Alternatives · Payroll
Gusto alternatives
Gusto compared with 12 alternatives: Rippling, OnPay, QuickBooks Workforce, RUN Powered by ADP, Square Payroll and 7 more.
Gusto is a paid product, starting at $49 per month, plus $6 per person paid (Simple). None of the alternatives has a free plan. 3 more offer a free trial.
12 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 17, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| GustoThis tool | From $49/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Rippling | Paid | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| OnPay | Free trial · from $49/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| QuickBooks Workforce | Free trial · from $50/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| RUN Powered by ADP | Paid | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Square Payroll | From $6/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Employment Hero | From $10/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Justworks | From $50/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Niural | From $29/mo | No | Web |
| Patriot Payroll | Free trial · from $17/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Paychex Flex | Paid | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Paycor | From $99/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Paylocity | Paid | No | Web, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
Gusto starts at $49 a month and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 7 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Square Payroll, Niural and Patriot Payroll start lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Gusto
- Paid
Rippling
HR, IT and finance platform with US and global payroll, by quote
- Rippling also covers workflow automation.
Suits: Growing companies that want HR, payroll and IT in one system
- Free trial · from $49/mo
OnPay
US payroll with published prices, plus HR and time add-ons
- OnPay starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid. Gusto starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per person paid (Simple).
- OnPay also covers reports.
- Gusto also covers expense tracking.
Suits: Small US businesses that want to know the price without a sales call
- Free trial · from $50/mo
QuickBooks Workforce
Intuit's payroll and HR service, sold alone or with QuickBooks
- QuickBooks Workforce starts at $50 per month, plus $7 per employee, billed monthly. Gusto starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per person paid (Simple).
- Gusto also covers expense tracking.
Suits: US businesses already keeping their books in QuickBooks Online
- Paid
RUN Powered by ADP
ADP's payroll and HR service for US businesses of 1 to 49 people
- Gusto also covers expense tracking.
Suits: US businesses with up to 49 employees that want taxes filed for them
- From $6/mo
Square Payroll
Payroll for Square sellers, with timecards from Square POS
- Square Payroll starts at $6 per person paid / month, contractor-only payroll. Gusto starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per person paid (Simple).
- Square Payroll also covers reports.
- Gusto also covers expense tracking.
Suits: Restaurants, shops and salons already taking payments with Square
- From $10/mo
Employment Hero
Payroll, HR and hiring for Australia, NZ, the UK and Asia
- Employment Hero starts at A$10 per user / month for payroll, minimum 10 users (Australian dollars). Gusto starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per person paid (Simple).
- Gusto also covers expense tracking.
Suits: Australian businesses that need award interpretation and STP reporting
- From $50/mo
Justworks
Pay, benefits and HR platform for employers, with an app for staff
- Justworks starts at $50 per month, plus $8 per employee (Payroll). Gusto starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per person paid (Simple).
Suits: Smaller employers that want benefits normally offered by large ones
- From $29/mo
Niural
US payroll, PEO, employer of record and global payments in one
- Niural starts at $29 per employee / month and up, for Global Payroll through your own entities. Gusto starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per person paid (Simple).
- Only Gusto lists iOS and Android apps.
- Gusto also covers time tracking and expense tracking.
Suits: US startups that also employ or pay people abroad
- Free trial · from $17/mo
Patriot Payroll
Low-cost online payroll for small US businesses
- Patriot Payroll starts at $17 per month, plus $4 per worker paid (half price for the first 3 months). Gusto starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per person paid (Simple).
- Only Gusto lists iOS and Android apps.
- Patriot Payroll also covers reports.
- Gusto also covers expense tracking.
Suits: Very small US businesses that want a low monthly base fee
- Paid
Paychex Flex
Paychex's payroll, tax filing and HR platform, priced by quote
- Paychex Flex also covers reports.
- Gusto also covers time tracking and expense tracking.
Suits: US businesses that want payroll taxes filed by a large provider
- From $99/mo
Paycor
US payroll and HR software, with published prices under 50 staff
- Paycor starts at $99 per month, plus $5 per employee. Gusto starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per person paid (Simple).
- Paycor also covers reports.
- Gusto also covers time tracking.
Suits: US businesses under 50 employees that want to see a price before calling sales
- Paid
Paylocity
Payroll, HR, finance and IT platform for US employers, by quote
- Paylocity also covers reports.
Suits: US companies that want payroll, HR and time tracking in one system
Limits worth knowing in Gusto
- Gusto runs US payroll only: W-2 employees, state and local taxes and US contractors. Paying contractors abroad is a separate add-on covering 120+ countries.
- Many extras cost more on Simple: next-day pay is $15 a month plus $3 a person, same-day pay $90 a payroll and instant pay $100 a payroll.
- Priority phone and chat support is a $30-a-month add-on, plus $3 a person, on Simple and Plus.
- Gusto's API is open only to approved integration and embedded-payroll partners, not to customers building their own links.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Gusto?
The alternatives to Gusto in this directory are Rippling, OnPay, QuickBooks Workforce, RUN Powered by ADP, Square Payroll, Employment Hero, Justworks, Niural, Patriot Payroll, Paychex Flex, Paycor and Paylocity. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Gusto.
Is there a free alternative to Gusto?
None of the alternatives listed here has a free plan. OnPay, QuickBooks Workforce and Patriot Payroll offer a free trial.
When were these prices checked?
Every listing on this page was checked on Oct 17, 2026, against the pages it cites. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.