by Gusto · gusto.com ↗
Payroll and benefits platform for SMBs with tax filing, direct deposit, and forms.
Subscription pricing with monthly base fees plus per-person charges, plus separately priced add-ons and some quote-only or variable-cost services.
Public pricing is billed monthly with base fees plus per-person charges. Gusto says there are no contracts, free account setup, and that you can switch or cancel anytime, but plan changes are limited to once per month. The Help Center confirms Gusto bills one month behind in arrears, upgrades take effect immediately, and downgrades take effect at the start of the next billing period. A Premium purchase requires a conversation with Gusto before billing, and current pricing promotions are only available to new customers.
$6/mo per person. This plan is for contractor-only businesses that have not hired W-2 employees yet, and it does not include plan add-ons other than global contractor payments.
$6/mo per person. State tax registration and global contractor payments are available as add-ons.
$12/mo per person. Expenses and reimbursements and workforce cost reports are included, while state tax registration and global contractor payments are available as add-ons.
$22/mo per person. Premium is positioned for scaling businesses needing full-service payroll, benefits, and HR with dedicated support, and Gusto says you must discuss Premium pricing with a member of their team before billing.
Manage payments to contractors in more than 120 countries, with no monthly per-contractor fee. Foreign exchange rates may vary.
Gusto handles the state and local paperwork when you need to file payroll taxes in a new state.
Gusto says it can scan payroll data to identify tax credits and notes discounts are available with Premium Plan.
Available with the Simple plan.
Available with all plans and lets teams be paid in minutes.
Available with all plans and lets teams be paid within hours.
Time tracking synced to payroll, project tracking, time off, scheduling, and more. Available with the Simple plan.
Prioritized phone and chat support for faster response time. Available with Simple and Plus plans.
Access to certified HR experts, HR resource center, and federal and state compliance alerts. Available with Simple and Plus plans.
Performance reviews, real-time feedback, goal tracking, and employee surveys. Available with the Simple plan.
Gusto can integrate an existing broker and eligible health insurance plans into the platform.
Pay-as-you-go workers' comp plans that integrate with payroll.
A business money management add-on available on all plans.
Pre-tax savings accounts for qualified health expenses. No minimum.
Pre-tax flexible spending accounts for qualified health expenses. $20/mo minimum.
Pre-tax flexible spending accounts for qualified dependent care expenses. $20/mo minimum.
Pre-tax spending accounts for commuting costs. $20/mo minimum.
401(k) retirement savings integrates with payroll, but public pricing depends on the specific integration.
A contractor-only business with a small team that does not yet have W-2 employees.
Expected cost$0/mo base plus $6/mo per person, plus any paid add-ons such as global contractor payments.A small business running single-state payroll that wants core payroll, tax filing, and basic support.
Expected cost$49/mo base plus $6/mo per person, with add-ons if you need extra time tools or HR services.A growing company that needs multi-state payroll, next-day pay, or more advanced time and HR features.
Expected cost$80/mo base plus $12/mo per person, plus any optional HR or benefits add-ons.A scaling business that wants dedicated support and account setup help.
Expected cost$180/mo base plus $22/mo per person, with some Premium-related discounts or waived fees available by discussion with Gusto.Gusto publishes list pricing for Contractor Only, Simple, Plus, and Premium on its pricing page. It also publishes prices for many add-ons such as next-day pay, instant pay, same-day pay, and HR Resources. However, some items like state tax registration and 401(k) are not fixed because the company says pricing varies by state or by 401(k) integration.
Yes. Gusto’s Help Center says you can upgrade or downgrade at any time, but you can change your plan only once per month. Upgrades take effect immediately, while downgrades start at the next billing period, so your invoice timing may lag behind when you make the change.
Gusto says there are no contracts and free account setup. The pricing page also says you can switch or cancel anytime. That said, the company bills one month in arrears, so you may still see charges on a later invoice for add-ons that were active during the previous month.
