Gusto vs Sage HRMS
Verified ratings, feature by feature comparison and real pricing. Everything a North American business needs to pick between these two.

Sage HRMS
On premise HR and payroll for employers who want the data in house
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Ratings
Every score, at a glance
Verified user ratings across every dimension. Gusto against Sage HRMS, nothing weighted.
Dimensions won
50Gusto 5, Sage HRMS 0
Gusto vs Sage HRMS, across 5 rating dimensions
Widest rating gap
+2.4
Gusto leads on ease of use
Verified reviews
425
212 for Gusto, 213 for Sage HRMS
212 verified reviews
213 verified reviews
Ratings by dimension
- Gusto
- Sage HRMS
Share of verified reviews
Which product reviewers actually write about.
- Gusto212
- Sage HRMS213
Cost to get started
Cheapest paid plan, shown per month.
At least one of these is quoted rather than published, so compare the ratings above and get a real number from each vendor.
Head to head
Where each one wins
Row by row, with the stronger score highlighted. Straight from verified reviews.
| Gusto | Sage HRMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4.5 | 3.4 |
| Reviews | 212 | 213 |
| Ease of use | 4.8 | 2.4 |
| Value for money | 4.6 | 3.0 |
| Customer service | 4.0 | 2.9 |
| Functionality | 4.6 | 3.9 |
| Starting price | $49/mo | Custom pricing |
| Free trial | Yes | No |
| Free version | No | No |
Features
Feature by feature, checked off
Everything each product ships, side by side. No marketing gloss.
| Feature | Gusto | Sage HRMS |
|---|---|---|
| Full service US payroll | ||
| Automatic Form 941 and 940 filing | ||
| Automatic W-2 and 1099-NEC filing | ||
| Multi state payroll | ||
| Contractor payments | ||
| Health insurance administration | ||
| 401(k) administration | ||
| Workers compensation | ||
| Time tracking and PTO | ||
| Hiring and onboarding | ||
| Employee self service portal | ||
| US payroll processed in house | ||
| Form 941 and W-2 filing | ||
| Multi state withholding | ||
| ACA 1094 and 1095 reporting | ||
| EEO reporting | ||
| OSHA log tracking | ||
| FMLA tracking | ||
| Benefits administration | ||
| Attendance and leave |
Pricing
Both price lists, side by side
Every plan from both vendors, side by side, priced in US dollars.
Gusto plans
Simple
$49 base plus $6 per person. Single state payroll.
$49/mo
per month
- Full service single state payroll
- Automatic federal and state filings
- Employee self service
- Basic hiring and onboarding
- Health insurance administration
Plus
$80 base plus $12 per person. Multi state and time tracking.
$80/mo
per month
- Everything in Simple
- Multi state payroll
- Time tracking and PTO
- Team management tools
- Next day direct deposit
Premium
$180 base plus $22 per person. Adds HR support and compliance help.
$180/mo
per month
- Everything in Plus
- Access to certified HR experts
- Compliance alerts
- Dedicated support
- Full service payroll migration
Get current pricing
These are list prices and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with Gusto for the figure you will actually pay.
Sage HRMS plans
Sage HRMS
Licensed by employee count and module. Quoted through a Sage partner.
Custom
quoted by the vendor
- US payroll in house
- Form 941 and W-2
- Multi state withholding
- ACA 1094 and 1095 reporting
- Benefits administration
- Employee self service
Pricing is quoted
Sage does not publish a list price, so the only real number is the one they quote you. Ask for the implementation cost in writing at the same time.