Gusto review (2026): features, pros and cons, pricing
Small-business payroll platform that bundles tax filing, benefits and basic HR tools, priced as a base fee plus a per-person fee.
Verdict at a glance
Gusto is a small-business payroll platform that bundles tax filing, benefits and basic HR tools. It is priced as a base fee plus a per-person fee, and it supports both employees and contractors.
Pros
- Ease of use (9.5 of 10 on G2)
- Quick setup and onboarding.
Cons
- Support rated slightly behind some competitors.
What is Gusto?
Small-business payroll platform that bundles tax filing, benefits and basic HR tools, priced as a base fee plus a per-person fee. It is built for small US businesses of 1 to a few dozen people wanting simple setup and companies that pay a mix of W-2 employees and 1099 contractors. Gusto was founded in 2011 and is based in San Francisco, US (formerly ZenPayroll).
Category: HR Software (HRIS), Payroll Software
Gusto key features
| Feature | What we found |
|---|---|
| Core HR and employee records | Employee records and self-onboarding on all plans (basic) |
| Payroll integration or built-in payroll | Built-in payroll is the core product. |
| Onboarding and offboarding workflows | Employee self-onboarding on Simple; hiring and onboarding tools on Plus. |
| Time off and attendance | Basic PTO on Simple; time and PTO tracking on Plus. |
| Tax filing and compliance | Automatic federal, state and local filing on all plans. |
| Multi-state payroll | Plus and Premium; Simple is single-state. |
| Time tracking and PTO | Plus adds time tracking and PTO. |
| Contractor and 1099 payments | Contractor Only plan $35 + $6 per contractor. |
Gusto pricing
Gusto charges a monthly base fee plus a monthly per-person fee. Simple is $49 plus $6, Plus is $80 plus $12, and Premium is $180 plus $22. A Contractor Only plan costs $35 plus $6 per contractor. Billing is monthly and there is no free plan or free trial. Only active employees are billed. Benefits and other add-ons are priced separately with no published rates. Simple covers single-state payroll with automatic tax filing, while Plus adds multi-state payroll, time tracking and hiring tools. Premium adds HR guidance and same-day and instant pay.
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | $49 + $6 | per month + per person per month | Single-state payroll, auto tax filing |
| Plus | $80 + $12 | per month + per person per month | Multi-state payroll, time tracking, hiring tools |
| Premium | $180 + $22 | per month + per person per month | HR guidance, same-day and instant pay |
| Contractor Only | $35 + $6 | per month + per contractor | 1099-only businesses |
Prices as listed on gusto.com/product/pricing. Some Gusto guides list Premium as custom. Active employees only are billed.
Who Gusto is best for
Best for
- Small US businesses of 1 to a few dozen people wanting simple setup.
- Companies that pay a mix of W-2 employees and 1099 contractors.
Not ideal for
- Large enterprises needing SCIM or deep identity controls.
- Companies that need global payroll.
Gusto alternatives
RipplingCompanies already running payroll and HR on Rippling that want app access tied to employee records.
PaycorUS employers with roughly 10 to 1,000 staff that want payroll and HR from one vendor.
JustworksSmall US companies that want a PEO with benefits and compliance handled for them.
OnPaySmall businesses and accounting-firm partners.
BambooHRSmall and mid-size US companies that want HRIS first and light recruiting in the same system.
QuickBooks PayrollBusinesses already on QuickBooks Online.
What Gusto really costs
- Per seat per month
- $6 per person per month plus $49 base (Simple); $12 plus $80 base (Plus)
- Billing
- Monthly.
- 20 users per year
- Simple: ($49 + 20 x $6) x 12 = $2,028 per year. Plus: ($80 + 20 x $12) x 12 = $3,840 per year.
Add-ons and extras to budget for
- Benefits and other add-ons priced separately, rates not published.
Questions to ask about price
- Is there a minimum number of seats or a minimum annual spend?
- What is the discount for annual billing, and can we start monthly?
- How much can the price rise at renewal, and is the increase capped in the contract?
- Are there one-time costs for implementation, onboarding or data migration?
Is Gusto worth the price?
Gusto is good value for small US businesses with one to a few dozen people, especially those paying a mix of W-2 employees and 1099 contractors, where the contractor plan keeps costs low. It gets more expensive once you need multi-state payroll or Premium features, and benefits add-ons sit on top. It is not built for global payroll.
Worth it if
- Small US businesses of 1 to a few dozen people wanting simple setup.
- Companies that pay a mix of W-2 employees and 1099 contractors.
Look elsewhere if
- Large enterprises needing SCIM or deep identity controls.
- Companies that need global payroll.
Pricing details most reviews leave out
- Multi-state payroll only starts on Plus ($80 + $12)
- Simple's price excludes benefits costs and add-ons.
- SAML SSO is not self-service: reportedly enabled via Gusto support, and SCIM is reportedly unavailable (third-party Stitchflow)
- Billing counts only active employees.
- Contractor-only businesses have their own $35 + $6 plan.
Gusto compared
Our verdict on Gusto
Gusto is a small-business payroll platform that bundles tax filing, benefits and basic HR, priced as a base fee plus a per-person fee. At $49 plus $6 per person per month on Simple, it is one of the clearer prices in payroll, and the listed figures are public. Payroll software is easy to underbudget, so read the plan limits before choosing a tier.
The catch is that the plan you start on may not be the plan you need. Multi-state payroll only begins on Plus at $80 plus $12, and Premium costs $180 plus $22. Benefits costs and other add-ons are priced separately and their rates are not published, so the headline price is a floor. Gusto bills only active employees, which keeps the bill tied to real headcount.
Gusto FAQ
What is Gusto used for?
Gusto is a small-business payroll platform that bundles tax filing, benefits and basic HR tools. It is priced as a base fee plus a per-person fee, and it supports both employees and contractors. It suits small US businesses of 1 to a few dozen people wanting simple setup.
How much does Gusto cost for 20 employees?
On Simple it is ($49 + 20 x $6) x 12, or $2,028 per year. On Plus it is ($80 + 20 x $12) x 12, or $3,840 per year. Benefits and add-ons are extra.
Does Gusto have a free plan?
No. There is no free plan or free trial. Pricing is monthly with a base fee plus a per-person fee, starting at $49 plus $6 per person on Simple.
When does Gusto get more expensive?
Moving from Simple to Plus is needed for multi-state payroll and raises the fee to $80 plus $12. Premium is $180 plus $22. Benefits costs and add-ons are priced separately and rates are not published.
About Gusto
- Founded
- 2011.
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, US (formerly ZenPayroll)
- Employees
- 2,400 to 3,000 (estimates)
- Funding or owner
- Series E, $9.5B valuation in 2021/2022 rounds.
Listed in: HR Software (HRIS), Payroll Software
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Gusto's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.