Gusto vs Notion
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of Gusto and Notion. We compare features, pricing, ease of use, and value for money to help you make the right choice in 2026.
Reviewed by the Ikaroa team · Last updated: March 2026
Quick Verdict
Notion edges ahead overall with a rating of 4.4/5. However, Gusto (4.3/5) may be the better fit if you prioritise US-based small businesses wanting simple, full-service payroll with benefits administration. Read on for the full breakdown.
Gusto vs Notion at a Glance
Gusto
★ 4.3Gusto is a modern payroll and HR platform that simplifies paying employees, filing taxes, and managing benefits. Known for its delightful user experience and full-service payroll, it handles everything from direct deposits and tax filings to health insurance and retirement plans. Primarily focused on the US market.
Starting from: £30/month + £5/person
Best for: US-based small businesses wanting simple, full-service payroll with benefits administration
Read full review →Notion
★ 4.4Notion is a flexible workspace for notes, wikis, and databases. While not a traditional CRM, many teams build custom CRM systems using its database features.
Starting from: £0/month
Best for: Teams wanting a flexible workspace that can be moulded into a custom CRM
Read full review →Gusto vs Notion Feature Comparison
Here is how Gusto and Notion compare across the features that matter most. We have tested both platforms extensively across client implementations.
| Feature | Gusto | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Available | No | Yes |
| Starting Price | £30/month + £5/person | £0/month |
| Best For | US-based small businesses wanting simple, full-service payroll with benefits administration | Teams wanting a flexible workspace that can be moulded into a custom CRM |
| Our Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes |
| Email Marketing | No | No |
| Automation | Limited | Limited |
| Reporting | Yes | Basic |
| Integrations | Limited | Extensive |
| API Access | Limited | Yes |
| Ikaroa Exclusive Discount | N/A | N/A |
Gusto vs Notion Pricing
Pricing is often the deciding factor. Here is a full breakdown of what each platform charges at every tier:
Gusto Pricing
Simple
£30/month + £5/person
- ✓Full-service payroll
- ✓Employee self-service
- ✓Health benefits
- ✓2-day direct deposit
Plus
£55/month + £8/person
- ✓Everything in Simple
- ✓Next-day direct deposit
- ✓Time tracking
- ✓PTO management
- ✓Hiring tools
Premium
Custom
- ✓Everything in Plus
- ✓Dedicated support
- ✓HR Resource Centre
- ✓Compliance alerts
- ✓Performance reviews
Notion Pricing
Free
£0/month
- ✓Unlimited pages
- ✓7-day page history
- ✓10 guests
Plus
£7/user/month
- ✓Everything in Free
- ✓Unlimited file uploads
- ✓30-day page history
- ✓100 guests
Business
£12/user/month
- ✓Everything in Plus
- ✓SAML SSO
- ✓90-day page history
- ✓250 guests
Enterprise
Custom
- ✓Everything in Business
- ✓Advanced security
- ✓Audit log
- ✓Unlimited page history
Not sure which to pick?
Our team has implemented both Gusto and Notion for clients. We can help you decide based on your specific needs.
Gusto Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Excellent, user-friendly interface
- •Full-service payroll (they handle tax filings)
- •Built-in benefits administration
- •Good hiring and onboarding tools
- •Affordable for small businesses
✗Cons
- •Primarily US-focused (limited international)
- •No UK payroll currently
- •Per-person pricing increases with headcount
- •Limited HR features on Simple plan
- •Benefits are US-specific
Notion Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Extremely flexible and customisable
- •Beautiful, clean interface
- •Combine docs, databases, and wikis
- •Active template community
- •Good free plan
✗Cons
- •Not a dedicated CRM (requires building your own)
- •No automation without third-party tools
- •No email integration by default
- •Can become slow with large databases
- •Learning curve for advanced features
Our Verdict: Gusto vs Notion
Both Gusto and Notion are solid options, but they serve different needs. Having implemented both for multiple clients, here is our recommendation:
Choose Gusto if you need US-based small businesses wanting simple, full-service payroll with benefits administration. With a starting price of £30/month + £5/person and a rating of 4.3/5, it offers excellent, user-friendly interface.
Choose Notion if you need Teams wanting a flexible workspace that can be moulded into a custom CRM. Starting at £0/month with a 4.4/5 rating, it excels at extremely flexible and customisable.
Still not sure? Talk to the Ikaroa team. We have helped hundreds of businesses make this exact decision, and we are happy to point you in the right direction.
🎁 Get either product at a discount through Ikaroa Partners
Consider Open Doors Instead
Why choose between Gusto and Notion? Open Doors gives you the best features of both in one platform, for less. It is an all-in-one CRM with email marketing, SMS, funnels, booking, invoicing, automation, and more, starting at just £97/month with unlimited contacts.
Need implementation help?
Ikaroa can set up Gusto or Notion for your business, migrate your data, and train your team. We have done it dozens of times.
Free consultation. No obligation.