Short answer
The best Gusto alternative for most teams is OnPay (87/100). Multi-state payroll in all 50 states for $49 a month plus $6 per person; rated 4.8/5 on G2.
- OnPay (87/100): best overall alternative.
- Square Payroll (79/100): best for hourly and shift-based teams.
- Patriot Payroll (78/100): best for the lowest per-worker price.
- Rippling (82/100): best for growing companies.
- QuickBooks Payroll (77/100): best for QuickBooks users.
Gusto is our top-ranked payroll software, but its entry plan is single-state, and the per-person fee doubles when you move to Plus for multi-state payroll and next-day direct deposit. Teams look elsewhere when they pay people in several states, want a lower bill per employee, or need payroll, HR and benefits on one platform.
Why teams look for Gusto alternatives
- Multi-state costs more. Simple covers one state; multi-state payroll needs Plus at $80 a month plus $12 per person.
- Per-person fees climb by plan. Gusto charges $6 per person on Simple, $12 on Plus and $22 on Premium.
- Next-day pay isn't on Simple. Next-day direct deposit is a Plus feature or a paid add-on on Simple.
- Growing companies outgrow it. Teams adding global payroll, time tracking or deeper HR often look at an all-in-one platform.
Gusto alternatives compared
| Tool | Why pick it | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Vettlo score |
|---|
| Gusto (for reference) | Small businesses that want payroll, benefits and core people tools in one place | $49/mo + $6/person | Free until first payroll | 88/100 |
| OnPay | Best overall alternative | $49/mo + $6/person | 1 month free | 87/100 |
| Square Payroll | Best for hourly and shift-based teams | $35/mo + $6/person | No contract | 79/100 |
| Patriot Payroll | Best for the lowest per-worker price | $37/mo + $5/worker | 30-day trial | 78/100 |
| Rippling | Best for growing companies | From $8/employee/mo | Quote | 82/100 |
| QuickBooks Payroll | Best for QuickBooks users | $50/mo + $7/employee | 30-day trial | 77/100 |
Starting prices are the entry plan that files payroll taxes for you, from each vendor's pricing page on Oct 28, 2026, billed monthly. Gusto's pricing page didn't load for us; its Simple price is from Gusto's comparison pages, and its Plus and Premium prices from a pricing guide published on gusto.com. Patriot and QuickBooks also advertise introductory discounts; these are the regular prices. Rippling lists only its per-employee starting price; ADP prices by quote. Scores use the same weighted criteria as our payroll software ranking.
The alternatives
Starting price$49/mo + $6/personOne plan; HR add-on $15 + $2/worker, time tracking $15 + $4/worker
Free trial / planFirst month free
Vettlo score87/100
OnPay is full-service payroll with one base plan: $49 a month plus $6 per person paid. It includes unlimited pay runs, tax filings and payments in all 50 states, W-2s and 1099s, and integrations with no extra fee. HR tools, time tracking, compliance resources and live HR support are paid add-ons.
What you gain over Gusto
- Multi-state payroll in all 50 states for $49 a month plus $6 per person
- Rated 4.8/5 on G2
What you give up
- HR tools and time tracking are paid add-ons
- Contractors count toward the $6 per-person fee
Skip it if: You want HR, time tracking and payroll bundled on one plan without add-ons.
Starting price$35/mo + $6/personFull-service; contractor-only $6/person with no base fee
Free trial / planNo trial listed; no long-term contract
Vettlo score79/100
Square Payroll is full-service payroll for $35 a month plus $6 per person paid. It includes federal and state tax filings, multistate payroll, next-day direct deposit, scheduling, overtime calculations and direct-tip tracking. Contractor-only payroll costs $6 per person with no base fee.
What you gain over Gusto
- $35 a month plus $6 per person, with multistate payroll and next-day direct deposit
- Contractor-only payroll at $6 per person, no base fee
What you give up
- Benefits and workers' comp are add-ons
- Thinner HR tools
Skip it if: You need HR features such as an HR resource center or an HR advisor.
Starting price$37/mo + $5/workerFull Service Payroll; Basic (you file taxes) $17 + $4/worker
Free trial / plan30 days free, then 50% off for 3 months
Vettlo score78/100
Patriot Payroll comes in two plans. Basic ($17 a month plus $4 per worker) runs payroll and direct deposit while you file taxes yourself; Full Service ($37 plus $5 per worker) adds federal, state and local tax filings and deposits. Each additional state costs $12 a month, and time and attendance and HR software are add-ons at $6 a month plus $2 per employee each.
What you gain over Gusto
- $5 per worker on Full Service, $4 on Basic
- 30-day free trial
What you give up
- Each additional state costs $12 a month
- No built-in HR without the add-on
Skip it if: You have employees in several states or want benefits and HR in the same tool.
Starting priceFrom $8/employee/moPlus a monthly base fee; quoted by the products you choose
Free trial / planNo trial listed; 6 months free for eligible VC-backed startups
Vettlo score82/100
Rippling is a modular workforce platform. You pick products, such as payroll, global payroll, contractor payments, HRIS, benefits administration and time and attendance, and Rippling quotes a price that starts at $8 per employee per month plus a monthly base fee.
What you gain over Gusto
- Payroll, HRIS, benefits and time tracking on one employee record
- Global payroll and contractor payments
What you give up
- Price comes from a quote
- More setup
Skip it if: You only need to pay a handful of employees in one state.
Starting price$50/mo + $7/employeeWorkforce Payroll; Premium $88 + $13; Elite $134 + $17
Free trial / plan30-day trial of the base price, or 50% off for 3 months
Vettlo score77/100
QuickBooks Payroll, now sold as QuickBooks Workforce, works with or without QuickBooks Online. Workforce Payroll ($50 a month plus $7 per employee) includes next-day direct deposit; Premium ($88 plus $13) adds same-day direct deposit, time tracking and an HR resource center; Elite ($134 plus $17) adds expert setup, a certified HR advisor and tax penalty protection up to $25,000 a year.
What you gain over Gusto
- Next-day direct deposit on the entry plan, same-day from Premium
- Works with QuickBooks Online accounting
What you give up
- Higher entry price ($50 + $7 per employee)
- HR advisor access needs Elite
Skip it if: You don't use QuickBooks for accounting and want the lowest price.
How we picked these alternatives
Every tool here comes from our payroll software shortlist. We ordered them by how well each one solves the most common reasons teams leave Gusto, not only by overall score. See our methodology.
Gusto alternatives FAQ
What is the best alternative to Gusto?
OnPay for most small businesses: it costs the same $49 a month plus $6 per person as Gusto Simple but includes payroll and tax filing in all 50 states.
What is cheaper than Gusto?
For 10 employees, Square Payroll costs $95 a month and Patriot Full Service $87, against $109 for Gusto Simple and $200 for Gusto Plus at published prices.
Which Gusto alternative is best for multi-state payroll?
OnPay and Square Payroll include multi-state payroll on their only full-service plan; Gusto needs Plus.
Which Gusto alternative is best for a growing company?
Rippling, which adds HRIS, benefits, time tracking and global payroll on the same platform, priced by quote from $8 per employee per month plus a base fee.
Vettlo Editorial TeamResearched and written by the Vettlo editorial team using our methodology. Prices and plan details come from each vendor's public pricing page.