Gusto Pricing: What Each Plan Costs for Your Team Size

Gusto pricing for US payroll is a monthly base fee plus a monthly fee per person. Simple costs $49 a month + $6 per person, Plus $80 + $12 and Premium $180 + $22, all billed monthly with no contract.

That two-part price is why the headline misleads: one employee on Simple costs $49 + $6 = $55 a month, billed monthly. Below are the add-ons, the totals at 1, 5, 10 and 25 people, and the headcount where a higher plan gets cheaper.

In This Article (11 sections)

Gusto Pricing at a Glance

Every Gusto plan is a base fee per month plus a fee per person per month, in US dollars, billed monthly. The per-person fee is what scales: it doubles from Simple to Plus and nearly doubles again on Premium.

Plan	Base fee	Per person	Billing	Best for	Main limitation
Simple	$49/mo	$6/mo	Monthly, no contract	Teams paying people in one state	One state; next-day pay and time tracking are add-ons
Plus	$80/mo	$12/mo	Monthly, no contract	Multi-state teams, 6+ people wanting next-day pay and time tracking	Same-day and instant pay cost $90 and $100 per payroll
Premium	$180/mo	$22/mo	Monthly, no contract	Teams that want HR experts and a named advisor	Existing customers talk to Gusto before upgrading
Solo	$49/mo	$6/mo	Monthly	Owner-only businesses, S corp owners	No W-2 employees besides the owner

Sources: Gusto pricing page (Pay My Team and Pay Myself views), checked October 2026.

I read these prices on Gusto’s US pricing page on October 27, 2026, in USD. Gusto bills month to month with no annual option. The page does not state whether prices include sales tax, and list prices can change.

Gusto Pricing Plans Explained

Simple stops at one state and leaves out next-day pay and time tracking; Plus adds both plus multi-state payroll; Premium adds same-day and instant pay, HR experts and a named advisor. My Gusto review covers how these features work day to day; this page stays on cost.

Simple: $49 a Month Plus $6 per Person

Simple is enough for a team that pays everyone in one state on a normal schedule. Its plan card reads “Run basic payroll in one state”, and Plus is the first plan that covers several states.

The first limit is geography: hire one remote employee in a second state and Simple no longer fits, whatever the headcount.

The second limit is speed and time: Next-Day pay and Time & Attendance Plus are paid add-ons on Simple, and a team that wants both is where Plus starts to compete.

Plus: $80 a Month Plus $12 per Person

Doubling the per-person fee buys multi-state payroll, unlimited next-day pay, time tracking and scheduling, and contractor invoice management. Workforce cost reports, an applicant tracking system, job postings and performance tools also arrive at this tier.

Plus is the plan for two buyers: any team with employees in two or more states, and a one-state team of 6 or more people that would otherwise buy both speed and time add-ons on Simple.

Plus still leaves out same-day pay ($90 per payroll), instant pay ($100 per payroll), custom admin roles and the HR expert tools.

Premium: $180 a Month Plus $22 per Person

Premium is for teams that want people help, not just payroll. It adds a named Premium Account Partner, “Ask an HR expert”, an employee handbook, Gusto Business Compliance, unlimited same-day and instant pay, labor cost allocation, and payroll migration and account setup.

Premium is also the plan with a sales step: Gusto will not upgrade or bill you for Premium until you have discussed the plan and pricing with its team.

Solo: Owner-Only Payroll at $49 a Month Plus $6 per Person

Solo lists $49/mo + $6/mo per person for owner-only businesses with no W-2 employees besides the owner. It covers self-pay with automatic tax filing, a reasonable salary calculator, S corp election and compliance tools, and contractor payments with 1099 e-filing.

Gusto does not publish who counts as a person on Solo. For contractor pricing it points to your Gusto account or gusto.com, so confirm the charge before you pay contractors through Solo.

What Happened to the Contractor Only Plan?

You can no longer buy it. Since October 1, 2026, the contractor-only plan takes no new sign-ups and no switches from other plans; a company already on it keeps it unchanged.

Contractors can be paid on any current plan. US contractors are billed at the plan’s per-person cost only in months when you pay them, which keeps a contractor-heavy business on Simple cheaper than its roster suggests.

Does Gusto Have a Free Trial or Promotion?

No. The US pricing page I read on October 27, 2026 shows no free trial and no promotion for Simple, Plus, Premium or Solo; it offers “Free account setup” and no contracts instead.

The one “Try it free” on the page belongs to the Time & Attendance Plus add-on, and Gusto does not publish how long that trial lasts. Gusto reserves current offers for new customers, and the page I read showed none.

With no trial, the billing terms carry more weight.

Gusto Billing: Monthly Only, No Annual Plan or Contract

Gusto has one billing basis: month to month, with no long-term contract and cancel anytime. No annual price is listed, so there is no annual discount to compute.

• Arrears. Each invoice covers the plan you had during the month before, so the first bill arrives a month after you start.
• Plan changes. One change per month. Upgrades apply to the current month; downgrades start on the first of the next month.
• Add-ons. An add-on removed mid-month is still billed for that whole month.
• Headcount. The monthly cost is based on onboarded, active employees, regardless of how often they are paid.

The one exception to “month to month” is Gusto Business Compliance, sold at $85 a month per state on an annual contract. That leaves the add-ons as the real variable in a Gusto bill.

Additional Gusto Costs to Consider

On Simple, next-day pay and time tracking are priced separately. On Simple and Plus, same-day pay, instant pay, priority support, Gusto Business Compliance and Remote I-9 are priced separately.

On every plan, a health insurance broker integration, HSAs and FSAs, and 401(k) plans are add-ons, and payroll tax filing is included. On Simple and Plus, state tax registration is an add-on too. With Gusto as your broker, health insurance administration comes at no extra cost.

Cost type	When it applies	Pricing basis	Notes
Next-Day pay	Simple teams paying the day before payday	$15/mo + $3/mo per person	Included in Plus and Premium
Same-day pay	Paying within hours on Simple or Plus	$90 per payroll	Included in Premium; eligibility criteria apply
Instant pay	Paying in minutes on Simple or Plus	$100 per payroll	Included in Premium; eligibility criteria apply
Time & Attendance Plus	Time tracking and scheduling on Simple	$6/mo per person after a free trial	Time tracking is part of Plus and Premium
Priority Support	Faster phone and chat on Simple or Plus	$30/mo + $3/mo per person	Premium has Premium Account Support instead
Gusto Business Compliance	Registered agent, annual reports, state filings	$85/mo per state, annual contract	Included in Premium
State tax registration	Paying payroll taxes in a new state	Pricing varies by state	Add-on on Simple and Plus
Remote I-9	Verifying a new hire’s documents remotely	$20 per submission	Included on Premium
E-Verify	Submitting E-Verify cases from Gusto	$5 per submission	On top of the $20 Remote I-9 add-on; included on Premium
Health insurance broker integration	Keeping your own broker	$6/mo per eligible employee	No admin fee when Gusto is your broker
Tax-advantaged accounts	HSA, FSA, dependent care FSA, commuter	$200 a year, plus $2.50/mo per HSA participant or $4/mo per participant for the others	$20/mo minimum on each $4 account
Workers’ compensation	Pay-as-you-go policies through NEXT Insurance	Starting at $14/mo	Premium depends on the policy
Global contractor payments	Paying contractors abroad	$5 per payment to US-based bank accounts	No monthly per-contractor fee; foreign exchange rates may vary
R&D tax credits	Claiming R&D payroll tax credits	15% of identified tax credits	Discounts available with Premium

Sources: Gusto pricing page, checked October 2026.

Gusto Money Plus ($19 a month) and 401(k) plans (“Pricing varies by 401(k) integration”) are optional finance products. Gusto HR Partners, fractional HR help for eligible Plus and Premium customers, has no published price.

For a Simple team, $6 per person a month for Time & Attendance Plus is the price to hold against standalone employee scheduling software. The next step is a total for your headcount.

How Much Does Gusto Cost for Your Team?

A month of Gusto costs the base fee plus the per-person fee times the people you pay: a 10-person, two-state team on Plus pays $80 + $12 x 10 ($120) = $200 a month, billed monthly. Count active employees every month and US contractors only in months you pay them.

Enter the people you pay this month and the features you need, such as multi-state payroll. The calculator shows Simple, Plus and Premium side by side, monthly and over 12 months, and names the cheapest plan that covers the need. It leaves out add-ons, sales tax and wages.

Team size	Plan	Billing	Monthly cost	Annual total	Assumptions
1 employee	Simple	Monthly	$49 + $6 x 1 = $55	$55 x 12 = $660	Base fee plus 1 person; one state
5 employees, one state	Simple	Monthly	$49 + $6 x 5 ($30) = $79	$79 x 12 = $948	Base fee plus 5 people; normal payday
10 employees, two states	Plus	Monthly	$80 + $12 x 10 ($120) = $200	$200 x 12 = $2,400	Base fee plus 10 people; a second state needs Plus
25 employees, HR support	Premium	Monthly	$180 + $22 x 25 ($550) = $730	$730 x 12 = $8,760	Base fee plus 25 people

Sources: Gusto pricing page, checked October 2026.

These totals are estimates from list prices, not quotes. They leave out add-ons, state registration, benefits premiums, sales tax, wages and employer taxes. They also raise a sharper question: when is a higher plan cheaper than adding to a lower one?

When Plus Costs Less Than Simple With Add-ons

From 6 people, Plus is cheaper than Simple with both Next-Day pay and Time & Attendance Plus. Simple with both add-ons charges $6 + $3 + $6 = $15 per person, against $12 on Plus.

At 6 people, Simple with both add-ons costs $49 base + $15 Next-Day pay base = $64 in fixed fees plus $15 x 6 ($90), $154 a month; Plus costs $80 + $12 x 6 ($72) = $152.

At 5 people the order flips: $64 + $15 x 5 ($75) = $139 on Simple with both add-ons, against $80 + $12 x 5 ($60) = $140 on Plus.

The break-even only exists when you need both add-ons. Simple with Time & Attendance Plus alone charges the same $12 per person as Plus, so its lower base keeps it $80 – $49 = $31 a month cheaper at any headcount, as long as everyone works in one state.

When Premium Costs Less Than Plus With Same-Day Pay

For a 10-person team, Premium beats Plus on price once you run three or more same-day payrolls a month. Plus costs $200 for 10 people; two same-day payrolls add $90 x 2 ($180), $380 in all, against $180 + $22 x 10 ($220) = $400 on Premium.

A third same-day payroll pushes Plus to $200 + $90 x 3 ($270) = $470 for the same 10 people. At 10 people, a team that needs same-day pay fewer than three times a month should not buy Premium for speed; its case rests on the HR expert, the named advisor and Business Compliance.

Which Gusto Plan Should You Choose?

A one-state team that pays on a normal payday should stay on Simple at any headcount, unless it needs both next-day pay and time tracking from 6 people. The matrix covers the other cases.

Your needs	Plan to consider	Why	Main limitation
Owner-only business, no W-2 employees besides you	Solo	Self-pay, S corp tools and contractor payments at $49/mo + $6/mo per person	Who counts as a person on Solo is not published
One state, normal payday, any headcount	Simple	Lowest base fee; cheaper than Plus unless you need both next-day pay and time tracking from 6 people	Next-day pay and time tracking are paid add-ons
6+ people who want next-day pay and time tracking	Plus	Cheaper than Simple with both add-ons from 6 people	$12 per person on every head
Employees in two or more states	Plus	Simple covers one state	Same-day and instant pay still cost per payroll
An HR expert, handbook, named advisor or compliance included	Premium	All bundled, with unlimited same-day and instant pay	$22 per person; existing customers talk to Gusto before upgrading
10 people, three or more same-day payrolls a month	Premium	$180 + $22 x 10 ($220) = $400, against $200 + $90 x three ($270) = $470 on Plus	Existing customers talk to Gusto before upgrading to Premium
Contractor-only business signing up now	Simple	US contractors are billed only in months they are paid	The $49 base fee is a monthly charge

Sources: Gusto pricing page, checked October 2026.

If Premium appeals mainly for HR, weigh a dedicated HR system first; my BambooHR review covers that route.

If you also need an HR system, see my BambooHR pricing guide.

Is Gusto Worth the Price?

Gusto is worth its price for a small one-state team: Simple already includes unlimited payrolls, off-cycle runs and federal, state and local tax filing, on month-to-month terms. It is a harder sell for a larger team paying $22 per person on Premium mainly for faster pay.

For other payroll options, see my list of the best payroll software for small business.

The value weakens with headcount. At 25 people, Premium costs $180 + $22 x 25 ($550) = $730 a month against $80 + $12 x 25 ($300) = $380 on Plus, so Premium has to replace real HR or compliance spend to pay its way.

Payroll also sits next to accounting. Gusto integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks and other tools, and the accounting subscription is a separate bill: budget it with my QuickBooks Online pricing guide.

Xero users can check the Xero pricing breakdown before adding Gusto’s per-person fees on top.

How I Verified Gusto Pricing

I read Gusto’s pricing page for the United States in both views (Pay My Team and Pay Myself) and its pricing FAQ on October 27, 2026, in US dollars, on monthly billing. Billing rules come from the help center article Understanding Gusto plans and its plan-change article.

Prices are quoted as Gusto prints them. The team totals and break-even points are my arithmetic from those list prices (base fee + per-person fee x people; annual = monthly cost x 12), and the recommendations are my judgment.

Gusto does not publish whether prices include sales tax, who counts as a person on Solo, the HR Partners price, state registration fees by state or the Time & Attendance Plus trial length. Your own price shows under Settings > Plan & billing in your Gusto account, and the pricing page says same-day and instant pay are subject to eligibility criteria.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Gusto charge for off-cycle payrolls?

No. Every Gusto plan includes unlimited payroll runs, and Gusto never charges extra for off-cycle payrolls, so a bonus run or a correction costs nothing beyond the plan fee. Speed is what costs extra on Simple and Plus: same-day pay is $90 per payroll and instant pay $100 per payroll.

Does Gusto have pricing for accountants?

Yes, through its partner program rather than the public price list. Accounting and bookkeeping partners get free payroll for the firm, dedicated support and a higher revenue share, so a firm should check partner eligibility before paying list price.

Can cannabis businesses use Gusto, and does it cost more?

Yes. Gusto supports cannabis-related businesses on the Simple, Plus and Premium payroll plans. Because these businesses face extra banking and regulatory oversight, some plans require a CRB compliance add-on, and its price is not on the pricing page.

Does health insurance administration cost extra on Gusto?

Not when Gusto is your broker: you pay only the insurance premiums, with no Gusto administration fee. Keeping your own broker costs $6 a month per eligible employee for the broker integration, on top of the plan fee.

Final Pricing Verdict

My pick for one-state payroll on a normal payday is Simple, whatever the team size. Move to Plus when you add a second state, or at 6 or more people who need both next-day pay and time tracking.

Choose Premium for the HR expert, the named advisor and compliance included, or at 10 people running three or more same-day payrolls a month.

Skip Premium if: faster pay is all you want and, at 10 people, you need same-day pay fewer than three times a month; Plus with two same-day payrolls still costs less.

Whatever the plan, watch the add-ons: one active for a week is still billed for that month. Owner-only businesses belong on Solo, and contractor-only businesses signing up now on Simple.