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ADP TotalSource vs Gusto

The short answer

ADP TotalSource is ADP’s co-employment PEO, with a dedicated HR business partner, workers' compensation included and a quoted price. Gusto is payroll, benefits and HR software for small businesses from $49 a month plus $6 per person on Simple, billed month to month.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Based on 12 sources, most recently checked
Not scored in Payroll Services10 of 24 facts verified
Best for
Small and midsize businesses that want a full-service PEO from ADP

Choose ADP TotalSource if

  • You want a PEO to carry workers' compensation and HR compliance.
  • You want a dedicated HR business partner.
  • You run a midsize business: ADP TotalSource serves small and midsize companies.
  • You want applicant tracking and background checks in the same service.
Starting price
$49/mo + $6/employee/mo1
Best for
US small businesses that want payroll tax filing on every plan

Choose Gusto if

  • You want a published price: $49 a month plus $6 per person on Simple.
  • You want no contract: Gusto bills month to month.
  • You connect payroll to many apps: 153 integrations with a REST API.
  • You want unlimited payroll runs and automatic tax filing.

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

ADP TotalSource wins 1Gusto wins 3

ADP TotalSource vs Gusto by dimension
DimensionADP TotalSourceGusto
PricingGusto’s Simple plan costs $49 a month plus $6 per person; for 10 people that is $109 a month. ADP TotalSource quotes.Quote onlyPublished
CapabilitiesGusto covers payroll, benefits, time tracking, hiring and onboarding, HR and contractor payments. ADP TotalSource covers payroll and tax administration, benefits, workers' compensation, HR compliance and talent acquisition as a PEO. Payroll, Benefits, Time and attendance, Hiring and onboarding, HR, Compliance, Contractor payments, Money management26 of 10 core capabilities9 of 10 core capabilities
IntegrationsGusto lists 153 integrations, a REST API and webhooks. ADP TotalSource publishes no integration count on the pages we reviewed. 15432 documented8 documented (vendor says 154)
Fit and supportADP TotalSource includes workers' compensation and assigns a dedicated HR business partner. Gusto answers by phone, email and chat on weekdays from 6am to 6pm MST, with a dedicated account partner on Premium. Yes4Small businesses, mid-market companiesSmall businesses

ADP TotalSource or Gusto: what matters most to you?

We match on verified product facts for this need, never on who pays us.

Key differences

Where ADP TotalSource and Gusto differ (8)
AttributeADP TotalSourceGusto
Pricing modelQuote only5Base fee + per employee1
Price transparencyQuote only5Published1
Best forSmall businesses, mid-market companies5Small businesses6
Mobile appsADP mobile app5iOS (Gusto Mobile), Android (Gusto Mobile)7
Support channelsDedicated HR business partner, ADP MyLife Advisors (employee support)5Phone, email, chat, online help center, dedicated account partner (Premium)8
Founded1949920126
HeadquartersRoseland, New Jersey, US10San Francisco, California, US11
OwnershipPublicly traded9Private6
Show 1 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (1)
AttributeADP TotalSourceGusto
Automatic tax filing51

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. Gusto’s Simple plan costs $49 a month plus $6 per person; for 10 people that is $109 a month. ADP TotalSource quotes.

Capabilities. Gusto covers payroll, benefits, time tracking, hiring and onboarding, HR and contractor payments. ADP TotalSource covers payroll and tax administration, benefits, workers' compensation, HR compliance and talent acquisition as a PEO.

Integrations. Gusto lists 153 integrations, a REST API and webhooks. ADP TotalSource publishes no integration count on the pages we reviewed.

Fit and support. ADP TotalSource includes workers' compensation and assigns a dedicated HR business partner. Gusto answers by phone, email and chat on weekdays from 6am to 6pm MST, with a dedicated account partner on Premium.

Security. Neither names a SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification on the pages we reviewed.

Frequently asked questions

Is Gusto or ADP TotalSource better for payroll?

For payroll alone, Gusto is software you run, with unlimited payroll runs and automatic tax filing from $49 a month plus $6 per person. ADP TotalSource is a PEO: payroll comes with co-employment, benefits, workers' comp and HR compliance under one quote.

Is Gusto an alternative to ADP TotalSource?

For payroll, benefits and HR software, yes, but Gusto’s plans do not include workers' compensation. ADP TotalSource is a co-employment PEO that includes it, with risk and safety programs.

Is ADP TotalSource worth it over Gusto?

It is worth a quote when you want an outside team to carry HR: ADP TotalSource adds HR compliance guidance and investigations and a dedicated HR business partner. If you only need payroll and benefits software, Gusto publishes plans from $49 a month plus $6 per person.

What does Gusto cost for 10 employees?

On Simple, $109 a month: $49 plus $6 per person. Plus costs $80 plus $12 per person, or $200 a month for 10. ADP TotalSource has no published price to set against it.

Which benefits do Gusto and ADP TotalSource offer?

Gusto lists health, dental, vision, life, disability, 401(k), HSA, FSA and commuter benefits. ADP TotalSource’s PEO benefits include medical, dental and vision, a 401(k), an employee assistance program and pet wellness.

How does support differ between Gusto and ADP TotalSource?

Gusto answers by phone, email and chat Monday to Friday, 6am to 6pm MST, with a 24/7 help center. ADP TotalSource assigns a dedicated HR business partner and gives employees a mobile app with 24/7 access.

Is ADP TotalSource or Gusto more secure?

Gusto states HIPAA (unverified for ADP TotalSource).

How this page was made

  • What it is built from

    34 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 8, 2026.

  • Method

    Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology

  • Independent review

    Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. How we review

  • Hands-on testing

    We have not tested either product hands-on: this page uses public information only.

  • Who made it

    The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us

  • Independence and errors

    Who pays us never changes a score or a rank. If something here is wrong, tell us and we correct it publicly. Request a correction

ADP TotalSource or Gusto? Your answer in 3 questions

Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts.

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ADP TotalSource vs Gusto

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Sources

The 12 pages this page's facts come from. The date beside each is our last check of the facts taken from it (the oldest, when they differ). The numbers beside the figures above link here.

Quotes from the sources
  1. Gusto gusto.com/product/pricing“Simple Run basic payroll in one state. $49/mo + $6/mo per person” “Simple, transparent pricing Payroll, benefits, and HR all in one place. No hidden fees. Cancel any time.”
  2. Gusto gusto.com/product“With Gusto, you can pay employees and contractors in just a few clicks. Plus, we automatically file your taxes, help with compliance, and identify tax credits to help save you money”
  3. Gusto gusto.com/product/integrations“Showing 1–20 of 154”
  4. ADP apps.adp.com/en-us/apps/234948/adp-totalsource---a-peo-solution/features“Your ADP workers’ compensation claims specialist is your resource for any questions related to workers’ compensation and will handle the end-to-end claims process”
  5. ADP adp.com/solutions/employer-services/totalsource.aspx“ADP TotalSource pricing is quoted rather than listed, since it is built around factors that are specific to your business” “ADP TotalSource supports small and midsize businesses across a wide range of industries, including professional services, manufacturing and logistics, architecture and engineering, real estate, wholesale, nonprofits and many more”
  6. Gusto gusto.com/about“Our small business platform helps businesses take care of their hardworking teams.” “Launched in 2012 as ZenPayroll, Gusto serves more than 500,000 businesses nationwide.”
  7. Gusto Payroll (Gusto)“Yes, you can run payroll, check payroll status, add and view team members and manage your team all from the Gusto mobile app. Download the iOS app here and the Google Play app here.”
  8. Gusto gusto.com/about/contact“Our sales and support teams at Gusto are available to help you via phone, email, and chat Monday through Friday 6am – 6pm MST. For expedited support, sign in to your Gusto account.”
  9. Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Data_Processing“Starting in 1949 in an office above a Paterson” “On October 21, 2008, ADP switched its stock listing to the NASDAQ Global Select Market”
  10. ADP adp.com/about-adp.aspx“1 ADP Blvd., Roseland, NJ 07068.”
  11. Gusto gusto.com/about/privacy“Gusto, Inc. Attn: Legal Privacy 525 20th Street San Francisco, CA 94107”
  12. Gusto gusto.com/security“We follow HIPAA guidelines to safeguard our customers’ protected health information (PHI). Additionally, we maintain business associate agreements (BAAs) between employers and Gusto, along with any third parties, like insurance companies.”

What the LeadChange Score means

A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.

Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.