Don’t get me wrong, life as a solopreneur can be incredibly rewarding. But it also gives you a whole new appreciation for the unsung heroes of HR departments everywhere! Nearly a decade ago, my wife and I first began seriously considering whether I should walk away from my corporate job and set out on my own. 

I’ll never forget how surprised we were when we realized just how many questions would need to be answered. As my own boss and sole employee, how would I handle paying myself? How would I handle tax deductions? Was there a way to set up my own employee benefits? 

The answer to these questions and more turned out to be Gusto, a payroll program I’ve been using for the last seven years. I know what some of you may be thinking–does Gusto make sense for single-employee businesses?

That’s why I decided to write a Gusto review from a solopreneur's perspective. I’ll give you my honest feedback on the program and hopefully answer some of the questions you may have about whether it’s right for you. 

What is Gusto?

Gusto is a cloud-based HR platform that’s designed to make the administrative side of running a business a whole lot easier. If you’re already familiar with Gusto, you may know that it’s tailored specifically to small and medium-sized businesses. 

But does it work for solopreneurs? I’ve been pleasantly surprised by just how well it does. I’ve been able to use it to manage things like:

• Payroll automation
• Medical benefits
• 401(k) contributions
• Tax deductions and filing
• Regulatory compliance

Overall, it’s helped address many of my initial concerns about becoming a solopreneur without giving up all the perks of a traditional job. With that said, let’s dive deeper into our Gusto review to help you decide whether it’s the right solution for you.  

Gusto Review: Best Features 

There are several reasons that I’ve been a Gusto user for nearly a decade. Here are some of the many ways Gusto has proven so helpful to me as a single-employee business owner. 

Automated Tax Filing

I’ll admit it. To me, calculating payroll taxes for multiple government agencies sounds like the stuff nightmares are made of. That’s where Gusto’s automated tax-filing features have been a total lifesaver. 

Once you get your payroll up and running, Gusto will automatically calculate and file your deductions with all the right government agencies. It even stays on top of ever-changing regulations to help you stay compliant and avoid potentially costly mistakes. Gusto also automatically generates and sends out year-end tax forms like W-2s and 1099s for no extra charge.

This feature alone has been a huge time saver for me. Not to mention the peace of mind that comes with knowing that everything will be handled accurately and on time. 

Benefit Set-Up

Now let’s address the question weighing on many would-be solopreneurs: What will happen to my benefits if I set out on my own? Trust me, I get it. As a husband and father, benefits like healthcare and retirement planning just aren’t something I can afford to be without. 

That’s why I was delighted to discover that Gusto makes it super easy to set up your own benefits. You can set up a healthcare plan right in the platform and even tack on dental, vision, life, or disability insurance. 

When it comes to retirement planning, you can sync Gusto to an eligible existing 401(k) or sign up for a new one through their list of partners. Gusto also offers third-party connections to several other tax-advantaged accounts, from 529 savings plans to IRAs, HSAs, and FSAs. 

Not only does Gusto make it easy to enroll in the right plans for you and your family, but handles all the deductions and payments so you don’t have to. When it comes to managing money for solopreneurs, Gusto is right up there with Monarch Money as one of my all-time favorite money-focused secret weapons.

Easily Adjustable Self-Payments

When you first become a solopreneur, several things take some getting used to. One of them is the idea of trading in the security of a steady paycheck for the fun of financial fluctuation. 

After all, running your own business often comes down to maintaining a delicate balance of income and expenses. With that in mind, it’s not always easy to calculate a set salary or even fixed paychecks. 

Luckily, Gusto built its platform to make it easy to adjust self-payments. All it takes is a few clicks to cash in on a profitable quarter or reinvest a little more back into your business at any time. 

Over the years, I've paid myself anywhere from $30,000 when I was ramping up to over $100,000 when sales were through the roof. Now, I'm around $70,000 after losing a few clients recently, but I'm hoping to bounce back as the year continues. No matter the sales season, I can adjust my salary easily with Gusto.

Customer Service is Excellent

Over the past seven years, I’ve always had great experiences with Gusto’s customer service. The platform has a thorough, well-laid-out Help Center, which is where I usually turn first if I have a question or technical issue. 

But there are also plenty of other options if you do need to reach out for one-on-one assistance. You can always give their customer support team a call or shoot them an email for less pressing issues. 

There’s also a chat option, which I find is usually the quickest. Just like any other large business, Gusto’s customer service team does occasionally get backed up, which can be frustrating. But I’ve always found their support team’s friendliness and reliability worth the occasional wait.  

Gusto Review: Things to Be Aware Of

While I’ve become a big fan of Gusto, I think it’s also important to give you a heads-up about some of its potential downsides. Here are a few things to be aware of if you’re considering signing up.

Not Free (But Worth It)

I get it. When you’re first starting, it’s tempting to keep expenses to a bare minimum. But from my perspective, Gusto is one of those investments that pays for itself by freeing up a lot of time to focus on your business. 

The good news is that Gusto offers a nice variety of tiers, so you only have to pay for what you need. The platform’s Simple Plan currently runs for just $49/month plus $6/month per user, which is not bad compared to pricier competitors. 

If you do decide to give Gusto a try, be sure to take advantage of this special promotion and get up to $100 back when you run your first payroll!

Can Be Overwhelming at Times

Gusto’s robust set of tools and features can be a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, the platform is comprehensive enough to take care of pretty much any HR need known to man. 

The downside is that sometimes it can feel like overkill, especially for a solopreneur like me. While Gusto offers plenty of features I find incredibly useful, there are some that I’ll simply never utilize. 

This took some getting used to at first, but it isn’t much of a big deal once you learn your way around the interface. While Gusto does have a bit of a learning curve, its “set it and forget it” capabilities are a nice trade-off once you get up and running.

Gusto FAQ

Still have questions about whether Gusto is right for you? Let’s get you up to speed on answers to some common questions. 

How much does Gusto cost per month?

Gusto offers several different subscription options for businesses of all sizes. If you’re looking for a one-person business solution, I recommend the Simple Plan. It currently costs $49/month + $6 per person/month. There are also several add-on options, which make it easy to only pay for what you need. 

What are some Gusto alternatives?

Here are some of Gusto’s biggest competitors and how they compare:

• Rippling: While Rippling is a great HR platform, it’s designed for larger companies with much more complex needs. Gusto is a much friendlier option for solopreneurs and small to medium-sized businesses.

• QuickBooks Payroll: If you’re already a QuickBooks user, then this one is worth looking into because it’s designed to integrate with other Intuit products. Personally, I’m not super Quickbooks fluent, however, so I found Gusto’s interface much more intuitive. 

• Justworks: Justworks can be a solid choice for small businesses, though it does cost a little more than Gusto. But it also requires a minimum of two employees (even if one is an unpaid employer) to run payroll, so it’s not the best choice for solopreneurs.

Can I cancel my Gusto subscription at any time?

Yes, you can cancel your Gusto subscription at any time as long as you're an admin with the right permissions. Before you cancel, here’s what you need to do:

• Wait until all payrolls finish processing. You can’t cancel if a payroll is in progress (submitted with today’s or a future check date).
• Turn off AutoPilot. Head to your Pay Settings and disable it before starting the cancellation process.
• Plan for your final bill. Gusto bills after the fact, so you’ll get one more full-month invoice. If you ask Gusto to file year-end taxes (like W-2s and 1099s), expect extra fees: $100 federal, $100 per state, and $5 per form.

After you cancel, you’ll still have full access to your company’s reports, paystubs, and tax documents. Your employees and contractors can log in to view their info too. If your account runs through an accountant or Gusto partner, reach out to them directly as they’ll need to cancel it for you.

Final Thoughts on Our Gusto Review

★★★★★

After seven years as a customer, I don’t hesitate to give the platform a 5/5 star Gusto review. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a way to streamline benefits, payroll, and all the other administrative tasks that go into running a business. 

If you’re ready to see what Gusto can do for you, then sign up for Gusto here to get up to $100 when you run your first payroll!

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What do you think of this Gusto review? Are you considering Gusto for your solopreneur journey?

Please let me know in the comments below.

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