Juno vs. Gruntworx
Outsourcing the work vs. automating it inside your firm
GruntWorx adds capacity by outsourcing preparation work, but you’re still responsible for checking everything that comes back. Juno automates prep and review in real time, giving you full visibility into what changed and what actually needs attention.
Two ways firms try to get capacity back
Most firms look at GruntWorx and Juno for the same reason. You’re buried in returns, short on staff, and trying to figure out how to take on more work without burning everyone out. The difference is how that capacity is created. GruntWorx gets you help by sending work to people. Juno gets you leverage by automating the work itself.
Outsourcing labor vs. automation
GruntWorx operates primarily as an outsourcing agency. Firms upload documents, external individuals complete the work, and it’s sent back later, sometimes involving offshore labor that introduces disclosure and data-sharing considerations. Juno keeps everything inside your firm by automating preparation, review, and analysis in real time, so documents are processed immediately and all work stays visible and under your control.
Still checking everything vs. focused review
Even when firms use GruntWorx, most still review all returned work before filing. That’s not a reflection on the people doing the work, it’s just the reality of external human-prepared returns and signing responsibility. Juno reduces how much checking you need by comparing source documents to the return and prior year, flagging mismatches and missing information so review is targeted instead of repetitive.
Busy-season delays vs. real-time results
Because GruntWorx relies on human processing, turnaround times can vary, especially during February and March when volume spikes. Firms often describe waiting hours or days with limited visibility into timing or follow-up cleanup. Juno runs in real time with no external queue, so data is extracted, validated, and flagged immediately, and the pace stays consistent even during peak season.
Lower-cost labor vs. fewer errors to fix
GruntWorx can feel cheaper because it relies on lower-cost labor, but human-prepared work is still prone to errors and firms remain responsible for catching them. Juno reduces error risk by automatically handling comparisons and consistency checks, showing you what changed, what doesn’t tie, and what needs attention before issues turn into amendments or late-night second guessing.
Training your team vs. renting capacity
Seasonal offshoring can help you push work through, but it doesn’t build your team. The work leaves your firm and comes back finished, so junior staff never see how decisions were made. Juno keeps prep and review inside your firm, helping junior team members learn faster by seeing source documents, return fields, and review flags together. Over time, your team moves beyond clerical work and spends more time on judgment, client conversations, and the work that actually develops strong professionals.
A stopgap solution vs. a long-term system
For many smaller firms, GruntWorx served as a way to take on more returns without hiring and helped bridge a short-term capacity gap. Juno is built as a long-term system that supports preparation, review, and advisory in one place, so as your firm grows, you’re not adding more outsourced labor, you’re steadily removing manual work from the process.
How firms describe the difference
In their own words, from teams that looked at both Juno and GruntWorx
“I realized pretty quickly that even if we outsourced the work to GruntWorx, we were still responsible for checking everything that came back. With Juno, at least I can see what changed and what actually needs review.”
“GruntWorx OCR alone wasn’t enough to trust. We would’ve had to pay for human review on top of it before it was usable. Juno felt different because it was actually analyzing and flagging, not just reading numbers.”
“I kept hearing with GruntWorx that when things get really busy in February and March, response times slow down. What I like about Juno is that it runs in real time, so we’re not waiting on work to come back during our busiest weeks.”
How does Juno compare to GruntWorx?
| Capability | Juno | GruntWorx |
|---|---|---|
| Core model | In-house automation | Outsourced human labor |
| Where work happens | Inside your firm | Sent out and returned |
| Peak-season speed | Real-time, no queues | Slows during busy periods |
| Review approach | Automated flags + human judgment | Full manual rechecking |
| Error exposure | Reduced through validation and consistency checks | Still dependent on manual review |
| Advisory and research | Built in | Not supported |
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t have to start over to switch
Get set up
Create an account in about a minute. Juno is built to fit alongside the tax software and processes you already use, not replace them.
Use it on real returns
Bring in an actual client file or question and work the way you normally would. Your binder, review habits, and workflow stay intact.
Get support from tax pros
Onboarding and ongoing help come from experienced tax professionals who understand busy season and how firms really work.
Simple, predictable pricing
Pricing is per return and stays straightforward, so you can move forward without disruption or surprises.
The bottom line
Firms that switch to Juno spend less time fixing preventable issues, move returns through review faster, and have clearer visibility into what actually needs attention. Instead of scaling by sending work out, they use automation to keep the work inside the firm, reduce manual effort, and build their team’s ability to take on more responsibility without giving up control.