Justworks Review
Justworks is a US PEO and payroll provider for small businesses. It sells payroll, two PEO plans with benefits and HR support, and an employer of record for hiring abroad, with published prices from $50 a month plus $8 per employee.
- Company size
- Small businesses
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee
Best for
- Small businesses that want a PEO with published per-employee prices
- Employers that want large-group medical, dental and vision through PEO Plus
- US teams that want payroll in any state with optional health insurance
Not ideal for
- Solo founders who want a PEO: Justworks PEO needs at least two W-2 employees
- Employers that want to keep their own workers' comp policy on a PEO plan
- Payroll-only buyers who need 24/7 support or HR consultants
How we evaluated Justworks
This review rests on 22 facts checked against Justworks’s official pricing pages and documentation, most recently on . We did not test the product hands-on: the score and the pros and cons use only those verified facts, as our methodology explains, and third-party ratings are quoted, never scored.
Our verdict
Justworks fits US small businesses that want a PEO with published per-employee prices, or plain payroll they can grow into a PEO. Payroll costs $50 a month plus $8 per employee; PEO Basic is $79 and PEO Plus $124 per employee a month, with no base fee and no setup fee. Benefit premiums, workers' comp and add-ons such as time tracking are billed on top. It is less suited to one-person companies that want a PEO and to firms that want to keep their own workers' comp policy.
Strengths
Every price published, no setup fee
Justworks publishes the price of every plan and add-on. Payroll is $50 a month plus $8 per employee, and the PEO plans have no base fee. There is no implementation fee.
Evidence: Price transparency: Published
Certified PEO with workers' comp built in
Justworks holds IRS certified PEO status and ESAC accreditation. On PEO plans it files payroll taxes, W-2s and 1099s and covers staff under its workers' comp master policy.
Evidence: Key features: IRS-certified PEO (CPEO) and ESAC accreditation, Multi-state payroll, Contractor and vendor payments, Employer payroll tax filings (940 and 941), W-2, W-3 and 1099 filings, Online onboarding and offboarding, PTO management, Document center, Accounting sync with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, NetSuite, Sage Intacct and Xero, Mobile app for employees
Group health plans on PEO Plus
PEO Plus adds medical, dental and vision through large-group or small-group plans, COBRA administration, and perks such as One Medical and Kindbody where available. Both PEO plans include access to a 401(k), HSA/FSA and commuter benefits.
Evidence: Benefits offered: Medical, dental and vision (PEO Plus; Payroll plan add-on), COBRA administration, 401(k), HSA/FSA, Commuter benefits, Life and disability insurance, Fitness memberships (PEO plans), Health insurance reimbursements through an ICHRA (CHOICE), Mental health, health advocacy, One Medical and Kindbody (PEO Plus)
Payroll that grows into a PEO
Any size company can use Justworks Payroll, and you can switch between Payroll, PEO Basic and PEO Plus. Health insurance can be added to the Payroll plan for $8 per eligible employee a month.
Evidence: Minimum employees: 2
Round-the-clock help on PEO plans
PEO customers and their staff reach 24/7 support by email, phone, chat or Slack, and can ask HR consultants for guidance.
Evidence: Support hours: 24/7 support on PEO Basic and PEO Plus; the Payroll plan lists a 24/7 help center plus phone and chat support
Weaknesses
PEO fees grow with every hire
At 10 employees, PEO Basic costs $790 a month and PEO Plus $1,240 before health premiums and workers' comp. Part-time employees cost the same per head as full-time staff.
Evidence: Pricing model: Base fee + per employee
Workers' comp is required on the PEO
PEO customers are enrolled in and charged for the Justworks workers' comp policy and cannot opt out, so a business with its own policy may pay twice. Premiums are a percentage of wages.
Evidence: Workers' comp included: Yes
Add-ons cost extra
Time Tracking costs $8 per employee a month, dedicated HR consulting $30, and international contractors $39 each plus exchange-rate fees.
Evidence: Extra costs: Time Tracking: $8 a month per employee, US-based contractors: $8 a month per contractor, only in months you pay them, International contractors: $39 a month per paid contractor, plus exchange-rate fees, Health insurance on the Payroll plan: $8 a month per benefits-eligible employee, plus premiums, Dedicated HR Consulting: $30 a month per employee (PEO plans), Health Insurance Reimbursements (CHOICE): $25 a month per enrolled employee, Workers' comp on PEO plans: premium as a percentage of wages, with a state minimum for unpaid owners, Health, dental, vision, life and disability premiums: billed on top of plan fees
Lighter service on the Payroll plan
The Payroll plan lists a 24/7 help center, phone and chat, but not 24/7 support, HR consulting, EPLI or harassment prevention training. Those come with the PEO plans.
Evidence: Support hours: 24/7 support on PEO Basic and PEO Plus; the Payroll plan lists a 24/7 help center plus phone and chat support
PEO needs at least two employees
Justworks PEO requires at least two full-time or part-time W-2 employees, so a one-person company can only use Justworks Payroll.
Evidence: Minimum employees: 2
Price at a glance
Starting base fee
$50/mo
Starting price per employee
$8/employee/mo
Pricing model
Base fee + per employee
Price transparency
Published
Minimum employees
2
Justworks cost at 10 to 100 employees
- PEO Basic$79/employee/mo
- PEO Plus$124/employee/mo
- EOR$599/employee/mo
| Employees | PEO Basic | PEO Plus | EOR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $790/mo | $1,240/mo | $5,990/mo |
| 25 | $1,975/mo | $3,100/mo | $14,975/mo |
| 50 | $3,950/mo | $6,200/mo | $29,950/mo |
| 100 | $7,900/mo | $12,400/mo | $59,900/mo |
Monthly list price before discounts, add-ons and taxes, from the published price model of each plan.
Quick answers
- Is Justworks reputable?
- Justworks was founded in 2012 in New York and says it is an IRS-certified PEO with ESAC accreditation, standards that add protection for tax filing and payments.Based on Founded: 2012
- How much is Justworks per month?
- Payroll costs $50 a month plus $8 per employee; PEO Basic is $79 and PEO Plus $124 per employee a month, with no base fee.
- Is Justworks only a PEO?
- No. Besides PEO Basic and PEO Plus, Justworks sells a payroll-only plan for any company size and an employer of record service for hiring abroad.Based on Minimum employees: 2
- What does PEO Plus add over the Basic plan?
- PEO Plus adds medical, dental and vision administration, HSA/FSA accounts and mental health and fertility benefits on top of PEO Basic's payroll, compliance and HR tools.Based on Benefits offered: Medical, dental and vision (PEO Plus; Payroll plan add-on), COBRA administration, 401(k), HSA/FSA, Commuter benefits, Life and disability insurance, Fitness memberships (PEO plans), Health insurance reimbursements through an ICHRA (CHOICE), Mental health, health advocacy, One Medical and Kindbody (PEO Plus)
Coverage of core PEO services capabilities
Each core capability we evaluate in PEO Services, checked against Justworks’s own documentation. “Not verified yet” means we have not confirmed it either way, not that it is missing.
9 verified of 10 core capabilities
PEO Services
- Co-employment arrangement
- Payroll and tax filing
- Group benefits access
- Workers' compensation
- HR advisory support
- Compliance support
- Risk and safety services · not verified yet
- HR and payroll technology
- Reporting
- Exit and transition support
Specifications
Fit
- Industry focus
- Financial services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Professional services, Real estate, Retail, Startups
- US states supported
- All 50 states
Product
- Modules
- Payroll, PEO, Benefits administration, HR tools and support, Compliance, Time Tracking (add-on), Contractor payments, International Employer of Record (EOR), Analytics
- Mobile apps
- Justworks app for iOS, Justworks app for Android
- AI features
- Justworks MCP: ask questions about live Justworks data from Claude and ChatGPT
Justworks integrations
Native integrations
Justworks integration coverage
The 10 apps that PEO services products document most often, and whether Justworks documents each.
1 of the 10 most-connected apps documented by Justworks; median of the 8 products compared: 1
- QuickBooks · documented by 4 of 8
- BambooHR · documented by 3 of 8
- Greenhouse · documented by 3 of 8
- NetSuite · documented by 3 of 8
- Xero · documented by 3 of 8
- Carta · documented by 2 of 8
- ClearCo · documented by 2 of 8
- HiBob · documented by 2 of 8
- Okta · documented by 2 of 8
- Personio · documented by 2 of 8
Integrations each vendor documents (native, marketplace, Zapier or API), 8 live PEO services products. Not documented does not mean not possible.
Where it ranks
- #1 of 24 scoredPEO Services
- #8 of 8 scoredEmployer of Record (EOR)
- #7 of 7 scoredEmployer of Record (EOR) for Small Business
- #1 of 9 scoredPEO Services for Healthcare
- #1 of 9 scoredPEO Services for Manufacturing
- #1 of 5 scoredPEO Services for Retail
- #1 of 23 scoredPEO Services for Small Business
- #1 of 8 scoredPEO Services in Texas
Justworks alternatives
National PEO43% similar
Rippling PEO43% similar
TriNet32% similar
Compare Justworks
Implementation and support
- Implementation fee
- None
- Support channels
- Phone, email, chat, Slack
- Support hours
- 24/7 support on PEO Basic and PEO Plus; the Payroll plan lists a 24/7 help center plus phone and chat support
About Justworks
- Founded
- 2012
- Headquarters
- New York, New York, US
Official profiles
Frequently asked questions
Is Justworks legit?
Justworks is sold by the company of the same name, which was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in New York, New York, US. Before you sign, review the contract terms and ask for the security documentation that applies to your plan.
What is the minimum number of employees for Justworks?
The PEO needs at least two W-2 employees; any size company can use Justworks Payroll.
Does Justworks file payroll taxes?
Yes. It withholds, reports and remits payroll taxes and files W-2s and 1099s for domestic contractors.
Does Justworks have a mobile app?
Yes. The Justworks app is available for iOS and Android.
What are the best alternatives to Justworks?
In our PEO services ranking, the highest-scored products other than Justworks are TriNet, PrestigePEO, and Amplify HR. Compared side by side, by reason to switch: Justworks alternatives.
Which is better, Justworks or ADP TotalSource?
It depends on the team. Choose Justworks if: you want to see the price first: PEO Basic costs $79 per employee a month. Choose ADP TotalSource if: you want a dedicated HR business partner. The full comparison: Justworks vs ADP TotalSource.
What are the pros and cons of Justworks?
Strengths documented on the vendor’s own pages: every price published, no setup fee, certified PEO with workers' comp built in, and group health plans on PEO Plus. It is less suited to solo founders who want a PEO: Justworks PEO needs at least two W-2 employees and employers that want to keep their own workers' comp policy on a PEO plan.
What does Justworks integrate with?
Justworks documents integrations, including QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and 6 more. Every documented connection: Justworks integrations.
Is Justworks good for small businesses?
Justworks lists small businesses among the company sizes it is built for (small businesses), with a minimum of 2 employees; for 10 employees its lowest published plan comes to $790 a month. It ranks #1 of 23 in our PEO services for small businesses.
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