Visit Website See Pricing
CCiroapp
Start free
Gusto

Gusto review

Payroll, benefits, and HR in one place—so your team gets paid on time without the headache.

Gusto costs from $35/mo · 5 plans

By Ciroapp Editorial Team · Updated Sep 17, 2026
Visit WebsiteSee Pricing

Commission may apply at no extra cost

Gusto homepage screenshot

At a glance

Quick overview for Gusto: rating, pricing summary, key features, and highlights.

Ciroapp score

3.9/ 5

Gusto bundles payroll, tax filing, benefits, and self-serve onboarding into one platform, and AutoPilot can run each pay cycle without you. Setup is free and there are no contracts, but per-person prices for most plans stay hidden until checkout, and useful extras cost more. Overall, it's a strong pick for small teams—just confirm total costs before committing.

Pros

  • Pros:Runs payroll in about five minutes, and the AutoPilot feature can execute each pay cycle automatically without manual input
  • Pros:Federal, state, and local tax filings are handled for you, and the platform identifies tax credits that can reduce your business's tax bill
  • Pros:Every plan includes unlimited payroll runs—including off-cycle runs at no extra cost—and you're only billed for active employees, with no contracts to sign

Cons

  • Cons:Per-person prices for the Simple, Plus, and Premium tiers aren't displayed on the main page, so you have to go through the pricing page or checkout to see actual costs before committing
  • Cons:Priority Support costs extra on Simple and Plus ($30/month plus $3 per person), and it's only included by default on the Premium tier
  • Cons:Time tracking, HR tools, state tax registration, and health benefits are paid add-ons rather than being bundled into the base plans
Best for
  • Small businesses that want payroll, benefits, and HR in one platform
  • Owners without a dedicated HR or finance department
  • Teams with hourly workers whose hours need to flow into payroll
This section is a summary. Detailed sections about features, use cases, pricing, and reviews follow below.

What is Gusto?

Running payroll by hand eats hours you don't have—and one tax mistake can cost real money. Gusto pulls payroll, benefits, and HR into one platform, files your taxes for you, and can even run payroll automatically so your team gets paid on time.

Gusto is an online HR platform built mainly for small businesses. It covers payroll, health and financial benefits, hiring and onboarding tools, time tracking, and compliance support in one place. More than 500,000 businesses run on it.

If you're an owner or manager tired of juggling payroll spreadsheets, benefits paperwork, and onboarding docs, this is built for you.

Should you choose Gusto?

Quick buyer guidance before you compare plans or click through.

Choose it if

  • Businesses of many sizes—Gusto says it has plans for all of them
  • Employers who want tax filing and compliance handled for them
  • Teams offering health, dental, vision, or 401(k) benefits
  • Managers who want new hires to onboard themselves
  • Companies that want time tracking connected directly to payroll

Skip it if

  • You need exact plan prices before signing up—this page doesn't show costs, so you'll have to compare plans yourself
  • You depend on specific third-party integrations—the homepage highlights its own tools but doesn't list partner apps, so confirm compatibility first
  • You want trial, refund, or cancellation terms spelled out up front—those details aren't visible here
  • You need detailed plan-by-plan limits before committing—review the full pricing page rather than relying on this overview

Next steps before buying

  1. 1Compare plans on Gusto's pricing page to match your team size and needs
  2. 2Create a free account—you pay nothing until you run your first payroll
  3. 3Check that the benefits options you need, like health, dental, or 401(k), are included in the plan you pick
  4. 4Decide whether automated payroll through AutoPilot fits your pay schedule

Ease of use

Gusto leans into simplicity. The site advertises payroll in five minutes, automation through AutoPilot, and a three-step start: create a free account, add your team, run your first payroll. New hires can self-onboard, and tracked hours sync to payroll without manual entry. One customer even called payroll and benefits 'approachable and surprisingly easy.'

Gusto Key Features

⚡ Run payroll in five minutes

Payroll shouldn't eat your afternoon. With Gusto, you can run payroll in about five minutes—even with a complex team. Prefer to skip it entirely?

Payroll on AutoPilot runs automatically each cycle, so your people get paid on time. Unlimited runs are included, and you can run off-cycle payroll when you need to.

✨ Taxes filed for you

Tax mistakes cost money, so Gusto files your federal, state, and local taxes for you. The platform also helps with compliance and identifies tax credits that could save your business money. You don't need a finance department—Gusto keeps the paperwork moving in the background.

✨ Onboarding without the paperwork chase

Hiring gets easier when new hires do the work themselves. Gusto gives you custom offer letters, onboarding checklists, and digital signatures. Add your team—or let them self-onboard—and they're supported from day one.

You'll spend less time chasing paperwork and more time growing your team.

✨ Benefits and hours, all connected

Gusto bundles benefits and time tools with payroll, so everything stays connected:

  • Health, dental, and 401(k) options for your team
  • Time tracking that syncs hours straight into payroll
  • Employee and employer mobile apps

Tracked hours flow in without manual data entry. Benefits live in the same place you run payroll.

✅ Compliance made simpler

Staying compliant takes work you probably didn't sign up for. Gusto handles required trainings, policies, and benefits to make it a whole lot easier. That's helpful if you don't have a dedicated HR department.

You focus on your business while the platform keeps the required pieces in place.

Use Cases

💸 Payroll day, minus the panic

Run payroll in about five minutes—or let AutoPilot handle it every cycle. Gusto files your taxes and flags credits that can save you money.

Expected outcome: Your team gets paid on time, and tax stress stays off your plate.

⏱️ Hourly teams without the spreadsheets

Your crew clocks in, and tracked hours flow straight into payroll—no manual entry. Gusto runs unlimited payrolls, including off-cycle ones, at no extra cost.

Tip: Time tracking is an add-on, so confirm it's in your plan before you pick one.

🤝 Hiring and onboarding, on autopilot

Hiring? Send a custom offer letter, then let new hires onboard themselves with checklists and digital signatures. You skip the paperwork chase and your hire starts ready.

Expected outcome: New team members set themselves up from day one.

❤️ Real benefits on a small team

Offer health, dental, and 401(k) options without a dedicated HR department. One small-team customer calls benefits administration "painless"—like going to the spa, she says.

Expected outcome: Competitive benefits that help you keep great people.

Gusto pricing

From$35/mo

  • 5 plans

Prices not verified yet — see the vendor page.

Gusto's pricing page

Gusto pricing page screenshotView pricing page screenshot
PlanBilled monthlyBilled annuallyIncludes
Contractor Only
$35/mo
—
No backup withholding or state-required contractor withholding; no plan add-ons aside from global contractor payments
  • Domestic contractor payments
  • 4-day pay
  • Form 1099 creation and filings
  • Limited-time offer: $0/month base price for the first 6 months
Simple
See vendor page
See vendor page
No workforce cost reports or custom earning types; Basic Support only
  • Unlimited payroll runs
  • Tax filings and payments
  • Payroll on AutoPilot
  • Gusto employee app and employer mobile app
  • Domestic contractor payments
  • +1
Plus
See vendor page
See vendor page
No unlimited custom admin roles; Basic Support only
  • Everything in Simple
  • Expenses and reimbursements
  • Workforce cost reports
  • Unlimited custom earning types
  • Priority Support add-on: $30/month + $3 per person
Premium
See vendor page
See vendor page
  • Everything in Plus
  • Unlimited custom admin roles
  • Priority Support included
  • Dedicated Service Advisor
  • Health insurance broker integration at no extra cost
Gusto Solo
See vendor page
See vendor page
  • Pay yourself compliantly as an S corp
  • Tax-saving solutions

Pricing types: Monthly subscription, Per seat pricing

Pricing notes

Gusto uses month-to-month, per-person pricing with no contracts. The Contractor Only plan runs $35/month plus $6 per contractor (currently $0/month base for the first 6 months), while Simple, Plus, and Premium are billed per active employee.

Gusto's Contractor Only plan costs $35/month plus $6 per contractor, and a limited-time offer drops the base to $0/month for your first 6 months. Simple, Plus, and Premium are month-to-month plans billed per active person.

Here's a closer look at each option.

Contractor Only

Price: $35/month plus $6 per contractor (limited-time offer: $0/month base for the first 6 months) Best For: Contractor-only businesses that haven't hired W-2 employees yet Other Features:

  • Domestic contractor payments
  • 4-day pay
  • Form 1099 creation and filings
  • No backup withholding or plan add-ons, aside from global contractor payments

If you work with freelancers but haven't hired employees, this plan covers the essentials. Better yet, you're only billed for contractors in months when you actually pay them.

Simple

Other Features:

  • Unlimited payroll runs, including off-cycle runs at no extra cost
  • Federal, state, and local tax filings handled for you
  • Payroll on AutoPilot plus employee and employer mobile apps
  • Domestic contractor payments included
  • Optional Priority Support add-on for $30/month plus $3 per person

Simple covers the fundamentals without features you may not need yet. It's a dependable starting point if you want solid payroll with basic support.

Plus

Other Features:

  • Everything in Simple
  • Expenses and reimbursements included
  • Workforce cost reports
  • Unlimited custom earning types
  • Optional Priority Support add-on for $30/month plus $3 per person

Plus makes sense when you need better visibility into labor costs. You can track custom pay types and reimbursements without moving to the top tier.

Premium

Other Features:

  • Everything in Plus
  • Unlimited custom admin roles
  • Priority Support and a Dedicated Service Advisor included
  • Health insurance broker integration at no extra cost

Premium suits growing teams that want hands-on help. A dedicated advisor and faster support come standard, which helps when HR admin eats up your week.

Gusto Solo

Best For: S corp owners who need to pay themselves compliantly Other Features:

  • Pay-yourself payroll
  • Tax-saving solutions

Solo keeps things simple for owner-only S corps that want to pay themselves the right way.

A few things worth knowing: every plan includes unlimited payroll runs, and you're only charged for active employees. There are no contracts — Gusto is month-to-month, so you can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime (downgrades start at the next billing period). Setup is free, and you can tailor your plan with add-ons like global contractor payments, state tax registration, time tracking, HR tools, and health benefits. Tax-advantaged accounts such as HSAs, FSAs, dependent care FSAs, and commuter benefits carry one $200 annual service charge.

Since per-person rates for Simple, Plus, and Premium aren't shown on this page, confirm current pricing at checkout before you sign up.

Cost calculator

Estimate what Gusto costs for your team.

Billing
Per month
$35
Per year
$420

Contractor Only states no user limit: shown as one price for the whole account. Check the price for 5 users with the vendor. Estimate based on published list prices, before taxes, add-ons and discounts.

How to pay less for Gusto

  • Cheaper tools in this category start at $6/mo.
Visit Gusto

Email me when Gusto changes price

One email when we detect a price change on the vendor's pricing page. No newsletter, no deals. Unsubscribe in one click.

User Reviews

No reviews yet.

Write a Review

Write a Review for Gusto
0/100 characters
0/2000 characters

Why use Gusto?

Gusto takes the most tedious parts of managing a team and makes them fast—or fully automatic. Here's what stands out from the company's own materials:

  • Run payroll in about five minutes—or let AutoPilot handle it automatically, even for complex teams.
  • Skip the tax stress. Gusto files your taxes and helps identify tax credits that can save you money.
  • Offer real benefits on a small team, including health, dental, and 401(k) options.
  • Cut manual data entry with time tracking that syncs hours straight into payroll.
  • Onboard new hires without chasing paperwork—offer letters, checklists, and digital signatures come built in.
  • Start free. You create an account, add your team, and pay nothing until you run your first payroll.
Try it nowView pricing

Gusto alternatives

Other tools in the Payroll category

View all Payroll tools
Remote.com

Remote.com

Payroll4.1/5From $29/mo

Remote is the comprehensive HR and payroll engine for growing global teams. It’s built for simplicity but maintains enterprise-grade compliance across all operations. The platform lets you manage the entire employee lifecycle, from hire to retire. This is achieved by combining native payroll with smart HR automation. Remote ensures you can hire compliantly anywhere, even offering Employer of Record (EOR) services. This allows you to employ global talent without establishing your own local legal entities. You can also easily onboard, pay, and manage international contractors using the built-in Contractor Management tools. Recruiting, HR, and payroll efforts are all centralized in one trusted experience.

Read full review
Fingercheck

Fingercheck

Payroll4.1/5From $29/mo

Fingercheck is a versatile, comprehensive employee management platform trusted by over 5,000 businesses. It acts as your control center for crucial tasks like payroll, time tracking, scheduling, taxes, hiring, and onboarding. Essentially, this system handles everything related to daily employee administration. It's especially useful for organizations with mobile or deskless crews, such as field services and construction, who need powerful tools to streamline processes and maximize profitability. You get simple, industry-leading tools without the unnecessary complexity.

Read full review
Oyster HR

Oyster HR

Payroll4.1/5

Oyster is an all-in-one trusted platform for global employment. It helps you build distributed teams worldwide efficiently and ethically. The platform offers essential Employer of Record (EOR) services and consolidated multi-country payroll management. Oyster helps you hire full-time staff and contractors compliantly across the globe. You also get supportive employment experts offering guidance every step of the way.

Read full review
Deel

Deel

Payroll4.1/5From $14/mo

Deel is your all-in-one Global People Platform. It streamlines how you onboard, offboard, and manage your people internationally. This powerful tool supports all required elements like Payroll, HR, Compliance, and Taxes. 💡 This system is built to scale with organizations of all sizes. Whether you are a small team or an enterprise, Deel handles full compliance while you hire worldwide. This platform simplifies processes for paying all types of workers everywhere.

Read full review
Skuad

Skuad

Payroll4.1/5From $19/mo

Skuad has successfully transitioned and is now known as Payoneer Workforce Management (WFM). This service focuses entirely on simplifying global employment for businesses of any size. It provides world class support and tools to manage your workforce from onboarding through daily operations.

Read full review
Niural AI

Niural AI

Payroll3.9/5

Niural AI is the first US PEO and Global Payroll platform built with automated intelligence and robust compliance. Our software is your AI-powered partner for managing payroll and benefits, in the US and beyond.

Read full review
Square Payroll

Square Payroll

From $6/mo
Read full review
Cheapest Payroll software for 1 to 25 users

Gusto FAQ

How much does Gusto cost?

Gusto's cheapest paid plan, Contractor Only, costs $35 per month.

Which apps does Gusto integrate with?

Gusto connects with accounting tools like QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, ZipBooks, Aplos, and Autobooks, plus Expensify, Hubstaff, Clover, and Homebase. You can browse the full list on Gusto's integrations page before signing up.

How hard is it to switch my existing payroll to Gusto?

Have your EIN, your team's addresses and salaries, and any mid-year tax filing documents ready. For larger teams, Gusto can often handle the data transfer for you, and eligible health plans can move over too.

What kind of support can I expect?

Every plan includes 24/7 Help Center access plus phone and chat during business hours. Simple and Plus can add Priority Support for $30/month plus $3 per person; Premium includes it with a Dedicated Service Advisor.

Can Gusto pay contractors outside the United States?

Yes. The global contractor payments add-on covers more than 120 countries. There's no monthly per-contractor fee—Gusto charges only a small service and foreign-exchange fee for each payment you make.

Ready to try Gusto? Check out the official site or pricing.
Visit Website See Pricing

Are you Gusto? Claim this listing · Get the badge