Gusto Affiliate Program vs. Whirks Network Partner Program

If you're an accounting firm considering how to offer payroll, Gusto has probably crossed your radar. Maybe you're drawn to its sleek interface, automated tools, or competitive pricing. But beneath the clean design, what does Gusto actually offer accounting firms? And how does it stack up against a firm-focused partner model like Whirks?

This article is designed to help you compare both options clearly, from platform features to client support and scalability. By the end, you’ll know which path makes the most sense for your goals, your team, and your clients.

• Target Market & Client Fit: Small business vs. firm-focused
• Product Offering & Platform Management: Simple UI vs. supported scalability
• Service & Support Model: Ticket-based help vs. dedicated team
• Pricing Structure: Tiered fees vs. transparent partner pricing
• Client Experience & Brand Control: Gusto-branded vs. firm-branded
• Notable Limitations: Outgrown fast vs. minimum investment
• Ideal Firm Profile: Solo advisors vs. growth-minded firms

1. Target Market & Client Fit

Gusto: Built for Small Businesses, Not Accounting Firms

Gusto was one of the early cloud-based payroll providers to hit the market with a clean, user-friendly interface. It was designed primarily for small businesses and still plays strongest in that space. Their platform blends payroll, timekeeping, benefits, onboarding, and basic HR into one experience.

They market directly to small business owners and offer a do-it-yourself model. Accounting professionals can join Gusto's partner program, but the product wasn't originally built for firms trying to manage payroll for multiple clients.

Their system is designed to be simple and scalable for very small companies, but many firms find that as their clients grow or payroll needs become more complex, Gusto can’t keep up.

Whirks Network Partner Program

Whirks is built specifically for accounting firms that want to add payroll services or upgrade their existing solution. The entire model is designed to help firms scale payroll under their own brand, without needing to hire a back-office team or invest in expensive infrastructure.

Whirks is built around one thing: helping you deliver payroll profitably without giving up your brand, control, or sanity. Whether you're just getting started or scaling to hundreds of clients, the model meets you where you are.

2. Product Offering & Platform Management

Gusto: Simple to Use, but Easy to Outgrow

Gusto made a splash early on with a user-friendly design that helped define modern cloud payroll. The platform is clean and intuitive, bringing together essential functions like payroll, onboarding, time tracking, benefits administration, and outsourced HR into one cloud-based solution. For very small businesses or firms that need a straightforward solution, this works well.

However, the simplicity comes with limitations. There’s little flexibility if your clients need non-basic support. While Gusto promotes itself as a full-service HR platform, they don’t currently offer ACA compliance tools, and tax credit support is minimal. 

That means they can help your clients generate handbooks or stay up-to-date on labor laws, but they won’t be able to talk through complex HR situations or provide tailored advice. If your clients expect hands-on HR guidance, Gusto may come up short.

If you're looking to offer payroll as a true service line with margins, advisory, and control, Gusto might feel more like a tool than a partner. It’s a “you get what you get” experience.

Whirks Network Partner Program

Whirks gives you access to the full isolved platform, but we filter it through a firm-first lens. We curate the tools your clients actually need and help you implement them smoothly. 

Your firm doesn’t need to become an expert in payroll tech. Our team handles the backend, so you don’t have to worry about platform updates, tax filing quirks, or client onboarding hiccups. You can confidently offer payroll services without investing in a full internal payroll department.

Your firm gets:

• Modern payroll and HR tools

• Backend support for compliance and processing

• Custom rollout pacing to match your team's capacity 

3. Service & Support Model

Gusto: Support Tickets, Not Strategic Help

Gusto is a mass-market tool, and their support reflects that. Gusto’s support is ticket-based, and that system often leads to long response times, especially around quarter-end when payroll volume peaks.

Many firms report inconsistent support experiences — fast one day, slow the next — with little continuity between support reps. You’re often submitting a ticket and “sitting and waiting,” which is a tough model if you’re managing multiple client deadlines.

You don’t get someone who knows your clients, your challenges, or your deadlines.

Whirks Network Partner Program

Whirks takes a hands-on, relationship-first approach. Every partner has a dedicated Partner Success Team who learns your clients, your firm, and your goals.

We don’t use a ticket queue. Instead, you work with the same support team over time, and we don’t speak directly to your clients unless you ask us to. You stay front and center.

Beyond day-to-day support, we provide monthly Whirkshops, guided training, and strategy sessions to help you improve client service, build efficient systems, and grow payroll profitably.

4. Pricing Structure

Gusto: Attractive Upfront, But Unclear Over Time

Gusto is known for its affordability, at least at first glance. Pricing typically starts with a base fee plus a per-check or per-employee fee. You may see $6 to $8 per employee per month promoted, but the real cost depends heavily on your service tier and add-ons.

Want time tracking? That’s extra. Want 401(k) or benefits support? More fees. Pricing is tiered, with certain features only unlocked at higher service levels.

There’s also no clear billing model for how you, the firm, can resell or package Gusto services. If you want to build a payroll revenue stream, you’ll have to figure out the margins on your own and potentially compete with Gusto’s own pricing to the client.

Whirks Network Partner Program

Whirks uses a partner-first pricing model designed to give your firm full control over how you package, price, and deliver payroll services. You’re billed at the partner level—not your clients—so you control the margins and manage the client experience your way.

Here’s how our pricing breaks down:

• $7.70 PEPM for the first 20 employees; $5.25 PEPM for each additional employee
• $2,000 minimum monthly spend requirement
• $2,500 one-time investment for training and client conversion
• $8 setup fee per new employee added post-implementation (minimum $100 spend)
• Annual fees:
  • $75 per FEIN + $5 per W-2
  • $125 per FEIN + $7.95 per 1095 (for ACA clients)

Partners bill clients directly and can structure pricing however they want, whether that’s bundling payroll into a broader service package, setting flat fees, or charging per run. Partners can also earn a 20% discount on ancillary add-ons like Time and Attendance, ACA Services, People Services, and Benefit Services.

It’s a structure designed for accounting firms that want to grow payroll as a profit center, not just a pass-through service. There’s transparency at every level so you can forecast revenue, maintain margins, and build a sustainable model as you grow.

5. Client Experience & Brand Control

Gusto: Gusto Gets the Glory

When clients log into Gusto, they see Gusto. That’s the case for the portal, the support center, and the onboarding process.

You can manage payroll on their behalf, but you’re ultimately working inside their system under their name. That’s not a big deal for some firms, but for others, it’s a disconnect that makes client loyalty harder to maintain.

There’s no way to white-label or take full control of the experience.

Whirks Network Partner Program

With Whirks, clients never know we exist unless you want them to. We stay behind the scenes while you lead the relationship. You own:

• The communication

• The pricing

• The experience

If you need support, we’ve got you. But your firm always gets the credit.

6. Notable Limitations

Gusto:

• Designed primarily for small businesses, not advisory firms
• May be outgrown as clients scale
• Ticket-based support delays help when you need it most
• No ACA or advanced compliance support
• Limited customization and the Gusto brand stays front and center (not yours)
  

Whirks Network Partner Program:

• $2,000 monthly minimum spend makes it better for firms with 20+ payroll clients

• Upfront investment required to start

• Best fit for firms with dedicated internal payroll lead

• Built on isolved platform, not built in-house

So Which One Fits Your Firm Best?

Choose Gusto if:

• You serve very small clients and want to recommend a low-cost payroll solution
• You don’t need to be the payroll provider—just the referrer
• You’re okay with limited control, customization, and branding
  

Choose Whirks if:

• You want to grow payroll as a real service line
• You need help with onboarding, compliance, and support
• You want to stay in the driver’s seat of the client relationship
• You’re ready to build margin, not just pass referrals

Still Considering Gusto? Here’s the Smarter Next Step

If you’ve been using Gusto or thinking about it, it’s probably because you like the simplicity and price point. We get that.

We've talked to many firms that started with Gusto and loved it, at first. But as their client base grew or they tried to turn payroll into a scalable, profitable service line, they hit roadblocks. 

The Whirks Network Partner Program offers a different path. We help accounting firms like yours run payroll the right way without the tech headaches, client confusion, or feeling like you’re on your own. We lay out exactly what that shift looks like in "What to Expect in Your First 90 Days with Whirks".

If you’ve outgrown Gusto or want more control over how payroll fits your firm, schedule a quick call to see if Whirks makes a better long-term fit.