Gusto vs BambooHR is less of a head-to-head than it looks. Gusto is a payroll company that added HR features; BambooHR is an HR system that sells payroll as a quote-only add-on. If your main job is paying people and you have fewer than 25 employees, Gusto is cheaper and you can see the whole price before signing. If you need applicant tracking, performance reviews and HR reporting, BambooHR does more, and you’ll be quoting payroll separately.
Gusto vs BambooHR: what each one actually sells
Gusto (facts from its pricing page):
- Simple: $49/month + $6 per person, full-service payroll in one state only.
- Plus: $80/month + $12 per person, adds multi-state payroll, next-day pay, time tracking and scheduling.
- Premium: $180/month + $22 per person, adds HR guidance and tools, compliance service, same-day pay.
- Unlimited payroll runs and tax filings on every plan. Health insurance with no Gusto admin fee. Month-to-month, free setup.
BambooHR (facts from its pricing page):
- Core: flat $250/month for 25 or fewer employees, or $10 per employee above that. Records, reporting, workflows, applicant tracking (5 openings), time off, benefits tracking, surveys.
- Pro: $425 flat or $17 per employee. Adds 360 reviews, 1:1s, recognition, compliance training, 25 job openings.
- Elite: $650 flat or $25 per employee. Adds compensation planning and salary benchmarking.
- Payroll, Benefits Administration and Time & Attendance are add-ons with no published price (add-ons).
Notice what is missing from each list. Gusto’s pricing page lists no applicant tracking, performance reviews or engagement surveys. BambooHR’s plans list no payroll at all. That gap is the whole decision.
Gusto vs BambooHR pricing at 6, 25 and 40 employees
Monthly list price, before taxes, benefits premiums and add-ons. BambooHR payroll can’t be included because it isn’t published.
| Plan | Runs payroll? | 6 employees | 25 employees | 40 employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gusto Simple (one state) | Yes | $85 ($49 + 6 × $6) | $199 ($49 + 25 × $6) | $289 ($49 + 40 × $6) |
| Gusto Plus | Yes | $152 ($80 + 6 × $12) | $380 ($80 + 25 × $12) | $560 ($80 + 40 × $12) |
| BambooHR Core | No | $250 flat | $250 flat | $400 (40 × $10) |
| BambooHR Pro | No | $425 flat | $425 flat | $680 (40 × $17) |
| BambooHR Core + Gusto Plus | Yes | $402 | $630 | $960 |
Three things the table shows (our reading):
- At 6 employees, BambooHR Core alone costs more than Gusto Plus, and Gusto Plus runs payroll in every state. BambooHR’s flat rate means a 6-person team pays $41.67 per employee for HR software; a 25-person team pays $10.
- At 25, the HR-only gap closes. BambooHR Core ($250) is cheaper than Gusto Plus ($380), but you’d still need to add BambooHR’s payroll quote, or pay for a second tool.
- At 40, BambooHR scales per employee. Its FAQ quotes Core at $10.25 rather than the $10 on its plan card, which would make it $410; it also mentions automatic volume discounts. Either way, add payroll on top.
BambooHR advertises 15% off when Payroll and Benefits Administration are bundled with a plan. That’s 15% off a number it doesn’t publish. Its terms also say payroll carries “additional implementation, processing, and auxiliary fees” (§14.1 of the terms of service), with no amounts. Ask for those in writing.
Can you use Gusto and BambooHR together?
Technically yes, which is why “Gusto vs BambooHR” can be the wrong framing: some teams want BambooHR’s HR side and Gusto’s payroll. But the current state of the connection matters.
BambooHR’s own page says an integration with Gusto exists, but Gusto is no longer listed as a partner in its marketplace, BambooHR isn’t updating it, and it may be discontinued at any time (BambooHR). According to that page:
- After an initial two-way sync, data flows one way, from BambooHR to Gusto.
- Active employees sync one-to-one; termination dates sync and mark the employee as dismissed in Gusto.
- Multiple EINs aren’t supported.
- Retroactive compensation changes don’t sync and must be entered in both systems.
Gusto’s own help article on third-party integrations doesn’t list BambooHR, and it says listed integrations are managed by the third party, not Gusto (Gusto support).
Our view: the pairing still works on paper for simple setups, but you’re relying on an integration neither vendor is actively supporting. If you want an HR platform with Gusto’s payroll underneath, note that HiBob says its native US payroll is powered by Gusto’s payroll engine (HiBob announcement). HiBob’s prices aren’t published; we cover it in BambooHR alternatives.
The contract fine print
Gusto is month-to-month on payroll plans. Cancel after the 5th of a month, or after running payroll that month, and you’re billed for the full month; fees aren’t prorated (§19 of the terms; cancellation help). If you need Gusto to file forms after you leave, it charges $100 for federal forms, $100 per state and $5 per W-2 or 1099.
BambooHR has two terms (terms of service):
- Month-to-month: cancel any time, effective at the end of that subscription month (§2.3). Prices can rise with 60 days’ notice, at most once a year per package, with no stated cap (§5.4).
- Extended Term: non-cancelable, remaining fees owed if you leave (§2.3). Auto-renews for 12 months unless you give 60 days’ notice before the end (§5.1). Billed on the minimums in your Order Form regardless of usage (§5.6).
- No refunds for partial months or implementation costs (§5.1). Data download available for 30 days after termination (§2.5).
If a BambooHR rep offers a better rate for an Extended Term, that’s the trade: price for flexibility.
Time tracking and benefits
Two areas where the packaging differs more than the features (all facts from the vendors’ pricing pages):
- Time tracking. Gusto Plus and Premium include time tracking and scheduling; on Simple it’s an add-on at $6 per person per month after a free trial. BambooHR’s Time & Attendance is a separate add-on with no published price.
- Benefits. BambooHR Core includes benefits tracking, not benefits administration. Benefits Administration is a quote-only add-on for US employees. Gusto offers health insurance through its brokers with no Gusto admin fee; if you keep your own broker, the broker integration costs $6 per eligible employee per month.
Our view: if you need time tracking and benefits for a team under 25, Gusto Plus covers both on one published bill. With BambooHR you’d be collecting three quotes: payroll, benefits and time.
BambooHR vs Gusto: where Gusto wins
- Published total price. You can price Gusto for your headcount without a sales call.
- Payroll included. Unlimited runs and tax filings on every plan.
- Small teams. No flat minimum; a 6-person team pays for 6 people.
- Benefits. Health insurance with no Gusto admin fee.
BambooHR vs Gusto: where BambooHR wins
- HR depth. Applicant tracking, performance reviews (Pro), compensation planning (Elite), surveys and HR reporting.
- Teams of 25 or more with someone whose job is HR.
- Reputation for usability. Capterra reviewers frequently praise its ease of use and support (Capterra).
What breaks in each
Gusto. Reviewers on Capterra and Trustpilot repeatedly describe slow or scripted support and difficulty escalating issues (Trustpilot; Capterra). Simple is limited to one state, so multi-state employers start at Plus. Some reviewers say costs climb with headcount and key features sit in higher tiers.
BambooHR. The most common complaint on Capterra is basic or rigid reporting and limited workflow customization (Capterra). Some Trustpilot reviewers say payroll didn’t work as described in sales and needed manual workarounds, and describe price increases and hard-to-reach support (Trustpilot). And its payroll covers US employees only.
Which to pick: decision rules
- Fewer than 25 employees, payroll is the job: Gusto. Simple if you’re in one state, Plus if you’re not.
- 25 or more employees, a dedicated HR person, hiring regularly: BambooHR, and get the payroll quote, including implementation and processing fees, before you sign.
- You want BambooHR’s HR and Gusto’s payroll: budget for both (from $402/month at 6 people), test the integration, and expect some double entry.
- You’d sign an Extended Term: only if you’re confident you’ll stay 12 months, and calendar the 60-day notice date.
If neither fits, see Gusto vs Rippling for the platform route, or our guide to switching payroll providers before you move.
If payroll cost worries you more than HR features, compare QuickBooks Payroll pricing and the low-cost options in our free payroll software guide.
Bottom line
Gusto vs BambooHR comes down to whether you’re buying payroll or an HR system. For most teams under 25, Gusto does the job for less, at a price you can see. BambooHR earns its cost when HR work, not payroll, is what’s eating your week. Our sources and checks are on the methodology page.