Best HR & Payroll Software · head-to-head
Gusto vs BambooHR
A sourced, side-by-side comparison for hr & payroll software. BambooHR has the lower entry price. Every figure links to the vendor's own page and the date we captured it.
At a glance
- Price: Gusto $35/mo vs BambooHR $10/mo — BambooHR is cheaper to start.
- Free tier: Gusto No; BambooHR No.
- HIPAA: Gusto —; BambooHR —.
Side by side
| Gusto | BambooHR | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $35/mo (Contractor Only) | $10/mo (Core) |
| Free tier | No | No |
| HIPAA (BAA) | — | — |
| SOC 2 | — | — |
| GDPR | — | — |
| Best for | US-based SMBs running their first payroll | SMBs (25–500 employees) standardizing their HRIS |
Sources — Gusto: gusto.com (verified 2026-06-13). BambooHR: bamboohr.com (verified 2026-06-13).
Key features
Gusto: Full-service multi-state payroll; Automated federal/state/local tax filing; Employee self-service portal; Benefits administration (health, dental, vision, 401k); Contractor payments and 1099 filings
BambooHR: Centralized employee records with org chart and reporting; Applicant tracking system (ATS) with job board integrations; Performance management with 360 reviews and 1:1 tools; Compensation planning and salary benchmarking (Elite); 300+ compliance training courses (Elite)