by Gusto, Inc.
Gusto is a payroll, benefits and HR platform for US small businesses, launched in 2012 as ZenPayroll.
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This review rests on the 37 facts this page shows, each checked against the source listed under “Sources”, most recently on . We did not test the product hands-on: the score uses only those verified facts, as our methodology explains; third-party ratings, where we quote them, never count in the score.
Gusto fits US small businesses that want payroll, benefits and basic HR in one account, with public prices and month-to-month terms. Every plan files payroll taxes and runs unlimited payrolls. Plus adds multi-state payroll and next-day pay, and Premium adds same-day pay and a dedicated account partner. It is less suited to employers with employees outside the US, or to teams that rely on custom reports, which reviewers cite as limited.
Public pricing, no contracts
Simple and Solo cost $49 per month plus $6 per person, Plus $80 plus $12, and Premium $180 plus $22. Plans are month to month, and account setup is free.
Evidence: Contract term: Monthly1
Tax filing on every plan
Gusto files federal, state and local payroll tax forms, such as Form W-2, 1099, 940 and 941, with unlimited payroll runs. Its Payroll Terms say it pays penalties caused by its own filing errors, with no dollar cap stated.
Evidence: Automatic tax filing: Yes1
Benefits and HR in one account
Gusto offers health, dental, vision, life, disability, 401(k), HSA, FSA and commuter benefits. It handles open enrollment and life event changes, and deductions sync to payroll.
Benefits offered: Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability, 401(k), HSA, FSA, Dependent care FSA, Commuter benefits1
Large app directory and an API
The App Directory lists 154 apps, including QuickBooks, Xero, Slack and Google Workspace. Gusto Embedded offers a REST API with webhooks.
Evidence: Native integrations: 1544
Faster pay costs extra on lower plans
Same-day pay is $90 and instant pay is $100 per payroll on Simple and Plus; both are included in Premium. Business Compliance is $85 per month per state on an annual contract unless you are on Premium.
Extra costs: Next-Day pay add-on on Simple: $15/mo + $3/mo per person (included in Plus and Premium), Same-day pay: $90 per payroll on Simple and Plus (included in Premium), Instant pay: $100 per payroll on Simple and Plus (included in Premium), State tax registration: pricing varies by state, Global contractor payments: $5 per payment to US-based bank accounts; foreign exchange rates may vary, R&D tax credits: 15% of identified tax credits, Time & Attendance Plus on Simple: $6/mo per person after free trial, Gusto Business Compliance: $85/mo per state, annual contract (included in Premium), Remote I-9: $20 per submission (included in Premium), E-Verify: $5 per submission on top of Remote I-9 (included in Premium), Priority Support on Simple and Plus: $30/mo + $3/mo per person, Health insurance broker integration: $6/mo per eligible employee, Workers' compensation: insurance premiums plus up to $5/mo for pay-as-you-go, Gusto Money Plus: $19/mo, Tax-advantaged benefits: $200 annual service charge; HSA $2.50/mo per participant; FSA, dependent care FSA and commuter benefits $4/mo per participant each with a $20/mo minimum, 401(k): pricing varies by 401(k) integration, Cannabis-related businesses: some plans require a CRB compliance add-on (price not published), Insufficient funds at the payroll debit deadline: $100 processing fee1
New accounts start on slower deposits
Most new employers start on 4-day pay. 2-day pay opens after a 15-day wait and one successful payroll debit.
Direct deposit speed: 4-day pay by default for new employers; 2-day pay after a 15-day wait and one successful debit; next-day pay for eligible accounts (included in Plus and Premium, $15/mo + $3/mo per person add-on on Simple); same-day and instant pay on qualified payrolls (included in Premium, $90 and $100 per payroll on Simple and Plus)5
Payroll is US-only
Gusto runs payroll for US employees only. Contractors abroad are paid through a separate add-on in more than 120 countries.
Evidence: Countries supported: US3
Fees grow with headcount
Per-person fees run from $6 to $22 a month by plan, so cost rises with each employee, a point reviewers raise.
Reporting and mobile limits
Less suited to teams that need custom reports or full administration on mobile, according to reviewers.
| Employees | Simple | Plus | Premium | Solo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $109/mo | $200/mo | $400/mo | Not offered |
| 25 | $199/mo | $380/mo | $730/mo | Not offered |
| 50 | $349/mo | $680/mo | $1,280/mo | Not offered |
| 100 | $649/mo | $1,280/mo | $2,380/mo | Not offered |
Monthly list price before discounts, add-ons and taxes, from the published price model of each plan.
Each core capability we evaluate in Payroll Software, checked against Gusto’s own documentation. “Not verified yet” means we have not confirmed it either way, not that it is missing.
11 verified of 12 core capabilities
8 integrations we document, by how they connect. Gusto says it has 154 integrations.
The 10 apps that payroll software products document most often, and whether Gusto documents each.
3 of the 10 most-connected apps documented by Gusto; median of the 23 products compared: 3
Integrations each vendor documents (native, marketplace, Zapier, API or named by the vendor), 23 live payroll software products. Not documented does not mean not possible.
Common praise
Common complaints
Third-party ratings are shown as cited text; they are not part of the LeadChange Score.
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ADP RUN Powered by ADP68% similar
OnPay65% similarGusto is sold by Gusto, Inc., which was founded in 2012, is headquartered in San Francisco, California, US, and is privately held. Before you sign, review the contract terms and ask for the security documentation that applies to your plan.
Yes. Gusto states it offers payroll in all 50 states and files federal, state and local payroll taxes. The Simple plan covers payroll in one state; multi-state payroll is a Plus feature.
Yes, through the global contractor payments add-on, which covers more than 120 countries. It costs $5 per payment to US-based bank accounts, and exchange rates may vary. Payroll for employees is US-only.
New employers start on 4-day pay, with 2-day pay after a 15-day wait. Next-day pay is included in Plus and Premium; Gusto's help center and pricing page differ on whether Simple includes it. Same-day and instant pay are included in Premium.
Yes. QuickBooks is one of 154 apps in the Gusto App Directory, alongside Xero, Slack and Google Workspace.
Gusto is a payroll software product built for small businesses. Its modules include Payroll, Benefits, Time and attendance, Hiring and onboarding, and 4 more.
In our payroll software ranking, the highest-scored products other than Gusto are Patriot Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, and Square Payroll. Compared side by side, by reason to switch: Gusto alternatives.
Our Gusto vs ADP TotalSource comparison sets out when each one fits.
Strengths documented on the vendor’s own pages: public pricing, no contracts, tax filing on every plan, and benefits and HR in one account. It is less suited to employers that need payroll for employees outside the US and teams that need highly customized reporting.
Yes. Gusto offers an API (REST), with webhooks for event updates.
Gusto states HIPAA support. It supports single sign-on.
37 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 8, 2026.
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology
Passed our independent review on Nov 1, 2026. How we review
We have not tested Gusto hands-on: this page uses public information only.
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GustoLeadChange Score 8.1
PlansWe now list Gusto’s Solo plan.
PublishedFirst published.
The 22 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.
Vendor? Reach buyers comparing Gusto
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.
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