Gusto Alternatives: 9 Payroll Tools Compared (2026)

Gusto Alternatives: 9 Payroll Tools Compared for 2026

Short answer: If you're leaving Gusto to save money, look at Patriot Full Service ($37/mo + $5/person) or OnPay ($49/mo + $6/person, multi-state included). If you want a PEO, Justworks. If you need HR, IT, and payroll on one record, Rippling. If your team spans countries, Deel.

Gusto's pricing is easy to read, which also makes it easy to outgrow. Simple is $49/month + $6 per person, Plus is $80 + $12, and Premium is $180 + $22. For a 20-person company that's $169/month on Simple, $320 on Plus, and $620 on Premium. Per year: $2,028, $3,840, or $7,440.

The jump from Simple to Plus is where most people start shopping. Simple is single-state payroll only. Hire one remote person in another state and you're on Plus, which nearly doubles the bill for 20 people. Add state tax registration (an add-on on every plan, priced by state) and the number climbs again.

Nine alternatives below. Every price comes from the vendor's own pricing page, checked in September 2026. Where a vendor only quotes, we say so.

Weighing HR platforms instead of pure payroll? Our BambooHR alternatives comparison covers that side, and the Workday alternatives guide covers the enterprise end.

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TL;DR: Quick Picks for 2026

Need	Top pick	Price
Gusto features, multi-state included	OnPay	$49/mo + $6/person
Lowest full-service price	Patriot Payroll	$37/mo + $5/person
Restaurants, retail, tipped staff	Square Payroll	$35/mo + $6/person
Already on Wave accounting	Wave Payroll	$40/mo + $6/employee
Already on QuickBooks	QuickBooks Payroll	From $88/mo + $6.50/employee (bundled)
Payroll now, PEO benefits later	Justworks	$50/mo + $8/employee
HR, IT, and payroll in one system	Rippling	Quote only
Want a big-name provider and a rep	ADP RUN	Quote only
Team in several countries	Deel	Contractors $49/mo, EOR $599/mo

What Gusto Actually Does Well

Gusto earned its spot. Every plan includes unlimited payroll runs, tax filings and payments, Payroll on AutoPilot, and domestic contractor payments. No contracts, free account setup, and you can switch plans whenever. More than 500,000 businesses run on it.

The add-on menu is honest, too. Health insurance through Gusto's brokers carries no admin fee. Next-day pay on Simple is $15/month + $3/person. A contractor-only plan is $35/month + $6/person, with the base waived for the first six months right now. And the employee app is one your team will actually open.

So this isn't a "Gusto is bad" post. It's about the specific moments when it stops being the best fit.

When to Leave Gusto

1. You hired in a second state. That forces Plus. At 20 people, you go from $169 to $320 a month. OnPay, Patriot, Square, and Justworks all run multi-state payroll without a tier jump (Patriot charges $12/month per extra state).
2. You want benefits you can't get as a small group. Gusto brokers plans, but a PEO pools you with other companies. That's Justworks' whole pitch.
3. Your team isn't all in the US. Gusto pays global contractors as an add-on, but it can't employ people abroad. Deel and Justworks both run EOR.
4. Onboarding means laptops and app accounts, too. Rippling ties payroll to IT provisioning. Gusto doesn't.

1. OnPay

The closest like-for-like swap, minus the tier jump.

Strengths:

• One plan: $49/month base + $6 per worker
• Multi-state payroll, local taxes, and year-end filings (W-2s, 1099s) included
• Federal, state, and local tax filings handled for you
• Phone, chat, and email support; one month free when you start

Weaknesses:

• HR tools and time tracking are paid add-ons
• Less polished employee experience than Gusto
• Smaller integration library

Pricing: $49/month + $6/worker. For 20 people: $169/month.

Best for: 5-50 person teams with employees in more than one state who want Gusto Plus coverage at Gusto Simple money.

2. Patriot Payroll

The cheapest full-service option we found with published prices.

Strengths:

• Full Service Payroll: $37/month + $5 per worker, with one state's tax filing included
• Basic Payroll: $17/month + $4 per worker if you file taxes yourself
• W-2s and 1099s included on Full Service
• Time & Attendance ($6 base + $2/employee) and HR ($6 base + $2/employee) are cheap add-ons

Weaknesses:

• Each additional state is $12/month
• Plain interface, fewer automations
• No benefits brokerage to speak of

Pricing: Full Service for 20 people in one state: $137/month.

Best for: Cost-first single-state businesses that want payroll done right and don't care how it looks.

3. Square Payroll

Built for businesses that already take payments through Square.

Strengths:

• Full-service plan: $35/month + $6 per person paid
• Automated federal and state tax filings, multi-state support, off-cycle runs
• Syncs timecards and tips from Square POS
• Contractor-only plan: $6/person, no base fee

Weaknesses:

• Contractor-only plan doesn't include tax filing
• Paper W-2/1099 mailing costs $3 per form
• HR features are thin if you're not a Square seller

Pricing: 20 people: $155/month.

Best for: Restaurants, cafes, salons, and retail shops on Square POS.

4. Wave Payroll

A payroll add-on for Wave's accounting app.

Strengths:

• $40/month base + $6 per active employee + $6 per contractor paid (US)
• Tax service in all 50 states since April 2025: Wave pays and files state and federal payroll taxes
• Unlimited free direct deposits
• Payroll posts straight into Wave's books

Weaknesses:

• Wave doesn't file 1099s for you
• Minimal HR and benefits
• Makes the most sense if Wave is already your accounting tool

Pricing: 20 employees: $160/month.

Best for: Very small businesses already doing their books in Wave.

5. QuickBooks Payroll

Payroll sold as a bundle with QuickBooks Online accounting.

Strengths:

• Workforce Payroll + Simple Start: $88/month + $6.50/employee (50% off the base for the first 3 months)
• Full-service payroll with tax filing, auto payroll, 1099 e-filing, and next-day direct deposit
• Multi-state covered on all plans
• Workforce Premium + Plus ($203/month + $10/employee) adds same-day deposit, expert setup review, and HR tools

Weaknesses:

• Priced as payroll plus accounting, so it only pencils out if you need QuickBooks anyway
• Promo pricing expires after three months
• HR tools sit on the top bundle

Pricing: 20 employees on the entry bundle: $218/month at regular price, accounting included.

Best for: Businesses whose accountant already lives in QuickBooks.

6. Justworks

Payroll software with a clean path into a PEO.

Strengths:

• Payroll plan: $50/month + $8/employee, multi-state included, with HR tools, onboarding, and PTO management
• PEO Basic: $79/employee/month, no base fee, adds 24/7 support, HR consulting, and 401(k)
• PEO Plus: $124/employee/month adds medical, dental, and vision administration, HSA/FSA, and mental health and fertility benefits
• EOR at $599/employee/month; international contractors $39/month each

Weaknesses:

• Payroll plan lacks org chart, custom reporting, and performance integrations
• PEO tiers are a big step up in cost
• Time tracking is another $8/employee

Pricing: 20 people on Payroll: $210/month. PEO Basic: $1,580/month.

Best for: Small US companies that want payroll now and pooled health benefits later, from the same vendor.

7. Rippling

HR, IT, and payroll on one employee record.

Strengths:

• Onboarding can set up payroll, apps, and devices in one flow
• Modular, so you buy what you use
• Handles employees and contractors across many countries

Weaknesses:

• Quote only. The pricing page is a form asking for headcount and country
• Modules add up quickly
• More setup than Gusto

Pricing: Quote only.

Best for: 50-1,000 person companies tired of running HR and IT onboarding as separate checklists.

8. ADP RUN

The legacy giant's small-business product.

Strengths:

• Four packages: Essential, Enhanced, Complete, and HR Pro
• Deep compliance and HR services behind the higher tiers
• A real person to call, and a product that scales past 100 employees

Weaknesses:

• Quote only. Every package links to "Get Pricing"
• Add-ons and contract terms vary by quote
• Interface feels older than Gusto's

Paychex Flex is the same story: Select, Pro, and Enterprise packages, all quote-only.

Pricing: Quote only.

Best for: Owners who want a known name and a dedicated rep, and are willing to negotiate.

9. Deel

For when payroll means people in several countries.

Strengths:

• Contractors from $49/month each
• EOR at $599/employee/month; US PEO at $125/employee/month
• Month-to-month terms

Weaknesses:

• US and global payroll pricing isn't published; it's a demo request
• Overkill for a single-country team
• Best value when you use several Deel products together

Pricing: Contractors $49/month, EOR $599/employee/month, US PEO $125/employee/month; payroll quote only.

Best for: Distributed teams hiring contractors or employees outside the US.

Recommendation by Profile

You	Pick
Single-state, want the lowest bill	Patriot Full Service
Employees in 2+ states	OnPay
Restaurant or shop on Square POS	Square Payroll
Books in Wave	Wave Payroll
Books in QuickBooks	QuickBooks Payroll
Want pooled health benefits	Justworks PEO
Want HR and IT onboarding unified	Rippling
Want a dedicated rep, 50+ people	ADP RUN or Paychex Flex
Hiring outside the US	Deel
Happy on Gusto Simple, one state	Stay put
Building an internal HR tool	HR Dashboard Kit for the UI, plus a payroll provider above

Pricing at a Glance (20 Employees, One State, Monthly)

List prices from each vendor's page, before promos, taxes, and add-ons.

Product	Basis	Monthly (20 people)
Gusto Simple	$49 + $6/person	$169
Gusto Plus	$80 + $12/person	$320
Gusto Premium	$180 + $22/person	$620
OnPay	$49 + $6/worker	$169
Patriot Full Service	$37 + $5/worker	$137
Patriot Basic (you file taxes)	$17 + $4/worker	$97
Square Payroll	$35 + $6/person	$155
Wave Payroll	$40 + $6/employee	$160
QuickBooks Payroll + Simple Start	$88 + $6.50/employee	$218 (includes accounting)
Justworks Payroll	$50 + $8/employee	$210
Justworks PEO Basic	$79/employee	$1,580
Deel US PEO	$125/employee	$2,500
Rippling, ADP RUN, Paychex Flex	Quote only	Quote only

Two things stand out. At one state, Gusto Simple is already competitive; only Patriot, Square, and Wave beat it. The gap opens at the second state, where OnPay stays at $169 and Gusto moves to $320.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Gusto cost in 2026?

Simple is $49/month + $6/person, Plus is $80 + $12, and Premium is $180 + $22. The Contractor Only plan is $35/month + $6/person. State tax registration and global contractor payments are add-ons on every plan.

What is the cheapest alternative to Gusto?

Patriot Full Service at $37/month + $5/worker, which includes one state's tax filing. For 20 people that's $137/month versus $169 on Gusto Simple. If you'll file taxes yourself, Patriot Basic is $17 + $4.

Which Gusto alternative is best for multi-state payroll?

OnPay. Multi-state is included in its single $49 + $6 plan. Square and Justworks Payroll also include multi-state; Patriot charges $12/month per extra state.

Is Justworks better than Gusto?

For payroll alone, they're close: Justworks Payroll is $50 + $8/employee, between Gusto Simple and Plus. Justworks pulls ahead if you want a PEO for pooled health benefits, which Gusto doesn't offer.

How do I switch from Gusto without messing up taxes?

Switch at the start of a quarter so filings split cleanly, export year-to-date payroll history before you cancel, and run one parallel payroll with the new provider. Budget two to four weeks for a 20-person company.

The Honest Take

Gusto is still a very good default for a single-state US company under 50 people. Simple at $169/month for 20 people is fair, and the product is pleasant to use.

Leave when a specific trigger hits. A second state: OnPay. A tight budget: Patriot. A Square storefront: Square Payroll. Health benefits: Justworks. HR plus IT: Rippling. A rep on speed dial: ADP. Hires abroad: Deel. And if you're building HR software rather than buying it, start from UI you own and plug in one of these for the payroll math.