Gusto payroll has three main pricing plans, which start at $49/month (plus $6/month/employee).
There’s also a plan for solopreneurs to pay themselves ($49/month + $6/month/person), and a plan for only paying contractors ($0/month for the first 6 months, then reverts to $35/month, + $6/month/person).
Backed by our own independent research, this guide unpacks how much Gusto costs, whether or not it’s the right platform for you, or if there might be a better option out there.On this page:
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Gusto’s plans range from $49/month, plus $6/month/person, to $180/month, plus $22/month/person.
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The Contractor Only plan is currently discounted to $0/month, plus $6/month/person, for the first six months, after which the base cost reverts to $35/month.
- In addition to its excellent feature catalog, Gusto has an intuitive interface that simplifies complex payroll processes.
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The best alternatives to Gusto are Rippling, which offers customizable HR packages, and ADP RUN, which has bespoke pricing.
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A lack of automated shift-scheduling tools makes Gusto less suitable for businesses operating in shift-based work environments.
Honed over years of market and user research, our research methodology scores each product (eight in total) across 56 areas of investigation.
Once the research team has gathered all of this information, it is handed over to our talented team of (human) writers, who turn it into the reviews and guides that you’ll find across our site. This is one of them.
For a full breakdown of how we research the best payroll products on the market, head to our methodology section.
How Much Does Gusto Cost?
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1099 E-file
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Simple |
Plus |
Premium |
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$49/month + $6/month/person |
$80/month + $12/month/person |
$180/month + $22/month/person |
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$49/month + $6/month/person |
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What Does Each Gusto Plan Include?
In this section, I’ll break down what you get at each tier when you sign up for Gusto.
Simple plan
Price: $49/month + $6/month/person
- Single-state payroll with automatic tax filing
- Unlimited monthly payroll runs
- Employee self-service app
- Multiple pay rates
- Phone, email, and chat support during listed hours
Plus plan
Price: $80/month + $12/month/person
- Multi-state payroll
- Next-day pay
- Native time tracking
- Advanced onboarding tools, such as application tracking
- Time-off request management
Premium plan
Price: $180/month + $22/month/person
- Dedicated Service Advisor
- Advanced HR tools, including custom employee handbook creation
- Customizable survey capabilities
- Priority support
- Custom reports
Contractor Only plan
Price: $35/month + $6/month/person
- Unlimited domestic contractor payments
- 4-day pay
- Form 1099 creation and filing
- New hire reporting (only if required in the state you’re operating in)
- Global contractor payments add-on
Solo plan
Price: $49/month + $6/month/person
- Compliant self-pay and automatic tax filing
- Bill pay and invoicing
- Access to health benefits
- S corp election and compliance
- Reasonable salary calculator
Does Gusto Have Any Paid Add-Ons?
Yes, Gusto has several available add-ons. I’ve listed some of the main examples below.
- Extra users — $6/month, $12/month, or $22/month, depending on which tier you’re on.
- Gusto Money Plus — $19/month
- Health insurance broker integration — $6/month/eligible employee
- Workers’ compensation — $14/month
- Instant pay — $100/payroll
Head to the Gusto pricing page for a full list of available options.
Gusto Pros and Cons
In this section, I’ll focus on the strengths and weaknesses of Gusto as a payroll platform.
Pros of Gusto
- Intuitive user interface simplifies complex payroll processes
- Simple, transparent pricing model
- Comprehensive integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, and other ledger platforms
Cons of Gusto
- Per-month, per-person pricing adds up as your business scales
- Fragmented support ecosystem on lower tiers
- Lack of automated shift-scheduling tools makes it unsuitable for shift environments
What Are the Best Alternatives to Gusto?
The best alternative to Gusto is Rippling, which lets businesses build custom HR packages to fit their specific needs.
Rippling has impressive payment controls, employee-focused features and in-depth training material, making it the best payroll provider we’ve reviewed.
ADP RUN is another great alternative to Gusto. It includes most of Gusto’s features, only missing out on small things like the Gusto Wallet or native time-tracking. Unlike Gusto, pricing is bespoke, so you only pay for what you need. Our comparison of Gusto vs ADP Payroll has more information.
Check out the table below for a full list of alternatives to Gusto.
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Free plan
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Automatic tax filing
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How Did We Research and Review Gusto Payroll?
We take our impartial research and analysis seriously, so you can have complete confidence that we’re giving you the clearest, most useful product recommendations.
After conducting an initial exploration to identify the most relevant, popular and established tools in the market, we put them through their paces to see their real strengths and weaknesses. In this case, we put eight payroll software platforms to the test across 56 areas of investigation.
Based on years of market and user needs research, we’ve established a payroll software research methodology that scores each product in five main categories of investigation and 10 subcategories; this covers everything from levels of data security and user control, to the customer support each provider offers, and much more.
Our main research categories for payroll software are:
- Control: The level of customization and flexibility provided by the payroll software in managing and processing payroll. It includes features such as the ability to define pay periods, customize earnings and deductions, set up tax withholding rules, and manage employee data.
- Data security: The measures and protocols implemented by the payroll software to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive payroll information. This includes encryption of data, secure data storage, access controls, backup and disaster recovery procedures, and compliance with data protection regulations.
- Expertise: The level of knowledge and guidance provided by the payroll software vendor or support team. This can include resources such as documentation, tutorials, training materials and access to payroll experts who can assist users with payroll-related questions.
- Scalability: The ability of the payroll software to accommodate the growth and changing needs of a business. It includes factors such as the capacity to handle an increasing number of employees, support multiple locations or entities, and adapt to evolving payroll requirements, including HR-related functionality and employee benefits.
- Customer support: The various channels and methods available for users to seek assistance and support from the payroll software vendor. This can include email or ticket-based support, phone support, live chat, community forums and self-help resources
When it comes to calculating a provider’s final score, not all research areas are weighted evenly, as we know some aspects matter more to our readers than others. After hundreds of hours, our process is complete and the results should ensure you can find the best solution for your needs.
At Tech.co, we have a number of full-time in-house researchers, who re-run this research process regularly, to ensure our results remain reflective of the present day.
Yes, Gusto is a great payroll platform that we highly recommend. Unlike many of its contemporaries, it has a slick interface that simplifies complex processes, combined with a generous feature catalog, and decent help and support options.
Our particular recommendation is the Plus plan, which still offers a reasonably affordable flat rate while adding lots of useful features, such as permissions and time-tracking.
Alternatives to Gusto include Rippling, which has a custom pricing model, so you only pay for the features that you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Gusto is an excellent payroll platform, with a vast amount of features at a reasonable price point.
Gusto has a specific pricing plan for businesses that use contractors ($35/month + $6/month/person, currently discounted to $0/month + $6/month/person for the first 6 months).
Gusto’s Simple plan requires two days for direct deposit. However, if you opt for the Plus or Premium plans, you’ll be able to make next-day deposits.
Compared to other providers, Gusto has quite a high starting price. However, due to the range of features that you get access to, it represents good value for money.
No, Gusto doesn’t have any hidden fees. Any additional fees, such as extra employees, are transparently advertised.
No, Gusto doesn’t have a free plan.
However, new customers can receive a six-month-long free trial when they sign up for Contractor Only, during which you will only be charged $6 per month, per person.
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