Gusto payroll pricing starts at $49 per month plus $6 per employee — but the real cost depends heavily on which plan you need and which add-ons you end up using. Although Gusto is transparent about its base pricing, several important features cost extra and the difference between plans is more significant than most comparisons explain. Therefore, this guide covers every plan, every add-on and the total monthly cost by business size so you can budget accurately before signing up. Furthermore, we compare Gusto's pricing against OnPay, Zoho and Patriot so you can see exactly where it wins and where it loses on price.
In addition, there is one critical detail that most Gusto pricing guides omit: the Simple plan only covers single-state payroll. Consequently, businesses with employees in more than one state must use the Plus plan at $80 per month plus $12 per employee — nearly double the Simple plan cost. As a result, the actual starting price for multi-state businesses is significantly higher than the $49 headline figure.
Gusto Payroll Pricing — All Plans Compared
Gusto offers four plans in 2026. Although the Simple plan is the entry point most small businesses consider, the Plus plan is where most growing businesses end up once they need multi-state payroll or time tracking. Moreover, the Premium plan is for larger organizations that want dedicated support and HR expertise included.
- Single-state payroll only
- Unlimited payroll runs
- Full tax filings & payments
- W-2 and 1099 filing
- Basic PTO policies
- Employee self-service
- Phone & chat support
- ✗ Multi-state payroll
- ✗ Time tracking
- ✗ Next-day pay
- Everything in Simple
- ✓ Multi-state payroll
- ✓ Next-day pay
- ✓ Time tracking included
- ✓ Advanced HR features
- ✓ PTO management
- ✓ Team management tools
- ✓ Workforce cost reports
- Everything in Plus
- ✓ Dedicated Service Advisor
- ✓ Certified HR experts
- ✓ Performance management
- ✓ Custom reports
- ✓ Priority support
- ✓ Payroll migration help
- ✓ Free broker integration
How Much Does Gusto Cost? — Real Monthly Cost by Team Size
The table below shows the total all-in monthly cost including the per-employee fee on both Simple and Plus plans. Although the Simple plan looks cheaper, businesses with employees in multiple states have no choice but to use Plus — which changes the cost calculation significantly.
| Employees | Gusto Simple | Gusto Plus | OnPay | Zoho Standard | Patriot Full |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 employees | $67/mo | $116/mo | $58/mo | $44/mo | $57/mo |
| 5 employees | $79/mo | $140/mo | $70/mo | $54/mo | $67/mo |
| 10 employees | $109/mo | $200/mo | $100/mo | $79/mo | $97/mo |
| 25 employees | $199/mo | $380/mo | $190/mo | $154/mo | $162/mo |
| 50 employees | $349/mo | $680/mo | $340/mo | $279/mo | $287/mo |
Gusto Pricing Add-Ons — What Costs Extra
Although Gusto includes unlimited payroll runs and tax filings in every plan, several features that competitors include as standard cost extra. In contrast to OnPay where multi-state payroll and most HR features are included, Gusto uses a modular add-on model. Consequently, the actual monthly cost can rise significantly depending on which add-ons your business needs.
| Add-On | Cost | Available On | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next-Day Pay | $15/mo + $3/person | Simple plan | Included free in Plus and Premium |
| Time & Attendance Plus | $6/mo per person | Simple plan | Included free in Plus and Premium |
| Priority Support | $30/mo + $3/person | Simple & Plus | Included free in Premium |
| HR Resources | $50/mo + $5/person | Simple & Plus | Certified HR experts access |
| Performance Reviews | $3/mo per person | Simple plan | Included in Plus and Premium |
| Health Insurance Broker | $6/mo per employee | All plans | Free on Premium |
| State Tax Registration | Varies by state | All plans | For registering in a new state |
| Same-Day Pay | $90 per payroll | All plans | Per run charge |
| Instant Pay | $100 per payroll | All plans | Per run charge |
| Global Contractors | $5 per payment | All plans | 120+ countries, no monthly fee |
| R&D Tax Credits | 15% of credits found | All plans | Discounts on Premium |
| Workers' Comp | From $14/mo | All plans | Pay-as-you-go integration |
Which Gusto Plan Is Right for Your Business?
Choose Simple if...
All your employees work in a single state, you do not need time tracking built in and budget is a primary consideration. At $109/month for 10 employees, Gusto Simple is competitively priced for single-state businesses — though still more expensive than OnPay ($100) and significantly more than Zoho Standard ($79). However, for businesses that value Gusto's HR features and modern interface over raw price, Simple delivers good value for single-state teams.
Choose Plus if...
You have employees in more than one state, want time tracking included without add-on fees or need next-day pay as standard. Although Plus at $200/month for 10 employees is expensive compared to alternatives, it bundles features that would cost significantly more as add-ons on Simple. Furthermore, the included time tracking and multi-state coverage make Plus the most logical choice for growing teams with distributed workforces.
Choose Premium if...
You want a dedicated payroll advisor, access to certified HR experts and priority support included as standard. Premium is designed for businesses with 25+ employees that need hands-on support rather than self-service. Nevertheless, at $180/month plus $22 per employee, the cost for 25 employees exceeds $730/month — at which point enterprise providers like Paychex or ADP become worth evaluating on a custom quote basis.
Consider alternatives if...
Multi-state payroll is your primary requirement and budget is a constraint. In that case, OnPay includes multi-state at $100/month for 10 employees — half the cost of Gusto Plus. Moreover, if you only need basic single-state payroll at the lowest possible price, Zoho Payroll Standard at $79/month for 10 employees is the most affordable full-service option in the market.
Is Gusto Worth the Price?
Gusto is worth the price for businesses that use its platform fully — particularly the HR features, onboarding workflows and benefits administration that are included at no extra charge on every plan. Although the base payroll price is higher than OnPay or Zoho, the total cost of ownership is more competitive once you factor in the HR tools that most small businesses would otherwise pay for separately.
However, Gusto is not the best choice on price alone. For businesses that only need payroll — without the HR suite — OnPay delivers equivalent compliance coverage and better multi-state value at $100/month for 10 employees. Furthermore, for businesses already in the Zoho ecosystem, Zoho Payroll costs $79/month for 10 employees on the Standard plan. Consequently, the decision comes down to how much value you place on Gusto's HR depth and interface quality versus raw payroll cost.
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Get Started with Gusto → Read Full Gusto Review →Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Gusto payroll cost per month?
Gusto starts at $49/month plus $6 per employee on the Simple plan — $109/month for 10 employees. However, multi-state payroll requires the Plus plan at $80/month plus $12 per employee, which costs $200/month for 10 employees. The Premium plan costs $180/month plus $22 per employee. All prices are for monthly billing with no annual commitment required.
Does Gusto Simple include multi-state payroll?
No — multi-state payroll is only available on the Plus plan ($80/month + $12/employee) and Premium plan. Although Gusto Simple handles payroll in all 50 states individually, businesses with employees working across multiple states simultaneously must upgrade to Plus. Consequently, the effective starting price for multi-state businesses is $80/month — not $49/month.
Is Gusto cheaper than ADP?
Yes — Gusto is significantly cheaper than ADP for most small businesses. ADP Run pricing is not published openly and typically starts around $79/month plus per-employee fees, but rises quickly with add-ons. Furthermore, ADP charges per payroll run rather than offering unlimited runs, which makes it more expensive for businesses that run payroll weekly. Gusto includes unlimited payroll runs on all plans at no extra charge.
How does Gusto pricing compare to OnPay?
OnPay costs $40/month plus $6 per employee — $100/month for 10 employees — and includes multi-state payroll at no extra charge. Gusto Simple costs $109/month for 10 employees on single-state. However, if you need multi-state, Gusto Plus costs $200/month for 10 employees versus OnPay's flat $100/month. Therefore, OnPay is significantly cheaper for multi-state businesses, while Gusto offers more HR features for single-state teams at a modest premium.
Does Gusto charge extra for off-cycle payroll runs?
No — unlimited payroll runs are included on every Gusto plan at no extra charge. This includes off-cycle runs for bonuses, corrections and termination pay. In contrast to ADP which charges per payroll run, Gusto's flat monthly pricing covers as many payroll runs as your business needs in a given month.
Is there a free trial for Gusto?
Gusto does not offer a standard free trial for its paid plans. However, you can create a free account and complete setup without running payroll — you are only charged once you process your first payroll run. The Contractor Only plan currently has a promotional offer of $0/month for the first 6 months. Furthermore, Gusto offers a free interactive demo so you can see the platform before committing.
Sources: Gusto official pricing page (gusto.com/product/pricing) · OnPay · Zoho Payroll · Patriot Software · Updated August 2026
