The short answer
Gusto publishes its prices: Simple starts at $49 a month plus $6 per person, billed month to month. RUN Powered by ADP sells four packages, from Essential Payroll to HR Pro Payroll & HR, by quote.
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Gusto wins 2ADP RUN Powered by ADP wins 01 tie
| Dimension | Gusto | ADP RUN Powered by ADP |
|---|---|---|
| PricingGusto lists Simple at $49 a month plus $6 per person, month to month, with no setup fee. ADP RUN quotes every package and adds fees for W-2 and 1099 forms and for more frequent payrolls. $49/mo | $49/mo + $6/employee/mo | Quote only |
| CapabilitiesBoth cover payroll, tax filing, contractor payments, hiring and onboarding. Gusto adds time tracking and benefits administration in the same plans; ADP RUN adds garnishment payments, state unemployment insurance management and learning management, with time and attendance as an add-on. Payroll, Benefits, Time and attendance, Hiring and onboarding, HR, Compliance, Contractor payments, Money management | 11 of 12 core capabilities | 10 of 12 core capabilities |
| IntegrationsGusto lists 153 integrations, including QuickBooks, Xero, Slack and Salesforce, with a REST API and webhooks. ADP RUN exports the general ledger to QuickBooks, Xero, Wave and Creative Solutions and connects to Clover and ZipRecruiter. 153 | 153 native | 3 documented |
| Attribute | Gusto | ADP RUN Powered by ADP |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Base fee + per employee | Quote only |
| Price transparency | Published | Quote only |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud, mobile |
| Mobile apps | iOS (Gusto Mobile), Android (Gusto Mobile) | RUN Powered by ADP app (iOS), RUN Powered by ADP app (Android) |
| Support channels | Phone, email, chat, online help center, dedicated account partner (Premium) | Phone, chat, email (Payroll Center), in-product help center, HR HelpDesk by phone and email (Complete and HR Pro) |
| Founded | 2012 | 1949 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, US | Roseland, NJ, US |
| Ownership | Private | Publicly traded |
| Attribute | Gusto | ADP RUN Powered by ADP |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | ||
| Contract term | Monthly | Monthly |
| Best for | Small businesses | Small businesses |
| Minimum employees | 1 | 1 |
| Open API | ||
| Automatic tax filing | ||
| Contractor payments |
Pricing. Gusto lists Simple at $49 a month plus $6 per person, month to month, with no setup fee. ADP RUN quotes every package and adds fees for W-2 and 1099 forms and for more frequent payrolls.
Capabilities. Both cover payroll, tax filing, contractor payments, hiring and onboarding. Gusto adds time tracking and benefits administration in the same plans; ADP RUN adds garnishment payments, state unemployment insurance management and learning management, with time and attendance as an add-on.
Integrations. Gusto lists 153 integrations, including QuickBooks, Xero, Slack and Salesforce, with a REST API and webhooks. ADP RUN exports the general ledger to QuickBooks, Xero, Wave and Creative Solutions and connects to Clover and ZipRecruiter.
Fit and support. ADP RUN offers 24/7 payroll support by phone or chat, plus an HR HelpDesk on its HR packages. Gusto supports customers by phone, email and chat on weekdays from 6am to 6pm MST, with a dedicated account partner on Premium.
Security. Gusto states HIPAA compliance and supports single sign-on. ADP RUN names no security certification on the product pages we reviewed, so it is less suited to buyers who need one in writing before a demo.
Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (9.3/10).
From $17/mo + $4/employee/mo
Gusto publishes its price: $49 a month plus $6 per person on Simple, so 10 employees come to $109 a month before add-ons. ADP prices RUN by quote, so the comparison needs a written ADP quote for the same headcount and pay frequency.
Gusto is less suited to teams that need support at night or on weekends: its phone, email and chat hours are weekdays, 6am to 6pm MST. On Simple, payroll covers one state and next-day pay is a paid add-on; Plus includes both.
Gusto is one of the payroll services that compete with RUN Powered by ADP for small businesses: both are built for them. ADP says RUN serves over 980,000 small businesses and quotes its price; Gusto publishes its price, from $49 a month plus $6 per person.
Both say so. ADP pays fines or penalties caused by its own tax filing errors; Gusto remits late taxes and pays the resulting penalties when a Gusto error caused them, but not penalties from inaccurate payroll information.
Gusto starts new employers on 4-day pay, moves them to 2-day pay after 15 days and one successful debit, and includes next-day pay on Plus and Premium. ADP RUN runs on a two-day processing cycle, with payroll approved by 5:00 p.m. ET the business day before the check date.
Yes. Gusto Mobile runs on iOS and Android; ADP RUN has iOS and Android apps and also lets you run payroll by phone call.
Neither lists a free trial; both sell through a demo or a quote.
Only Gusto states HIPAA (BAA).
Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts and list prices. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.
LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.We may earn a fee.
How we make money
LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.
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.
