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.

BambooHR has the lower entry price — Gusto starts at $35/mo, BambooHR at $10/mo. Free tier: Gusto No, BambooHR No. HIPAA: Gusto —, BambooHR —.

As of 2026-06-13 · figures link to their source below

Side by side

Gusto

$35/mo entry
Entry price$35/mo (Contractor Only)
Free tierNo
HIPAA (BAA)
SOC 2
GDPR
Best forUS-based SMBs running their first payroll

BambooHR

$10/mo entry
Entry price$10/mo (Core)
Free tierNo
HIPAA (BAA)
SOC 2
GDPR
Best forSMBs (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)

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