Gusto Plus at $80/month plus $12/employee is honest pricing for a W-2 US team with multi-state filings. For global teams, Deel handles 150+ country payroll. For IT-plus-HR-plus-finance unification, Rippling is the deepest. For contractors only, Gusto Contractor at $35 is the cheapest path. For PEO benefits, Justworks is shaped better than Gusto Premium.
By Subrupt EditorialPublished Reviewed
Gusto became the small-business payroll default by combining a polished UX, full-service tax filing, health benefits brokerage, and clean QuickBooks integration. For 2-50 employee US W-2 teams, Gusto Plus at $80 plus $12 per employee delivers a clean payroll experience and a real benefits broker. Most teams in that shape should stay with Gusto.
Where Gusto is shape-mismatched: you have international employees (Gusto US-only), you want IT plus HR plus finance unified (Rippling's territory), you want PEO-model benefits with co-employment power (Justworks), or you only run 1099 contractors (Gusto Contractor at $35 covers that, but not all features overlap). Each pick below fits one of those shapes.
Pick by your team shape. Hiring abroad equals Deel. Want IT + HR + finance unified equals Rippling. PEO model with stronger group benefits equals Justworks. Contractors-only equals Gusto Contractor or Deel. Cheapest full-service US payroll equals OnPay.
Affiliate disclosure: Subrupt earns a commission when you switch to a service through our recommendation links. This never changes the price you pay. We only recommend services where there's a real cost or feature advantage for you, and our picks are based on the data on this page, not on which programs pay the most.
Quick pick by use case
If you only have thirty seconds, find your situation below and skip to that pick.
Deel handles employer-of-record (EOR) payroll in 150+ countries, covering local entity compliance, statutory benefits, and tax filing on your behalf. EOR is $599/employee/month; Contractor at $49/contractor handles 1099 / international contractor management with multi-currency payouts and automated tax forms. For teams hiring abroad (or hiring a remote engineer in Latin America, EMEA, or APAC), Deel is the category default and Gusto cannot serve that shape. The HR Free tier covers up to 200 employees with org chart and document management.
Strengths
+EOR in 150+ countries with local compliance
+Contractor management at $49/contractor
+HR Free tier up to 200 employees
+Multi-currency payouts
Trade-offs
−EOR at $599/employee is a meaningful cost
−Less integrated with US tax filing depth than Gusto
−Newer brand with less long-term track record
HR Free
Up to 200 employees
EOR
$599/employee/mo
Contractor
$49/contractor/mo
US Payroll
$19/employee/mo
Migration steps
Sign up at deel.com; choose HR Free, Contractor, or EOR based on your hire shape.
For EOR, complete the local-entity setup; Deel handles compliance.
For contractors, configure multi-currency payouts and tax forms.
Run one full payroll cycle on both Gusto and Deel before cancelling Gusto.
Not for: Skip Deel if you are US-only W-2 employees; Gusto is shaped better and cheaper for that case.
Rippling at $8/employee/month for Core (HR, payroll, benefits) is the cheapest in the segment, and Unity at $35/employee adds device management, app provisioning, expense management, and custom workflows. For startups and growth-stage companies that want to provision a new hire's laptop, Slack account, GitHub access, payroll, and 401(k) from one console, Rippling is the deepest of any tool here and Gusto does not cover IT or app provisioning. The unified data model means employee changes (promotion, role change, departure) propagate everywhere.
Strengths
+Core at $8/employee is cheapest in segment
+IT + HR + finance on one platform
+Unified data model for employee lifecycle
+Custom workflows for org-specific automation
Trade-offs
−Unity at $35 adds up on big teams
−Setup complexity higher than Gusto
−Pricing model less transparent than Gusto
Core
$8/employee/mo
Unity
$35/employee/mo
Setup
Higher complexity
IT + HR
Unified
Migration steps
Schedule a demo at rippling.com; setup involves implementation specialist.
Plan a 2-4 week migration including device-management cutover.
Run one full payroll cycle in parallel on both Gusto and Rippling.
Cancel Gusto once Rippling fully covers payroll, benefits, and IT.
Not for: Skip Rippling if you want a simple payroll-only tool; the depth and complexity exceed what most small teams need.
Justworks operates as a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), which means co-employment gives your team access to richer health insurance, HSA/FSA, COBRA, and 401(k) plans typically available only to big employers. Basic at $59/employee covers payroll, compliance, and workers comp; Plus at $109/employee adds health insurance access and benefits administration. For startups whose talent strategy depends on competitive benefits (especially health insurance), Justworks delivers benefits depth Gusto's broker model cannot match.
Strengths
+PEO co-employment unlocks better benefits
+Health insurance access on Plus tier
+401(k), HSA, FSA, COBRA included on Plus
+24/7 support
Trade-offs
−Plus at $109/employee is more than Gusto Premium
−PEO model means co-employment legal complexity
−Less customization than non-PEO payroll
Basic
$59/employee/mo
Plus
$109/employee/mo
Model
PEO co-employment
Benefits depth
Group rates
Migration steps
Schedule a demo at justworks.com; PEO setup involves co-employment paperwork.
Plan 4-8 week migration including benefits cutover at the renewal cycle.
Communicate the PEO model change to your team (new W-2, new payroll provider).
Cancel Gusto once Justworks covers payroll, benefits, and compliance.
Not for: Skip Justworks if you do not want PEO co-employment; Gusto's broker model is simpler if benefits depth is sufficient.
OnPay charges a flat $40/month plus $6/employee for full-service payroll, health benefits brokerage, HR tools, and 401(k) plans. For a 10-employee company, OnPay runs $100/month vs Gusto Plus at $200/month, a $1,200/year savings on the same workflow shape. The trade-off is fewer integrations, less polished UX, and smaller benefits broker network than Gusto. For cost-sensitive small teams that want full service without Gusto's premium pricing, OnPay is the most established fit.
Strengths
+$40/mo + $6/employee flat rate
+Full-service payroll and tax filing
+Health benefits broker included
+401(k) plans available
Trade-offs
−UI less polished than Gusto
−Smaller benefits broker network
−Fewer integrations than Gusto
Flat fee
$40/mo
Per employee
$6/mo
10-employee total
$100/mo
Full-service
Yes
Migration steps
Sign up at onpay.com; verification takes 1-3 business days.
Migrate employee records, tax IDs, and benefits enrollments.
Run one full payroll on both Gusto and OnPay in parallel.
Cancel Gusto once OnPay covers payroll, taxes, and benefits.
Not for: Skip OnPay if you want the polish and ecosystem depth Gusto offers; the price difference reflects the depth gap.
Paychex Flex is the established name for small-to-mid-business payroll with deep HR services, garnishment support, time-and-attendance, and a dedicated specialist on the Pro tier ($99/month). For businesses that want a long-track-record provider, lender-recognized brand for SBA loans, or richer HR services than Gusto offers natively, Paychex earns its place. The Essentials tier at $39/month is comparable to Gusto Simple at $49 with stronger HR depth.
Strengths
+Long track record (1971-present)
+Strong HR depth at Pro tier
+Garnishment support built in
+Lender-recognized brand
Trade-offs
−UI feels enterprise-grade vs Gusto's polish
−Pricing less transparent than Gusto
−Pro tier $99/mo more than Gusto Premium $180/mo for small teams (but for big teams Paychex wins)
Essentials
$39/mo
Select
$59/mo
Pro
$99/mo
Track record
1971-present
Migration steps
Schedule a demo at paychex.com; setup involves implementation specialist.
Plan 2-4 week migration including tax filing setup and benefits cutover.
Run one full payroll on both Gusto and Paychex in parallel.
Cancel Gusto once Paychex covers payroll, HR, and benefits.
Not for: Skip Paychex if you want the polished modern UX small teams appreciate; Gusto and OnPay are shaped better for that.
Paid plans from $39.00/mo
When to stay with Gusto
Stay with Gusto if your team is W-2 US-only with health benefits live, you depend on the QuickBooks or Xero integration, or your accountant has standardized on Gusto. The list below addresses global hiring, IT-plus-HR unification, PEO models for benefits-heavy startups, contractor-only payroll, and the cheapest full-service option.
Gusto alternatives are scored on the team shape that drives switching: international hiring, IT plus HR unification, PEO benefits depth, cheapest US flat rate, and established HR depth. Each pick leads for one of those.
Pricing is taken from each vendor's site on the review date. Per-employee economics matter more than headline rates; we calculated 10-employee total cost where applicable.
Update history1 update
Initial published version with 5 picks.
Frequently asked questions about Gusto alternatives
Is Gusto Simple at $49 actually enough?
For single-state US W-2 teams without complex benefits or multi-state filings, yes. The Simple tier covers full-service payroll, tax filing, and basic benefits broker. Multi-state, PTO tracking, and hiring tools require Plus at $80.
What is the difference between PEO and standard payroll?
A PEO (Justworks) co-employs your staff legally, which lets you access better benefits and shifts compliance liability. Standard payroll (Gusto, OnPay, Paychex) keeps you as the legal employer with payroll services as a vendor. PEO is more expensive but unlocks group-rate benefits typically reserved for big employers.
Should I move to Deel for one international hire?
Yes if the hire is in a country where you do not have a legal entity. Deel EOR at $599/month is cheaper than setting up a foreign subsidiary for a single hire. For 5+ employees in one country, evaluate setting up a local entity vs continuing on Deel.
Can I run Gusto Contractor and Gusto Plus together?
Yes, but the Contractor-only product is separate. If you have both W-2 employees and 1099 contractors, Gusto Plus covers both within one subscription. The standalone Contractor tier at $35 is for businesses with no W-2 employees.
Does my accountant need to integrate with Gusto?
Most accountants prefer Gusto, QuickBooks Online, or Xero. Gusto integrates natively with both. If you switch to Rippling or Deel, verify your accountant's preferred integration before committing; some accountants charge migration fees if you move payroll providers mid-year.
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About the author: Subrupt Editorial
The team behind subrupt.com. We track subscriptions, surface cheaper alternatives, and publish comparisons where the score formula is on the page so you can recompute it yourself. We do not claim 30,000 hours of testing. What we claim is live pricing from our database, a transparent composite score, and honest savings math against a category baseline.
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