Gusto
$52/mo est.
- Per employee
- $6/emp/mo
- Min cost /mo
- $40/mo
- US compliance
- Yes
- Payroll
- Native (US)
- I-9 / E-Verify
- Yes
- Est. monthly cost
- $52/mo
Gusto
Top-rated US payroll and HR platform with transparent per-employee pricing, full-service federal and state tax filing, and built-in benefits administration.
- Per employee
- $6/emp/mo
- Base fee
- $40/mo
- US compliance
- Yes
- Payroll
- Native (US)
Best for
US small and mid-sized businesses wanting transparent, full-service payroll with benefits and HR built in.
Pricing breakdown
All prices in USDLast verified June 19, 2026Every fee we track, grouped by where it applies.
Strengths and trade-offs
Pros
- Transparent per-employee pricing, no quote needed
- Full-service federal, state, and local tax filing
- Built-in benefits, 401(k), and workers comp
- Strong employee self-service and onboarding
Cons
- Per-employee fees add up for larger headcounts
- Premium tier and advanced HR are quote-led
- No dedicated account manager on lower tiers
- Less depth than enterprise suites for 500+ employees
About Gusto
Gusto is one of the most popular payroll platforms for US small and mid-sized businesses, combining full-service payroll with HR, benefits, and hiring tools. It runs unlimited payroll runs, files and pays federal, state, and local payroll taxes automatically, generates and files W-2s and 1099s, handles new-hire reporting, and runs multi-state payroll. Pricing is a transparent monthly base fee plus a per-employee fee, with no quote required. Gusto also offers integrated benefits administration (health insurance, 401(k)), workers compensation, and a strong employee self-service experience. Its clean interface and published pricing make it the default modern choice for SMB payroll, though very large or HR-heavy organizations may outgrow it.
Gusto was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in San Francisco, USA.
How Gusto compares
Side-by-side with the closest alternatives by estimated cost.
Base fee plus per-employee costs, based on 2 employees. Quote-only providers are excluded.
Rippling
$16/mo est.
- Per employee
- $8/emp/mo
- Min cost /mo
- —
- US compliance
- Yes
- Payroll
- Native (US)
- I-9 / E-Verify
- Yes
- Est. monthly cost
- $16/mo
Deel
$0/mo est.
- Per employee
- Free up to 200
- Min cost /mo
- None
- US compliance
- Yes
- Payroll
- Native (US + global)
- I-9 / E-Verify
- Yes
- Est. monthly cost
- $0/mo
BambooHR
$250/mo est.
- Per employee
- From $6/emp/mo
- Min cost /mo
- ~$250/mo
- US compliance
- Yes (add-on)
- Payroll
- Native (add-on)
- I-9 / E-Verify
- Yes
- Est. monthly cost
- $250/mo
Common questions about Gusto
The same questions US merchants ask before signing up.
Gusto charges a monthly base fee plus a per-employee fee. The entry Simple plan starts at $6/emp/mo on top of its base fee, and the Plus and Premium tiers raise both the base and the per-employee rate while adding time tracking, performance, and more. The calculator above estimates your monthly cost on your own headcount, and the comparison table shows each tier in US dollars.
Yes. Gusto includes native full-service payroll across all 50 states, filing federal, state, and local payroll taxes, plus W-2s and 1099s, automatically. Unlimited payroll runs are included, and contractor-only businesses can use a cheaper contractor plan. This native payroll is the core of Gusto, not an add-on, which is the main reason small US businesses pick it over HR-only tools.
Yes. Gusto administers health, dental, and vision insurance through licensed brokers in most states, and offers 401(k) via Guideline, plus HSA, FSA, and commuter benefits. Deductions sync automatically to payroll. Workers' compensation is available pay-as-you-go through a broker partner. For a small business that wants payroll and benefits in one place, Gusto is one of the most complete options.
Yes. Gusto includes digital Form I-9 collection during onboarding, with E-Verify available on higher tiers, and generates ACA forms (1095-C / 1094-C) for applicable employers. It also helps with multi-state tax registration when you hire across state lines. This compliance coverage is built into the platform rather than sold separately.
Gusto includes a native AI assistant for answering HR and payroll questions and surfacing guidance, though it is lighter than the agent tooling in Rippling or Deel. It does not currently publish an official MCP server; AI agents and automation connect through third-party tools such as Zapier. A public API is available for custom integrations.
Yes. Gusto is built for US small businesses from one employee upward, pairing an approachable interface with full-service payroll, benefits, and compliance. It is best for companies that want payroll at the center of their HR stack rather than a deep HRIS with a separate payroll add-on. Larger or IT-heavy teams may prefer Rippling, and companies hiring internationally may prefer Deel.
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