CheckMark Payroll vs Gusto

CheckMark Payroll is desktop do-it-yourself payroll software marketed to restaurants, bars, breweries, and other tip-based businesses. It calculates and tracks tipped wages, and supports automated pay calculations, multiple pay schedules, special checks, check edits and reissues, and wage allocation. The restaurant offering advertises unlimited employees, locations, and payroll runs without extra charges for payroll frequency. Employers can print MICR checks or create ACH direct deposit files for submission to a bank or ACH provider. Listed tax and reporting functions include federal payroll form printing, W-2 and W-3 printing and e-filing, employer payroll tax filings, and access to more than 40 payroll report types. Payroll data can be exported to CheckMark MultiLedger, QuickBooks, and other accounting software. The desktop software is available for Windows and macOS, but an internet connection is required for installation, activation, and use. A 60-day trial is offered without a credit card. Pro costs $599 a year in the first year and $419 a year from the second year; Pro+ costs $669 a year in the first year and $489 a year from the second year. Both include one company and one computer.

Gusto is a small business platform for payroll, benefits, and HR. Employers can pay employees and contractors, run unlimited payrolls, and have payroll taxes filed automatically. Health benefits and 401(k) plans integrate with payroll. Workforce tools cover scheduling, timesheets, PTO requests, and mobile time tracking; hiring features include job postings, offer letters, e-signing, applicant tracking, and new hire onboarding. Gusto’s app directory includes integrations across accounting, collaboration, time tracking, hiring, and expense management, with named examples such as QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, Expensify, Hubstaff, and Homebase. The platform is available on web, Android, iOS, and through an API, and its mobile app works on iPhone and Android phones. Plans are Simple at $49 a month, Plus at $80 a month, and Premium at $180 a month. Their listed per-person monthly charges are respectively $6, $12, and $22. Gusto says plans have no long-term contracts and can be canceled anytime. All plans include access to the online Help Center and business-hours phone or chat support; Premium adds a dedicated account partner.