Gusto vs Workday
HR/HRIS pricing comparison · 2026
Gusto pricing ranges from $35–$180/month, while Workday ranges from $100–$300/user/month. Gusto is typically 60% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
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Gusto and Workday both operate in the hr/hris category. This page compares their list pricing.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Gusto | Workday |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | $49 /month | $100 /user/month |
| Plus | $80 /month | $200 /user/month |
| Premium | $180 /month | $300 /user/month |
| Contractor Only | $35 /month | — |
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
Workday
6 scenariosCustom pricing — typically negotiated annually, contact sales for quote
Enterprise (100+ users)
Around $200/user/month on the most popular plan
Typical Usage
Around $200/user/month on the most popular plan
Typical Usage
Market Intelligence
Gusto
- Median annual cost
- $1,368
- Based on
- 62 deals
Workday
- Median annual cost
- $48,201
- Average negotiated discount
- 15%
- Based on
- 314 deals
Contract Terms
| Term | Gusto | Workday |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | — | Yes |
| Cancellation | — | 9-12 months before renewal recommended for serious consideration of alternatives |
| Minimum commitment | — | 3 years typical, with 5-6 year agreements available |
| Price escalation | — | 5-7% annual uplift standard, typically structured as CPI + 1-5%. Uplift caps for future renewals can be negotiated (CPI + 2% achieved in some cases). Fiscal year ends January 31. |
| Can downgrade | — | No |