True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
Monday.com saves you 70%
Best for Monday.com
Payroll, benefits, and HR platform for small businesses. Base at $40/mo + $6/person/mo, but benefits
Best for Gusto
Work management platform with customizable workflows. Minimum 3-seat requirement and per-seat pricin
Work management platform with customizable workflows. Minimum 3-seat requirement...
Advertised
$12
/month
True Cost
$72
/month (typical)
Minimum 3-Seat Requirement
Can't buy fewer than 3 seats on any paid plan. Basic at $9/seat/mo = $27/mo minimum, not $9/mo. Solo...
Zero Automations on Basic
Basic plan ($9/seat/mo) includes ZERO automation and ZERO integration actions. Any automation requir...
250 Actions/Month on Standard
Standard plan includes only 250 automation actions/mo — roughly 8 per day. Any meaningful workflow e...
Seat Increment Packaging
Seats sold in increments (3, 5, 10, 15, 20...). A 4-person team must buy 5 seats. A 6-person team bu...
$9/mo annual
$12/mo annual
$19/mo annual
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission
Payroll, benefits, and HR platform for small businesses. Base at $40/mo + $6/per...
Advertised
$40
/month
True Cost
$136
/month (typical)
Per-Person Fee Scaling
Simple plan: $40/mo + $6/person. Plus: $80/mo + $12/person. Premium: $180/mo + $22/person. A 25-pers...
Benefits Administration Add-On
Health insurance, 401(k), and benefits administration are not included in Simple. Plus plan ($80/mo ...
State Tax Registration Fees
Registering for state taxes in new states costs $35-$100 per state as a one-time fee. Multi-state re...
Gusto advertises $40/mo. Monday.com advertises $12/mo.
Gusto has 3 documented hidden fees. Monday.com has 4.
Gusto confidence: 76%. Monday.com confidence: 74%.
| Metric | Monday.com | Gusto | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $12/mo | $40/mo | Monday.com |
| True Monthly Cost | $72/mo | $136/mo | Monday.com |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$60/mo | +$96/mo | Monday.com |
| # Hidden Fees | 4 | 3 | Gusto |
| Confidence Score | 74% | 76% | Gusto |
| Pricing Tiers | 5 | 3 | — |
| Affiliate Program | $100 per conversion | None | — |
Try the tool that fits your needs. Both offer free trials or free tiers.
From $12/mo
✓ Saves 70% on true costAffiliate link — we may earn a commission
Monday.com advertises $12/mo and Gusto advertises $40/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, Monday.com has 4 documented hidden fees adding +$60/mo, while Gusto has 3 hidden fees adding +$96/mo. Based on true cost, Monday.com is typically 70% cheaper.
Monday.com has 4 documented hidden fees: Minimum 3-Seat Requirement, Zero Automations on Basic, 250 Actions/Month on Standard, Seat Increment Packaging. These add approximately +$60/mo on top of the $12/mo advertised price.
Gusto has 3 documented hidden fees: Per-Person Fee Scaling, Benefits Administration Add-On, State Tax Registration Fees. These add approximately +$96/mo on top of the $40/mo advertised price.
Choose Monday.com if: Payroll, benefits, and HR platform for small businesses. Base at $40/mo + $6/person/mo, but benefits. Choose Gusto if: Work management platform with customizable workflows. Minimum 3-seat requirement and per-seat pricin. The right choice depends on your team size, usage volume, and which features you need most.
This comparison is based on manual research of official pricing pages, terms of service, and user reports. Monday.com data has a 74% confidence score and Gusto has 76%. Prices were last verified in April 2026. For the most accurate estimate, enter your specific usage in our calculator.
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