Unclaimed: Are you working at Gusto?
Gusto Reviews: 4.6/5 — Highly Rated
One of the most preferred payroll platforms on the web today, Gusto is a great tool for all-around HR management that can handle everything from automatic year-end tax form filing to new-hire form filing, and managing employee benefits. It easily integrates with numerous accounting and business tools, as well as collaboration platforms such as Asana and Autobooks. The platform is well known for its exceptional customer support and delivers great insights and reporting.
| Capabilities |
API
|
|---|---|
| Segment |
Small Business
Mid Market
Enterprise
|
| Deployment | Cloud / SaaS / Web-Based, Mobile Android, Mobile iPhone |
| Training | Documentation |
| Languages | English |
Gusto charges a monthly base fee plus a per-person rate, and for small teams the base fee is most of the bill. Simple is a reported $49 a month plus $6 per person, so a three-person company pays $67 — around $22 per employee. The same plan at fifty people works out near $7 each. Nothing about the product changes; the arithmetic does, and it decides whether Gusto is cheap or expensive for you.
- What it is: A payroll and benefits platform for US small businesses, covering tax filing, onboarding, and HR basics.
- Best for: US small businesses of roughly 10 to 50 employees who want payroll handled properly without an accountant on retainer.
- Pricing: Simple $49 + $6/person, Plus $80 + $12, Premium $180 + $22. Contractor Only $35 + $6. Reported July 2026.
- The honest catch: Gusto raised the Simple base fee from $40 to $49 in March 2026, a 22.5% increase on the entry plan.
What Is Gusto?
Gusto is payroll built for people who are not payroll specialists. It runs the pay cycle, calculates and files federal, state, and local taxes automatically, handles W-2s and 1099s, manages benefits enrolment, and covers the onboarding paperwork that surrounds hiring someone in the United States.
Its reputation rests on doing an unglamorous job without drama. Payroll is a category where the product’s main virtue is that nothing goes wrong — taxes filed on time, employees paid on the right day, compliance handled — and Gusto is consistently well regarded on exactly that. The interface is unusually approachable for a compliance-heavy product, which matters when the person running payroll is also the founder.
It is firmly a US product. Payroll is jurisdiction-specific, and Gusto’s tax filing and compliance coverage is built for US federal and state requirements. Businesses hiring internationally need Deel, Remote, or Oyster instead.
How Gusto Works
- Base fee plus per-person pricing. Two components, and the ratio between them is what decides your effective rate.
- Automatic tax filing. Federal, state, and local, which is the core value and the reason people stop doing this manually.
- Full-service payroll. Direct deposit, W-2s, 1099s, and unlimited pay runs.
- Benefits administration. Health insurance, 401(k), and workers’ compensation, available in supported states.
- Contractor-only option. A reported $35 a month plus $6 per contractor for businesses with no W-2 employees.
- Tiered HR depth. Plus adds time tracking and PTO management; Premium adds HR support and compliance advice.
Gusto Pricing
Gusto blocks automated access from our infrastructure, so figures below are third-party reported for July 2026.
| Plan | Base/month | Per person | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor Only | $35 | $6/contractor | 1099 filing, contractor payments |
| Simple | $49 | $6 | Full-service payroll, tax filing, employee self-service |
| Plus | $80 | $12 | Time tracking, PTO management, multi-state payroll, deeper HR |
| Premium | $180 | $22 | HR support, compliance guidance, dedicated service |
The arithmetic that decides your tier:
- Below about ten people, you are mostly paying the base fee. Three employees on Simple costs $67 a month — $22.33 each — because $49 of that is fixed. At twenty-five employees the same plan is $7.96 each. Gusto gets substantially better value as you grow, which is the opposite of per-seat software.
- Plus roughly doubles the marginal rate. $12 per person against $6, on top of a higher base. Five employees on Plus is $140 a month, or $28 each. Only move up if time tracking, PTO management, or multi-state payroll are things you genuinely need.
- Premium is a different category of spend. $180 plus $22 per person means twenty-five employees costs $730 a month. That buys HR support and compliance guidance, which is worth it for companies without an HR function and wasteful for those with one.
- The Simple base fee rose 22.5% in March 2026, from $40 to $49. Worth knowing when comparing against older reviews and price guides, most of which still quote $40.
- Contractor Only is genuinely cheaper for the right business. $35 plus $6 per contractor suits agencies and companies with no W-2 employees, and it is easy to miss because most comparisons only cover the employee plans.
- Very small teams should do the maths against alternatives. At $22 per head for three employees, Gusto is not obviously cheap, and that is the size at which the comparison is closest.
Who Should Use Gusto
- US small businesses with 10 to 50 employees. The clearest case, where the base fee has amortised and the product is well matched to the need.
- Founders running payroll themselves. The interface is genuinely approachable for a compliance product, which is its main practical advantage.
- Companies offering benefits. Health insurance, 401(k), and workers’ comp administration in one place removes real friction.
- Contractor-heavy businesses. The Contractor Only plan is well priced and under-publicised.
It fits poorly for very small teams of two or three, where the base fee dominates and the per-head cost is high; for international hiring, since Gusto is US-only; and for companies wanting HR and IT unified, where Rippling covers considerably more ground.
Honest Pros and Cons
Strengths
- Reliable automatic tax filing. The core job, done without drama, which is what you are buying.
- Genuinely easy to use. Unusual for a compliance-heavy product.
- Benefits administration included. Health, 401(k), and workers’ comp in supported states.
- Unlimited pay runs. No penalty for off-cycle payments or corrections.
- A well-priced contractor plan. $35 plus $6 each for businesses without employees.
- Improving value with scale. Effective per-employee cost falls steadily as you grow.
Limitations
- The base fee punishes small teams. $22 per head at three employees.
- A 22.5% increase on Simple in March 2026. From $40 to $49.
- US only. No international payroll capability.
- Plus doubles the per-person rate. $12 against $6, plus a higher base.
- Premium is expensive. $180 plus $22 per person for HR support.
- Benefits availability varies by state, so coverage is not universal.
Gusto Alternatives and How It Compares
- Rippling unifies HR, payroll, and IT on one employee record, which is more capable and considerably more expensive, with no published pricing.
- Deel, Remote, and Oyster handle international hiring and EOR, which Gusto does not attempt.
- QuickBooks Online offers payroll as an add-on, which is convenient if your accounting already lives there.
- Employment Hero covers similar ground outside the US.
- Paychex and ADP are the established incumbents, generally more expensive and more sales-led, with deeper enterprise capability.
For a broader survey, browse our payroll directory.
The Verdict
Gusto is a good product doing a job most founders should not be doing themselves. Payroll tax filing is unforgiving, mistakes are expensive, and Gusto handles federal, state, and local obligations automatically with an interface that does not require a payroll background. For a US small business that has outgrown spreadsheets and does not want an accountant on retainer, it is a straightforwardly sensible purchase, and the fact that its main virtue is “nothing goes wrong” is the right virtue for this category.
Price it by working out your own per-head number, because the base fee changes the answer completely depending on size. Three employees on Simple is $67 a month, or $22.33 each — not obviously cheap. Twenty-five employees on the same plan is $199, or $7.96 each — very good value. Gusto improves as you grow, which is unusual, and it means the businesses most likely to feel it is expensive are precisely the smallest ones. If you are a two- or three-person company, run the comparison carefully rather than assuming the entry plan is the budget option.
Two specifics worth carrying into the decision. Gusto raised the Simple base fee from $40 to $49 in March 2026, so most published comparisons are now out of date by 22.5% on the entry plan — check the current figure rather than trusting a guide. And if your business pays contractors rather than employees, the Contractor Only plan at a reported $35 plus $6 each is meaningfully cheaper and rarely mentioned in comparisons; it is the most commonly missed saving in Gusto’s lineup.
FAQ
How much does Gusto cost?
Reported 2026 pricing is a base fee plus a per-person charge: Simple at $49 per month plus $6 per person, Plus at $80 plus $12, and Premium at $180 plus $22. A Contractor Only plan is reported at $35 per month plus $6 per contractor. Gusto blocks automated access from our infrastructure, so these are third-party figures and should be confirmed directly.
Why does Gusto seem expensive for a small team?
Because the base fee is fixed regardless of headcount. On Simple, three employees costs $67 a month — $22.33 each — since $49 of that is the base. The same plan at twenty-five employees is $199, or $7.96 each. The effective rate therefore improves substantially with size, and very small teams pay the highest per-person cost.
Did Gusto raise its prices?
Yes. Gusto increased the Simple plan’s base fee from $40 to $49 per month in March 2026, a 22.5% rise on the entry tier. Many published pricing guides and comparisons still quote the older figure, so verify the current rate rather than relying on secondary sources when budgeting.
Does Gusto work outside the United States?
No. Gusto is a US payroll product, and its tax filing and compliance capabilities are built around US federal, state, and local requirements. Businesses hiring internationally need a global employment platform such as Deel, Remote, or Oyster, which handle employer-of-record arrangements and local payroll in other countries.
What is Gusto best for?
US small businesses of roughly ten to fifty employees that want payroll, tax filing, and benefits handled reliably without specialist knowledge. It suits founders running payroll themselves, and companies offering health insurance or 401(k). It is a weaker fit for very small teams, where the base fee dominates, for international hiring, and for companies wanting HR and IT unified in one platform.
Compare Gusto with other popular tools in the same category.
Gusto is user friendly and easy to use. I love the interface as it is very pleasant and social. I love how it has made paying my team and the tax side of things seemless. The support team is always super helpful as well!
I haven't encountered any downsides. I have been very satisfied.
Payroll, hiring and onboarding
They are easy to work with and their help team is quick to respond and thorough.
I don't have anything I dislike about Gusto.
running payroll
People help you solve problems and answer questions so you can get back to growing and managing your business as soon as possible
I can't think of anything currently that would be a negative or downside of Gusto.
Gusto helps with annual benefits selection and management, integration with Guideline for timely 401K submission and 2x per month flawless and transparent payroll processing.
Gusto has an intuitive platform with robust reports and easy to follow videos for FAQs. It was easy to use and automated filings.
I was happy with my Gusto experience and did not have any issues with the platform.
Gusto took care of the state filings for taxes and all of the calculations.
Super intuitive. Everything makes sense and it's easy to make changes.
I dislike that there isn't a mobile app (or at least I don't know about it).
I am a person who gets paid through Gusto. It's helping me easily log my sick/vacation time, see my paystubs, and access my tax information.
Gusto hasbeen extremely helpful in keeping us in line with standards, consistency, documentation and organization.
Gusto's customer support has been mostly good. It does take some time to have them respond via email. I would love it if there was an instant message option or something that didn't tie people up on the phone.
Gusto's payroll processing is straightforward. We can set up automatic pay runs, and the system handles everything efficiently, from calculating taxes to generating pay stubs. This has taken a major burden off our shoulders, allowing us to focus on other aspects of our business.
I like that it is so user friendly and extremely easy to navigate. I use Gusto frequently throughout the week. I also love that it has an app and can log in at any time. Another one of my utimate favorite things is the Gusto card. I also have a savings account, which is extremely easy to navigate, and has assisted me with saving money for the holidays and paying off some debt.
I don't have anything bad to say about Gusto. It's by far one of the best payroll websites I have ever used.
I love that they have a savings plan and the Gusto Card. It allows me to take money from my paychech and save it, which has allowed me to pay off some debt and also saving money for the holidays.
Gusto has been a great tool for my consulting practice that has made the HR functions of managing employees and contractors much easier. I appreciate that Gusto stays on top of compliance developments and prompts me and my team to make sure that we complete any necessary reporting. Payroll is the main function I use Gusto for but it's helpful to know that other functionality is also available is my business ever needs it.
I think you do need some base level of understanding around how to set up payroll, benefits, taxes etc to fully utilize Gusto. If you're a completely lay person, it may be difficult to set up and manage.
Gusto is my main tool to handle payroll and contractor payments. It ensures I am also paying the appropriate payroll taxes.
Gusto always works as it should. It is easy to find information & look back at past payrolls. It is intuitive even to less tech-savvy users as well.
I do not like always using the 2-factor identification but I see the need for it.
An easy payroll solution for small businesses
It has made processing payroll incredible easy. I even have autopay on so nothing is required of me. I have had to contact their customer support a handful of times and their is usuall no wait and they are always quick to assist me. Gusto also takes care of all of my payroll tax forms and submits them automatically.
They call my personal cell often to solicit use of their insurance or other features.
I don't have to worry about processing payroll every week or handing payroll taxes.
Completely takes care of our payroll needs. It has been wonderful to not have to worry taking taxes out of our own paychecks because Gusto does it for us! They file the quarterly taxes automatically. It is like having another employee who does all of the work for us! We haven't had to use customer support too often but when we have it has been easy, with quick fixes! They send automatic reminders when it is time to run payroll!
I do wish we could automate our payroll. Since our twice monthly payroll is only for owners, Gusto does not allow us to use automation for this.
Gusto has completely removed payroll unknowns from our business. With two simple emails each month, payroll is taken care of, including all of the associated taxes, both per pay period and quarterly.
I love the animation on the website and images they choose for loading screens. I like that all of your forms (such as w-2 and paystubs, etc.) are easily avilable to access and download. I enjoy the email heads up when it is pay day because at my office we do not get paid bi-weekly. Gusto is very user friendly.
The only thing I dislike is that I cannot log in from my work computer. I have to request a verification code to my phone every time I log in. I also appreciate that though because it keeps my information safe.
I am not the office manager so I am not in charge of payroll but we have used Gusto in our office for at least 3 years and havent changed so it must be easy for her.
Gusto has a very simple and user-friendly UI. It is very nicely integrated and implenented and it is very easy to review paystubs, request PTO, submit expenses for reimbursemtn, view the company calendar, colleagues' information, taxes information, miscellaneous forms and personal information. Their customer support is very convenient; you get support within a few minutes. I use Gusto at least twice a month to review paystubs and on a yearly basis for tax forms. Great HR partner!
Nothing so far. I'm very happy with Gusto!
It solves complex HR software where it is difficult and tedious to find information acout the company and other HR features and employees' benefits.
Gusto is easy to set up and update raises and benefits - our payroll was a little harder than most to set up because our pay frequency was so odd. But I received great support and help at the set up. Now as a few years passed, their custom service is the absolute best.
During the busy seasons, the customer support can take longer.
Gusto simplifies the payroll process and allows my employees to update their files and tax witholdings. It also creates a central hub to track all paychecks and tax documents as well as our contractor payments.
Gusto is easy to use and their customer service is responsive and professional.
I don't think that you can sync time to Quickbooks classes as well as accounts.
We are a very small organization and Gusto simplifies the payroll process so our team can focus on other things.
Gusto has made my life so much easier - from putting in my hours, to checking my benefits, to asking for time off - it's GREAT!
Actually there is nothing I dislike about Gusto!
ease of tracking my time worked
It is very easy to use with your cell phone or computer
I have not found any downside to using Gusto.
None at this time
Gusto is easy, convenient and versatile.
It is easy to set up banking info, deposit splits, and track benefits.
Keeping employees happily paid.
Gusto is very user focused in terms of their online interface and plethora of help docs. It's pretty simple to figure out your way around. Gusto provides me with an easy way to run payroll. In the few times I've had a question, their customer service members have provided thorough answers in a pretty timely manner. Previously, I had tried another payroll processing company that was expensive and cumbersome. Gusto is a breath of fresh air compared to that.
May be overkill for the owner-operator business model. Clearly Gusto is capable of handling much larger and more complex businesses. In my case I only need a simple payroll solution to pay myself, the sole employee, to stay compliant to the IRS as an S-Corp. Unfortunately, in the last few years Gusto has phased out their lower plans that cater to the little guy like me, so that they no longer offer their Basic service. Now, even their lowest plan is far more than I need, and I'm paying more than I did a few years ago.
Gusto keeps me compliant with state and federal governments regarding taxes.
Very user friendly, has everything I need for documentation, love the communication!!
There is nothing that I dislike about Gusto!
Documentation of pay stubs and benefits when I need them. Alerts me when I paid and all of the details of my paycheck.
Easy to use and good support when using the services
Difficulty with multiple accounts and when a new mobile device is used.
Paying my different taxes and providing various reports
So easy for me to see and manage exactly where my pay goes each period. I also like having the calendar there to request days off and see where my accrual is at a moment's notice.
I haven't found any yet. I use Gusto regularly and have yet to wish it would change.
I have not yet run into any problems for Gusto to solve.
I can navigate through the site easily. All the important items I need are at my loggin dashboard and I can clearly see my PTO/sick time availability. Also with the Gusto Visa I can easily reveiw and transfer directly from my mobile phone and I do this often.
I havent had any issues with Gusto, very happy with the features.
everyone has the ability to view and manage their time off and sick time
I love that Gusto is very user friendly and has all the elements I need to run payroll for my tiny business. I also love that my accounting team runs everything for me through gusto so I don't have to (but when I need to, it's super easy!)
Downsides - none that I can come up with.
Payroll
The very well designed interface of the application. Gusto has all the features i need and ones i didnt even know i needed. The itnerface is designed so well ! its clear, there is never any confusion where things are and makes using it so easy and accessible. I love how they take care of taxes and sending W2 forms, its just transformed my bookkeeping life in terns of paying staff and contractors.
nothing, i love it and recommend it to all my colleagues who run small businesses.
I am a very small business, and none of the traditional payroll companies wroked, they were too expensive, they messed up, their interfaces were complex and confusing. Gusto is simple, easy to use and yet still has all the servcies i need as a business owner. As a software developer myelf i really appreciate the well thoughtout and designed interface.
I like so many things about Gusto. It's easy to use, allows me to divide my paycheck into different areas so it's easier for me to save, and the interest on money in the account sure beats any savings account I've had in the past decade!
I wish money would land earlier...I need to wait until 10:30am the morning of a pay day which is a little later than I'm used to.
NA
There isn't much fluff or overly complicated features. They are easy to find tabs, easy to use buttons and just the stuff you need for time-keeping and payroll. Some sites have way too many options. But this is just the basics that you need to clock in and out and approve timecards/track vacation.
There isn't much that doesn't work well. It used to be a bit glitchy, but that has vanished in my experience. I like the simplicity of the whole thing, so there really isn't anything I don't like at this time.
Super easy to keep track of paystubs, PTO and requests. Easy to submit expenses as well.
My manager who manages my salary and pay was able to make last minute changes on a number of occasions to accomodate emergent pay requirements. In addition, Gusto allows the flexibility for me to work under a 1099 and a W2 (not simultaneously, of course), and keep all accounting for each separate for a fiscal year. My tax accountant is impressed with the completness, accuracy and compliance Gusto provides for end of the year tax purposes.
My only complaint, and it was really a learning curve for me, is I was unaware that Gusto managed my pay in two separate places, but defaulted to the brief period in which I worked under a 1099. Other than that it's intuitive.
Easy and flexible; supports complex payrolls.
Set up was super simple. My employees filled out all their info online and were able to easily set up direct deposit. The Gusto support team is easy to talk to and responsive.
I had some difficulty setting up my state employment tax and figuring out a post-dated payment.
All my payroll and employment taxes.
We love Gusto! Gusto has helped the company get super organized and its so easy to use! Definitely a time saver.
I have never encountered any issues, bugs or glitches.
Keeps our payroll on track, allows for requesting time off quickly, can track your hours with ease. Our pay stubs are saved and always available.
