If you’re running payroll through Gusto, you already know it handles the basics well. But the real power comes from Gusto integrations, connecting your payroll data to the accounting, time tracking, and business management tools your team already uses. When those systems talk to each other, you eliminate double entry, reduce costly errors, and free up hours every pay cycle.
The problem? Gusto’s integration marketplace lists dozens of options, and not all of them deserve your attention. Some are game-changers; others create more headaches than they solve. At Soteria HR, we help growing companies streamline their HR and payroll operations, so we’ve seen firsthand which integrations actually move the needle.
Below, we break down six must-have apps that sync with Gusto to keep your data accurate, your team efficient, and your compliance airtight. Whether you’re connecting accounting software or plugging in a time tracker, this list will point you in the right direction.
1. QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online is the most widely used accounting platform among small and mid-sized businesses, which makes it a natural first stop when you’re exploring Gusto integrations. Connecting the two eliminates the manual work of exporting payroll reports and re-entering figures into your books after every pay run.
What it syncs with Gusto
Gusto pushes payroll journal entries directly into QuickBooks Online after each payroll run. This includes wages, tax withholdings, employer tax contributions, and benefit deductions. Every line item lands in the correct account without you touching a spreadsheet.
Once the sync is active, your books reflect actual payroll costs in near real time, which makes month-end close significantly faster.
Why teams pick it
Most growing companies already have QuickBooks Online in place before they add Gusto, so the integration feels like a natural fit rather than a new workflow to learn. Beyond convenience, the combination gives your accountant or bookkeeper clean, categorized payroll data they can actually work with. You also get a clearer picture of labor costs broken down by department or employee type, which helps with budgeting and forecasting.
Setup and mapping tips
Setup starts inside your Gusto account under the Integrations tab, where you’ll authorize the QuickBooks Online connection. From there, Gusto walks you through mapping your payroll categories to the correct chart of accounts in QuickBooks. Take the mapping step seriously. Rushing it leads to misclassified entries that create headaches during tax season.
A few tips to get the mapping right from the start:
- Match each pay type (regular, overtime, bonuses) to a distinct expense account
- Map employer payroll taxes to a separate liability or expense account
- Confirm that benefit deductions point to the right accounts before your first synced payroll run
- Run a test payroll if possible to verify entries land correctly before going live
QuickBooks Online pricing
QuickBooks Online offers four pricing tiers: Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced. Pricing changes frequently, so check the QuickBooks website directly for current rates. Most small businesses land on Plus or Essentials. The Gusto integration is available across all paid QuickBooks Online plans at no extra charge from Gusto’s side.
2. Xero
Xero is a solid accounting platform for small and mid-sized businesses, particularly among companies that work with accounting firms already running on Xero’s ecosystem. Like QuickBooks Online, it connects directly with Gusto integrations to keep your payroll data and your books synchronized without manual exports or duplicate entry after every pay run.
What it syncs with Gusto
Xero pulls payroll journal entries from Gusto following each pay cycle, covering employee wages, tax withholdings, employer contributions, and benefit deductions. Each entry maps to your Xero chart of accounts, so your general ledger reflects accurate payroll costs without you toggling between two systems to reconcile figures.
Why teams pick it
Companies whose accountants or bookkeepers already work inside Xero will find this pairing especially efficient. Xero’s reporting tools give you strong visibility into labor costs, and because the Gusto sync feeds in real payroll data, those reports stay reliable rather than relying on rough estimates.
If your business operates across multiple currencies, Xero handles that complexity more cleanly than most small-business accounting tools.
Setup and mapping tips
Start the connection from the Integrations tab inside your Gusto account, then authorize Xero and work through the account mapping before your first synced payroll run. Pay close attention to tax liability accounts during that mapping step; mismatches there create reconciliation issues that take real time to untangle later.
Xero pricing
Xero offers multiple plan tiers, and pricing changes periodically. Check Xero’s website directly for current rates. The Gusto connection is available on paid Xero plans at no added cost from Gusto’s side.
3. When I Work
When I Work is a scheduling and time tracking platform built for hourly and shift-based workforces. Connecting it to Gusto closes the gap between hours scheduled and hours paid, so your team stops manually transferring timesheet data into payroll every cycle.
What it syncs with Gusto
The When I Work and Gusto integration pushes approved timesheets and hours worked directly into Gusto for payroll processing. Shift data, including regular hours and overtime, flows from When I Work into your Gusto payroll run automatically, cutting out the re-entry step that creates errors and eats up time before every pay cycle.
Why teams pick it
Businesses with shift-based teams find this pairing especially useful. When I Work handles scheduling, time clock, and attendance tracking in one place, and Gusto picks up that data without you building a manual bridge between the two systems.
If your workforce clocks in and out through a mobile device, having that data feed directly into payroll is a real operational win.
Setup and payroll workflow tips
Connect When I Work through the Gusto Integrations tab and complete the authorization steps. Before your first synced payroll run, confirm that employee records in both platforms align by name, email, and role. Mismatched records are the most common reason the sync breaks on the first attempt, so take a few minutes to audit both sides before you go live.
When I Work pricing
When I Work offers multiple plans based on team size and feature needs. Check the When I Work website directly for current pricing and available trial options.
4. Homebase
Homebase is a scheduling, time tracking, and team communication platform designed specifically for hourly teams and small businesses. Pairing it with Gusto through Gusto integrations creates a smooth path from clock-in to paycheck without anyone manually transferring timesheet data between systems.
What it syncs with Gusto
Homebase sends approved hours and timesheet data directly into Gusto when you’re ready to run payroll. This includes regular hours, overtime, and paid time off, so your payroll run pulls accurate numbers from real clock-in and clock-out records rather than from estimates or manual logs.
Getting hours directly from a live time clock significantly reduces the rounding errors and disputes that tend to surface when teams track time informally.
Why teams pick it
Homebase works especially well for retail, restaurant, and service-based businesses that rely on shift scheduling and hourly pay. Many small businesses also appreciate that Homebase offers a free plan with core scheduling and time tracking features, making it an accessible option before adding payroll costs on top.
Setup and payroll workflow tips
Connect Homebase to Gusto through the Integrations tab inside your Gusto account. Before you run your first synced payroll, verify that employee names and contact information match exactly across both platforms. Discrepancies in how a name is entered are a common cause of sync failures, so a quick audit before go-live saves you troubleshooting time later.
Homebase pricing
Homebase offers a free tier plus several paid plans with expanded features. Visit the Homebase website directly for current pricing details.
5. Deputy
Deputy is a workforce management platform that covers scheduling, time tracking, and task management for shift-based and hourly teams. Connecting it to Gusto through Gusto integrations means your approved timesheets flow directly into payroll, removing the manual transfer step that slows down every pay cycle and introduces entry errors.
What it syncs with Gusto
Deputy sends approved timesheets and shift hours into Gusto automatically, covering regular hours, overtime, and leave balances. The sync populates your payroll run with accurate data pulled from actual clock-in records rather than from estimates or manually submitted logs.
Why teams pick it
Deputy works well for businesses managing multiple locations or departments from a single platform. It handles complex scheduling rules, shift swaps, and break compliance, so teams running irregular or variable schedules find it significantly more capable than basic time tracking tools.
If you manage staff across more than one site, Deputy’s multi-location support makes it a stronger fit than most hourly workforce tools.
Setup and payroll workflow tips
Start the connection inside your Gusto account under the Integrations tab, then authorize Deputy and complete the employee mapping step. Before your first synced payroll run, check that employee records match across both platforms by name and email address to avoid sync errors that delay processing.
Deputy pricing
Deputy offers multiple pricing tiers based on features and team size. Visit the Deputy website directly for current pricing and available trial options.
6. Expensify
Expensify is an expense management platform that simplifies receipt tracking, reimbursement approvals, and spend reporting for teams. Connecting it to Gusto through Gusto integrations means approved employee reimbursements flow directly into payroll, so your team gets paid back on time without a separate manual process tacked onto every pay cycle.
What it syncs with Gusto
Expensify pushes approved expense reimbursements into Gusto, allowing those amounts to be included in your next payroll run. Employees submit receipts inside Expensify, managers approve them, and the reimbursement figures land in Gusto ready for processing alongside regular wages.
Routing reimbursements through payroll keeps your records clean and ensures employees receive one consolidated payment rather than a separate check they have to track separately.
Why teams pick it
Expensify works well for companies where employees regularly cover business expenses out of pocket, such as travel, client meals, or supply purchases. The approval workflow inside Expensify gives managers clear visibility into spend before anything hits payroll, which reduces the surprise charges that tend to surface when reimbursements are handled informally.
Setup and reimbursement tips
Connect Expensify inside your Gusto account under the Integrations tab and complete the authorization steps. Before your first synced payroll run, confirm that employee emails match exactly across both platforms. Mismatched records are the most common reason reimbursements fail to transfer correctly, so a quick check at setup prevents delays later.
Expensify pricing
Expensify offers multiple pricing plans based on team size and features. Visit the Expensify website directly for current rates.
Next Steps
The right gusto integrations save your team real time and reduce the payroll errors that tend to compound quietly until they become expensive problems. Each of the six apps on this list solves a specific gap, whether that’s accounting accuracy, timesheet accuracy, or expense reimbursements landing on time. Start with the one that matches your biggest current friction point, get the sync working cleanly, and then build from there.
That said, integrations only go so far. If your underlying HR and payroll processes aren’t structured correctly, connecting more software just moves the mess faster. A clean setup requires the right policies, the right workflows, and someone who knows how to spot problems before they turn into compliance headaches.
If your team is growing and you want HR support that actually keeps pace, Soteria HR is ready to help. Schedule a consultation with our team and we’ll show you where to start.
