Gusto

Gusto uses transparent pricing: a monthly base fee plus a per-employee fee of $6/emp/mo on the entry Simple plan, with no quote required. The Plus plan adds next-day direct deposit, time tracking, and deeper HR for a higher base and per-employee fee, and the Premium plan moves to quote-based pricing. There is also a contractor-only plan for businesses that pay 1099s but have no W-2 employees. The comparison table on this page shows the current base and per-employee fees, and the calculator above estimates your monthly cost on your own headcount.

Yes. Gusto is full-service on every plan, which means it calculates, files, and pays your federal, state, and local payroll taxes automatically each pay run, and handles year-end W-2s and 1099s. It also files new-hire reports to the state. You are not left to file anything yourself, which is the main difference between full-service payroll and a calculate-only tool.

Yes. Gusto supports multi-state payroll, handling withholding, registration prompts, and reciprocity for employees who live or work in different states. This is included rather than an add-on, which makes Gusto a practical choice for remote teams with people spread across the country. You are responsible for registering with each state's agencies, and Gusto guides you through what is needed.

Yes. Gusto includes benefits administration (health insurance and 401(k)) through its broker partners, and pay-as-you-go workers compensation that bases premiums on actual payroll rather than an annual estimate. Health insurance is available in most states, and benefits sit in the same platform as payroll so deductions flow through automatically.

Yes. Gusto integrates natively with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and FreshBooks, syncing payroll journals into your accounting so your books stay current without manual entry. This is why Xero users in particular often pair Xero accounting with Gusto for payroll, since Xero does not run US payroll itself.

Gusto includes a native AI assistant that answers payroll and HR questions and helps surface tasks, alongside automation that flags issues before a pay run. For connecting external AI agents, Gusto does not publish an official Model Context Protocol (MCP) server; integration with AI tools is via third-party automation platforms such as Zapier or its public API.