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Gusto vs ADP pricing
Gusto publishes its payroll prices and ADP does not, which is the main difference for small teams. This page compares them using StackScope's payroll and HR report, last verified October 2026.
Gusto's Simple plan is $49 per month plus $6 per person, which is $79 per month for 5 employees, $169 for 20 and $349 for 50. Plus is $80 per month plus $12 per person and Premium is $180 plus $22 per person. ADP's tiers, including Essential Payroll, Enhanced Payroll and HR Pro, have no public list price: pricing for 5, 20 or 50 employees requires a quote, and StackScope does not estimate it. ADP currently advertises 3 months free on its RUN page, which is a promotion rather than a permanent free tier. Neither has an ongoing free plan, and Gusto's free period ends when you run your first payroll. Gusto's Simple tier is single-state only, and multi-state payroll requires Plus or Premium.
| Tool | Free plan | Entry tier | Mid tier | Top tier / public price | Aggregated sentiment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gusto | No ongoing free plan — free period ends when the first payroll is run. [VENDOR] Simple is single-state; multi-state requires Plus/Premium. [VENDOR] | $49/mo + $6/personSimple · [VENDOR]. 5 employees — Monthly: $79; Annualized equivalent: $948; separate annual-billing list price: not published. 20 employees — Monthly: $169; Annualized equivalent: $2,028; separate annual-billing list price: not published. 50 employees — Monthly: $349; Annualized equivalent: $4,188; separate annual-billing list price: not published. [DERIVED — VENDOR] $49 + $6×employees. | $80/mo + $12/personPlus · [VENDOR] public price; multi-state payroll. Separate annual-billing list price: not published. | $180/mo + $22/personPremium · [VENDOR] public price; dedicated support and advanced HR. Separate annual-billing list price: not published. | Catch: [3P — G2 + Capterra] Support responsiveness and scaling costs are recurring concerns. Review sentiment from G2 and Capterra; praise centers on ease of use and setup. Capacity: [VENDOR] Simple supports one state; additional-state payroll requires a paid add-on/upgrade, with price varying by state. AI: Gus is Gusto's AI assistant for payroll, benefits and HR questions, confirmed available on web and mobile for employers and employees; no separate price has been published and it is not sold as a paid add-on. [VENDOR] |
| ADP | No ongoing free plan. [VENDOR] Current RUN page advertises "Get 3 Months Free*" on the package/add-on comparison; this is a promotion, not a permanent free tier, and the vendor page does not expose full eligibility terms. [VENDOR] | Get pricingEssential Payroll · [VENDOR] public tier, no list price. 5/20/50 monthly and annual: quote required; do not estimate. Current 3-month-free promotion is separate from standard price. | Get pricingEnhanced Payroll · [VENDOR] public tier; quote required. New tier confirmed between Enhanced and HR Pro: Complete Payroll & HR Plus (adds HR HelpDesk, handbook wizard, HR tracking/forms/training) — also quote-only, no public list price. [VENDOR] | Contact SalesHR Pro Payroll & HR — Contact Sales / no public list price; adds enhanced HR support, ATS, LMS, harassment-prevention training and legal assistance. [VENDOR] | Catch: [3P — G2 + Capterra] Some reviewers report occasional slowdowns, wait times and navigation friction; public price transparency is also limited. Review sentiment from G2 and Capterra; praise centers on ease of use, payroll processing, reporting and support. Capacity: [VENDOR] Essential includes multi-jurisdiction payroll and tax filing; no public state-count cap shown. AI: [VENDOR] ADP Assist virtual assistant, payroll inspector (AI-enabled error flagging) and smart timesheet import are now confirmed included across all four public packages — Essential, Enhanced, Complete Payroll & HR Plus, and HR Pro; no separate AI price published. |
Figures are aggregated from vendor pricing pages and independent third-party pricing research as of October 2026 and reflect published list prices. This page shows two of the four tools in the full Payroll & HR Software report, which carries the complete footnotes and every source conflict we flagged. Confirm current pricing directly with each vendor before purchasing. This is not a recommendation to buy any specific product.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Gusto cheaper than ADP?
Gusto's prices are public, at $79 per month for 5 employees on Simple, while ADP requires a quote for every tier, so StackScope cannot say which is cheaper for your business without one.
Does ADP publish its prices?
No. Essential Payroll, Enhanced Payroll and HR Pro are quote-only, and the current 3-months-free promotion is separate from the standard price.
Does Gusto cover multi-state payroll?
Not on Simple, which is single-state only. Multi-state payroll requires Plus or Premium.
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Vendor pricing: Gusto pricing · ADP pricing