Best for Small Business

Gusto

by Gusto

The people platform for small businesses

Independently VerifiedLast verified: March 2026
See 3 alternatives to Gusto →

7.2

/ 10

Overall Score

Gusto scores 7.2/10 overall. The people platform for small businesses. Best for: US small businesses running payroll for the first time. Starting at $49/month. Last verified Mar 24, 2026.

Score Breakdown

How we score →
Value
7
Ease of Use
9
Power
7
Setup Friction
8
Migration Ease
5
Transparency
7

Scores are editorial assessments on a 1–10 scale. Overall score uses a weighted formula: Value (25%), Power (20%), Transparency (20%), Ease (15%), Setup (10%), Migration (10%). Full methodology

Switching Intelligence

Sasanova Exclusive

Migration Difficulty

Moderate

Implementation Complexity

Medium

What triggers people to switch AWAY

  • Price increases (Simple went from $40 to $49 in 2025)
  • Need international payroll
  • Need advanced HR features

What blocks people from leaving

  • Payroll tax history
  • Benefits enrollment data
  • Employee onboarding workflows

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

  • Performance management add-on: $3/person/mo
  • Time & attendance add-on: $6/person/mo
  • Next-day deposits: $15/mo + $3/person/mo on Simple plan

Data Export & Portability

CSV export of payroll reports, API access

Best For

  • US small businesses running payroll for the first time
  • Companies wanting payroll + benefits + HR in one simple tool
  • Businesses that value a clean, modern interface

Avoid If

  • You have employees outside the US (Gusto's global support is limited)
  • You need advanced HR features like performance management (add-on)
  • You're a large company (50+ employees) needing enterprise HR

Features

Full-service payroll
Automatic tax filing (federal, state, local)
Benefits administration (health, dental, vision, 401k)
Employee onboarding
Time tracking (Plus+)
PTO management
Workers comp
Hiring and offer letters (Plus+)
Employee self-service portal
Contractor payments

Pricing

PlanMonthlyAnnualBillingLimits
Simple$49/mo$588/yrper_seat$49/mo base + $6/person/mo. Single-state payroll, benefits admin, basic HR
PlusPopular$80/mo$960/yrper_seat$80/mo base + $12/person/mo. Multi-state payroll, next-day deposits, time tracking, hiring tools
Premium$180/mo$2160/yrper_seat$180/mo base + $22/person/mo. Dedicated support, HR experts, compliance alerts, migration help
Source: Gusto pricing page →Verified: Mar 2026Scoring methodology →

Pricing Calculator

Estimate your monthly cost for Gusto. Click a plan to select it.

1255075100

Estimates based on published pricing. Usage-based plans are approximated. Verify with vendor for exact quotes.

Integrations

QuickBooksXeroFreshBooksCloverShopifyWhen I WorkZapierSlackGoogle Workspace

Alternatives

Rippling

Rippling

5.9

/ 10

The workforce platform that connects every business system to one source of truth — your employees

BambooHR

BambooHR

6

/ 10

HR software with heart

Deel

Deel

7

/ 10

The all-in-one payroll and HR platform for global teams

Related Comparisons

Gusto vs Rippling

Gusto wins for small businesses wanting simple, affordable payroll. Rippling wins for growing companies needing unified HR + IT + Finance.

Gusto vs Deel

Gusto is the go-to for US small business payroll with benefits administration and simple pricing. Deel is built for hiring and paying international contractors and employees across 150+ countries.

Gusto vs BambooHR

BambooHR is stronger on HR management with performance reviews, applicant tracking, and employee surveys. Gusto is stronger on payroll and benefits administration with simpler, more transparent pricing.

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