BambooHRvsGusto
Score Comparison
Signals Comparison
BambooHR
- No public pricing - forces sales calls(8/10)
- Expensive add-ons inflate total cost(8/10)
Gusto
- Constant price increases - Simple plan jumped from $40 to $49(7/10)
- Charged full month fee even when canceling without running payroll(6/10)
- Expensive for growing teams - costs escalate quickly(6/10)
BambooHR
- Reporting engine lacks depth and flexibility(7/10)
- Time tracking UI requires excessive scrolling(6/10)
- Document organization is painful(5/10)
Gusto
- Making corrections is nearly impossible(8/10)
- Off-cycle payroll breaks overtime calculations(7/10)
- Employee UI is clunky and software becomes sluggish(5/10)
BambooHR
- ATS module too basic - lacks advanced features(7/10)
- Benefits administration not competitive(6/10)
Gusto
- Contractor payment limits cause delays(5/10)
BambooHR
- Support quality drops dramatically after sales(8/10)
Gusto
- Customer support extremely slow - takes days to weeks for replies(9/10)
- Support staff cannot answer questions or transfer to someone who can(8/10)
- Support tickets disappear and online tickets not taken(8/10)
BambooHR
- Rigid platform - limited customization options(7/10)
Gusto
- Difficult to customize employee withholdings(5/10)
BambooHR
- Payroll confusing error messages and tax ID limits(7/10)
- Frequent bugs and slow load times(6/10)
Gusto
- Payroll errors and missing payments to employees(10/10)
- Tax filing errors and incorrect EIN handling(9/10)
- Unexpected withdrawals and billing errors(8/10)
BambooHR
- Mobile app limited compared to desktop(6/10)
Gusto
No signals
BambooHR
- Emails appear as external - phishing vulnerability(8/10)
Gusto
No signals
BambooHR
- Leave management setup overly complex(6/10)
Gusto
No signals
Pricing Comparison
BambooHR
Users: Flat rate under 25 employees, then per-employee
Storage: Standard
Limits: Limited customization, Basic reporting only, No performance management, No advanced workflows
Users: Per employee
Storage: Standard
Limits: No custom dashboards, No advanced compensation management, Still requires add-ons for full HR suite
Users: Per employee
Storage: Enhanced
Limits: Still requires payroll/benefits add-ons for complete solution, Complex procurement process
Users: Per employee
Storage: N/A
Limits: One tax ID only - problematic for multi-location companies, US only, Complex compensation poorly supported
Users: Per employee
Storage: N/A
Limits: Clunky interface with excessive scrolling, Limited for remote/hybrid teams, Desktop version better than mobile
Gusto
Users: Per employee: $6/month
Storage: N/A
Limits: Single state only, No next-day direct deposit, No time tracking, No PTO management, Limited HR tools
Users: Per employee: $12/month
Storage: N/A
Limits: No dedicated CSM, No priority support, No compliance alerts, No HR expert access
Users: Per employee: $22/month
Storage: N/A
Limits: Requires larger budget, May be overkill for simple payroll needs
Users: Per contractor: $6/month
Storage: N/A
Limits: No W-2 employee support, Contractor payment frequency limits, No benefits
Users: Per international employee
Storage: N/A
Limits: Only available through Gusto Global, Additional setup requirements
Feature Comparison
| Feature | BambooHR | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| Core HR | ||
| Employee Records Database Centralized employee information | ||
| Employee Self-Service Employees update own info | ||
| Time-Off Tracking Included in base plans | ||
| Document Storage Limited folder organization | ||
| Payroll | ||
| Full-Service Payroll Core feature, works well for basic runs | ||
| Automatic Tax Filing Federal, state, local - but errors reported | ||
| Direct Deposit Next-day on Plus plan only | ||
| Contractor Payments Separate plan or add-on | ||
| Payroll Processing Paid add-on, single tax ID only | ||
| Multi-State Payroll US only, one tax ID limitation | ||
| Onboarding | ||
| Onboarding Workflows Well-designed for new hires | ||
| Offboarding Workflows Standard offboarding tasks | ||
| Compliance | ||
| 1099 Filing End of year filing included | ||
| W-2 Filing Automatic year-end filing | ||
| Compliance Alerts Premium plan only | ||
| Recruiting | ||
| Applicant Tracking (ATS) Basic - lacks advanced features | ||
| Candidate Ranking/Scoring Not available | ||
| Resume Parsing Basic parsing only | ||
| HR | ||
| Employee Self-Onboarding Strength - very easy for new hires | ||
| PTO Management Plus plan required | ||
| Time | ||
| Time Tracking Paid add-on, poor UI | ||
| Integrations | ||
| QuickBooks Integration Well supported | ||
| Xero Integration Well supported | ||
| API Access Available for custom integrations | ||
| Performance | ||
| Performance Management Pro plan and above | ||
| Goal Tracking Pro plan and above | ||
| Benefits | ||
| Benefits Administration Paid add-on, limited automation | ||
| Support | ||
| Dedicated CSM Premium plan only | ||
| Reporting | ||
| Standard Reports 30 pre-built reports | ||
| Custom Reports Limited, Advantage tier only | ||
| Platforms | ||
| Mobile App iOS and Android | ||
| Mobile App (iOS) Limited vs desktop | ||
| Mobile App (Android) Limited vs desktop | ||
| Security | ||
| SSO/SAML Higher tiers only | ||