True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
Smartsheet saves you 78%
Best for Smartsheet
Payroll, benefits, and HR platform for small businesses. Base at $40/mo + $6/person/mo, but benefits
Best for Gusto
Enterprise work management platform with spreadsheet-style UI. Per-user pricing from $9-$32/user/mo,
Enterprise work management platform with spreadsheet-style UI. Per-user pricing ...
Advertised
$9
/month
True Cost
$482
/month (typical)
Automation Action Limits
Pro: 250 automations/mo. Business: 10,000/mo. Enterprise: unlimited. Complex workflows with multiple...
Premium Connectors Add-On
Connectors for Jira, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Microsoft Dynamics cost $4,200/year per connector. ...
Dynamic View Add-On
Sharing filtered views with external stakeholders requires Dynamic View add-on, priced separately fr...
$9/mo annual
$19/mo annual
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. Smartsheet advertises $9/mo.
Gusto has 3 documented hidden fees. Smartsheet has 3.
Gusto confidence: 76%. Smartsheet confidence: 74%.
| Metric | Smartsheet | Gusto | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $9/mo | $40/mo | Smartsheet |
| True Monthly Cost | $482/mo | $136/mo | Gusto |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$473/mo | +$96/mo | Gusto |
| # Hidden Fees | 3 | 3 | Smartsheet |
| Confidence Score | 74% | 76% | Gusto |
| Pricing Tiers | 3 | 3 | — |
| Affiliate Program | None | None | — |
Smartsheet advertises $9/mo and Gusto advertises $40/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, Smartsheet has 3 documented hidden fees adding +$473/mo, while Gusto has 3 hidden fees adding +$96/mo. Based on true cost, Smartsheet is typically 78% cheaper.
Smartsheet has 3 documented hidden fees: Automation Action Limits, Premium Connectors Add-On, Dynamic View Add-On. These add approximately +$473/mo on top of the $9/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 Smartsheet if: Payroll, benefits, and HR platform for small businesses. Base at $40/mo + $6/person/mo, but benefits. Choose Gusto if: Enterprise work management platform with spreadsheet-style UI. Per-user pricing from $9-$32/user/mo,. 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. Smartsheet 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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