A Gusto alternative that connects payroll straight to the books
Gusto is a well-known payroll platform: it runs payroll, files taxes and handles benefits. But payroll numbers still need to be exported or re-entered into a separate accounting tool to keep the books current.
Encarmo keeps payroll in the same system as accounting, HR, invoicing and CRM, one login, with unlimited users and no base fee plus per-employee pricing.
The 15-second verdict
You need dedicated benefits administration and automatic tax filing across many states, and your accounting tool already handles the rest.
You want payroll to post straight to your books, without exporting numbers between tools.
Why look for a Gusto alternative?
Gusto does one job well: running payroll and handling the tax filing and benefits that come with it. Small businesses usually start looking for an alternative for three reasons:
A base fee plus per-employee pricing adds up as the team grows [verify current pricing structure].
Accounting, invoicing and CRM still need separate tools.
Payroll totals have to be exported or re-entered to keep the books accurate.
What is Encarmo?
Encarmo is a business management platform that combines sales CRM, accounting, invoicing, inventory, HR, payroll and scheduling in one connected system, built for small and growing businesses.
Where Gusto stops at the payroll run, Encarmo continues. Payroll posts directly to the general ledger, so payday and your books update together instead of in two separate systems.
Start with only the modules you need. Add more as your business grows.
| Accounting (base) | $0 Free Forever |
| Billing & Invoicing | $0 Free Forever |
| Sales & CRM | +$14/mo flat |
| Inventory Management | +$12/mo flat |
| HR Management | +$15/mo flat |
| Payroll | +$19/mo flat |
| Calendar & Scheduling | +$9/mo flat |
Annual pricing saves 17% (2 months free) on all plans. Unlimited team users on every plan.
Who should switch from Gusto?
Two types of businesses land on this page, and the right answer depends on which one you are.
Payroll and benefits-focused teams You need dedicated benefits administration, multi-state tax filing and payroll-specific compliance tools, and your accounting is already handled elsewhere. Gusto fits you well.
TYPE 2: Small businesses managing the whole back office You want payroll connected directly to your books, HR records and invoicing, without exporting numbers between tools. This is who Encarmo is built for.
Small businesses managing the whole back office You want payroll connected directly to your books, HR records and invoicing, without exporting numbers between tools. This is who Encarmo is built for.
Highlight strip: If dedicated payroll and benefits tooling is your priority, Gusto is a proven choice. If payroll is one part of running the whole business, Encarmo is built for you.
Feature comparison
What each tool covers, side by side.
| Feature | Encarmo | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll runs | Yes, native | Yes, core strength |
| Automatic tax filing | [verify: current coverage] | Yes, core strength |
| Benefits administration | [verify: not included] | Yes, on eligible plans [verify] |
| Employee records & HR | Yes, native | Yes, basic HR tools |
| Sales CRM & leads | Yes, native | No |
| Quotations & invoices | Yes, native (free forever) | No |
| Double-entry accounting | Yes, native | No, connects to an accounting tool |
| Unlimited team users | Yes, all plans | No, base fee plus per employee [verify] |
| Reports across payroll and finance | Yes, one shared ledger | Payroll reports; finance data lives elsewhere |
Encarmo vs Gusto: From payroll run to ledger entry
Gusto runs payroll accurately, files the required taxes, and handles benefits enrollment for the team.
Encarmo carries the payroll run forward: it posts directly to the general ledger, so there's no export step to keep the books current.
Encarmo vs Gusto: Cost of the full stack
Running a business on Gusto usually means a base fee plus a per-employee charge, plus a separate accounting and invoicing tool, each with its own bill and login.
Encarmo modules share one ledger and one login, and every plan includes unlimited users.
Encarmo vs Gusto: pricing comparison
The honest comparison depends on which modules your business actually needs. Gusto figures below are from its public pricing page, checked [Month 2026].
Small team (5 employees)
Growing team (15 employees)
Larger team (30+ employees)
The real cost of a disconnected stack
The visible cost is the subscriptions.
The invisible cost is real.
When each department runs on its own tool, subscriptions are only part of the bill.
- 01Manual export or re-entry: payroll totals moved by hand into the accounting system.
- 02Errors and mismatched numbers between payroll runs and financial records.
- 03Time spent fixing broken connections between apps.
- 04No single source of truth for payroll cost, cash flow and headcount.
Encarmo was built to remove that overhead. Whether the trade-off makes sense depends on your team size, how many tools you run, and how much time you spend keeping them in sync.
Pros and cons
Gusto
- Reliable payroll processing and automatic tax filing
- Strong benefits administration [verify]
- Easy employee self-service for pay stubs and documents
- No native accounting, invoicing or CRM
- Base fee plus per-employee pricing grows with headcount [verify]
- Payroll totals need exporting or re-entering to keep the books current
Encarmo
- One system for payroll, HR, accounting, invoicing and CRM
- Flat modular pricing with unlimited users
- Data shared across modules, with one login
- Free core plan
- Newer platform with a smaller integration marketplace
- Less deep on benefits administration and multi-state tax compliance than a payroll-first tool [verify]
Who should choose which?
Choose Gusto if
- You need dedicated benefits administration and multi-state tax filing
- You already have an accounting tool you like
- Payroll compliance depth matters more than one connected system
Choose Encarmo if
- You want payroll connected directly to accounting and HR
- You're paying a base fee plus per-employee charges across separate tools
- You want to add users without price increases
Side-by-side summary
| Encarmo | Gusto | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary strength | Full business system | Payroll & benefits |
| Payroll | Native ($19/mo) | Core product |
| HR & employee records | Native ($15/mo) | Basic HR tools |
| Accounting | Native (free forever) | Not included, needs another tool |
| CRM | Native ($14/mo) | Not included |
| Pricing model | Flat modular, unlimited users | Base fee + per employee [verify] |
| Team users | Unlimited | Per employee |
Other Gusto alternatives to consider
Questions people ask us
Straight answers on pricing, migration, and where each platform fits.
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