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CompareBolto vs Justworks

Justworks has a PEO. And a payroll product. Pick one.

Justworks offers professional employer organization (PEO) plans and a separate non-PEO payroll product. Outgrow one and your company data doesn’t come with you. Here’s how Bolto compares.

Book a demoSee pricing
Justworks logoJustworks
ProductOne systemPEO plans and a separate Payroll product
Tax and complianceRegistration and notices includedYou register state accounts (Payroll)
Global hiringEmployer of record in 150+ countriesContractors in 60+ countries
RecruitingManaged recruiters, AI sourcingATS features and integrations

<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 Justworks gets in the way

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

01 · Justworks

Two products. Data stays behind.

Justworks offers PEO plans, Basic and Plus, and a separate non-PEO Payroll product. Its help center says moving between the PEO and Payroll generally can’t carry company data over, so it has to be re-entered.

Moving between the two means re-entering company data.

One system as you grow.

  • Payroll, tax and compliance, benefits, global HR, and recruiting share one set of employee records.
  • Launch, Scale, and Enterprise run on the same system
  • No new platform to learn when you grow

02 · Justworks

State registration is yours on Payroll.

On Justworks Payroll, the company files under its own employer identification number (EIN) and registers its own state accounts. Justworks then requests power of attorney to file for it. Justworks describes Payroll as suited to one or two states and up to 30 full-time employees.

Registering and monitoring accounts in each new state stays with your team.

Registration and notices are handled for you.

  • AI agents and compliance experts register your state tax and unemployment accounts
  • Notices and amendments are handled for you
  • Federal, state, and local filings, plus W-2 and 1099 filing

03 · Justworks

Global hiring starts with contractors.

Justworks pays international contractors in 60+ countries, in local currency or USD. It also describes an employer of record offering for full-time international hires.

Contractor payments and global employment are separate offerings from your US payroll.

Full-time hires abroad, beyond contractors.

  • Employer of record (EOR) for full-time hires in 150+ countries
  • Instant contractor payouts in 190+ countries
  • One set of employee records for US and global teams

04 · Justworks

Hiring tools. Not recruiters.

Justworks lists applicant tracking among its features and integrates with Greenhouse, Lever, and JazzHR to send hired candidates into Justworks.

These tools organize your hiring. They don’t find the people.

Candidates found, not only handed off.

  • AI sourcing that improves with your feedback
  • Vetted specialist recruiters matched to each role
  • A first shortlist within 48 to 72 hours

Side by side

Bolto and Justworks, compared.

Bolto compared with Justworks
TopicJustworks
Product structurePayroll, tax and compliance, benefits, global HR, and recruiting share one set of employee records.PEO Basic and PEO Plus, with co-employment, and a separate Payroll product without it.
SetupFree migration. An implementation manager builds a week-by-week plan, and most moves are done in under a week.Company enrollment and onboarding through a help-center process. We didn’t find a stated implementation timeline.
Tax and complianceAI agents and compliance experts register your state tax and unemployment accounts, file, and handle notices and amendments.In the PEO, taxes are filed under Justworks’ EIN. On Payroll, taxes are filed under your own EIN and you register your own state accounts.
BenefitsKeep your broker and plans, use one of Bolto’s broker partners, or offer an ICHRA through partners such as Thatch.Medical, dental, and vision administration on PEO Plus, with 401(k) access on both PEO plans.
Global hiringGlobal EOR in 150+ countries. Contractors paid instantly in 190+ countries.International contractor payments in 60+ countries, and an employer of record offering for full-time hires.
RecruitingVetted recruiters matched to each role, AI sourcing, and a first shortlist in 48 to 72 hours.Applicant tracking features, plus integrations with Greenhouse, Lever, and JazzHR.
SupportAn implementation manager during the move. Enterprise adds a dedicated account manager and 24/7 priority support.24/7 support on PEO plans, a customer success team, and paid HR consulting.

Justworks details come from Justworks’s own pages, reviewed November 11, 2026. Check Justworks’s site for current terms.

Switching

What moving from Justworks 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

01Is global hiring built into Bolto, or does it go 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.

02Can we switch from Justworks 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 Justworks?

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. If your benefits are part of a PEO arrangement with Justworks, your implementation manager walks through your options before you move.

05Who handles tax notices and 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.

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 Justworks?

Not much. 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 Justworks?

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 Justworks?
Plan the switch with Bolto.

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

Book a demo

Sources

Last reviewed