The best Gusto alternatives in 2026

Why Your Payroll Choice Matters in 2026

Payroll is the one piece of software a small business cannot afford to get wrong. A mistake means late paychecks, missed tax deposits and penalty notices from state agencies.

Gusto is the default pick for many small US businesses: it is easy to set up, its prices are public, and it bundles payroll with benefits and basic HR. But some teams want one system for HR, IT and finance, a large provider with 24/7 support, tight QuickBooks integration, a PEO, or help hiring abroad.

This guide compares Gusto with seven alternatives: Rippling, RUN Powered by ADP, QuickBooks Workforce (formerly QuickBooks Payroll), OnPay, Paychex Flex, Justworks and Deel. We checked every plan name and price on the vendors' own websites in October 2026. Where a vendor does not publish prices, we call it quote-based.

A few ground rules for reading the prices below:

• All prices are in US dollars and are monthly list prices unless noted.
• Most payroll tools charge a monthly base fee plus a fee per person paid. A low base fee can hide a high per-person fee, so we also show what each option costs at 10 and 25 employees where the vendor publishes enough to do the math.
• Promotions change fast, so check the terms before you sign.

Gusto review

Gusto is a full-service payroll platform built for small and mid-sized US businesses. It calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxes, and it adds benefits, time tracking, hiring and HR tools on top.

Key features:

• Unlimited payrolls per month on every plan, with direct deposit or printable checks
• Payroll on AutoPilot to run recurring payrolls automatically
• Domestic contractor payments on all plans, and global contractor payments to more than 120 countries as an add-on
• Health insurance through Gusto's licensed brokers, with no Gusto administration fee when Gusto is your broker

Pricing (monthly, no contract):

• Simple: $49 per month plus $6 per person. Payroll in one state, tax filings, basic PTO policies.
• Plus: $80 per month plus $12 per person. Adds multi-state payroll, time tracking and scheduling, unlimited next-day pay, contractor invoice upload and workforce cost reports.
• Premium: $180 per month plus $22 per person. Adds Premium Account Support with a named advisor, HR guidance and tools, Gusto Business Compliance, unlimited same-day and instant pay, and custom admin roles.

Gusto says there are no contracts, account setup is free, and you can switch or cancel any time. You are billed only for active employees. US contractors are billed at the same per-person rate, but only in months when you pay them.

Add-ons are where the bill can grow. On Simple and Plus, same-day pay costs $90 per payroll and instant pay $100 per payroll. Next-day pay on Simple costs $15 per month plus $3 per person. Priority Support costs $30 per month plus $3 per person. Gusto Business Compliance is $85 per month per state on an annual contract, unless you are on Premium. State tax registration is an add-on on every plan, priced by state. If you keep your own benefits broker, Gusto charges $6 per eligible employee per month to integrate the plans.

Pros

• Prices are published, so you can budget without a sales call
• Clean interface for both admins and employees
• Benefits, 401(k) integrations and workers' comp sit next to payroll
• No long-term contract

Cons

• Simple covers payroll in one state only. Many teams with even one remote employee in another state will need Plus
• Standard support runs during business hours. Faster support costs extra on Simple and Plus
• Add-ons for faster pay, compliance and state registration can add up

Who should use it: small US businesses with roughly 1 to 100 employees that want payroll, benefits and light HR in one tool with clear prices.

Who should avoid it: companies that need deep IT and device management, large international teams, or owners who want 24/7 phone support without paying for an upgrade.

Rippling review

Rippling puts payroll, HR, IT and finance on one employee record, so a new hire's payroll, benefits, app accounts and laptop can be set up from one place. That breadth is the main reason companies move to it from Gusto.

Key features:

• US payroll, plus Global Payroll, Employer of Record and contractor payments for international teams
• HRIS, recruiting, performance, surveys, learning management and headcount planning
• Benefits administration and a PEO option
• Time and attendance and scheduling
• IT: identity and access management, device management and inventory
• Finance: expense management, corporate cards, bill pay and travel
• Workflow Studio, custom reports and analytics across all of the data
• Integrations with hundreds of third-party apps, including accounting and single sign-on tools

Pricing: Rippling does not publish a full price list. Its pricing page says plans start at $8 per employee per month, with a monthly base fee, and that the total depends on the products you choose. Payroll pricing is quote-based. Rippling also runs a startup program that gives eligible US VC-backed startups free access for six months.

Pros

• One system for HR, payroll, IT and spend reduces the number of tools and logins
• Automation across systems, for example onboarding and offboarding that touches payroll, apps and devices together
• Scales from small teams to large, multi-country companies

Cons

• Quote-based, modular pricing makes it hard to compare and easy to grow over time
• More setup and admin work than a payroll-only tool
• Small teams that only need payroll will pay for capability they will not use

Who should use it: companies of roughly 20 employees and up that are growing fast, have remote or international staff, and want HR, IT and finance to work from one source of truth.

Who should avoid it: very small businesses that only need to pay a few people correctly each month. Gusto or OnPay will be simpler and cheaper.

RUN Powered by ADP review

RUN Powered by ADP is ADP's payroll and HR platform for small businesses. ADP is one of the largest payroll providers in the US, and RUN is built for businesses with 1 to 49 employees.

Key features (all packages):

• Payroll by computer, mobile app or phone call, with direct deposit
• 24/7 customer support
• Tax filing, W-2 and 1099 forms, and new-hire reporting
• Employee access portal, new-hire onboarding and background checks
• Payments to 1099 contractors, even if you have no W-2 employees

Packages:

• Essential Payroll: payroll, taxes and compliance basics.
• Enhanced Payroll: adds State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) management, garnishment payment service, check signing, job costing, labor law poster compliance, ZipRecruiter and electronic Form I-9.
• Complete Payroll & HR Plus: adds the HR HelpDesk, an employee handbook wizard, salary benchmarks, HR forms and training.
• HR Pro Payroll & HR: adds an applicant tracking system powered by CareerPlug, a learning management system, harassment prevention training and legal assistance from Upnetic Legal Services.

Time and attendance, retirement plans, workers' comp and health insurance are add-ons on every package.

Pricing: quote-based. ADP lists no prices on its site. Its current offer is three months of free payroll for new clients with 1 to 49 employees in the continental US who sign and start processing payroll by October 22, 2026. The terms require direct debit of fees and three straight months on the original bundle. The free months are credited to months 4 to 6 and cover standard payroll processing only, not off-cycle or delivery fees.

Pros

• 24/7 support on every package
• Clear upgrade path from basic payroll to substantial HR support
• Strong compliance services such as SUI management and garnishments on Enhanced and above

Cons

• No public pricing, so you need a quote and some negotiation
• Many useful features sit in higher packages
• Promotions come with conditions, so read the terms closely

Who should use it: small business owners who value a large, established provider and round-the-clock support, and who are comfortable getting a quote.

Who should avoid it: owners who want to see exact prices before talking to sales, or teams that want a modern all-in-one HR and IT platform.

QuickBooks Workforce review

Intuit now sells its payroll as QuickBooks Workforce. It ties directly into QuickBooks Online, so wages, taxes and benefits post to your books without manual entries.

Key features:

• Full-service payroll with automatic tax calculation, filing and payment
• Payroll AI that collects time data, flags anomalies and drafts a payroll for review
• Access to health benefits, 401(k) plans and workers' comp administration

Pricing (payroll-only plans, monthly):

• Workforce Payroll: $50 per month plus $7 per employee. Full-service payroll, next-day direct deposit.
• Workforce Premium: $88 per month plus $13 per employee. Adds same-day direct deposit, an expert review of your payroll setup, time tracking, hiring and onboarding, time-off management, five automated HR workflows and automated I-9.
• Workforce Elite: $134 per month plus $17 per employee. Adds expert setup, tax penalty protection, unlimited HR workflows, performance management, a personal HR advisor, geofencing and mileage tracking.

The current promotion is 50% off the base fee for three months (for example, $25 a month instead of $50 on Workforce Payroll). The per-employee fee is not discounted. Intuit also sells bundles that combine Workforce with QuickBooks Online accounting plans.

Pros

• Best fit for businesses whose books already live in QuickBooks Online
• Public pricing and no annual contract
• Same-day direct deposit on Premium and up

Cons

• Less compelling if you do not use QuickBooks for accounting
• Time tracking is only on Premium and Elite
• Per-employee fees are higher than Gusto Simple or OnPay

Who should use it: small businesses already using QuickBooks Online that want payroll and accounting in one login.

Who should avoid it: teams on Xero or another ledger, or businesses that want the lowest per-employee cost.

OnPay review

OnPay is a full-service payroll and HR provider that competes on clear, low pricing. Its base plan includes features others save for higher tiers, such as multi-state payroll.

Key features (base plan):

• Full-service payroll with all federal, state and local tax filings and payments
• Unlimited pay runs, multiple pay rates and schedules
• Pay W-2 employees and 1099 contractors, in as many states as you need
• Pay by direct deposit, check or prepaid debit card
• Year-end filings, W-2s and 1099s
• Hiring and onboarding with eSign for I-9s and W-4s, and six levels of user permissions
• White-glove setup, free data migration and an accuracy guarantee

Pricing (monthly):

• Payroll Essentials: $49 per month plus $6 per worker.
• Add-ons: HR at $15 per month plus $2 per worker, Time Tracking at $15 per month plus $4 per worker, Compliance Resources at $10 per month, Live HR Support at $65 per month. Benefits have no admin fee: you pay plan premiums only.
• Bundles (discounted monthly price): Payroll + Time Tracking at $70 plus $10 per worker. Payroll + Compliance Resources + Live HR Support at $120 plus $7 per worker. Payroll + Time Tracking + Compliance Resources + Live HR Support at $130 plus $10 per worker.

OnPay advertises your first month free and says there are no implementation or integration fees.

Pros

• One of the lowest published prices for full-service payroll
• Multi-state payroll and unlimited pay runs in the base plan
• Support by phone, chat and email on every plan
• Setup and data migration are done for you

Cons

• HR tools such as PTO management, org charts and onboarding workflows are an add-on
• Smaller ecosystem than Gusto, ADP or Rippling
• No IT or finance modules, and no built-in global payroll

Who should use it: small businesses, including ones with workers in several states, that want reliable payroll at a predictable price.

Who should avoid it: companies that want an all-in-one HR, IT and finance platform, or that are hiring abroad.

Paychex Flex review

Paychex Flex is the small and mid-sized business platform from Paychex, one of the largest US payroll providers (Paychex has also acquired Paycor).

Key features:

• Unlimited payroll processing, multiple employee pay options and W-2 and 1099 year-end processing
• Automatic calculation, payment and filing of federal, state and local payroll taxes
• AI tools that flag missing time punches and help verify employee data
• Employee self-service portal and mobile app, available 24/7
• Compliance reporting such as OSHA and EEO-1, document management and HR workflows
• Paychex Promise, which Paychex says gives up to 7 days of flexibility when cash flow is tight
• A one-employee payroll option for businesses of one

Packages: Basic (essential payroll and HR), Foundations (adds AI and HR features), Advanced (enhanced service) and Complete (premium services with a full HR, payroll, workforce and talent suite). Higher packages add features such as advanced reporting, learning management, onboarding, applicant tracking, SUI service and job costing, which are add-ons on lower packages. Setup and support also rise with the package, from self setup and online support up to managed setup and premium support. Time and attendance, HR analytics, talent management, retirement plans, health insurance and workers' comp are available as add-ons.

Paychex also sells HR Pro (HR guidance, payroll, safety and 401(k)) and HR PEO (all-in-one HR, benefits and payroll with co-employment).

Pricing: quote-based on every package. Paychex is advertising six months free, with nothing to pay until April 2027, for an offer that ends October 31, 2026. Ask for the written terms, since they were not shown on the plan page.

Pros

• Wide range of packages, from basic payroll to a full PEO
• Large provider with HR business partners available for compliance questions
• Many add-ons for benefits, insurance, time and talent

Cons

• No public pricing at all
• Key features are add-ons on lower packages, so quotes vary widely
• More sales process than self-serve tools

Who should use it: businesses that want a long-established provider with hands-on service, and that may later need HR outsourcing or a PEO.

Who should avoid it: owners who want to sign up online in minutes with a known monthly price.

Justworks review

Justworks is best known as a PEO (professional employer organization): it becomes the co-employer of your staff, giving small companies access to group health insurance and shared compliance support. It also sells standalone payroll.

Key features:

• Payroll for all employees, multi-state payroll, contractor and off-cycle payments, tips processing
• Employer payroll tax filings, W-2 and 1099 filings, and federal and state compliance alerts
• Onboarding and offboarding, PTO management, document center and mobile app
• 401(k) and access to time tracking on every plan
• PEO plans add HR consulting, 24/7 support, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) and workers' comp access
• PEO Plus adds medical, dental and vision administration, HSA and FSA accounts, mental health and fertility benefits

Pricing (monthly, billed monthly):

• Payroll: $8 per employee per month plus a $50 per month base fee.
• PEO Basic: $79 per employee per month, no base fee.
• PEO Plus: $124 per employee per month, no base fee.
• EOR (global): $599 per employee per month.

Add-ons: Time Tracking $8 per employee, US contractors $8 per paid contractor (only in months you pay them), international contractors $39 per paid contractor plus exchange-rate fees, Dedicated HR Consulting $30 per employee, health insurance on the Payroll plan $8 per benefits-eligible employee, and health insurance reimbursements (CHOICE, through Thatch) $25 per enrolled employee. Part-time employees on PEO Basic and Plus are $79 each and are not eligible for benefits on those plans.

You need at least two W-2 employees for the PEO. Any size company can use Justworks Payroll. Justworks says it charges no implementation fee.

Pros

• Unusually clear pricing for a PEO
• Access to group health benefits that a very small company may not get on its own
• 24/7 support on PEO plans

Cons

• PEO pricing is high per head compared with payroll-only tools
• Co-employment is not right for every business, and leaving a PEO takes planning, especially around benefits
• The Payroll plan lacks some features of the PEO plans, such as 24/7 support

Who should use it: small companies that want to offer strong benefits and hand off much of HR compliance, and are comfortable with a PEO model.

Who should avoid it: cost-sensitive teams that only need payroll, or businesses with many part-time workers.

Deel review

Deel started as a way to hire and pay people abroad and has grown into a full payroll and HR platform. For staff outside the US, it covers more ground than any other tool here.

Key features:

• US payroll in all 50 states, self-service or managed by Deel with a dedicated payroll manager
• Global payroll in 130+ countries for companies that have their own local entities
• Employer of Record (EOR) to hire full-time employees in countries where you have no entity
• Contractor management with payments in 120+ currencies and classification compliance tools
• A US PEO with co-employment across all 50 states

Pricing (per month):

• Deel Payroll: US: $29 per employee (self-service).
• Deel Payroll: Global: $29 per employee.
• Contractors: $49 per contractor, or $325 per contractor with Contractor of Record.
• EOR: $599 per employee.
• US PEO: PEO Starter $110 per employee (does not include PEO-sponsored health benefits), PEO Pro $120 per employee.
• HR platform: from $5 per employee.

Deel's FAQ says pricing is month to month with no long-term commitment. Its current PEO promotion, for order forms signed between July 15 and December 31, 2026, credits three months of platform fees, but only on a minimum two-year term, and the credit is applied at the end of that term.

Pros

• The widest international coverage in this list: EOR, global payroll and contractors
• One platform for US and international staff
• Public per-employee prices for most products
• Managed payroll option with a dedicated payroll manager

Cons

• $29 per employee makes US-only payroll more expensive than Gusto or OnPay for small teams
• Many separate products and price points to sort through
• PEO promotion requires a two-year commitment

Who should use it: companies with employees or contractors in several countries, or US companies planning to hire abroad soon.

Who should avoid it: small US-only businesses. They will pay less for a domestic payroll tool.

Head-to-Head: How They Compare

Cheapest full-service US payroll

At 10 employees, Gusto Simple and OnPay Payroll Essentials tie at $109 a month. OnPay includes multi-state payroll at that price, while Gusto Simple is limited to one state. QuickBooks Workforce Payroll comes next at $120, then Justworks Payroll at $130.

Multi-state payroll

OnPay, Justworks, ADP RUN and Deel include multi-state or multi-jurisdiction payroll on their entry offers. Gusto requires the Plus plan.

HR depth

Rippling has the deepest HR, IT and finance suite. ADP HR Pro and Paychex Complete add strong HR services. Justworks and Paychex HR PEO share HR compliance through co-employment. Gusto Premium and QuickBooks Workforce Elite add HR advisors.

Support

ADP RUN offers 24/7 support on every package. Justworks offers 24/7 support on its PEO plans. OnPay includes phone, chat and email on every plan. Gusto's standard support runs during business hours, with Priority Support as a paid add-on on Simple and Plus.

International teams

Deel leads with EOR, global payroll and contractors. Rippling also offers global payroll and EOR. Justworks offers EOR at $599 per employee and international contractor payments. Gusto pays contractors in more than 120 countries as an add-on.

How to Choose: Decision Framework

Ask these questions before you book demos.

1. How many states do your employees live in, now and next year? If the answer could be more than one, rule out Gusto Simple and compare Gusto Plus, OnPay and QuickBooks Workforce.

2. Do you want a PEO? A PEO can give a small company access to better health insurance and shared compliance. It costs more per head. If yes, compare Justworks, Paychex HR PEO, Deel PEO and Rippling PEO.

3. Do you have, or plan to have, people outside the US? If yes, Deel and Rippling deserve the first look.

4. Do you use QuickBooks Online? QuickBooks Workforce removes a sync step, but Gusto and OnPay integrate with QuickBooks too.

5. Do you want to buy online or talk to sales? Gusto, OnPay and QuickBooks Workforce let you sign up yourself. ADP, Paychex and Rippling start with a quote.

Red flags when comparing quotes:

• A low base price with a long list of "add-ons" you will actually need, such as time tracking, state registration or SUI management
• Promotional prices with a short window and no written terms
• Contracts with long terms or early termination costs. Deel's PEO promotion, for example, requires a two-year term

What to test during a trial or demo:

• Set up one real pay schedule, with an hourly worker, a salaried worker and a contractor
• Run an off-cycle payroll, such as a bonus or a final paycheck
• Ask who handles a tax notice from a state agency
• Ask how you would export your payroll history if you left

The Verdict: Final Recommendations

1) Gusto: best overall for small US businesses

Public prices, free setup, no contract, and benefits next to payroll. Most teams should start on Plus ($80 plus $12 per person) for multi-state payroll, time tracking and next-day pay.

2) OnPay: best value

OnPay matches Gusto Simple's price and still includes multi-state payroll and unlimited pay runs. Add HR or time tracking only when you need them.

3) Rippling: best for scaling companies

When payroll is one part of a bigger problem that covers devices, apps, spend and global hires, Rippling is the strongest single platform. Get a quote for each module.

4) QuickBooks Workforce: best for QuickBooks users

If your books live in QuickBooks Online, Workforce keeps everything in one place. Premium adds time tracking and same-day deposit.

5) RUN Powered by ADP: best for 24/7 support from a big provider

Packages scale from basic payroll to real HR support. Get quotes for two packages to see what each upgrade costs.

6) Paychex Flex: best for hands-on service and a path to a PEO

Good for owners who want a service relationship. Ask for written promo terms and a full add-on list.

7) Justworks: best transparent PEO

Published PEO prices make strong benefits and shared compliance easy to budget.

8) Deel: best for international teams

Contractors, EOR and global payroll in one place. For US-only payroll, it costs more than the others.

Conclusion

Gusto earns its spot as the default payroll tool for small US businesses: it is easy, transparent and covers payroll, benefits and basic HR well. The main reasons to look elsewhere are cost (OnPay), accounting fit (QuickBooks Workforce), scale and breadth (Rippling), a large provider with 24/7 support (ADP or Paychex), a PEO with clear pricing (Justworks), or international hiring (Deel).

Whichever you choose, compare total cost at your real headcount, including the add-ons you need, and read every promotion's terms.