Gusto Pricing (2026): Plans and Costs Explained

Updated September 27, 2026·7 min read·By The HR Software Report Team

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One of the reasons Gusto stands out among payroll providers is that it actually publishes its pricing — a rarity in a market full of 'contact sales' buttons. Gusto uses a straightforward model: a flat monthly base fee plus a per-employee (or per-contractor) rate, with full-service payroll included on every plan. This guide breaks down how the tiers work, what you get at each level, the add-ons that can change your total, and which plan fits which kind of business. Treat specific dollar figures as directional — Gusto adjusts pricing over time, so confirm current rates before you commit.

How Gusto pricing works

Every Gusto plan follows the same shape: a monthly base fee plus a per-person fee for each employee or contractor you pay. Full-service payroll — unlimited pay runs, automatic federal, state, and local tax filing, and W-2s and 1099s — is included on every tier. What changes as you move up plans is the depth of HR, benefits, onboarding, and support features layered on top. There's also a contractor-only option for businesses that pay 1099 workers but have no W-2 employees, which strips the base fee down since you're not running traditional payroll.

The plan tiers

Gusto's lineup is generally organized into a few tiers, from a straightforward payroll plan up to more full-featured HR plans, plus the contractor-only option. Here's how the tiers typically break down and who each fits.

Tier	Pricing shape	Best for
Entry / core payroll	Base fee + per-employee	Small teams that mainly need full-service payroll
Mid / complete	Higher base + per-employee	Growing teams wanting more HR, hiring, and onboarding tools
Premium	Higher-touch pricing	Larger teams wanting priority support and advanced HR
Contractor-only	Low/no base + per-contractor	Businesses paying only 1099 contractors

Full-service payroll and automatic tax filing come with all of the payroll tiers, so even the entry plan handles the essentials. Moving up mainly buys you deeper HR features — things like more advanced onboarding, time tracking, PTO management, and higher-priority support — rather than 'unlocking' basic payroll.

What's included vs. what costs extra

The base plans cover payroll, tax filing, and core features, but a few things commonly sit outside the headline price and are worth budgeting for:

Benefits administration: health insurance is administered through Gusto and premiums are separate from your plan fee.
Workers' comp and 401(k): available through Gusto's partners, priced separately.
State registration and multi-state: paying employees in additional states can add per-state fees.
Higher-tier HR features: advanced time tracking, hiring, and onboarding tools scale with the plan you choose.

None of these are hidden — they're simply add-ons stacked on the base-plus-per-employee foundation. The practical takeaway: estimate your cost as base fee + (per-employee rate x headcount) + any benefits or extras you turn on.

Is Gusto worth the price?

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For most US small businesses, Gusto's transparent base-plus-per-employee pricing is exactly what makes it easy to recommend. You can estimate your cost before you talk to anyone, full-service payroll and automatic tax filing are included on every plan, and setup is genuinely self-serve. It's our default pick for teams that want clear pricing and an all-in-one payroll, benefits, and HR product without a sales process.

Pros

✓ Transparent, published pricing you can estimate yourself
✓ Full-service payroll and automatic tax filing on every plan
✓ Contractor-only option for 1099-only businesses
✓ Clean, self-serve setup

Cons

✕ US-only — no international employees
✕ Benefits premiums and some add-ons are priced separately

Who each plan fits

Just need reliable full-service payroll for a small US team: the entry payroll plan.
Growing and want hiring, onboarding, and more HR tools: a mid/complete plan.
Larger team wanting priority support and advanced HR: the premium tier.
Only pay 1099 contractors: the contractor-only plan.

Because Gusto publishes its numbers, the smartest move is to add up the base fee plus your per-employee rate at your real headcount, then layer on only the benefits and extras you'll actually use. For most small businesses, that total comes in clear and competitive — which is a big part of why Gusto remains our top overall pick.