Gusto vs Payworks (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Gusto if

• Fits if you want to approve hours and run payroll from your phone
• Works for paying W-2 staff and US contractors in the same run

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if your team works in more than one state, as that needs Plus at $80 plus $12 a person
• Skip it if you want to try before you pay, because there's no free trial on record
• Pricey if you need fast pay on Simple: next-day pay is $15 a month plus $3 a person, same-day $90 a payroll
• Watch out: priority phone and chat support is $30 a month plus $3 a person on Simple and Plus
• Not for you if you pay contractors abroad without an add-on, or want the API, which is for approved partners only

Pick Payworks if

• Fits if you run a Canadian business of 1 to 75 employees
• Works for firms that want a specialist to handle set-up

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you pay staff outside Canada, as it serves Canadian employers only
• Watch out: no prices are published, so cost cannot be compared before contact
• Not for you if you want self-serve signup, as onboarding goes through a specialist
• Too light for larger employers, who are pointed to corporate solutions

Gusto

• Gusto runs US payroll only: W-2 employees, state and local taxes and US contractors. Paying contractors abroad is a separate add-on covering 120+ countries.
• Many extras cost more on Simple: next-day pay is $15 a month plus $3 a person, same-day pay $90 a payroll and instant pay $100 a payroll.
• Priority phone and chat support is a $30-a-month add-on, plus $3 a person, on Simple and Plus.
• Gusto's API is open only to approved integration and embedded-payroll partners, not to customers building their own links.

Payworks

• No prices are published; the site offers an instant quote form, so cost cannot be compared before contact.
• Serves Canadian employers only.
• The small business offering is aimed at 1 to 75 employees; larger employers are pointed to corporate solutions.
• Onboarding is handled through a five-step implementation with a dedicated specialist rather than self-signup.

Gusto

Regular and off-cycle payroll

Runs payroll on a set schedule, including hours, paid time off and bonuses, plus one-off payrolls for corrections or special bonuses.

Tax withholding and deductions

Works out federal, state and local taxes by work location, takes pre-tax and post-tax deductions, and pays by direct deposit or check.

Time and time off

Employees and contractors clock in and out and request time off in the app; admins review and approve hours before payroll.

Onboarding and documents

Add and onboard new team members from the app, and have employees read and sign documents there.

Expense reimbursements

Employees photograph receipts and submit expenses, and admins approve them in the app. The App Store listing limits this to Gusto Plus and Premium.

Gusto CLI and MCP server

Customers connect their own systems to their Gusto account through a command-line tool or an MCP server; the full API is for approved partners.

Payworks

Payroll with remittances

Automatic overtime and statutory pay calculations, preset provincial rules, and government remittances submitted for the client at no extra charge, according to the site.

Year-end filing

Tax form information is submitted to the CRA and Revenu Quebec on the client's behalf, with year-end checklists.

Employee and manager self service

Staff and managers can see pay statements and shared calendars and punch in and out from anywhere.

Shared payroll and HR database

Payroll and HR products share one database, so employee data is entered once.

Franchise and accountant offerings

Separate solutions cover franchises with multiple locations and POS data import, and accountants and bookkeepers who manage a book of clients.

Gusto

• Simple$49

  per month, plus $6 per person paid

  Payroll in one state: unlimited pay runs, tax filings and payments, and basic time-off and holiday pay rules.

• Plus$80

  per month, plus $12 per person paid

  Adds multi-state payroll, time tracking and scheduling, unlimited next-day pay and contractor invoice handling. Marked best value.

• Premium$180

  per month, plus $22 per person paid

  Adds a named advisor and premium support, HR guidance, Gusto Business Compliance, and unlimited same-day and instant pay.

Payworks

Pricing could not be confirmed. See payworks.ca.