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Gusto Review: Payroll Software for Lawyers

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Lawyerist Rating for Gusto

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Rating Breakdown

Our Rating: 4.5/5

Our rating is based on our subjective judgment. Use our resources—including our rating and community ratings and reviews—to find the best fit for your firm.

4.5/5

Overview
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What is Gusto?

Gusto payroll software is a supplemental product to standard law firm accounting software. Although its main function is payroll, our review of Gusto finds that it supports other HR functions, such as bill pay, Health Benefits, Paid Time Off (PTO), and Contractor payments. 

Starting Cost: $6/user/month

Pros
  • Integrations
  • Broad Usage
  • HR Resource
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Add-on Product
  • Not for Solos
Overview
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Gusto Review: Payroll Software for Lawyers Features

Customer Experience & Support

/5

Price & Value

/5

Security

/5

Innovation & Future-Proofing

/5

Overview
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Gusto Review: Payroll Software for Lawyers Video

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Product Details

Apps
  • Web

Core Features

For Accounting & Bookkeeping, the following are essential features, and you should therefore expect to see a check in every box in this section.

Yes
No

Free Trial

Basic Bookkeeping

This means simple double-entry bookkeeping.

Connect Bank Accounts

Link your bank accounts for up-to-date transaction information with little or no manual data entry.

Billing/Invoicing

Online Payments

This means the ability to accept credit card or echeck payments within your accounting software, either through its own payment portal or via a third-party integration like PayPal or Square. Most online payments involve a separate processing fee.

Timekeeping

Mileage Tracking

Keep track of miles traveled visiting clients or heading to the courthouse, making it easier to tally for taxes or billing purposes or add to your expense reports.

Bill Payment

Pay your firm's bills without leaving your accounting software.

Statement Reconciliation

Helps with the complex task of balancing your business accounts. Does not necessarily include more advanced reconciliation features like three-way trust account reconciliation.

Payroll

Payroll includes automatically calculating employee taxes, printing checks, and paying by direct deposit.

Tax Preparation

Some accounting software can also be used to prepare taxes for your firm so you can review, approve, and even pay your taxes all in one place.

Reporting

Businesses need reports to help assess key business performance indicators like profit and accounts receivable. Some products have more robust reporting features than others.

Foreign Currencies

Check Printing

Contact Management

Store contacts for invoicing or billing purposes.

User Management

User Management means the software allows your firm to differentiate between persons who have access to the information and adjust their levels of access based on their relevant users statuses.

Split Origination Reporting

This means that the product allows your firm not only to track where a file came from but also to allocate a percentage of the origination to individual users.

Recurring Payments

Some providers will allow you to set up recurring payments for your clients that will be automatically debited based on selections your clients make.

Trust Account Management

This means the product allows you to differentiate between client trust accounts and track them individually. It also means that the product helps you manage your three-way reconciliation.

Compare Gusto Similar Products

Select another product to compare:

Gusto

4.5/5

Gusto Logo
Pros
  • Integrations
  • Broad Usage
  • HR Resource
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Add-on Product
  • Not for Solos

QuickBooks

4.2/5

Image of Quickbooks logo
Pros
  • Integrations
  • Broad Usage
  • HR Resource
Cons
  • ["Expensive","Complex","Need a Bookkeeper"]
Read QuickBooks Review

Additional Details about Gusto

Gusto Payroll Pricing 

Gusto has a tiered pricing scheme that essentially allows usage to grow with a user’s needs. Keep in mind, however, that a firm is charged per contractor they use per month with the Contractor package. 

  • Contractor ($6/user/month). Great for solo practitioners who occasionally need to pay contractors and keep track of 1099s 
  • Simple ($6/user/month + $40/month base fee). For small to medium-sized firms who want to offer advanced Human Resources services like Health Benefits Administration, but don’t have enough employees to make the Plus package worth the money. 
  • Plus ($12/user/month + $80/month base fee). Because of the additionally automation and self-service features, those who need a little more assistance than what the Simple package provides, may find a great solution here. 
  • Premium (exclusive pricing). For those who are looking to run a robust HR department with as few direct employees as possible 

Gusto Payroll User Experience Review 

Gusto’s main advantage over other payroll software is its self-service portals. A firm’s employees and contractors are able to enter much of their own data into the system—and the firm simply reviews it. This includes 1099s and W-4s. As a result, much of the duplicate data-entry tasks that bogs down HR departments is reduced significantly. 

Who Gusto is For 

Whether someone is just starting a law firm or they’ve been practicing for decades, if the practice does not have a dedicated HR department, Gusto payroll software could be a helpful addition. Its functionalities are especially beneficial for those who have multiple employees and are looking for an easy way to keep track of employee benefits, wages, and time-off. 

Some existing accounting software, like Quickbooks, already has an add-on function for payroll, employee benefits, and time tracking, so it is likely not necessary for everyone. 

Not sure where to begin? Download our Field Guide

Take the guesswork out of researching, purchasing, and implementing the right legal tech products and services for your law firm. Our Field Guide answers your essential questions and breaks down the features most important to your business, so you can buy with confidence.

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