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CompareBolto vs Gusto

Payroll that grows past the small-business stack.

Gusto is built for small businesses. See how Bolto compares on state registration, global hiring, recruiting, and support, and what a move from Gusto involves.

Book a demoSee pricing
Gusto logoGusto
State registrationHandled by BoltoA separate step before filing
Global hiringEOR in 150+ countriesEOR through Remote
PlansLaunch, Scale, EnterpriseSimple, Plus, Premium
SupportImplementation managerPhone and chat in business hours

<1 week

Time to complete most migrations

150+

Countries covered by Global EOR

190+

Countries for instant contractor payouts

48–72 hrs

To a first recruiting shortlist

Where Gusto gets in the way

What teams run into with Gusto, and how Bolto handles it.

01 · Gusto

Filing starts only after registration is done.

Gusto files and pays state taxes once you’ve registered and entered your tax account numbers. Registration is a separate step, through a Business Compliance subscription or a one-time registration with its partner Middesk.

Each new state you hire in repeats that step before payroll there is covered.

Registration is part of the work, not a separate step.

  • State tax and unemployment accounts registered for you
  • Filings and notices handled by AI agents and compliance experts
  • 50-state payroll and tax compliance on Scale

02 · Gusto

International hiring runs through a partner.

Gusto pays international contractors in 120+ countries, with fees on each payment. Hiring an employee abroad is offered as an employer of record (EOR) service powered by Remote.

That makes global hiring a second product with its own setup, alongside your US payroll.

Global hiring in the same system as payroll.

  • Global EOR in 150+ countries, with no local entity
  • Instant contractor payouts in 190+ countries
  • One set of employee records for US and global teams

03 · Gusto

Phone and chat keep business hours.

Gusto’s Help Center is open 24/7, with phone and chat during business hours. Priority Support is a paid add-on on its Simple and Plus plans.

When payroll is due outside those hours, you’re on your own with the help articles.

A person who plans the move with you.

  • An implementation manager and a week-by-week plan
  • Your first payroll run live, together
  • Enterprise adds a dedicated account manager and 24/7 priority support

Side by side

Bolto and Gusto, compared.

Bolto compared with Gusto
TopicGusto
Built forPayroll, tax and compliance, benefits, global HR, and recruiting share one set of employee records.Payroll, benefits, and HR tools for small businesses.
Tax and complianceAI agents and compliance experts register your state tax and unemployment accounts, file, and handle notices and amendments.Gusto files and pays state taxes once you’ve registered and entered your tax account numbers. Registration is a separate step, through a Business Compliance subscription or a one-time registration with its partner Middesk.
BenefitsKeep your broker and plans, use one of Bolto’s broker partners, or offer an ICHRA through partners such as Thatch.Benefits administration is part of the Gusto platform.
Global hiringGlobal EOR in 150+ countries. Contractors paid instantly in 190+ countries.International contractor payments in 120+ countries, with per-payment fees. Employer of record hiring is offered through Remote.
SupportAn implementation manager during the move. Enterprise adds a dedicated account manager and 24/7 priority support.Help Center 24/7, with phone and chat during business hours. Priority Support is a paid add-on on Simple and Plus.

Gusto details come from Gusto’s own pages, reviewed November 4, 2026. Check Gusto’s site for current terms.

Switching

What moving from Gusto looks like.

Switching payroll is a project. Bolto plans it with you and does the heavy lifting.

  1. Plan your move

    Set your timeline with your implementation manager.

    • We decide on a go-live date
    • We build a week by week plan with action items
    • Clear owners are assigned for every task

  2. Bring your records across

    We pull your data straight from your current provider.

    • No manual exports from your team
    • Payroll history and year-to-date balances
    • Mid-year switches fully supported

  3. Set up taxes and benefits

    You sign the forms. We handle filings and benefits.

    • IRS and state tax forms signed
    • Benefits and 401(k) carried over
    • Keep your broker or use ours

  4. Get your team ready

    Your team is set up before the first payday.

    • Employee announcements written for you
    • Employees confirm their own details
    • Walkthroughs for admins and office hours for employees

  5. Check payroll in parallel

    A test run matched against your current provider.

    • Optional parallel runs
    • Thorough line-by-line reconciliation
    • Differences fixed before go-live

  6. Review and go live

    Run your first payroll with us live

    • Final data check by our team
    • First payroll run together, live
    • Regular check-ins, as often as you'd like
See the full switching guide

Customer stories

Teams that made the move.

Fiber AI customer portrait

B2B · SaaS · Recruiting

A five-person engineering team, hired in 17 days.

Bolto helped Fiber AI hire five engineers in 17 days, building a team ready to ship from day one.

Read customer story
Metal America customer portrait

Construction · Payroll · Compliance

A 180-person team, moved off Gusto in 27 days.

Bolto moved Metal America’s payroll, benefits, and global payments off Gusto, and automated 80+ tax registrations.

Read customer story
Isabella DiGiovanni, Cofounder at Trivelta

iGaming · Recruiting · Global Payroll

400+ global team members paid compliantly on Bolto.

Bolto recruits and pays Trivelta’s team across South America, Asia, and Europe from one platform.

Read customer story

Frequently asked questions

01Who handles state registrations on Bolto?

Bolto does. Its AI agents and compliance experts set up your state tax and unemployment accounts, keep them current, and handle notices and amendments for you.

02Can we switch from Gusto to Bolto in the middle of the year?

Yes. Bolto brings over your payroll history and year-to-date balances from your current provider, so nothing restarts when you move mid-year.

03How do we know our first payroll on Bolto will be right?

Bolto runs a test payroll and reconciles it line by line against your current provider, fixing any differences before go-live. Then Bolto runs your first live payroll with you.

04Do we have to change our benefits broker when we leave Gusto?

No. You can keep your current broker and plans, move to one of Bolto’s broker partners, or offer an ICHRA through partners such as Thatch. Benefits and 401(k) plans carry over, and deductions flow into every payroll run.

05Can we pay contractors and international hires on Bolto, not through a partner?

Yes. Contractors can be paid instantly in 190+ countries, and Global EOR lets you employ people abroad without setting up a local entity, all from the same employee records as your US payroll.

06Can Bolto help us hire as well as pay people?

Yes. Bolto Recruiting matches vetted specialist recruiters to each role, with AI sourcing that improves with your feedback and a first shortlist within 48 to 72 hours. Hires move into payroll and HR without re-entering their details.

07What will our employees need to do when we move from Gusto?

Very little. Bolto writes the announcement, employees confirm their own details, and Bolto holds office hours for anyone with questions before the first payday.

08Who will we work with during the move from Gusto?

An implementation manager sets your go-live date, builds a week-by-week plan with a clear owner for every task, and checks in with you as often as you’d like.

Still have a question?

Get in touch

Moving from Gusto?
Plan the switch with Bolto.

Tell us about your current Gusto setup and what you need next. We’ll walk through Bolto’s products and help you plan the move.

Book a demo

Sources

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