📊 Compiled from public vendor pricing pages•🔄 Pricing check date not recorded•Report incorrect pricing →

Gusto advertises $40/month. Counting its 2 documented recurring fees, an illustrative monthly estimate is $86/month, plus $50 in one-time costs that are not part of the monthly figure. This data has not yet been compared with the vendor's pricing page, so confirm current prices before buying. Vendor site (gusto.com) — check its pricing page.

Project Management

Gusto True Cost Calculator

Payroll, benefits, and HR platform for small businesses. Base at $40/mo + $6/person/mo, but benefits administration, state tax registration, and contractor payments add hidden per-person costs.

Advertised Price

$40

/month

Estimated Monthly Cost

$86

/month (illustrative scenario)

plus $50 one-time costs

Vs. Advertised

2.2×

of the advertised price

Pricing Data

Pricing check date not recorded

Prices change often — confirm on the vendor's site before buying.

Calculate Your Exact Cost →

Hidden Fees & Gotchas

What the pricing page doesn't tell you

Per-Person Fee Scaling

Simple plan: $40/mo + $6/person. Plus: $80/mo + $12/person. Premium: $180/mo + $22/person. A 25-person team on Plus = $380/mo. Premium = $730/mo.

Trigger: employees > 1

+$6/mo

Benefits Administration Add-On

Health insurance, 401(k), and benefits administration are not included in Simple. Plus plan ($80/mo base) or benefits add-ons required, adding significant per-employee cost.

Trigger: benefits > 0

+$40/mo

State Tax Registration Fees

Registering for state taxes in new states costs $35-$100 per state as a one-time fee. Multi-state remote teams with employees in many states face hundreds in registration fees.

Trigger: stateRegistrations > 1

+$50 one-time

Recurring hidden fees: +$46/mo on top of the $40 advertised price, plus $50 in one-time costs

Gusto Pricing Tiers

Plan	Monthly	Annual (per mo)	Key Limits	Overage Rules
SimplePOPULAR	$40	$40	Payroll: true Tax Filings: true Workers Comp: false Direct Deposit: true	$6/person over 0
Plus	$80	$80	Pto: true Payroll: true Workers Comp: true Time Tracking: true	$12/person over 0
Premium	$180	$180	Payroll: true Employee Surveys: true R And D Tax Credits: true Compliance Alerts: true	$22/person over 0