Our Take
5.0
NerdWallet rating
The bottom line:
Gusto is a top payroll option, thanks to its competitive pricing and user-friendly software. All plans include unlimited payroll runs, health insurance administration and automated payroll. This makes it a solid choice for small- and medium-sized businesses alike.
Gusto Payroll
Starting at
$49/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $80, $180. Fee per employee varies by tier.
Promotion
6 months free
Learn more
on Gusto's website
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Unlimited payroll runs in every plan.
- Contractor-only plan option.
- No contracts.
- Lifetime employee portal access.
- Popular third-party app integrations.
Cons
- Same-day deposits cost extra.
- Health benefits not available in all states.
- Some competitors offer less expensive options.
Full Review
Gusto is a cloud-based payroll software product that you can access from virtually anywhere via online browser or mobile app. Unlike some of its competitors, Gusto doesn’t lock business owners into a contract. Plus, it’s easy to change plans as your business evolves. That versatility is hard to beat, and one reason Gusto is our editorial team’s current choice for the best payroll software.
Gusto can be a good fit for a range of businesses in different growth stages. Larger small businesses, for example, can benefit from its health insurance options, HR software add-ons and employee onboarding tools. Solopreneurs, on the other hand, can take advantage of Gusto’s Solo plan and its S corporation compliance support.
Regardless of which plan you select, you’ll find standout features, like automated tax filing and direct accounting software integrations.
Not a fit? Consider these competitors
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QuickBooks Payroll: Quicker direct deposit. Gusto’s Simple plan includes 2- to 4-day direct deposits. QuickBooks Payroll’s Core plan, which is just slightly more expensive, comes with next-day direct deposit at no added cost. For more details, see our Gusto vs. QuickBooks Payroll comparison.
Patriot Payroll: Less expensive option. Gusto’s pricing is competitive, but it’s not the least expensive option on the market. For example, Patriot’s Full Service Payroll plan costs $37 per month and includes payroll tax filing (we don’t recommend trying to calculate these taxes yourself). Read our Patriot Payroll review for more information.
Roll by ADP: Better app-based payroll. If you’re looking for a simple mobile app option, Roll by ADP lets you run payroll within minutes from your phone. Its pricing structure is simple, too, with just a single plan option. But Roll by ADP isn’t a bare bones product — it still includes automatic tax filings. You can read more about Roll by ADP in our best payroll software roundup.
IN THIS REVIEW
Gusto plan pricing and features
Here are Gusto’s plan options for businesses with employees. Promotional discounts and free trials may be available.
Simple | Plus | Premium |
|---|---|---|
$49/month + $6/person | $80/month + $12/person | $180/month + $22/person |
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You can also pay extra for add-ons, like the following (prices vary):
- State tax registration.
- Global contractor payments.
- Background checks.
- Workers’ compensation.
- Life and disability insurance.
- 401(k) availability.
- Health savings and flexible spending accounts.
- Priority support (for Simple and Plus plans).
Pricing update
Starting Oct. 1, 2025, Gusto will discontinue the priority support and HR resources bundle for Plus plan users. Instead, Gusto will offer priority support and HR resources as separate add-ons, like they are for Simple plan users.
Priority support will cost $30 per month plus $3 per person, and HR resources will cost $50 per month plus $5 per person.
Gusto also has plans for businesses without W-2 employees. Here are the options for solopreneurs and businesses only paying contractors.
Contractor only | Solo |
|---|---|
$35/month + $6/person | $49/month + $6/person |
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What users say about Gusto
NerdWallet checked online forums like Reddit and reviews from sites like TrustPilot, G2, the App Store and Google Play to gauge how users feel about Gusto. We used an AI tool to help analyze this feedback. Here are the major trends we spotted.
👍 User-friendly interface
Running payroll can be complicated, so it’s important to choose software that makes it more intuitive. Online commenters appreciate Gusto’s overall ease of use and say it helps speed the process along. One commenter, for example, says Gusto only took an hour to set up. Another likes that running payroll takes just a few clicks.
👍 Core payroll features
Small businesses seem pretty satisfied with Gusto’s core set of features. These include payroll management, automated tax filing and HR add-ons. Online commenters like having these capabilities — along with time tracking and employee expense reimbursements if you subscribe to the Plus plan — all under one roof.
👎 Customer support
A large portion of negative Gusto reviews focus on customer service quality. Some online commenters say response times can drag on or be unpredictable. This can make it difficult to solve problems quickly. Others suggest the support team might benefit from additional tax training, so that they can better address questions about W-2s and other tax documents.
👎 Mobile app for employees
Many negative reviews about Gusto’s mobile app come from employees who interact with it each day at work. They say they have issues doing simple tasks, like signing in and clocking in and out. It seems like most of these problems have to do with long loading times.
How we evaluated Gusto
NerdWallet independently reviews payroll software products, like Gusto, across 16 different categories. We collected the data from Gusto’s public-facing website and from company representatives.
Our payroll software ratings range from one to five stars overall. But we also score individual features to help business owners understand a product's strengths and weaknesses. Here’s how Gusto stacks up:
Gusto is top of the line for the following categories:
Gusto lets administrators toggle this feature on and off and choose a payment schedule. They don’t need to review payroll before it’s run, and they have 24 hours to change or cancel it.
Gusto integrates with multiple accounting software products, including QuickBooks Online and Xero. Data syncs automatically the day payments are processed.
Gusto can accommodate businesses with anywhere from just a few employees to more than 100.
The payroll software calculates, files and deposits local, state and federal payroll taxes for you. And, it’s available in all 50 states.
Gusto lists its plan pricing clearly on its website.
The payroll software checks most of the boxes when it comes to reports. All plans include reports on employee pay, payroll tax, deductions and employee time.
On paper, Gusto’s mobile app meets our five-star requirements. It accommodates both employers and employees, lets employees run payroll on the go and lets employees see their pay stubs.
The app gives employees lifetime access to paystubs, even if they don’t work for your business anymore.
Gusto doesn’t cap how many times you can run payroll each month. It also doesn’t charge extra for additional payroll runs.
New clients don’t pay until they run payroll. The company also runs promotional discounts.
Gusto is great, but not the best, in these areas:
You can run payroll within as little as two business days after signing up. But giving yourself a larger window of time is preferable. Setup is free.
Customer support is available via chat, phone and email. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST on weekdays.
Gusto is OK in the following categories:
All plans include health insurance administration, but workers’ compensation comes with a small per-employee fee. There are also add-ons for HSAs, FSAs, 401(k)s and commuter benefits. Gusto automatically deducts employee contributions for benefits it manages.
Gusto’s direct deposit timing is slower than some of its competitors. Its Simple plan offers 2- to 4-day deposits. You need to upgrade plans to access next-day deposits.
Plus and Premium plans include time-tracking tools. Simple plan users can pay $6 extra per employee per month for a time tracking add-on.
Gusto is subpar in the following category:
Gusto’s Simple plan only accommodates payroll in a single state. You’ll need to upgrade plans to access multi-state payroll.
Our evaluations also take user sentiment into account. This involves looking through individual reviews and feedback on sites like Trustpilot, the App Store, Google Play and Reddit. Then, we use AI tools to help spot larger trends within those comments. Since we cannot verify each user’s individual experience, we don’t incorporate user reviews in our star ratings.
For more information on how we score payroll software products, see our full methodology.
Learn more
on Gusto's website
