HONEST COMPARISON

Workzoom vs Gusto: an honest look

We break down pricing, Canadian compliance, implementation complexity, and support when comparing Workzoom and Gusto. No vendor spin.

See the Difference View Pricing

100% Canadian-owned

Implementation included

$4/employee/month

Workzoom is an all-in-one people management platform by Nortek Solutions Inc., founded in 2000 and 100% Canadian-owned. Workzoom offers HR, Workforce Management, Payroll, and Talent suites starting at $4 per employee per month per suite with no setup fees, no contracts, and month-to-month billing. Workzoom processes payroll in Canada, The Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, the United States, and the United Kingdom. This page compares Workzoom against Gusto.

Gusto is positioned as: Simple payroll and HR for US small businesses, with a focus on ease of use. Sweet spot: US small businesses with 1-200 employees, simple payroll needs, contractor-heavy workforces. Workzoom is the stronger fit for: Canadian organizations or any team needing Canadian payroll; Operations in the Caribbean (Bahamas payroll live, Jamaica and Trinidad HR/Workforce/Talent available); Organizations with 50-5,000 employees needing enterprise-grade features; Teams needing shift scheduling and time and attendance; Want talent management, performance, and learning in one platform; Month-to-month contracts with $0 setup fees. Gusto may be the stronger fit for: US small businesses with straightforward payroll needs; Very small teams (under 20 employees) where simplicity is the priority; US contractor-heavy workforces needing easy 1099 processing; Organizations that only need US payroll and basic HR; Teams that prioritize the easiest possible onboarding experience. Workzoom pricing: $4/employee/month, $0 setup fees, month-to-month contracts, support included. Gusto pricing: $40/month base plus $6/employee/month (Simple plan). This comparison was last reviewed March 2026.

Proof points: Workzoom serves organizations with 50 to 5,000 employees across 7 countries. Pricing starts at $4 per employee per month per suite with no setup fees. Implementation typically completes in 90 days or less. This comparison covers 21 feature categories. Workzoom is 100% Canadian-owned with 20+ years in the market.

Quick Verdict

Which platform is right for your team?

Both platforms have their strengths. Here is where each one excels so you can find the right fit for your organization.

Choose Workzoom if…

Canadian organizations or any team needing Canadian payroll
Operations in the Caribbean (Bahamas payroll live, Jamaica and Trinidad HR/Workforce/Talent available)
Organizations with 50-5,000 employees needing enterprise-grade features
Teams needing shift scheduling and time and attendance
Want talent management, performance, and learning in one platform
Month-to-month contracts with $0 setup fees

Choose Gusto if…

US small businesses with straightforward payroll needs
Very small teams (under 20 employees) where simplicity is the priority
US contractor-heavy workforces needing easy 1099 processing
Organizations that only need US payroll and basic HR
Teams that prioritize the easiest possible onboarding experience

setup or implementation fees

days

to go live

countries

with live payroll: Canada, Bahamas, US (Gusto: US only)

Feature Comparison

How Workzoom and Gusto stack up

Feature	Workzoom	Gusto	Notes
Core HR
Employee profiles
Document management
Onboarding workflows			Gusto onboarding is particularly smooth for small US teams
Org chart		Partial
Payroll
Canadian payroll			Gusto does not offer Canadian payroll
US payroll			Gusto strong for US small business payroll
Bahamas payroll			Workzoom advantage
Jamaica payroll	Partial		HR, Workforce, Talent available. Payroll not yet live.
Trinidad payroll	Partial		HR, Workforce, Talent available. Payroll not yet live.
US contractor payments (1099)			Gusto advantage for contractor-heavy teams
Multi-province Canadian compliance			Workzoom advantage
Union payroll support			Workzoom advantage
Workforce Management
Shift scheduling			Workzoom advantage
Time and attendance tracking		Partial	Gusto has basic time tracking
Union-aware scheduling			Workzoom advantage
Talent Management
Performance management		Partial	Gusto has basic performance on higher plans
Learning management			Workzoom advantage
Core HR
Recruiting and ATS			Workzoom advantage
Benefits
Benefits administration (US)			Gusto strong for US benefits
Reporting
Scales to 5,000 employees			Gusto is built for small business
Single database across HR, payroll, scheduling		Partial	Workzoom advantage

Pricing

What you actually pay

Transparent pricing, no surprises

Workzoom

$4/employee/month

Per suite, per employee, per month

Setup fees: $0
Contract: Month-to-month, cancel anytime
Training: Included
Support: Included (phone, email, chat)

Gusto

$40/month base plus $6/employee/month (Simple plan)

Base fee plus per-employee, higher plans for HR features

Setup fees: None disclosed
Contract: Monthly plans available
Training: Self-serve
Support: Chat and email, phone on higher plans

Why teams switch

Common frustrations with Gusto

US-only, no Canadian payroll

Gusto does not process Canadian payroll. Any organization with Canadian employees needs a separate platform for CPP, EI, and provincial tax compliance.

No dedicated account rep

Gusto's support model is self-serve and chat-based. Organizations with complex payroll needs report difficulty getting timely, knowledgeable assistance.

Costs climb per employee

Gusto's base fee plus per-employee model means costs scale quickly. At 100+ employees, the total cost often exceeds platforms with flat per-employee pricing.

Migration

Switching from Gusto?

Discovery and data export

We export your Gusto employee records, pay history, year-to-date tax data, and leave balances. Canadian and international payroll requirements are scoped at this stage.

Configuration and parallel payroll

Workzoom is configured for your payroll and HR requirements. Both systems run in parallel for 1-2 pay periods so your team can validate accuracy before committing to cutover.

Go-Live and decommission

Once your team confirms Workzoom outputs, you cancel Gusto. We help plan the timing to minimize any overlap period and support your team through the transition.

What users say

Real reviews from real teams.

Automated the calculation of taxes and deductions. As long as we give them the information as to how the system is running, it goes in seamlessly.

Shanika Pinder Payroll Manager, Cable Bahamas

Video Testimonial

We've gotten tremendous value streamlining and automating processes that were formerly manual for us such as our quarterly performance reviews.

Bill S. Small Business

Nothing spoke to each other. A lot of manual work and a lot of spreadsheets. There wasn't a lot of trust in how things were done because we had no real ways to track our data.

Crystal Murray HR Generalist, Silvera for Seniors

Video Testimonial

Common Questions

Questions teams ask when comparing Workzoom and Gusto.

Is Workzoom a good alternative to Gusto for Canadian companies?

Yes. Gusto does not offer Canadian payroll. If you are a Canadian organization or have Canadian employees, Workzoom is the clear choice. Workzoom handles CPP, EI, provincial tax, T4, ROE, and all Canadian compliance requirements natively, alongside HR, scheduling, and talent management.

Can Gusto process Canadian payroll?

No. Gusto is a US product and does not support Canadian payroll. Canadian organizations need a platform that handles Canadian compliance natively, including CPP, EI, provincial tax, T4s, and Records of Employment.

How does Workzoom pricing compare to Gusto?

Gusto's Simple plan starts at $40 per month plus $6 per employee per month, and higher plans with HR features cost more. Workzoom is $4 per employee per month per suite with $0 setup fees. For most organizations with 50+ employees, Workzoom's per-employee model is cost-effective and includes significantly more functionality.

What does Workzoom have that Gusto does not?

Canadian payroll, Bahamas payroll (HR, Workforce, and Talent available in Jamaica and Trinidad), shift scheduling, union-aware workforce management, a full talent suite (performance, learning, career planning, succession), recruiting in the HR Suite, and the ability to scale to 5,000 employees. Gusto is built for US small businesses with straightforward payroll needs.

Is Gusto easier to use than Workzoom?

Gusto is designed for very small US businesses and prioritizes simplicity above all else. For a 5-person US company running basic payroll, Gusto's onboarding is very smooth. Workzoom is built for the 50-5,000 employee range and includes significantly more functionality. Both platforms are designed to be approachable without an IT team.

How long does migrating from Gusto to Workzoom take?

Most migrations take 45-60 days. We run parallel payroll for 1-2 pay periods to validate accuracy. If you are moving from Gusto to Workzoom for Canadian payroll, we scope the Canadian compliance requirements during the first week.

Ready to make the switch?

Need Canadian payroll?

Gusto doesn't do Canadian payroll. Workzoom does, plus scheduling and talent.

No contracts
Implementation included
Month-to-month billing

Workzoom vs Gusto (2026) | Canadian Payroll.