Gusto
Onboarding software
Core HR software
Benefits administration software
Contractor management software
Contractor payment software
Payroll software
Recruiting software
Talent acquisition suites software
Employee leave management software
Executive information system software
Farm payroll software
Garage invoicing software
Garage systems software
Garage workshop software
General contractors software
Job management software
Payroll management software
Supermarket management software
Time clock software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$35 per month
Free Trial
Free version unavailable
Small
Medium
Large
- Real estate and property management
- Professional services (engineering, legal, consulting, etc.)
- Information technology and software
What is Gusto
Gusto is a cloud-based payroll and people operations platform used by small and midsize employers to run payroll, manage employee and contractor records, and administer benefits. It supports onboarding workflows, tax filings, and employee self-service for pay stubs and documents. The product is typically adopted by companies that want an integrated payroll and basic HR system rather than separate point solutions. It also offers add-ons and integrations to connect payroll data with accounting and other business systems.
Integrated payroll and core HR
Gusto combines payroll processing with employee profiles, onboarding tasks, and document management in one system. This reduces the need to stitch together separate tools for payroll and basic HR administration. For small teams, the unified workflow can simplify setup and ongoing maintenance. The platform also supports both W-2 employees and 1099 contractors within the same environment.
Benefits administration built in
Gusto includes benefits administration capabilities alongside payroll, which helps keep deductions and eligibility changes aligned with payroll runs. Employers can manage enrollments and ongoing changes without exporting data between systems. This is useful for organizations that want a single system of record for payroll-related benefits data. The benefits feature set is oriented toward common small-business plans and workflows.
Employee self-service and onboarding
The product provides employee self-service access for pay statements, tax forms, and personal information updates. Onboarding workflows support collecting required information and distributing standard documents. These capabilities reduce administrative back-and-forth compared with manual email and file sharing. The approach aligns with common HR onboarding software patterns while remaining tightly connected to payroll.
Limited enterprise HR depth
Gusto focuses on payroll and foundational HR rather than advanced HRIS functionality. Organizations needing complex org structures, extensive workflow automation, or deep talent management may find gaps. Some capabilities commonly expected in broader suites (e.g., advanced performance management) may require separate systems. This can increase total system complexity as a company scales.
Recruiting and TA not primary
While Gusto covers onboarding well, it is not primarily a recruiting or talent acquisition suite. Companies with high-volume hiring, complex requisition approvals, or sophisticated candidate relationship management may need a dedicated ATS. This can lead to additional integration work to keep hiring and employee records synchronized. The recruiting-related needs are better served through complementary tools for many teams.
Not suited for niche categories
Several listed categories (e.g., garage workshop systems, supermarket management, farm payroll, job management) are not core to Gusto’s design. Businesses seeking industry-specific scheduling, invoicing, inventory, or job costing features will likely need specialized software. Using Gusto in those contexts typically covers payroll but not operational workflows. This can limit its suitability as an all-in-one system for vertical-specific operations.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Contractor Only | $35/mo (regular base); promotional $0/mo for the first 6 months (limited-time) + $6/mo per contractor | Unlimited contractor payments (US 50 states), 4-day direct deposit, 1099-NECs, global contractor payments. Promotional $0 base is limited-time; terms apply. |
| Simple | $49/mo + $6/mo per person | Single-state payroll, unlimited payroll runs, tax filings & payments, basic support. |
| Plus | $80/mo + $12/mo per person | Everything in Simple plus next-day pay, time tracking, basic PTO policies & holiday pay, multi-state payroll. |
| Premium | $180/mo + $22/mo per person | Everything in Plus plus dedicated service advisor, access to certified HR experts, performance management, advanced analytics & custom reporting, priority support & migration services. |
| Solo (solopreneurs) | Starts at $49/mo | For one-employee/S-corp owners: payroll, S-corp compliance guidance, pay contractors (+$6/mo per contractor), invoicing and solo 401(k) integrations. |
Add-ons & notable usage fees (selected):
- Gusto Money Plus: $19/mo.
- Next-Day pay: $15/mo + $3/mo per person.
- Instant pay: $100 per payroll.
- Same-day pay: $90 per payroll.
- Time & Attendance Plus: Try it free, then $6/mo per person.
- Priority Support: $30/mo + $3/mo per person.
- HR Resources: $50/mo + $5/mo per person.
- Global contractor payments: $5 per payment to US-based bank accounts (no monthly per-contractor fee for global contractors).
- Tax-advantaged benefits: HSAs $2.50/mo per participant; FSAs $4/mo per participant ($20/mo minimum); Dependent care FSAs $4/mo per participant ($20/mo minimum); Commuter benefits $4/mo per participant ($20/mo minimum).
- Gusto Global (EOR): Discounted to $599 per employee per month through March 15, 2026 (terms apply).
Seller details
Gusto, Inc.
San Francisco, CA, USA
2011
Private
https://gusto.com
https://x.com/GustoHQ
https://www.linkedin.com/company/gustohq/
