Eddy vs Gusto (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Eddy if

• Fits if you run a small US team and want HR and payroll in one place
• Makes sense if you want time off and records handled alongside payroll

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you add payroll, as it is on top of the HR base fee and per-person charge
• Not for you if you pay staff outside the US, as payroll is US only
• Watch out: the hiring tool is another add-on at $199 a month
• Watch out: next-day pay costs extra, and support runs on limited live hours
• Skip it if you need to know the trial length first, as it is not stated

Pick Gusto if

• Fits if you want to approve hours and run payroll from your phone
• Works for paying W-2 staff and US contractors in the same run

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if your team works in more than one state, as that needs Plus at $80 plus $12 a person
• Skip it if you want to try before you pay, because there's no free trial on record
• Pricey if you need fast pay on Simple: next-day pay is $15 a month plus $3 a person, same-day $90 a payroll
• Watch out: priority phone and chat support is $30 a month plus $3 a person on Simple and Plus
• Not for you if you pay contractors abroad without an add-on, or want the API, which is for approved partners only

Eddy

• Payroll is a separate add-on at $50 per month plus $6 per person, charged on top of the $50 or $75 HR base fee and its per-person charge.
• Payroll is available in the US only.
• The hiring tool is another add-on at $199 per month.
• Next-day pay costs extra, and phone, chat and email support run on limited live hours.

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.

Eddy

Full-service payroll

Unlimited payrolls per month, including bonus and off-cycle runs, with direct deposit and automatic federal, state and local tax filing and payment.

Year-end forms

Builds digital W-2s for employees and 1099s for contractors, and files forms such as 940, 941 and 8974.

Time tracking and time off

Clock in and out from the web or the mobile app, with overtime rules, geo-tagging, a tablet kiosk app, PTO policies and a who's-out calendar.

Employee records and documents

A single employee database with e-signature documents, W-4 and W-9 collection, new-hire task lists and training or license tracking.

Hiring add-on

Posts jobs to a career page and major job boards, with candidate messaging, hiring team reminders and offer letters.

Gusto

Regular and off-cycle payroll

Runs payroll on a set schedule, including hours, paid time off and bonuses, plus one-off payrolls for corrections or special bonuses.

Tax withholding and deductions

Works out federal, state and local taxes by work location, takes pre-tax and post-tax deductions, and pays by direct deposit or check.

Time and time off

Employees and contractors clock in and out and request time off in the app; admins review and approve hours before payroll.

Onboarding and documents

Add and onboard new team members from the app, and have employees read and sign documents there.

Expense reimbursements

Employees photograph receipts and submit expenses, and admins approve them in the app. The App Store listing limits this to Gusto Plus and Premium.

Gusto CLI and MCP server

Customers connect their own systems to their Gusto account through a command-line tool or an MCP server; the full API is for approved partners.

Eddy

• Starter$50

  per month, plus $4 per person

  Core HR: records, document storage (up to 50 documents), onboarding, time tracking, time off and basic reporting. Payroll is not included.

• Growth$75

  per month, plus $8 per person

  Everything in Starter, plus training tracking, custom signature documents, onboarding templates, custom data fields, an org chart and manager approval flows.

• PremiumCustom

  Everything in Growth, plus Eddy Payroll, hiring, premium support and a dedicated support representative. Priced by quote.

• Payroll add-on$50

  per month, plus $6 per person

  Unlimited payrolls, 2-day or 4-day direct deposit, quarterly and annual tax filings, and W-2 and 1099-NEC preparation. Added on top of a base HR plan.

Gusto

• Simple$49

  per month, plus $6 per person paid

  Payroll in one state: unlimited pay runs, tax filings and payments, and basic time-off and holiday pay rules.

• Plus$80

  per month, plus $12 per person paid

  Adds multi-state payroll, time tracking and scheduling, unlimited next-day pay and contractor invoice handling. Marked best value.

• Premium$180

  per month, plus $22 per person paid

  Adds a named advisor and premium support, HR guidance, Gusto Business Compliance, and unlimited same-day and instant pay.