Best Gusto Competitors: Which Payroll Software Should You Actually Use?

Gusto is a solid payroll platform—there's a reason over 400,000 businesses use it. But it's not perfect for everyone. Maybe you need better international payroll, more robust HR features, or just want to pay less per employee.

I've dug into the top Gusto competitors to help you figure out which one actually makes sense for your business. No fluff, just the real details on pricing, features, and who each platform is best for.

Already know you want Gusto? Try Gusto here and see our full Gusto review for the complete breakdown.

Quick Comparison: Gusto vs Top Competitors

PlatformStarting PriceBest ForKey Limitation
Gusto$40/mo + $6/employeeU.S.-based small businessesLimited international payroll
Rippling$35/mo + $8/employeeGrowing companies needing HR + ITRequires custom quote, can get pricey
ADP RUN$39/mo + $5/employeeCompanies needing scalabilityNon-transparent pricing
OnPay$49/mo + $6/employeeBudget-conscious small businessesNo native time tracking
Justworks$59/employee/monthBusinesses wanting PEO servicesMore expensive per employee
QuickBooks Payroll$45/mo + $6/employeeQuickBooks usersLimited HR features
Paychex FlexQuote requiredMid-size companiesExtra fees for many features

1. Rippling: Best for Growing Companies

Rippling is the closest thing to a true all-in-one platform. It combines HR, payroll, IT management, and finance into a single system. If you're tired of juggling separate tools for onboarding, device management, and payroll, Rippling eliminates that headache.

The platform uses modular pricing—you pay for what you need. The base HRIS module starts at $8 per employee per month with a $35 monthly base fee. Add payroll and you're looking at roughly $15-25 per employee monthly for a typical setup with HRIS, payroll, benefits admin, and time tracking.

What Rippling does better than Gusto:

Where Rippling falls short:

Bottom line: If you're a fast-growing company with 20+ employees and need more than just payroll, Rippling is worth the extra cost. For simple U.S. payroll, it's overkill.

Read our full comparison: Gusto vs Rippling

2. ADP RUN: Best for Scalability

ADP is the 800-pound gorilla of payroll—over 900,000 small business clients and presence in 140+ countries. ADP RUN is their small business product for companies with 1-49 employees.

Their entry-level Essential plan starts at $39 per month plus $5 per employee. But here's the catch: ADP doesn't post transparent pricing. You need to contact sales for an actual quote, and costs vary based on your specific needs.

ADP offers four RUN tiers: Essential, Enhanced, Complete, and HR Pro. Each adds more features, but also more cost. Time tracking and benefits administration are add-ons, not included.

What ADP does better than Gusto:

Where ADP falls short:

Bottom line: ADP makes sense if you're planning to grow significantly and want a platform that can scale with you from 5 to 500 employees without switching providers. For small, stable teams, Gusto's transparency is easier to work with.

See our detailed comparison: Gusto vs ADP

3. OnPay: Best Budget Alternative

OnPay is the anti-enterprise payroll solution. One plan, one price: $49 per month plus $6 per person. That's it. No tiers, no add-ons, no surprises.

Everything is included: unlimited payroll runs, multi-state tax filing, W-2 and 1099 processing, benefits administration, and HR tools. The software averages 4.8 out of 5 stars across review sites.

What OnPay does better than Gusto:

Where OnPay falls short:

Bottom line: OnPay is the best value in payroll software for small businesses that don't need fancy extras. If you want straightforward payroll with excellent customer service and don't care about having the prettiest interface, OnPay should be at the top of your list.

4. Justworks: Best for PEO Services

Justworks is a PEO (Professional Employer Organization), which means they handle more than just payroll—they become a co-employer for benefits, compliance, and HR purposes. This gives small businesses access to big-company benefits.

Justworks Basic costs $59 per employee per month. Justworks Plus runs $109 per employee per month and includes health insurance, dental, and vision access.

What Justworks does better than Gusto:

Where Justworks falls short:

Bottom line: Justworks is ideal if you want to outsource HR headaches entirely and get access to better benefits than you could negotiate on your own. It's not cheap, but the PEO model offers real value for businesses that need comprehensive HR support.

Read more: Gusto vs Justworks

5. QuickBooks Payroll: Best for QuickBooks Users

If you're already running your accounting on QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Payroll is the path of least resistance. The integration is seamless—payroll syncs automatically with your books.

QuickBooks Payroll Core costs $45 per month plus $6 per employee. Premium is $80 plus $8 per employee (adds same-day direct deposit and time tracking). Elite runs $125 plus $10 per employee and includes tax penalty protection.

What QuickBooks Payroll does better than Gusto:

Where QuickBooks Payroll falls short:

Bottom line: QuickBooks Payroll makes sense if you're already in the QuickBooks ecosystem and want everything in one place. If you need more HR functionality, Gusto offers better value.

Compare options: Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll

6. Paychex Flex: Best for Mid-Size Companies

Paychex Flex sits between small business solutions like Gusto and enterprise platforms like ADP Workforce Now. It's built for companies that are outgrowing basic payroll but don't need (or can't afford) full HCM suites.

Paychex doesn't publish pricing—you need to get a quote. Based on reviews and reports, expect it to cost more than Gusto, especially once you add features like benefits administration, time tracking, and SUI management.

What Paychex does better than Gusto:

Where Paychex falls short:

Bottom line: Paychex Flex works for mid-size businesses (30-100 employees) that need more HR depth than Gusto offers. But watch out for add-on fees that can make it significantly more expensive than the initial quote suggests.

See also: Gusto vs Paychex

7. Square Payroll: Best for Contractor-Heavy Businesses

Square Payroll offers something unique: a contractor-only plan with no monthly base fee. You pay only $6 per contractor you pay each month. For W-2 employees, it's $35 per month plus $6 per person paid.

If you're already using Square for point-of-sale, the integration is seamless—employees can clock in directly through Square POS.

What Square Payroll does better than Gusto:

Where Square Payroll falls short:

Bottom line: If you primarily pay contractors or run a seasonal business, Square Payroll's flexible pricing structure can save you money. For traditional W-2 payroll, Gusto offers more value.

When to Stick with Gusto

Despite all these alternatives, Gusto remains the right choice for many businesses:

Gusto's Simple plan starts at $40 per month plus $6 per employee. The Plus plan ($80/mo base) adds features like time tracking and next-day direct deposit. Premium requires contacting sales but includes dedicated support and compliance alerts.

Check our Gusto pricing breakdown for the full details.

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My Recommendation

Here's the quick decision tree:

Still unsure? Check out our complete guide to payroll software for small businesses for more options and detailed comparisons.