Gusto offers four pricing plans with base fees and per-employee costs, including payroll, tax filing, and direct deposit for growing businesses.
Gusto Pricing Plans at a Glance (2026)
| Plan | Base Free | Per Employee | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | $49/month | $6/employee | Small teams, single-state payroll |
| Plus (Most Popular) | $80/month | $12/employee | Growing teams, multi-state payroll |
| Premium | $180/month | $22/employee | Scaling businesses, HR support |
| Contractor Only | $35/month | $6/contractor | Freelancer-only businesses |
Gusto Plan Details: What’s Included?
Each Gusto plan builds on the previous tier.
Here is what you actually get, and what you do not at each level.
| Plan | Price | What’s Included | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Plan | $49/month + $6 per employee | Full-service payroll (federal, state, local) • Unlimited payroll runs • Automatic W-2 & 1099 filing • Employee self-service portal • Basic PTO tracking • Single-state payroll | No multi-state payroll • No built-in time tracking (add-on required) • No next-day direct deposit • No HR advisory |
| Plus Plan (Most Popular) | $80/month + $12 per employee | Everything in Simple plus: • Multi-state payroll (50 states) • Next-day direct deposit • Built-in time tracking & scheduling • Performance reviews • Project tracking & PTO tools • HR resource center • Contractor payments included | No dedicated account manager • No advanced compliance advisory |
| Premium Plan | $180/month + $22 per employee | Everything in Plus plus: • Dedicated customer success manager • Certified HR expert access • Compliance alerts and guidance • Advanced analytics & reporting • Broker integration included • Priority support | No major feature exclusions listed, but higher cost tier |
| Contractor Only Plan | $35/month + $6 per contractor | 1099 contractor payments • Contractor self-service portal • Only billed when contractors are paid | No W-2 employee payroll • No HR features • U.S. contractors only |
Gusto Cost Per Employee: Real Monthly Cost Examples
The base fee is only part of what you pay. Your actual monthly bill depends on how many employees you have.
Here is exactly what different team sizes pay on each Gusto plan, based on published April 2026 pricing.
| Team Size | Simple Plan | Plus Plan | Premium Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 employees | $79/mo ($49 + $30) | $140/mo ($80 + $60) | $290/mo ($180 + $110) |
| 10 employees | $109/mo ($49 + $60) | $200/mo ($80 + $120) | $400/mo ($180 + $220) |
| 15 employees | $139/mo ($49 + $90) | $260/mo ($80 + $180) | $510/mo ($180 + $330) |
| 25 employees | $199/mo ($49 + $150) | $380/mo ($80 + $300) | $730/mo ($180 + $550) |
| 50 employees | $349/mo ($49 + $300) | $680/mo ($80 + $600) | $1,280/mo ($180 + $1,100) |
The Multi-State Trigger: Know This Before You Choose Simple
The moment you hire even one employee in a second state, Gusto requires you to upgrade from Simple to Plus.
For a 15-person team, that single hiring decision raises your monthly bill from $139 to $260, a 87% increase, triggered instantly.
If there is any chance you will hire across state lines in the next 12 months, start on Plus.
Gusto Hidden Costs & Add-On Fees (2026)
Gusto’s published prices are transparent, but several optional and situational fees can push your real monthly cost significantly higher.
Here is the complete list of add-on and hidden costs you need to budget for before signing up.
| Add-On / Fee | Cost | Available On | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time Tracking | +$6/employee/mo | Simple only | Included free on Plus and Premium. On Simple, this effectively doubles your per-employee cost. |
| Next-Day Direct Deposit | +$15/mo + $3/employee | Simple only | Included on Plus and Premium. Simple defaults to 4-business-day processing. |
| State Tax Registration | $50–$150 per state (one-time) | All plans | Gusto handles the paperwork for registering your business in a new state. You can DIY for free. |
| Health Insurance Broker Integration | $6/eligible employee/mo | Simple & Plus | Free on Premium. If you use Gusto’s own brokerage, this fee is waived — you only pay insurance premiums. |
| Health Savings Account (HSA) | $2.50/participant/mo | All plans | Per-participant fee in addition to any insurance premiums. |
| Flexible Spending Account (FSA) | $4/participant/mo ($20 min) | All plans | $20/month minimum regardless of participant count. |
| 401(k) Administration (via Guideline) | $49/mo + $8/participating employee | All plans | For a 20-person team with 15 participants: $49 + $120 = $169/month added on top of plan cost. |
| Priority Support & HR Resources | +$30/mo base + $3/person | Simple & Plus | Included free on Premium. For 10 employees on Simple: +$60/month. |
| Performance Reviews | +$3/employee/mo | Simple only | Included on Plus and Premium. |
| R&D Tax Credit Scanning | 15% of credits found | All plans | Premium users receive a discount. For a 15-engineer startup, this service can cost $750+/month. |
| Global Contractor Payments | Varies by country | All plans except Contractor Only | Covers 120+ countries. Per-payment fee applies for non-U.S. contractors. |
| Gusto Global EOR (International Employees) | $699/employee/mo | Separate product | Price increased from $599 on March 15, 2026. Only covers 12 countries via Remote white-label. |
Add-Ons Can Double Your Simple Plan Cost
A Simple plan user with 10 employees who adds time tracking (+$60/mo), next-day deposit (+$45/mo), and priority support (+$60/mo) ends up paying $274/month, compared to the $109 headline price.
That is more than the Plus plan ($200/mo for 10 employees), which includes all of those features. Always compare your add-on-adjusted cost to the next plan up before staying on Simple.
Gusto Simple Plan: $49/Month + $6 Per Employee
The Simple plan is Gusto’s entry-level offering, rebuilt for small businesses with straightforward, single-state payroll needs.
It is designed for small businesses that need reliable payroll without a lot of HR complexity.
At $49/month base plus $6 per employee, a 5-person team pays $79/month and a 10-person team pays $109/month.
What makes Simple genuinely useful is the depth of its payroll automation.
Across all domestic plans, Gusto includes automated federal, state, and local tax calculation, filing, and payment; W-2 and 1099 year-end generation; employee self-service portal; onboarding workflows (I-9, W-4, offer letters); and benefits administration at no separate admin fee.
The most important limitation of Simple is that it only supports single-state payroll.
The moment you hire someone in a second state, your monthly bill jumps from $139 (15 employees on Simple) to $272 (15 employees on Plus) a 96% increase triggered by a single hiring decision.
The Plus plan also includes next-day direct deposit, which Simple restricts to four-day processing a real problem for off-cycle and correction payrolls.
Who Should Choose Gusto Simple?
Simple is the right choice if you have fewer than 20 employees, operate in one state, do not need time tracking built into payroll, and want the most affordable entry point into full-service payroll automation.
If any of those conditions are likely to change in the next 12 months, start on Plus.
Gusto Plus Plan: $80/Month + $12 Per Employee
The Plus plan is Gusto’s most popular tier and the plan most growing businesses should evaluate first.
It builds on Simple with a meaningful set of HR tools aimed at businesses that are scaling and need more than just payroll.
The jump from $6 to $12 per employee is significant, a 10-person team moves from $109 to $200/month, but Plus unlocks multi-state payroll, next-day direct deposit, built-in time tracking, performance reviews, and HR advisory tools that would otherwise require separate software.
For teams of 10 to 40 employees, Plus frequently replaces multiple standalone tools and can deliver net cost savings despite the higher price tag.
On Plus, time tracking, next-day direct deposit, and contractor payments are all included in the base price, which eliminates the most common add-on costs that inflate Simple plan bills.
The crossover point where Plus becomes better value than a heavily-added-on Simple plan is around 7–8 employees for most businesses.
Gusto Premium Plan: $180/Month + $22 Per Employee
Premium is Gusto’s top tier, designed for businesses approaching 40–50+ employees that need a dedicated account manager and proactive compliance support built into their payroll platform.
Premium is for businesses that need a dedicated point of contact at Gusto, proactive compliance guidance, and more robust recruiting and reporting capabilities.
The per-employee cost on Premium ($22/month) is nearly four times the Simple plan rate ($6/month).
For a 30-person company, the upgrade from Plus ($5,280/year) to Premium ($10,080/year) represents a 91% cost increase.
Premium is only worth this premium if your business genuinely needs a dedicated customer success manager, certified HR expert access, and compliance alerts rather than paying a separate HR consultant.
Premium Tip: Negotiate Simple and Plus, Premium pricing can often be negotiated.
Businesses with 50+ employees or those willing to commit to annual billing have historically secured 10–15% discounts on the Premium plan.
Contact Gusto’s sales team directly rather than signing up online for the best rate.
Gusto Contractor Only Plan: $35/Month + $6 Per Contractor
The Contractor Only plan is built for businesses that work entirely with independent contractors and have not yet hired any W-2 employees.
At $35/month base plus $6 per contractor per month (charged only in months when a contractor is paid), it is the most affordable entry point into Gusto’s platform.
Key details to know: U.S. contractors are billed at the per-person cost for any plan you select, and Gusto only bills for contractors in months when they have been paid.
This makes the Contractor Only plan genuinely flexible for businesses with irregular contractor payment schedules.
A 3-contractor business that pays its contractors 8 out of 12 months pays $35 + $18 = $53/month only during active months.
The plan does not support W-2 employee payroll. The moment you hire your first employee, you must upgrade to Simple, Plus, or Premium.
International contractor payments are available as a separate add-on, as the Contractor Only plan natively supports U.S.-based payments only.
How to Get Gusto at a Lower Price
Gusto does not publish discount codes or run regular coupon promotions the way consumer software does. However, there are several legitimate ways to reduce your Gusto spend.
1 Claim the 3-months-free new customer promotion
Gusto regularly offers new customers three months free when signing up via affiliate or partner links. This is the largest upfront saving available and can be worth $150–$540+ depending on your plan and team size.
2 Choose Gusto’s own health insurance brokerage
If you use Gusto as your health insurance broker, the $6/employee/month broker integration fee is waived. For a 20-person team, this saves $120/month — $1,440/year — compared to bringing your own broker on Simple or Plus.
3 Audit your add-ons before adding them to Simple
If you are on Simple and considering adding time tracking, next-day deposit, and priority support, run the math first. For most teams above 8 employees, the add-on-adjusted Simple cost exceeds the Plus plan price — and Plus includes all those features natively.
4 Register new states yourself to avoid per-state fees
Gusto charges $50–$150 per state to handle new state tax registration on your behalf. You can complete this process yourself at no cost through each state’s tax authority website. If expanding to multiple states, this is worth DIY-ing.
5 Negotiate Premium pricing if you have 50+ employees
Gusto’s Premium plan pricing is negotiable for larger teams. Companies with 50+ employees or those willing to prepay annually have historically received 10–15% off the published per-employee rate. Contact Gusto’s sales team directly.
Is Gusto Worth the Price? Who Should Use It?
Gusto is genuinely excellent for certain business types and a poor fit for others.
Here is an honest assessment based on the pricing structure, feature set, and customer feedback as of April 2026.
Gusto is a great fit if you are:
- A small business with under 50 employees in 1–3 states
- Switching from manual payroll or spreadsheets
- A startup that wants fast setup (payroll in under 10 minutes)
- An employer offering health, dental, and vision benefits via Gusto brokerage
- A contractor-only business needing simple 1099 management
- A business that values clean UX and a self-service employee portal
- Someone who wants unlimited payroll runs without per-run fees
Gusto may not be the best fit if you are:
- Operating across 5+ states with complex multi-state payroll
- Hiring international employees (Gusto EOR at $699/person is expensive)
- A business with 100+ employees needing enterprise HR
- Experiencing frequent payroll errors that require fast support resolution
- A business heavily reliant on international contractors (limited tools)
- Looking for a tool with invoicing or accounts receivable built in
- A company needing 24/7 payroll support (Gusto: Mon–Fri 8am–8pm ET only)
Gusto Pricing vs. Competitors (2026)
How does Gusto’s pricing stack up against the main alternatives for small business payroll?
Here is a side-by-side comparison at the entry level.
| Platform | Base Price | Per Employee Cost | Key Features / Highlights |
| Gusto Simple (Reviewed Here) | $49/month | $6/employee/month | Multi-state requires upgrade • Best UX for small teams • Health brokerage included • Unlimited payroll runs • Strong self-service portal |
| OnPay (Alternative) | $40/month | $6/employee/month | All features included in one plan • No tier restrictions • Multi-state payroll included • Lower base fee • Built-in HR features |
| ADP RUN Essential (Alternative) | $79/month | $4/employee/month | Better for 20+ employees • Lower per-employee cost • Strong compliance tools • 800+ integrations |
| Rippling (Alternative) | ~$40/month | ~$8/employee/month | No traditional base model • Combines IT + HR • Device management included • Scales to enterprise • Strong global payroll |
Key Takeaway on Competitors Gusto Simple charges $49 base + $6/person while ADP RUN Essential charges $79 base + $4/person.
The crossover point is around 19–20 employees, where ADP becomes cheaper on a pure monthly basis. For teams under 20 employees who value Gusto’s UX, Gusto wins on price.
For teams over 20 employees who only need payroll (not HR tools), ADP may be more cost-effective.
Conclusion: Which Gusto Plan Is Right for You?
For most small businesses with under 20 employees in one state, Gusto Simple at $49/month + $6/employee is the right starting point. If you have employees across multiple states or need time tracking built in, start on Plus. Only choose Premium if you genuinely need dedicated HR advisory and a customer success manager it is not worth the 3x cost jump for most teams.
FAQs on Gusto Pricing
How much does Gusto cost per month?
Gusto pricing starts at $49/month base + $6 per employee on the Simple plan (updated March 2026 from the previous $40 base). The Plus plan costs $80/month + $12/employee, Premium costs $180/month + $22/employee, and the Contractor Only plan costs $35/month + $6 per contractor (billed only in months when contractors are paid).
Does Gusto charge per employee?
Yes, Every Gusto plan uses a base fee plus a per-employee per-month pricing model. The per-employee rate is $6 on Simple, $12 on Plus, and $22 on Premium. Gusto only charges for active employees and only bills for contractors in months when they receive a payment.
Is Gusto free to try?
No, Gusto does not offer a permanent free plan or a traditional free trial. However, Gusto frequently runs a promotion offering 3 months free for new customers. The Contractor Only plan has also been offered free for the first 6 months during promotional windows. Check Gusto’s current promotions page before signing up.
What is the cheapest Gusto plan?
The cheapest Gusto plan for businesses with W-2 employees is Simple at $49/month + $6 per employee. For businesses paying only contractors, the Contractor Only plan at $35/month + $6 per contractor (when paid) is the lowest-cost entry point. A 3-contractor business might pay as little as $53 in an active month.
Does Gusto charge for multi-state payroll?
No, Gusto does not charge an ongoing fee specifically for multi-state payroll, but you must upgrade from Simple to Plus ($80/month + $12/employee) to access it. Gusto does charge a one-time state tax registration fee of $50–$150 per new state if you want Gusto to handle the paperwork, though you can do this yourself for free through each state’s tax authority.
Does Gusto pricing include health insurance?
Gusto administers health insurance (medical, dental, vision) at no additional platform cost when you use Gusto’s own brokerage. You pay the insurance premiums to the carrier, but Gusto’s brokerage fee is waived. If you bring your own broker, Gusto charges $6/eligible employee/month for broker integration on Simple and Plus plans. This fee is waived on Premium.
Did Gusto raise its prices in 2026?
Yes, Gusto increased the Simple plan base fee from $40 to $49 effective March 2026 — a 23% increase. The Employer of Record (EOR) service for international employees also increased from $599 to $699 per employee per month effective March 15, 2026. These are the second price increases in 12 months, following a prior round of increases in early 2025.
Can I cancel Gusto at any time?
Yes, Gusto operates on a month-to-month basis with no long-term contracts, setup fees, or cancellation penalties. You can cancel, upgrade, or downgrade at any time. Upgrades take effect immediately; downgrades begin at the start of your next billing cycle.
