Small business is not an easy activity. Between keeping everyone happy at work, maintaining day-to-day activities, and ensuring your staff is paid on time, things can quickly get out of hand. This is why making the right decision in payroll software selection is so important; it helps save time, reduce stress, and, most importantly, stay compliant with taxes.

When trying to find payroll tools, you are likely to come across several names, which are PayProNext and Gusto. At face value, they may appear alike. They both allow you to process payrolls, process tax returns, as well as pay your employees promptly. However, a little deeper under the water, you find the contrasts.

Alright, so we're going to analyze this in simple English. Yes, I had to say that without any jargon or filler to determine which one best suits your company.

Pricing: And the Big Difference

Budget is what counts when you have a small business. You do not want to spend more and waste money on the software that satisfies your needs much more than you would spend.

• PayProNext keeps it simple. Plans start as low as $7/month and go up to $15/month +$1.5 per employee. Even at that price, you still get direct deposits, tax filing, W-2 and 1099 support, and an employee self-service portal.
• Gusto, on the other hand, is much pricier. Their basic plan is $49/month + $6 per employee, and if you want the “good stuff” like HR tools, the price jumps to $80/month + $12 per employee.

If you’re a small business owner who just wants reliable payroll without draining your budget, PayProNext wins this round hands down.

Features - What Do You Really Need?

Now that is when the discussion starts to get really interesting.

• PayProNext is built for small businesses, freelancers, and startups. It gives you everything you need to run payroll, file taxes, and generate reports, but without the extra layers of complexity. Think of it as a “straight-to-the-point” tool.
• Gusto, meanwhile, is more like a full HR system. It includes payroll, as well as items such as hiring equipment, onboarding, time tracking as well and employee benefits. It is excellent when you manage a company with tens of employees, but when you are just stepping on the path of a company creation, you can find many of those features lying idle, and you still pay a price for those features.

Bottom line: If payroll is your main concern, PayProNext has you covered. If you want payroll plus HR features in one platform, then Gusto might make sense, but you’ll pay extra for it.

Ease of Use: How Much Time Will It Save You?

Let’s be real: nobody wakes up excited to run payroll. The faster and easier it is, the better.

• With PayProNext, you can get payroll done in just a few clicks. The platform is simple and straightforward with no steep learning curve.
• Gusto has a beautiful interface and plenty of features, but with more options comes more time spent learning how to use them.
  

If you’re someone who values speed and simplicity, PayProNext is the winner here.

Which One Should You Choose?

Here’s the honest truth: there’s no single “best” payroll software. It all depends on what your business needs right now.

• Choose PayProNext if…
  You’re a freelancer, solopreneur, or small business owner with under 20 employees who just needs affordable, reliable payroll. At $7/month, it’s hard to beat.
• Choose Gusto if…
  You’re growing fast, plan to hire a larger team, and need HR features like benefits management and onboarding. Just know you’ll be paying quite a bit more.
  

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, both PayProNext and Gusto are solid payroll options. The key difference is this:

• PayProNext = affordable, simple, and designed for small businesses.
• Gusto = payroll + HR, but at a much higher cost.

If your priority is to pay employees on time, file taxes correctly, and keep costs low, PayProNext is the smarter choice.

Ready to see how easy payroll can be?

Get started with PayProNext today for just $7/month

Frequently Asked Questions regarding Payroll Software

1. What payroll software should I select to be used in my business?

Consider the size of the team, budget, and expansion plans. PayProNext is a good choice when you have fewer than 20 employees and are economical. Gusto can be a fit, though, if you are growing rapidly and require HR tools.

2. Is PayProNext legit?

Yes. PayProNext is a trustworthy payroll software developed for small businesses. It also does payroll automation, direct deposits, and tax filings for a fraction of the price of larger providers.

4. What are the most widespread mistakes about payroll that small businesses typically make?

• Tax deficiencies
• Misclassification by the labeling of workers as either employees or contractors
• Missing deductions or reimbursements
• Requests Using outdated spreadsheets

The positive? Most of these errors are avoided by payroll software.