Besides leadership and marketing, efficient financial management is one of the main pillars of running a successful business. Contrary to popular belief, this entails more than just balancing books or cutting costs. Financial management also includes timely and accurate payroll processing, managing expenses, and ensuring proper cash flow management.
Handling these tasks manually increases the risk of errors and delays. This is where payroll management and accounting software prove invaluable. Among the top solutions, Gusto, QuickBooks, and Ramp are widely recognized for their robust features and user-friendly design.
Discover which platform best fits your business with this in-depth Gusto vs QuickBooks vs Ramp comparison.
Feature | Gusto | QuickBooks | Ramp |
User Interface | Intuitive and user-friendly | Organized but requires initial training | Simple and efficient |
Pricing | From $40/month + $6/month/user | From $35/month | From 15/month/user (free version available) |
Integrations | HR and payroll tools (QuickBooks, Xero, JazzHR) along with 150+ integrations including Microsoft 365, Okta, and ClickUp | Inventory management, reporting, marketing, and e-commerce tools (Etsy, eBay, Shopify) | 200+ integrations (QuickBooks, Sage, ADP, Gusto) |
Payroll | Automated payroll, tax filing | Payroll included but less robust | Not a core feature |
Accounting | Basic accounting integrations | Full accounting suite | Focuses on spend tracking, not accounting |
Expense Management | Basic tracking, integrates with accounting | Powerful expense tracking and categorization | Advanced corporate spend control |
Gusto HR automates essential processes like payroll, benefits administration, and employee onboarding, significantly reducing the time and effort required for these tasks.
One of its key advantages is international contractor payments, allowing businesses to hire and pay contractors in over 120 countries with automatic currency conversions and localized tax documentation.
Moving over to how Gusto works , the platform offers an easy, three-step process to run payroll, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing. Furthermore, Gusto offers built-in time tracking and HR tools, making it easier for businesses operating in multiple states to manage their workforce effectively.
Unique Features Of Gusto
Gusto Pros And Cons
Users appreciate Gusto’s affordable pricing, customer support, and the contractors-only plan. Furthermore, its ability to consolidate many functions into a single platform is another feature that is highlighted by many users.
A user said:
“Gusto actually has a cheaper and - slightly hidden now - 1099 ONLY plan with no W2. This can be great for more contractor based businesses and saves some costs.”
Source: Reddit
Another user commented:
“I've been using Gusto for 4 years and have had generally had a great experience. We have 6 employees, pay 5 contractors, and offer things like health insurance, PTO, and 401k matching. All run through Gusto.
I have spoken with many humans at Gusto- from customer service agents over email / phone to having a benefits manager assigned to our account (walked us through the onboarding of health insurance).
You can upload documents to each employee's profile and write notes.”
Source: Reddit
Highlighting its contractor-only model, a user said:
“Our company has been running on Gusto for 6 years now. We have US based employees, US based contractors (1099's) and International contractors (newer service which started in the last year.) All in all - its great, especially for the 1099's US based and beyond.
Our payroll runs automatically every 2 weeks, the contractors we pay at the start of the month by entering in the manual dollar amount. Gusto also does all our employee benefits.”
Source: Reddit
That said, users have reported concerns about Gusto’s limitations in terms of handing complex payroll requirements or a large user base.
A user said:
“My experience with Gusto is that it is great for certain types of businesses. Solopreneurs (Sole Props, LLCs), startups with a few employees and/or large contractor base. They do have a new EOR feature which is helpful for international footprint. Once you get to the 25-50 employee range, I'm not so sure. I hear more businesses having issues with timely payroll.”
Source: Reddit
Gusto As Compared To Alternatives
Compared to QuickBooks and Ramp, Gusto is more payroll-focused, offering built-in HR tools that the former two platforms lack. It is a comprehensive HR platform that automates various routine processes, saving manual effort and time.
QuickBooks and Ramp, on the other hand, provide stronger accounting and spend management capabilities, respectively, making them suitable options for businesses that prioritize financial controls over payroll functions.
QuickBooks is a cloud-based accounting solution that helps small and mid-sized businesses easily manage their finances. It offers essential features like invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, and financial reporting, allowing business owners to gain real-time insights into their cash flow.
With automation tools such as recurring invoices and bill payments, the software reduces manual work and ensures accuracy in financial management. Beyond basic bookkeeping, QuickBooks Online supports payroll processing, tax preparation, and inventory management, making it a comprehensive solution for growing businesses.
Unique Features Of QuickBooks
QuickBooks Pros And Cons
QuickBooks is known for its ease of use and bookkeeping features. Users are particularly impressed by its automated tools.
A user said:
“QBO is easy. You link a bank account so transactions are automatically imported. You create revenue, expense, asset, liability, etc accounts in your Chart of Accounts. You can set up rules so that QBO automatically classifies specific types of imported transactions into accounts you specify (for example: transactions with “VERIZON” in the bank text get automatically classified to the Phone Expense account). This way you don’t have to manually classify every imported transaction.”
Source: Reddit
Another user said:
“If you have a lot of revenue and employees in the field that you would like to have do their own time tracking on jobs and the like, it's probably worth it.”
Source: Reddit
Citing concerns over QuickBook’s application for larger businesses, a user commented:
“For my small business, it works well, but I can see how it might feel limited for larger operations. The mobile app is nice for quick tasks but it’s not a replacement for the full version.”
Source: Reddit
While generally considered efficient in accounting management, users have reported problems with the platform’s sales tax module, particularly for companies in multi-jurisdictional areas.
A user said:
"QBO sales tax module for businesses filing in multi-jurisdictional areas is sub-standard. Glitches are common. Online support is less than competent. Otherwise it's probably ok if you don't have an accounting background.”
Source: Reddit
QuickBooks As Compared To Alternatives
QuickBooks is best known for its powerful accounting and bookkeeping features, helping businesses track expenses, reconcile accounts, and manage financial reporting. Compared to Gusto, QuickBooks is more comprehensive in accounting but lacks the specialized payroll and HR tools that Gusto offers.
On the other hand, Ramp focuses on corporate spend management, providing automated expense tracking and corporate cards, whereas QuickBooks offers a broader financial management platform.
Ramp is a corporate spend management platform that helps businesses automate expense tracking, optimize financial operations, and reduce costs. It offers corporate cards with built-in spending controls, allowing companies to set limits, track purchases in real time, and enforce policies effortlessly.
With automated receipt matching and direct integrations with over 200 applications like QuickBooks, HiBob HRIS, and Xero, Ramp streamlines the reconciliation process, saving time and reducing human error.
Unique Features Of Ramp
Ramp Pros And Cons
Users appreciate Ramp for its physical and virtual corporate cards that help them manage their expenses efficiently.
According to a user:
“We moved from Chase to Ramp, literal game changer and I couldn't go back. Not just their physical cards, but their virtual cards allow creative controls and segmentation that has made deploying spend easier than it would have been had we stayed with physical, traditional card providers.”
Source: Reddit
Echoing the same thoughts, another user said:
“Switched to ramp with 70 employees and we have 0 issues with people completing expense reports everything is automated. Requires minimal user input and AI reconciles receipts to the proper transactions. Excellent workflow features and alerts.”
Source: Reddit
Ramp’s ability to combine corporate cards with expense management is another standout feature among users.
A user reported:
“One of the biggest wins with Ramp is how it combines the corporate card with expense management tools. It makes tracking spending super simple—employees can snap pics of receipts, and everything gets matched up automatic”
Source: Reddit
However, users have reported concerns over higher fraudulent charges and the additional work they pose for users.
According to a user:
“We are loving Ramp but we are having higher levels of fraudulent charges. Thus far Ramp has been really easy to work with on these but it's still a bit concerning and creates additional work for employees.”
Source: Reddit
Ramp As Compared To Alternatives
Ramp is designed for businesses that need better control over their corporate spending. Unlike Gusto, which focuses on payroll and HR, Ramp helps businesses optimize financial operations through spend management tools.
Similarly, compared to QuickBooks, Ramp is more specialized in controlling and automating expenses, whereas QuickBooks provides full-fledged accounting capabilities.
When choosing the right financial and payroll platform for your business, it ultimately comes down to your specific needs. Gusto is a better choice if you're looking for a comprehensive HR platform with strong payroll and contractor management capabilities. On the other hand, QuickBooks and Ramp are more suited for companies seeking accounting and financial management tools.
Each of these platforms brings unique strengths, and the best choice depends on what aspect of business finance and operations you need to streamline the most.
