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Most buyers should pick Gusto.
Choose Gusto if payroll is only part of the job: its plans add HR tools, time tracking, hiring and benefits, with Simple starting at $49/month plus $6 per person. Choose Roll by ADP for a chat-first payroll service with automated tax filing, unlimited live chat and three months free; its listed price is $59/month plus $7 per employee. Neither lists a free plan. Gusto’s per-person rate rises by plan, while Roll’s annual price and discount are not published.
01Side by side
| Gusto | Roll by ADP | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49/month + $6 per person | $59/month + $7 per employee |
| Free plan | No free plan listed | No free plan; three months free listed |
| Best for | Payroll plus HR, hiring and benefits | Small businesses running payroll |
| Core strength | Payroll, HR and benefits in one suite | Chat-based payroll with automated taxes |
| Learning curve | Payroll plus broader HR workflows | Conversational payroll interface |
| Integrations/data | Not published in provided details | Not published in provided details |
| Team/seat costs | $6, $12 or $22 per person monthly | $7 per employee; billing interval not stated |
| Support | Premium account support; review notes complaints | Unlimited live chat; homepage says 24/7 |
Gusto Choose Gusto if
- Choose Gusto if you need payroll plus HR tools.
- Choose Gusto if benefits, hiring or time tracking matter.
- Choose Gusto if the lower starting price matters.
Roll by ADP Choose Roll by ADP if
- Choose Roll by ADP if you want chat-based payroll controls.
- Choose Roll by ADP if three months free fits your plans.
- Choose Roll by ADP if unlimited live chat is a priority.
02Pricing compared
Gusto starts at $49/month plus $6 per person on Simple, which covers basic payroll in one state. Plus is $80/month plus $12 per person; Premium is $180/month plus $22 per person. The pricing page lists monthly rates, and says plans are month-to-month and cancellable anytime. Gusto Solo has no published price. Add-ons can raise the bill: Time & Attendance Plus is $6 per person/month after a free trial, and Priority Support is $30/month plus $3 per person.
Roll by ADP lists one plan at $59/month plus $7 per employee, with three months free. Its annual price and discount are not published, and the free-offer conditions aren’t specified here. Neither product lists a free plan. Gusto’s per-person charge varies by plan; Roll’s additional $7-per-employee billing interval isn’t stated.
03Features and depth
Gusto covers more than payroll. Its Simple plan includes tax filings and payments, plus basic PTO and holiday pay. Plus adds time tracking, scheduling, multi-state payroll and contractor invoice management. Premium adds HR guidance and tools, compliance support and premium account support. Gusto also lists hiring and onboarding, benefits, and tools for managing employee and contractor payroll. Some features and benefits may cost extra or depend on the plan.
Roll by ADP is more focused on payroll. Its listed features include unlimited payroll, payroll in all 50 states, automated tax filing and deposits, and same-day or next-day direct deposit availability. Users can run payroll through a chat-style interface, with a GenAI assistant, payroll alerts and unlimited live chat support listed. The GenAI assistance is included at no extra charge, according to the product information. The available details don’t show comparable HR, hiring or benefits tools for Roll, so teams needing those functions should check what’s included before switching.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Roll’s chat-based controls are its clearest usability distinction: the product says users can run payroll conversationally and get GenAI assistance. It also lists unlimited live chat support and 24/7 help on its homepage. Those features may suit owners who want a guided payroll workflow, but the materials here don’t describe training resources or setup requirements.
Gusto has a broader set of tasks to manage, including payroll, time tracking, hiring and benefits. Its feature range may reduce the need for separate tools, but there are more plan and add-on details to check. Gusto’s plans are month-to-month and cancellable anytime. Review scores give Gusto 7/10 for ease of use and Roll 8/10; those scores are useful context, not a guarantee for your team.
Questions people ask
Is Gusto payroll good?
Gusto’s listed features cover payroll, tax filings, PTO and, on higher plans, time tracking, HR tools and more. Our review scores it 6.3/10 overall, with stronger feature marks and lower support and user-sentiment marks. Whether it fits depends on which tools you need and the per-person cost.
How do I terminate my Gusto account?
The published information says Gusto plans are month-to-month and cancellable anytime, but it doesn’t publish account-termination steps. Check Gusto’s account or support materials for the current process, and confirm how final payroll, tax filings and employee records will be handled before closing the account.
Can I learn ADP on my own?
The published Roll by ADP details describe chat-based payroll, a GenAI assistant and unlimited live chat support, but don’t specify self-guided courses or training materials. You can’t infer from this information whether a particular learning resource is available; check Roll’s current help materials before relying on self-study.
Is ADP a good payroll provider?
Roll by ADP lists unlimited payroll, coverage in all 50 states, automated tax filing and deposits, and unlimited live chat. Our review scores it 5.9/10 overall, with ease of use rated higher than value and support. That makes it worth comparing, but the listed price is $59/month plus $7 per employee.