What we liked
Pros
- Full-service payroll with automatic tax filing in all 50 states
- Benefits, workers' comp, and 401(k) administration built in
- Employees get lifetime access to their pay stubs
Keep in mind
- Costs climb as you add people; the Plus tier is needed for time tracking and PTO approvals.
Score breakdown
Gusto pricing in 2026
Gusto starts at $40/mo + $6/person. Free option: demo available. As with most services in this category, the advertised rate typically assumes annual billing — check the renewal price and current promotions before committing.
Who is Gusto for?
Gusto is our pick for best overall for small businesses. Gusto made every run in our test effortless — multi-state withholding, contractor payments, and year-end W-2s/1099s all happened automatically, with the friendliest interface in the category.
How Gusto compares
It holds the #1 spot in our ranking — OnPay (9.4/10) is the closest challenger. Also consider QuickBooks Payroll (9.0/10). See the full payroll services comparison for all 6 ranked services side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Yes — Gusto scores 9.7/10 (Exceptional) in our independent testing and ranks #1 of 6 in our payroll services comparison. It stands out as the pick for best overall for small businesses.
Gusto pricing starts at $40/mo + $6/person. Free option: Demo available. Check current promotions on their site, as introductory rates change frequently.
The strongest alternatives are OnPay (9.4/10) and QuickBooks Payroll (9.0/10). See our full payroll services comparison for all 6 ranked options.