Shareworks by Morgan Stanley vs Gusto

Side-by-side from the Top 11 rankings of Carta vs Pulley vs Ledgy: 11 Best Cap Table Management Software 2026 and Gusto vs Rippling vs QuickBooks Payroll: 11 Best Payroll Software for SMBs 2026. Last verified June 3, 2026.

The short answer

Gusto ranks higher on Top 11 (#1 vs #4) for Startup founders managing equity, options, and 409A / Small business owners running payroll without in-house HR. The easiest-to-use platform for all-in-one payroll, benefits, and HR, perfect for business owners without HR staff.

At a glance

Shareworks by Morgan StanleyGusto
Top 11 rank#4 / Carta vs Pulley vs Ledgy: 11 Best Cap Table Management Software 2026#1 / Gusto vs Rippling vs QuickBooks Payroll: 11 Best Payroll Software for SMBs 2026
Score (out of 9.4)8.69.3
Best forEnterprise & late-stageOverall ease of use
Pricing$$$$ (Quote-based)$$ ($46 to $150+/mo)
HQCalgary, CanadaSan Francisco, USA
Founded19992011

Shareworks by Morgan Stanley

Institutional-grade platform for mature private and public companies.

www.morganstanley.com/atwork/shareworks

See full entry in Carta vs Pulley vs Ledgy: 11 Best Cap Table Management Software 2026

Gusto

The easiest-to-use platform for all-in-one payroll, benefits, and HR, perfect for business owners without HR staff.

gusto.com

See full entry in Gusto vs Rippling vs QuickBooks Payroll: 11 Best Payroll Software for SMBs 2026

Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.