Gusto vs Namely Pricing (2026)

Gusto vs Namely

HR/HRIS pricing comparison · 2026

Gusto pricing ranges from $35–$180/month, while Namely ranges from $9–$9/user/month. Namely is typically 89% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.

HR/HRIS

Gusto

$35–$180
/month
4 plans
Full pricing breakdown →
VS
HR/HRIS

Namely

$9–$9
/user/month
4 plans
Full pricing breakdown →

Gusto and Namely both operate in the hr/hris category. This page compares their list pricing.

Plan-by-Plan Pricing

Plan Gusto Namely
Simple $49 /month $9 /employee/month
Plus $80 /month Custom
Premium $180 /month Custom
Contractor Only $35 /month Custom

Cost at Scale

Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.

Gusto

5 scenarios
$65/month ($35 base + $30 for 5 contractors at $6/each)
Contractor-Only Setup (5 contractors)
$80/month
Growing Business
+ $12/employee
$180/month
Enterprise Setup
+ $22/employee
See all 5 scenarios →

Namely

6 scenarios
Custom pricing — typically negotiated annually, contact sales for quote
Enterprise (100+ users)
Around $18/user/month on the most popular plan
Typical Usage
Around $18/user/month on the most popular plan
Typical Usage
See all 6 scenarios →

Market Intelligence

Gusto

Median annual cost
$1,368
Based on
62 deals

Namely

Median annual cost
$50,009
Average negotiated discount
13%
Based on
40 deals

What Users Say

Gusto

Trustpilot
3.2/5 (25)
Top complaints
  • Customer service difficult to reach, mostly automated bots
  • Platform expensive for small businesses
  • Hard to make changes after initial setup

Namely

Trustpilot
1/5 (1)
Top complaints
  • Poor customer service responsiveness for urgent tax matters
  • Platform lacks new features and adequate ongoing support
  • ACA compliance support requires multiple intermediaries

Hidden Costs

Beyond the sticker price — what catches buyers off guard.

Gusto 8 hidden costs

medium
Add-on service costs 10-20% of license costs
medium
Per-Employee Costs Scale Quickly $6-$12/user/month
low
Additional Software Needed for Full Functionality $20-$50/month
low
Complex Contractor Payroll Processing 2-5 hours/month
medium
Limited Customer Service Access $0/user/month
See all Gusto hidden costs →

Namely 3 hidden costs

medium
Implementation and Setup Complexity 5-10% of license costs
medium
ACA Compliance Support Inefficiencies $2,000-$5,000
critical
Tax Filing and Compliance Issues Variable - potential penalties and fines
See all Namely hidden costs →