Gusto Pricing 2026

Gusto has three plans for paying a team, all month-to-month: Simple at $49/month + $6/person (payroll in one state), Plus at $80/month + $12/person (multi-state payroll, time tracking, next-day pay), and Premium at $180/month + $22/person (Premium Account Support, HR guidance, Gusto Business Compliance). A separate Solo plan for S corp owners paying themselves is $49/month + $6/person. A 5-person team on Simple costs $49 + 5 × $6 = $79/month. There is no contract and no annual prepay option.

In 2026, Gusto per-employee pricing is: Simple $6/employee/month, Plus $12/employee/month, Premium $22/employee/month. Add the base fee to get total cost. For example, a 5-person team on Simple costs $49 + (5 × $6) = $79/month, while the same team on Plus costs $80 + (5 × $12) = $180/month.

No. Gusto has no free plan. The cheapest plans, Simple and Solo, cost $49/month + $6/person. The Contractor Only plan ($35/month + $6/contractor) was closed to new customers on October 1, 2026; companies already on it keep it. Gusto does not advertise a free trial, but account setup is free and there is no contract.

Gusto publishes fixed prices for Simple, Plus and Premium and does not advertise negotiated discounts. Gusto's help center notes that current promotional offers are available only to new customers, so check gusto.com/pricing before signing up.

No. Gusto's core plans are month-to-month with no contract and no annual prepay discount, and you can cancel anytime; Gusto bills one month in arrears. The exception is the Gusto Business Compliance add-on, sold on an annual contract at $85 per state per month.

Gusto includes payroll ($49+ base fee) while BambooHR is HR-only at $10-22/employee/month. For a 5-person team, Gusto Simple costs the $49 base plus 5 × $6 in per-person fees each month, with payroll included. BambooHR costs ~$50-110/month for 5 people but requires separate payroll software adding $30-50/month. For combined payroll+HR, Gusto offers better value.

Gusto Premium ($180/month + $22/employee) includes a dedicated customer success manager, HR resource center, certified HR expert assistance, compliance alerts, payroll migration, priority support, and custom reporting. Best for companies needing hands-on HR guidance and compliance help.

Gusto's pricing page does not list a standing startup discount. Its help center says current promotional offers are available only to new customers — check gusto.com/pricing for any live offer before signing up.

Some users have reported issues with local tax support. One reviewer noted that Gusto does not support Portland Metro taxes, and experienced problems with state tax setup not being completed correctly. If your location has specialized local tax requirements, verify Gusto's support before committing.

Yes, but no longer on a dedicated plan for new customers. Gusto closed its Contractor Only plan to new sign-ups on October 1, 2026; contractors are now paid on any plan at that plan's per-person rate (for example $49/month + $6 per contractor on Simple), billed only in months you pay them. Companies already on the Contractor Only plan keep it.

Yes, Gusto supports S-corp payroll and has tools to help calculate reasonable compensation for officers. One user noted that after electing S-corp status, Gusto helped handle the more complex payroll requirements including mandatory salary payments and proper tax withholding.

Customer service experiences vary significantly. Some users report quick, friendly support with short wait times, while others describe long hold times (6+ hours), difficulty reaching human representatives, and being routed to unhelpful chatbots. Support quality appears inconsistent.

The Simple plan ($49/month base + $6/month per person) includes full-service single-state payroll, employee profiles, employee self-service portal, and basic hiring tools. This plan automates tax filing and compliance support, making it suitable for small businesses with straightforward payroll needs in a single state.

You'll need the Plus plan ($80/month base + $12/month per person) if you operate in multiple states, need next-day direct deposit instead of the standard 2-day processing, want advanced hiring tools, or require time tracking functionality. The Plus plan also includes all Simple features plus multi-state payroll support.

Yes, Gusto integrates with leading accounting software platforms. However, Gusto itself lacks invoicing and accounts receivable capabilities, so you'll need separate accounting software for a complete financial management solution. The integration allows payroll data to sync automatically with your accounting platform.

Gusto pricing starts at $49/month for the Simple plan, plus $6 per employee per month. For a 5-person team, that is the $49 base plus 5 × $6 in per-person fees each month. Some users report this is expensive for very small businesses, especially compared to the value received. One reviewer noted 'Cost is difficult for my company of 5 employees.' However, others find it reasonably priced for the automation and tax compliance features included.

No. Gusto's plan comparison lists tax filings and payments, unlimited payrolls and Payroll on AutoPilot on all three plans, including Simple ($49/month + $6/person). Premium ($180/month + $22/person) adds Premium Account Support, HR guidance, Gusto Business Compliance and same-day/instant pay.

Yes. Every Gusto plan pays both W-2 employees and US contractors. Contractors are billed at the plan's per-person rate ($6, $12 or $22 depending on plan) only in months you pay them. Plus and Premium add contractor invoice upload, and global contractor payments are an add-on on every plan.

Multiple former customers report difficulty accessing their W-2s and payroll reports after canceling. Before canceling, download all tax documents, W-2s, year-end payroll reports, and employee records. These are legally required records your business must retain regardless of which payroll provider you use.

Customers strongly advise switching at the start of a calendar year rather than mid-year. When switching mid-year, payroll taxes paid to the previous provider must be reconciled with amounts Gusto processes for the remainder of the year. At least one customer absorbed a $3,000 unexpected tax bill after a mid-year switch, reporting they received poor guidance from Gusto on this risk upfront.

Based on multiple customer accounts, Gusto's practice is to acknowledge errors but not remediate them financially. In one documented case, Gusto acknowledged it did not pay state unemployment taxes but stated it would not pay the resulting overdue taxes even though it was at fault. In another case involving a third-party partner (Middesk), Gusto offered a 3-month fee refund rather than refiling the incorrect returns.