Gusto vs Heard for therapists

Auto-generated from listing data

At a glance

The differences that matter

Side-by-side facts. Rows where the two tools differ meaningfully are highlighted.

Feature	Gusto	Heard
Pricing from	$49 / mo	$149 / mo
Pricing modelSame	paid	paid
HIPAASame	Not listed	Not listed
Free trialSame	Yes	Yes
Target users	Group practices with employees Practices paying 1099 associates Solo therapists making their first hire	Solo therapists in private practice Therapists considering S-Corp Practices wanting hands-off finances First-time practice owners
Key features	Automated payroll runs Federal/state/local tax filing Direct deposit Benefits administration	Done-for-you monthly bookkeeping Personal + business tax filing included Quarterly tax estimates S-Corp election support
Integrations	FreshBooks Xero QuickBooks Heard Many accounting tools	Bank accounts (secure sync) Healthie (partner promo) Gusto (payroll add-on)

Gusto

Pricing from: $49 / mo
Pricing model: paid
HIPAA: Not listed
Free trial: Yes
Target users: Group practices with employees
Practices paying 1099 associates
Solo therapists making their first hire
Key features: Automated payroll runs
Federal/state/local tax filing
Direct deposit
Benefits administration
Integrations: FreshBooks
Xero
QuickBooks
Heard
Many accounting tools

Heard

Pricing from: $149 / mo
Pricing model: paid
HIPAA: Not listed
Free trial: Yes
Target users: Solo therapists in private practice
Therapists considering S-Corp
Practices wanting hands-off finances
First-time practice owners
Key features: Done-for-you monthly bookkeeping
Personal + business tax filing included
Quarterly tax estimates
S-Corp election support
Integrations: Bank accounts (secure sync)
Healthie (partner promo)
Gusto (payroll add-on)

Pricing

What you actually pay

Starting prices and what they include. The cheaper tool is not always the better value.

Lower price

Gusto

paid

$49/month

Free trial$100/mo less than the other

Heard

paid

$149/month

Free trial

Honest assessment

Where each tool wins and loses

Based on hands-on testing. Both tools have real weaknesses worth knowing before you commit.

Gusto

What works well

Easy, reliable payroll and tax filing
Handles W-2 and 1099
Benefits and HR add-ons
Integrates with major accounting tools

Where it falls short

Monthly base fee plus per-person cost
Not therapy-specific
Overkill for a solo with no employees
Benefits features vary by state

Heard

What works well

Therapy-specific (knows deductions)
Software + human team
Saves $5,000+ in taxes per year (per vendor)
Personal + business tax filing included

Where it falls short

Pricier than DIY QuickBooks
Some reviews mention customer service delays
Heavier than needed for very simple practices

Take it for a spin

Try them

Both tools offer free trials. The fastest way to confirm a fit is to run one real session through each.

Payroll, benefits, and contractor payments for group therapy practices.

Try Gusto

From $49/moFree trial

Visit Gusto

Bookkeeping and taxes built specifically for therapists.

Try Heard

From $149/moFree trial

Visit Heard

About this comparison

This comparison is auto-generated from verified vendor data. We compile pricing, features, and integrations from each vendor's own documentation. For editorial comparisons with hands-on testing, see our editorially reviewed comparisons.

Auto-generated

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