Gusto is a payroll service for small US businesses. It runs payroll, files payroll taxes and adds benefits and HR tools. If its price or plans do not fit, these are the main alternatives, with prices as of October 2026 in US dollars from each provider's own page. For how Gusto fits with accounting, see QuickBooks vs Gusto.
What Gusto costs, for comparison
Gusto's pricing page lists:
- Simple: $49 a month plus $6 per person. Payroll in one state.
- Plus: $80 a month plus $12 per person. Adds multi-state payroll, next-day pay and time tracking.
- Premium: $180 a month plus $22 per person. Adds a named advisor and HR guidance.
For a team of 5 on Simple, that is $79 a month. Keep this number in mind as you compare.
The alternatives
QuickBooks Payroll
Best if you already keep your books in QuickBooks, or want one bill for accounting and payroll. QuickBooks Payroll is shown in bundles with its accounting plans:
- Workforce Payroll with Simple Start: $88 a month plus $6.50 per employee. Full-service payroll with next-day direct deposit.
- Workforce Payroll with Essentials: $125 a month plus $6.50 per employee. Adds same-day direct deposit.
- Workforce Premium with Plus: $203 a month plus $10 per employee. Adds time tracking, scheduling and HR tools.
At the time of writing, the page showed 50% off the base price for 3 months. The page also says you can buy payroll on its own, but it does not list that price.
Suits: businesses that want payroll and accounting from one company.
Square Payroll
Best for shops, cafes and salons that already use Square. Square Payroll lists:
- Full-service payroll: $35 a month plus $6 per person paid. Includes federal and state payroll tax filings and payments.
- Contractor-only: $6 per person paid a month, without tax filings.
Mailed paper W-2 and 1099 forms cost $3 each. For a team of 5, full-service is $65 a month.
Suits: small teams, especially those using Square for sales.
RUN Powered by ADP
Best if you want payroll packages that grow into HR support, and you are happy to talk to sales. ADP's package page lists four RUN packages: Essential, Enhanced, Complete Payroll & HR Plus, and HR Pro. It does not publish prices. ADP says the cost depends on how often you run payroll, how many people you pay and the add-ons you choose. At the time of writing, the page showed an offer of 3 months free for new small business sign-ups.
Suits: businesses that want to add HR support over time and prefer a tailored quote.
Rippling
Best if you want payroll joined up with other HR tools for a growing team. Rippling's pricing page says plans start at $8 per employee a month, plus a monthly base fee, and that payroll pricing depends on your team size and the products you choose. It also offers global payroll and contractor payments.
Suits: growing teams that want many HR tools in one system, and those hiring in other countries.
How to choose
- Count the people you pay each month, and split employees from contractors.
- Check the states you pay people in. Multi-state payroll can cost more.
- Decide if you need benefits, time tracking or HR help.
- Work out the total monthly cost for your team on each option.
- Ask your accountant which provider they work with most easily.
If you only pay contractors, a contractor-only plan can cost much less than full payroll. If you are about to hire your first person, read how to hire your first employee first, and use the onboarding checklist for new employees once they start. Payroll has legal deadlines and penalties. This is not tax advice, so ask an accountant or payroll specialist to check your set-up.