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Most buyers should pick Gusto.
Choose Gusto if you want published payroll pricing and a plan for basic payroll in one state: Simple starts at $49 per month plus $6 per person. Choose Paychex if you want payroll alongside HR guidance, benefits, compliance, or PEO services and are willing to request a quote. Neither lists a free plan. Paychex’s monthly rates are not published, so compare tailored quotes before deciding; Gusto’s per-person fees can also add up as your team grows.
01Side by side
| Gusto | Paychex | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Simple: $49/month + $6/person | Quote only; rates not published |
| Free plan | No free plan listed | No free plan listed |
| Best for | Basic payroll in one state | Businesses needing tailored payroll and HR |
| Core strength | Payroll, HR, and benefits software | Payroll, HR, benefits, and PEO services |
| Learning curve | Ease-of-use score: 7/10 | Ease-of-use score: 6.5/10 |
| Integrations and data | Specific integrations not published | Specific integrations not published |
| Team/seat costs | Per-person fees vary by plan | Pricing depends on employee count and needs |
| Support | Support score: 4/10; complaints noted | Support score: 6/10; advisory support offered |
Gusto Choose Gusto if
- Choose Gusto if you want published starting prices.
- Choose Gusto if you need basic one-state payroll.
- Choose Gusto if per-person pricing works for your team.
Paychex Choose Paychex if
- Choose Paychex if you want payroll with HR guidance.
- Choose Paychex if PEO services fit your needs.
- Choose Paychex if you are willing to request a quote.
02Pricing compared
Gusto publishes three priced plans, plus Gusto Solo, whose price is not published. Simple costs $49 per month plus $6 per person and covers basic payroll in one state. Plus is $80 plus $12 per person; Premium is $180 plus $22 per person. Gusto says plans are month-to-month and cancellable anytime, with no annual rates shown. Neither a free plan nor trial terms are listed.
Paychex does not publish monthly or annual prices for Basic, Foundations, Advanced, Complete, HR Pro, or HR PEO; it asks businesses to request a quote. Gusto gives you a clearer starting point, but per-person fees can add up. Some extras cost more: for example, Priority Support is $30 per month plus $3 per person, while Time & Attendance Plus is $6 per person per month after its free trial.
03Features and depth
Both products cover payroll, HR, benefits, and compliance, but their published details emphasize different things. Gusto lists payroll tax filings and payments, AutoPilot payroll runs, and time tracking that syncs hours with payroll. Its hiring tools include recruiting, offer letters, onboarding checklists, and digital signatures. It also supports employee benefits, contractor management, and compliance tools. Plus adds time tracking and scheduling, multi-state payroll, and contractor invoice management; Premium includes HR guidance and Gusto Business Compliance.
Paychex lists online payroll with automated tax administration, employee pay options, and W-2 and 1099 year-end processing. Its HR services include advisory support, recruiting and onboarding, time and attendance, and benefits such as 401(k) plans and health insurance. HR Pro adds HR guidance, payroll, safety, and 401(k); HR PEO bundles HR guidance, payroll, benefits, compliance, and risk management. Paychex also lists options such as HR consulting, applicant tracking, advanced scheduling, and job costing. The published plan descriptions don't establish exact feature parity.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Our review scores give Gusto a 7/10 for ease of use and Paychex a 6.5/10—a small edge for Gusto, not proof that either product will be easier for your team. The published material doesn't document setup time, training requirements, or specific interface differences, so we can't make a firm call on learning curve.
Gusto's published plan prices and inclusions make it easier to compare plans before contacting sales. Paychex's quote-only pricing means you need to request details to assess fit and cost. For either product, check which payroll, HR, and benefits features your team actually needs before comparing quotes.
Questions people ask
Is Gusto a good payroll service?
Gusto combines payroll, tax filings, time tracking, hiring, benefits, and HR tools. The published review gives it 6.3/10 overall, with 8/10 for features but 4/10 for support and user sentiment. That points to broad functionality, alongside concerns worth weighing before switching.
Is Paychex a big company?
The published material doesn't give Paychex's employee count, revenue, or customer count, so we can't verify its size from these details. It does describe Paychex as serving self-employed owners and businesses of different sizes, with payroll, HR, benefits, and advisory services.
What companies use Gusto?
The published material doesn't name Gusto customers or provide a customer list, so we can't identify specific companies that use it. It describes Gusto as payroll, HR, and benefits software for businesses, including tools for employees and contractors.
Is Gusto cheaper than ADP?
We can't establish that from these sources: they include Gusto pricing but no ADP prices or equivalent fee structure. Gusto Simple starts at $49 per month plus $6 per person, but a fair comparison needs ADP pricing for a similar plan and team.