Gusto — The favorite full-service payroll and HR platform for small businesses — easy, friendly, and full-featured.
Verdict
Gusto is the go-to payroll and HR platform for US small businesses: full-service payroll with automatic tax filing, benefits, and a delightfully simple interface. It is not the cheapest and is US-focused, but for SMBs that want payroll done right without complexity, it is the easiest choice.
Overview
Gusto handles full-service payroll (including automatic federal, state, and local tax filing), benefits administration, onboarding, time tracking, and core HR in one friendly platform. It is built for US small and mid-sized businesses and is consistently praised for ease of use and support. Pricing is a monthly base fee plus a per-employee charge, with a contractor-only option for businesses that pay 1099 workers.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | $49/mo + $6/employee | Small teams wanting straightforward full-service payroll |
| Plus | $80/mo + $12/employee | Growing teams needing time tracking, multi-state, and more HR |
| Premium | Custom | Larger teams wanting dedicated support and compliance help |
| Contractor only | $35/mo + $6/contractor | Businesses paying only 1099 contractors |
Ratings
| Overall | 4.5 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 4.7 / 5 |
| Features | 4.4 / 5 |
| Value | 4.2 / 5 |
| Support | 4.3 / 5 |
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Full-service payroll with automatic tax filing
- Exceptionally easy to use
- Strong benefits administration
- Great for contractors and employees alike
- Well-regarded customer support
Cons
- US-only (no global payroll)
- Per-employee costs add up at scale
- Advanced HR needs higher tiers
- Time tracking gated to Plus+
Who it’s for
Great for: US small and mid-sized businesses that want full-service payroll, benefits, and HR without complexity.
Not ideal for: companies needing global payroll or EOR (use Deel or Rippling), or enterprises needing deep HRIS customization.
Top use cases
- Running full-service US payroll
- Benefits and health insurance administration
- Employee onboarding
- Contractor payments
- Basic HR and time tracking
Integrations
QuickBooks, Xero, Google Workspace, Slack, Trainual, Many accounting/time apps
Alternatives
Rippling, QuickBooks Payroll, ADP, BambooHR
Recent developments
Gusto has expanded its AI assistant (“Gus”) and added more financial and compliance tools for small businesses.
Sources
Pricing and features were last verified June 2026 and may change. Always confirm current details on the vendor’s site.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Gusto cost?
Gusto uses a base fee + per-employee subscription. Entry paid: Simple $49/mo + $6/employee. Free tier: no (contractor-only option). Verify current pricing on the vendor site.
What is Gusto best for?
The easiest full-service payroll and HR platform for US small businesses.
What are the best alternatives to Gusto?
Alternatives include Rippling, QuickBooks Payroll, ADP, BambooHR.
