GustovsRippling
Score Comparison
Signals Comparison
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)
Rippling
- Customer support slow and email-only for most users(7/10)
- Changes made without customer communication(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)
Rippling
- Frequent product bugs and broken processes reported(7/10)
- PTO calendar exports as list instead of shared calendar(4/10)
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)
Rippling
- Steep learning curve - overwhelming for non-technical users(7/10)
- Confusing interface - icons don't indicate meaning until hover(5/10)
- Cannot preview paycheck before receiving it(5/10)
- Frequent session timeouts disrupt workflow(5/10)
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)
Rippling
- Opaque pricing - no public rates, surprise fees after signing(8/10)
- Core HR runs $21-29 per employee - expensive vs alternatives(7/10)
Gusto
- Difficult to customize employee withholdings(5/10)
Rippling
No signals
Gusto
- Contractor payment limits cause delays(5/10)
Rippling
- Spend module integration issues with accounting software(6/10)
- No equipment delivery to certain countries(5/10)
Gusto
No signals
Rippling
- Mobile app sluggish with bugs and crashes(6/10)
Gusto
No signals
Rippling
- Buffer period between contract and actual onboarding(5/10)
Pricing Comparison
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
Rippling
Users: Per employee
Storage: N/A
Limits: Core platform alone is basic. Payroll, benefits, IT management, and spend management all require additional purchases.
Users: Per employee
Storage: N/A
Limits: Payroll processing requires separate module. Benefits administration separate. Advanced reporting may require Pro tier.
Users: Unlimited
Storage: N/A
Limits: Requires sales negotiation. Long procurement process. May require multi-year commitment for best rates.
Users: Unlimited
Storage: N/A
Limits: Only for large companies. Complex procurement. Requires significant onboarding investment.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Gusto | Rippling |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | ||
| Full-Service Payroll Core feature, works well for basic runs | ||
| Automatic Tax Filing Federal, state, local - but errors reported | ||
| Payroll Processing Additional module cost | ||
| Direct Deposit Next-day on Plus plan only | ||
| Multi-state Tax Compliance Automatic tax filing | ||
| Multi-State Payroll Plus plan required | ||
| International Payroll Growing capabilities, some limitations | ||
| Contractor Payments Separate plan or add-on | ||
| Platform | ||
| Unified HR/IT/Finance Platform Core differentiator - all in one system | ||
| Compliance | ||
| 1099 Filing End of year filing included | ||
| W-2 Filing Automatic year-end filing | ||
| Compliance Alerts Premium plan only | ||
| IT | ||
| Device Management (MDM) IT module required | ||
| App Provisioning/Deprovisioning 500+ app integrations | ||
| HR | ||
| Employee Self-Onboarding Strength - very easy for new hires | ||
| Automated Onboarding Strength - triggers IT setup automatically | ||
| Benefits Administration Health, dental, vision, 401k options | ||
| PTO Management Plus plan required | ||
| Time Tracking Plus plan required, basic functionality | ||
| Performance Management Available in higher tiers | ||
| Recruiting | ||
| Applicant Tracking (ATS) Basic ATS included | ||
| Integrations | ||
| QuickBooks Integration Well supported | ||
| Xero Integration Well supported | ||
| Finance | ||
| Expense Management Spend module - integration issues reported | ||
| Corporate Cards Via Spend module | ||
| Support | ||
| Dedicated CSM Premium plan only | ||
| Security | ||
| SSO/SAML Enterprise tier | ||
| Platforms | ||
| Mobile App iOS and Android | ||
| Developer | ||
| API Access Available for integrations | ||
| Mobile | ||
| Mobile App (iOS) 4.1/5 rating | ||
| Mobile App (Android) 3.2/5 rating - bugs reported | ||