Gusto vs Rippling

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Our analysts compared Gusto vs Rippling based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Payroll Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Gusto is a web-based payroll system for medium-sized organizations. It handles benefits, compliance, direct deposit, employee self-service, employee management, payment processing and taxes. Using automation, calculators and other administrative and HR modules, users can streamline the entire process of paying employees. It integrates with other technologies to offer expanded services such as accounting, bookkeeping, POS, time tracking and other business operations. In addition to filing taxes, it scans the laws of over 50 states to ensure accurate state and federal payments, helping organizations avoid penalties.
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Rippling is a cloud-based, unified platform that helps manage employee data, payroll, benefits, devices, apps and more, seamlessly integrating essential HR, IT and financial functions. Designed for small and medium businesses, it lets administrators oversee operations from HR to IT with a single click.

Features include custom reporting and graphs, digital document management, time tracking, workflow approval management and provisioning. It enables users to automate administrative work from onboarding new hires to offboarding.
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Product Assistance

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Product Insights

  • Flexible and Easier to Use: Guides admins through set-up and features a user-friendly interface. Let employees account for unexpected expenses, up to 40% of their paycheck, by automatically taking the amount out of their next check.
  • More Cost-Effective: Take advantage of a one-month free trial before full implementation. Subscribe on a monthly basis or based on a price quote, depending on the business’s needs.
  • Better Compliance: Check for updated tax law ensures that the proper documents are filed on time and follow the most recent legislation. Help users keep in compliance with ACA, ERISA and HIPAA standards. Record tests to comply with nondiscrimination policies from the IRS or benefits programs such as FSAs.
  • Timer Saver: Cut down on busy work and manual data entry to save valuable employee hours in payroll processing and tax filing. Manage and complete administrative work by accessing premade job templates, HR guides, live harassment prevention webinars, fitness tests, handbooks, best practices, manuals and more.
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  • Powerful Reporting: Provide employee turnover insights for HR, app usage monitoring for IT and compensation trends for finance. The platform facilitates the creation of customized reports and graphs, providing crucial data for informed decision-making. Run powerful prebuilt reports like compensation and payroll journal reports, or create custom reports and graphs using any employee attribute. 
  • Automatic Tax Filing: The system simplifies payroll tax calculations and filing, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local agencies. From W2s and W4s to 1099s and new hire filings, automate all compliance-related tasks, bringing peace of mind to administrative processes. 
  • Go Paperless: Digitize and manage every document, from offer letters to employee handbooks, streamlining processes and reducing reliance on paper.
  • Seamless Integration: Connect with over 500 apps to set up new hires in platforms like Slack, issue corporate cards that integrate directly with the Rippling's Financial Cloud payroll system, control door access with Proxy, and automate manual tasks through the Rippling App Shop. 
  • Unified Employee Database: Get accurate employee data across all modules, eliminating manual entry and minimizing errors in the workforce management process. The system’s advanced Rippling Recruiting ATS integrates seamlessly with their Headcount Planning and Compensation Bands products. 
  • Robust Data Protection: Enhance security by incorporating Cylance for real-time, AI-powered threat detection, safeguarding devices from malware and viruses.
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  • Payroll Processing: Automatically calculate employee checks and file taxes while using online faxing, filing and signing technologies.
    • Payroll Reports: Send money out weekly, bi-weekly, twice a month or monthly. Calculate an employee’s gross pay before taxes by simply entering the amount they should receive. Figure out overtime pay for hourly workers whether they have one or multiple pay rates. Leverage other payroll capabilities such as calculating unlimited and off-cycle payrolls, employee reimbursements, bonuses and more.
    • Automated Taxes: Calculate, file and pay all payroll taxes per local and federal legislation through direct deposit. Generate and send 940, 941, 1099, 8974 and W-2 forms for full-time employees and independent contractors. Manage deductions, garnishments and send child support in all states except for South Carolina. Make adjustments, get support and enter claims for the Federal R&D Tax Credit, FLSA minimum wage requirements and the FICA Tip Credit tax.
    • E-Signatures: Sign and file important documents and forms such as W-2’s, 1099s, 940s, 941s and 8974s. Make it easier to get everyone’s ducks in a row, even when separated by thousands of miles.
    • Leave Tracking: Set up and monitor vacation time, time off and sick time. Choose federal holidays or create other holidays for organizations that accommodate different faiths, locations or cultures.
  • Benefits: Make the necessary deductions automatically for medical insurance, 401(K) contributions and more. Give employees dental, medical and vision insurance and help them find the appropriate plan. Provide other benefits such as 529 (college) savings, commuter perks, disability insurance, FSAs, HSAs, life insurance and workers’ compensation.
  • Wallet: Manage banking accounts, emergency funds, paychecks and savings. Create as many as five saving goals, which deduct funds automatically from the correlating spending accounts — transfer funds from savings to spending easily. Put paychecks in different accounts and let workers see checks and the specifics of deductions, hours and taxes. Give access to paystubs, the Wallet app and W-2s.
  • Worker Management: Give workers digital paystubs accessible by the payday email, account or Wallet app. Let employees send money to charities, organize workers into departments and set policies for PTO and sick leave. Customize and assign various permissions to ensure users can access the appropriate content but not sensitive data.
  • Self-Service: Let employees complete tasks like adding dependents, picking out plans and scheduling changes to plans based on personal details. Let them retain access to specific account information after termination to cut down on unnecessary content. Organize reports based on teams or departments and let workers sign essential documents like I-9s and W-4s.
  • New Employees: Report new hires to the government automatically. Send out onboarding papers before new staff members start so they can fill out bank details, contact information and W-4s. Use an onboarding to-do list for tasks like adding employees to the payroll, background checks, filling out an employee’s I-9, setting up benefits and signing forms.
  • Directory: Create an address book of employees with profile pictures and contact information. Give new workers org charts to see where they fit in the organization. Organize fun facts, t-shirt or merch orders, birthdays and communal coffee dates.
  • Calendar Sync: Track deadlines, birthdays and employee anniversaries and sync with other calendars in iCalendar, Google, and Outlook.
  • Integrations: Uses closed APIs. Integrate with platforms like Accelo, Asana, Box, Clover, Dropbox, Expensify, FreshBooks, Github, G Suite, Homebase, Microsoft 365, QuickBooks Online, Receipt Bank, Slack, SpotOn, TSheets, Veryfi, When I Work, Xero, Ximble, Zoom and more. Contact the vendor for custom connections.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Generate and download reports for benefits, payment history, bank transactions, PTO, contract work, tax payments and more
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  • Onboarding and Offboarding: Onboard employees across departments from anywhere in the world with a single click, setting up payroll, benefits, devices, and apps like Slack and Microsoft 365 within 90 seconds, according to the vendor. When employees are offboarded, the system automatically disables departing employees’ devices. 
  • Payroll: Users need not worry about deductions, paid time off or promotions — the payroll feature is synced with all employee data and HR systems. New hires are set up in payroll and pro-rated automatically. Tools like payrun comparison allow users to compare the current pay run against a previous one, so they can see how variables like promotions and PTO affect employee pay stubs. The module’s global payroll feature expands HR, IT and financial services abroad.
  • Benefits Administration: The system streamlines all a company’s benefits offerings in one place, from healthcare to 401(k)s. Users can choose from preexisting benefits or shop for new benefits, receiving recommendations on the best options. They can also talk with a licensed Rippling advisor or invite their own broker. New hires are automatically invited to review benefit plans and enroll online. 
  • Workflow Management: Automates changes in the chain of approval, empowering managers to define and execute changes quickly and easily. Managers can and make changes, like giving someone a raise, without giving up control.
  • Time Tracking: Managers can set a PTO policy that meets the team's requirements. They can then review and approve vacation requests with a click. Logged hours and paid time off are synced with payroll. 
  • ATS: Rippling Recruiting offers a comprehensive toolset, from candidate assessments and in-platform scheduling to feedback forms and customizable email templates. One-click hiring workflows make it easier to manage onboarding. It also integrates with Rippling Headcount Planning and Compensation Band.
  • Rippling Headcount Planning and Compensation Bands: Achieve visibility and alignment for HR, finance and hiring managers with a single source of data and better access controls.
    • Stakeholders can view actual and projected headcount, and automation saves time during the approval process.
    • Compensation reporting helps track pay trends and prevent over or underpaying. Workflows provide alerts when compa-ratios change and automate the process of enforcing compensation policies.
  • ACA and Cobra Administration: Ensures compliance by automatically delivering ACA notices, and it collects and submits employees’ COBRA payments. It also offers FSA, HSA and commuter benefits on one, pre-tax debit card. 
  • IT and Operations Management: Users can automatically buy, configure, secure and manage company devices — both Apple and Android — with an IT system connected to a single employee record. Administrators gain total visibility into every device across the company. They can remotely track employees’ security status and app usage, make changes, and re-assign devices to new employees. They can also install apps on work computers according to attributes like role and location. 
  • Security: Facilitates app management, controls employee access with single sign-on (SSO), and ensures data security with multi-factor authentication and device encryption features. Managers can disable computers during offboarding, encrypt employees’ hard drives, enable multi-factor authentication, push OS and security updates, and lock and wipe lost or stolen devices. 
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Product Ranking

#7

among all
Payroll Software

#46

among all
Payroll Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

80
80
95
94
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Benefits Management
Expense Management
Payroll and Tax Management
Platform Capabilities
Security and Compliance
Benefits Management
Native Integrations and Extensibility
Payroll and Tax Management
Time and Attendance Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Gusto
Rippling
+ Add Product + Add Product
Benefits Management Dashboard And Reporting Expense Management Mobile Capabilities Payroll And Tax Management Platform Capabilities Security And Compliance Time And Attendance Management 95 40 90 54 89 87 80 63 94 60 50 43 85 83 97 85 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

71%
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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 2802 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 4543 reviews
93%
of users recommend this product

Gusto has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 93% when considering 2802 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

97%
of users recommend this product

Rippling has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 97% when considering 4543 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.2 (23)
n/a
4.3 (305)
4.9 (1154)
n/a
4.88 (1615)
4.7 (2474)
4.9 (1354)
n/a
4.4 (420)

Awards

Gusto stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Rippling stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Easy to Use: Just under 70% of all reviewers found this product easy to use with 10% specifically praising the design.
Great Conflict Resolution: The customer service was noted for being helpful, knowledgeable and excellent at resolving errors.
Helpful Features: Around 40% of reviewers said they appreciated the functionality, particularly praising the tax system, deductions, payroll processing and multiple payment options.
Appropriate Pricing: Over 30% of users felt that the price was well worth the system.
Good for Small Business: This was called a good choice for small businesses in over 10% of reviews.
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Global Payroll and Benefits: Rippling streamlines international payroll and benefits administration, eliminating the need for disparate systems and manual processes.
Automated Onboarding and Offboarding: New hires can be onboarded efficiently with automated workflows that handle paperwork, equipment provisioning, and systems access. Similarly, offboarding processes are streamlined, ensuring smooth transitions and compliance.
Customizable Workflows: Rippling allows HR teams to create custom workflows tailored to their specific needs, automating tasks such as approvals, data collection, and notifications.
Integrations: Rippling integrates seamlessly with various HR and business applications, including payroll, benefits, time and attendance, and applicant tracking systems, creating a unified HR ecosystem.
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Issues with Certain Functionality: While around 40% felt the solution worked well, another 40% reported issues, especially with the time tracking and integration features.
Slow/Pushy Customer Support: Around 10% of users reported negative experiences with customer service. Of them around 50% felt the staff was pushy and trying to upsell them and 50% felt they had to wait too long for answers or couldn't get in touch with them online.
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Steep Learning Curve: The platform's complexity can be overwhelming for new users, especially those unfamiliar with HR software. Navigating the interface and understanding its features may require significant time investment and training.
Customer Support Challenges: Some users have reported difficulties reaching customer support or experiencing slow response times, leading to frustration when seeking assistance with technical issues or general inquiries.
Integrations and Customization Limitations: While Rippling offers various integrations, it may not seamlessly connect with all existing HR systems or third-party tools used by businesses, potentially requiring additional configuration or workarounds.
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Gusto is a well-reviewed payroll solution which many users enjoy for its good design and easy-to-use features. It’s UI and payroll processing abilities in particular make it a popular choice for automating payroll. Many also feel it handles benefits and PTO well. Some say it's an affordable choice given what it does while others note that it’s on the pricey side. The time tracking features aren’t universally loved. Users are split on the integration abilities with around 10% satisfied and around 10% dissatisfied. All in all, it appears to be a good solution for small and medium-sized businesses looking to streamline their payroll. Keep an eye on the price and, as always, demo extensively before buying.

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Navigating the realm of human resources software can feel like venturing into a labyrinth, but Rippling appears to be a guiding light for many businesses. Users frequently highlight its user-friendly interface, making it accessible even for those with limited experience in HR software. Affordability is another key factor that resonates with users, especially when compared to the often hefty price tags of similar solutions. The comprehensive suite of features offered by Rippling further solidifies its appeal, encompassing everything from payroll and benefits administration to talent management and time tracking. This all-in-one approach eliminates the need for multiple, disparate systems, streamlining HR processes and reducing administrative burdens. Rippling distinguishes itself through its seamless integrations with third-party applications, such as Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Office 365. This interconnectedness fosters a more cohesive and efficient work environment, allowing data to flow effortlessly between different platforms. Additionally, Rippling's automation capabilities empower businesses to automate repetitive tasks, such as onboarding new employees or processing payroll, freeing up valuable time and resources. The platform's robust reporting and analytics tools provide valuable insights into workforce trends and performance, enabling data-driven decision-making. Considering its strengths and weaknesses, Rippling emerges as an ideal solution for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a comprehensive, yet affordable and user-friendly HR platform. Its scalability ensures that it can grow alongside a business, adapting to evolving needs and complexities. While larger enterprises with more intricate HR requirements might require a more customizable solution, Rippling's core functionalities and ease of use make it a compelling choice for businesses looking to optimize their HR operations and enhance overall efficiency.

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