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Software review · Pricing verified 2026-10-24
Gusto review
Verified Oct 24, 2026Gusto pairs full-service payroll with HR and benefits in one platform, and it is one of the few payroll providers that publishes every price. Simple starts at $49/month plus $6 per person and covers unlimited payroll runs with federal, state, and local tax filings; Plus ($80 + $12) adds time tracking and next-day pay; Premium ($180 + $22) adds dedicated support and performance tools. Plans are month-to-month with no setup fees, and contractors are billed only in months you pay them.
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Unpack Money score: 89/100
Gusto is the payroll provider that treats pricing transparency as a feature. Every plan price is published, there are no setup fees, and plans are month-to-month — you can cancel anytime rather than being locked into an annual contract. Simple at $49/month plus $6 per person covers the whole payroll job for a small team: unlimited runs, direct deposit, employee self-service, and full-service federal, state, and local tax filing including W-2s, 1099s, 940s, and 941s. That last point matters more than it sounds: plenty of cheaper-looking payroll tools charge extra for tax filing or leave state filings to you, and Gusto includes them on the cheapest plan.
The tier ladder is honest about what it gates. Plus at $80/month plus $12 per person adds time tracking, advanced HR, and next-day pay — the three features most growing teams ask for first. Premium at $180/month plus $22 per person adds a dedicated Premium Account Partner, performance management, and HR expert support. The add-on to watch is Priority Support ($30/month plus $3 per person on Simple and Plus): Basic Support covers the 24/7 help center plus phone and chat during business hours, and most small teams will never need the priority queue.
Two details separate Gusto from the rest of this comparison. First, contractors are billed only in months you actually pay them, and a contractor-only plan ($35/month plus $6 per contractor) exists for businesses with no W-2 employees at all. Second, Gusto integrates with the accounting tools small businesses already use — QuickBooks, Xero, and FreshBooks — so payroll posts to your books instead of living in a separate system. If you already run your accounting on one of the accounting platforms we compared, that integration is worth real money in saved bookkeeping time.
Gusto currently advertises 70% off for 12 months on its official offer pages, which would cut Simple to $14.70/month plus $1.80 per person for the first year — but promotions rotate, so budget against the standard $49 + $6 and treat any discount as a bonus. The honest limitation is HR depth: if you need a dedicated HR professional or a full benefits-administration suite, Premium still won't match Paychex Flex. For most small businesses, though, Gusto is the payroll default we would start from.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | For |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | $49/mo + $6/person | Full-service payroll, unlimited runs, federal/state/local tax filings, direct deposit, employee self-service |
| Plus | $80/mo + $12/person | Everything in Simple, plus time tracking, advanced HR, and next-day pay |
| Premium | $180/mo + $22/person | Everything in Plus, plus dedicated Premium Account Support, performance management, and HR expert support |
| Contractor-only | $35/mo + $6/contractor | Pay contractors only, billed only in months you pay them |
Prices verified 2026-10-24 on the provider's official pricing page. Prices change — confirm before you buy.
Current promotion (verified 2026-10-24): 70% off for 12 months — $14.70/mo + $1.80/person (Simple), $24/mo + $3.60/person (Plus), $54/mo + $6.60/person (Premium), versus standard prices of $49/mo + $6/person, $80/mo + $12/person, $180/mo + $22/person. Duration: 12 months. Shown on Gusto's official offer page; promotions rotate — confirm at checkout..
What we like
- Every price is published — no quote wall, no surprise fees
- Unlimited payroll runs and full-service tax filing on the cheapest plan
- Month-to-month with no setup fees, and you only pay for active employees
- Deep integrations with the accounting tools small businesses already use
Watch out for
- HR depth is gated: time tracking and advanced HR require Plus, performance tools require Premium
- Priority Support is a paid add-on ($30/mo + $3/person) on Simple and Plus
- State tax registration is an add-on, not included in base plans
- Plan availability varies by state, and some advanced features are Premium-only
Ease of use
Gusto is built for owners who have never run payroll before: guided setup, unlimited runs with no extra charge for off-cycle payrolls, and employee self-service for pay stubs and tax documents. The plan ladder is the learning curve — Simple covers the payroll job itself, and you only meet the HR tooling when you step up to Plus or Premium — which keeps the entry experience uncluttered.
Support
Basic Support on every plan covers 24/7 access to Gusto's online Help Center plus phone and chat during business hours. Simple and Plus customers can buy Priority Support ($30/month plus $3 per person) for faster positioning in the phone and chat queues; Premium customers get a dedicated Premium Account Partner. Gusto's own pricing page documents all three tiers.
How we reviewed Gusto
We record every plan, price, cap, and add-on from Gusto's official pricing page — never from review aggregators — and date-stamp the check; this page was last verified on 2026-10-24. Our editorial score weighs what a small business actually gets for the money: the capability of the cheapest useful tier, the true cost once add-ons and renewals are counted, pricing transparency, and contract traps such as auto-renewing trials. Compensation never changes a score or a verdict. Read our full review methodology.
FAQs
How much does Gusto cost?
Does Gusto file payroll taxes for me?
What is the difference between Plus and Premium?
Can Gusto pay contractors as well as employees?
Is there a contract or setup fee?
Sources
Every price and feature on this page was verified against the provider's official website on 2026-10-24. We never use aggregator sites as sources.