 50 US states | Not evidenced |
| Custom report builderReporting & General Ledger | Not evidenced | Supported |
| Public API & webhooksPlatform & Integrations | Supported Public API and partner marketplace | Not evidenced |
| Automated payroll runsGross-to-Net Processing | Core strength AutoPilot automatic payroll runs | Supported |
| Off-cycle and correction runsGross-to-Net Processing | Partial Unlimited payroll runs; off-cycle not explicitly documented | Not evidenced |
| New-hire reportingTax Filing & Compliance | Core strength | Supported Electronic I-9 generation |
| Time and attendance importTime & Data Inputs | Supported Native time tracking and PTO management | Core strength Native clock-in/clock-out timeclock data |
| Digital payslipsEmployee Experience & Benefits | Supported | Partial Document management mentioned; not confirmed as digital payslip delivery specifically |
Both grade identically on the other 26 capabilities — see each product's full profile: Gusto, Sage Payroll.
Gusto vs Sage Payroll — FAQs
Is Gusto or Sage Payroll better for ERP integration?
They state different ERP coverage: Gusto lists QuickBooks, Xero; Sage Payroll lists Sage.
Which is cheaper, Gusto or Sage Payroll?
Gusto publishes a starting rate ($6/user/mo); Sage Payroll prices by quote, so a like-for-like number requires asking both.
Get pricing for both
Tell us your ERP, seat count and must-haves and we'll come back with an independent view of what Gusto and Sage Payroll should each cost you — and whether a third option belongs on your shortlist.