OnPay vs Gusto: How Does Sunrise HCM Compare?

If you're weighing OnPay vs Gusto, you've probably already ruled out doing payroll by hand. Both platforms automate the parts that used to eat your Friday afternoons: tax filings, direct deposit, W-2s. Where they split is pricing structure and how far the HR side goes. This guide breaks down what each one actually includes, where each one falls short, and whether Sunrise HCM belongs on your shortlist too.

OnPay vs Gusto vs Sunrise HCM at a Glance

Here's how the three stack up across the factors that usually decide this.

What is OnPay?

OnPay is a payroll and HR platform built in Atlanta, aimed squarely at small businesses that want a published price list instead of a sales call. There's still only one payroll plan, called Payroll Essentials, and every customer gets the same core payroll product whether they run payroll for a five-person nonprofit or a twenty-person farm crew. What changed in 2025 is that HR tools moved out of that plan and became a paid add-on.

Key Features

OnPay runs full-service payroll in all 50 states with unlimited pay runs, automatic tax filings, and direct deposit included at no extra charge. HR tools are their own module now: PTO policies, employee self-service, org charts, and document storage come through a paid HR add-on rather than the base payroll plan. Benefits administration connects to health insurance brokers in every state, plus 401(k) providers like Vestwell and workers' comp pay-as-you-go plans. Industry-specific templates exist for farm payroll, clergy payroll, and restaurant tip credits, which is unusual among competitors this size.

Costs and Considerations

OnPay charges a flat $49 per month plus $6 per employee for Payroll Essentials, which covers payroll, tax filings, and benefits administration. HR tools cost another $15 per month plus $2 per employee. That is a real change from the all-in-one plan OnPay used to sell, and it's worth pricing out before you compare headline numbers. What OnPay still avoids is a tier ladder: there's no Plus or Premium version of payroll, so the only question is which add-ons you want, and each one has a published price. The other tradeoffs: time tracking depends on integrations with tools like When I Work rather than a built-in module, and support runs business hours only, though reviewers consistently rate it as some of the most responsive in the category.

What is Gusto?

Gusto launched in 2011 as ZenPayroll, built around making payroll approachable for business owners without an HR background. It's U.S.-only for employee payroll, supports contractor payments in 120+ countries, and targets teams generally under 150 employees.

Key Features

Gusto automates payroll across all 50 states with direct deposit and tax filing included at every tier. Benefits administration covers health insurance, 401(k), HSA/FSA, and commuter benefits, with deductions syncing to payroll automatically. Onboarding tools include offer letters and e-signatures. The integration library runs past 150 connections, covering QuickBooks, Xero, Slack, and most common small-business software. Time tracking becomes available starting at the Plus tier.

Costs and Considerations

Gusto's Simple plan runs $49/month plus $6 per employee and covers payroll basics. Plus moves to $80/month plus $12 per employee, adding multi-state payroll, time tracking, and next-day direct deposit. Premium is published at $180/month plus $22 per employee. In the Gusto vs OnPay pricing conversation, the entry price is now a wash: both start at $49 plus $6 per person. What differs is how you get more. Gusto moves you up a tier, and the tier brings features you may not have asked for. OnPay keeps one payroll plan and sells the extras, HR included, as separately priced add-ons. Gusto's advantage is the broader integration ecosystem and brand recognition, which matters if your accounting stack already leans on tools Gusto connects to natively.

OnPay vs Gusto: Side-by-Side Comparison

Here's where the OnPay vs Gusto question gets specific, category by category.

Payroll Processing

Both platforms run automated payroll across all 50 states with tax filing and direct deposit included. OnPay includes unlimited pay runs on its single payroll plan, which matters if you run off-cycle payrolls often or pay contractors and employees on different schedules. Gusto handles this well too, but multi-state payroll is locked to the Plus tier and above.

Winner: OnPay

Unlimited runs and multi-state support without needing to upgrade a plan.

HR Features and Onboarding

Gusto's onboarding flow is more built out: offer letters, e-signatures, and document workflows are part of the core product. OnPay covers the essentials, PTO policies, self-service, org charts, but they sit behind the $15 per month plus $2 per employee HR add-on, and even then it doesn't go as deep on structured onboarding sequences. For teams hiring frequently and wanting a polished new-hire experience, Gusto has the edge.

Winner: Gusto

More structured onboarding tools, and no separate HR line item to buy first.

Benefits Administration

Both connect to health insurance and 401(k) providers in every state. OnPay's broker network and pay-as-you-go workers' comp are strong for smaller teams without dedicated HR staff. Gusto's benefits experience is a bit more polished and self-service, particularly for FSA and commuter benefits.

Winner: Tie

Both cover the basics well; the difference is polish, not capability.

Time Tracking

Neither platform treats time tracking as a first-class feature. OnPay relies on integrations like When I Work. Gusto includes basic time tracking starting at Plus, which at least keeps it in the same system as payroll. Neither is built for project-based time tied to client billing, which requires something like Salesforce time and expense tracking built into the payroll environment itself.

Winner: Gusto

Marginally, for keeping time tracking in-platform rather than bolted on.

Integrations

Gusto's library runs past 150 connections: accounting tools, HR software, productivity apps. OnPay's integration list is narrower, covering the standard accounting platforms (QuickBooks, Xero) along with a handful of time-tracking and POS partners. For teams with a wider software stack, Gusto vs OnPay integration depth is a real differentiator.

Winner: Gusto

Broader ecosystem for teams running more than the basics.

Customer Support

This is OnPay's strongest category. Every customer gets phone, chat, and email support from 9am to 8pm ET on weekdays, with no tier gating access to a human. Reviewers consistently cite fast response times and knowledgeable reps as the reason they stay. Gusto also offers phone, chat, and email on every plan during business hours; what Premium adds is priority routing and a dedicated advisor. The gap is in experience rather than access, with Gusto reviews describing wait times climbing during peak payroll season.

Winner: OnPay

Both give every customer a phone number. OnPay is the one reviewers keep naming for response time and rep quality.

Pricing Breakdown

For a 15-person team as a reference point:

• OnPay: $49 + (15 x $6) = $139/month for payroll and benefits administration; the HR add-on costs $15 + (15 x $2) = $45 more, taking the total to $184/month
• Gusto Simple: $49 + (15 x $6) = $139/month for payroll basics; multi-state payroll and time tracking require Plus at $80 + (15 x $12) = $260/month

Base payroll pricing is identical, so Gusto vs OnPay pricing now comes down to structure rather than the sticker number. Gusto puts features behind a tier jump: getting time tracking for that 15-person team means going from $139 to $260, whether or not you want the rest of Plus. OnPay keeps one payroll plan and prices extras separately, so adding HR costs $45 and nothing else about the bill changes. Which one ends up cheaper depends on what you need beyond payroll. If the extras you want are on OnPay's add-on list, you pay for those and nothing else. If you want Gusto's time tracking or multi-state payroll, the tier is the only way to get them, and you buy the rest of Plus with it.

Winner: OnPay, narrowly

Entry pricing is a tie. OnPay's edge is predictability: a flat plan with published add-ons is easier to forecast than a tier jump.

User Experience

Gusto is frequently rated among the easier payroll platforms to learn, with a clean dashboard and guided setup. OnPay's interface is more utilitarian: functional, a little less polished, but reviewers who switched from spreadsheets or manual processing don't report a steep learning curve either.

Winner: Gusto

Slightly more modern interface, though both are approachable for non-specialists.

Pros and Cons of OnPay vs Gusto

Have You Considered Sunrise HCM as an Alternative to OnPay or Gusto?

The OnPay vs Gusto decision usually comes down to how much you value one flat plan with a la carte add-ons versus a broader ecosystem with tiers. Both are solid choices for standalone payroll. Neither is built for a business that already runs on Salesforce or bills clients by the hour.

A Platform That Lives Inside Salesforce

Sunrise HCM runs natively on Salesforce, with no separate license required. For businesses already using Salesforce CRM, payroll and HR data live in the same environment as client accounts and project records. Salesforce HRIS built directly on the platform your team already uses removes an entire layer of syncing and connector maintenance that both OnPay and Gusto require through third-party tools.

Payroll, HR, Time, and Billing Together

Where OnPay and Gusto both stop at payroll, HR, and benefits, Sunrise HCM adds project billing to the mix. Time entries flow directly into client invoices. Salesforce payroll software and Salesforce billing software run in the same system, so labor cost and client revenue sit side by side instead of in separate tools you reconcile by hand.

Pricing You Can Plan Around

Pricing is published: $16 per employee, $48 per manager, $58 per HR manager, and a $58 base fee. No per-payroll processing fees, no tiers to climb to get features you already need. Every plan includes a U.S.-based dedicated relationship manager as a standard feature, not a Premium add-on. Most teams go live in 2 to 4 weeks, with 6 to 8 weeks total implementation including two parallel payroll cycles, and the platform is SOC 2 Type II compliant through the Salesforce platform. Teams that want Salesforce time and expense tracking without adding a third tool tend to be the ones for whom Sunrise HCM makes the most sense. Businesses further along in their evaluation often compare Gusto vs Rippling or Gusto vs ADP for the same reason: they've outgrown a single-purpose payroll tool.

Parting Thoughts on OnPay vs Gusto

For most small businesses choosing between the two, the decision is closer than the marketing suggests. OnPay wins on simplicity and support access, with one payroll plan and add-ons you can price out before you buy. Gusto wins on integration breadth and brand recognition, with a broader feature set available if you're willing to pay for the higher tiers. Neither is designed for a professional services firm running on Salesforce or billing clients by the hour. If that's your situation, Sunrise HCM is worth adding to the shortlist before you commit to either one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, OnPay or Gusto?

It depends on what you value more. Both start at $49 per month plus $6 per employee, so the entry price is a wash. OnPay keeps one payroll plan with unlimited pay runs and sells extras separately, including HR at $15 per month plus $2 per employee, and its support rates consistently higher in reviews. Gusto offers a broader integration library and a more polished interface, but multi-state payroll and time tracking require the Plus tier at $80 plus $12 per employee. Pick OnPay if you want line items you can predict, Gusto if your stack depends on its integrations.

What are the downsides of OnPay?

The biggest one is that HR is no longer part of the payroll plan: it costs $15 per month plus $2 per employee on top of the $49 base. Time tracking still depends on third-party integrations rather than a built-in module, and the integration library is narrower than Gusto's. Support hours are limited to business hours, though reviewers rate the quality of that support highly.

What are the drawbacks of Gusto?

Gusto's Simple tier is limited: multi-state payroll and time tracking both require upgrading to Plus at $80 per month plus $12 per employee, roughly doubling the per-employee cost. Premium runs $180 per month plus $22 per employee. Phone, chat, and email support come with every plan, but priority routing and a dedicated advisor are Premium only, and reviewers report longer waits during peak payroll season. The practical drawback is that one missing feature can push you a full tier up rather than onto a single add-on.

How does Sunrise HCM compare to OnPay and Gusto?

Sunrise HCM is a Salesforce-native platform built for professional services firms, combining payroll, HR, time tracking, and project billing in one system. Pricing is published, and every plan includes a U.S.-based dedicated relationship manager. For businesses running on Salesforce or billing clients by project, it covers ground that neither OnPay nor Gusto reaches natively.

Can I switch from OnPay or Gusto to another payroll provider?

Yes. Switching involves migrating employee records, year-to-date payroll totals, and benefits enrollment details. Most small businesses complete the move within one to three pay cycles. Timing the switch at the start of a quarter, rather than mid-year, keeps W-2 reporting cleaner at year-end.

Does OnPay or Gusto work better for nonprofits and niche industries?

OnPay has a clear edge here, with built-in templates for nonprofit, farm, clergy, and restaurant tip-credit payroll that Gusto doesn't offer natively. Businesses in those categories often find OnPay's payroll plan handles their specific compliance requirements without a workaround.

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