Gusto
Best for: Small teams wanting simple payrollPros
- Automatic tax filings
- Fast self-serve setup
- Published pricing
Cons
- Limited IT/device tools
Rippling
Best for: Growing teams with IT needsPros
- Payroll + HR + IT in one
- Global options
Cons
- Quote-based pricing
Choose Gusto if the job is US payroll and tax filing at a price you can read. Choose Rippling if you also need apps, devices or a global workforce and you will sit through a quote. We have not run payroll in either product.
Side by side
| Gusto | Rippling | |
|---|---|---|
| Price we can print | October 2026 list: Simple $49 plus $6 a person, Plus $80 plus $12, Premium $180 plus $22. The pricing page returned an error on 6 November 2026, so these figures were not re-read. | Not a public price card. On 6 November 2026 the pricing FAQ said plans start at $8 per employee per month plus a monthly base fee, and that the total depends on the products you choose. |
| What that number is | A list price for payroll plans, before benefits premiums and some add-ons. | Not a quote for your company. Do not multiply $8 by headcount and call it the bill. |
| Scope | Payroll, tax filing, benefits administration and HR tools that scale by plan. | Payroll, HR, IT and finance modules sold together. Device and app management are the reason teams compare it with Gusto. |
| Contractors | The October materials describe contractor payments. A later packaging change was not re-read on 6 November because the help page was blocked. | Not confirmed from a public price page. |
| Our link | Official site, not an affiliate link | Official site, not an affiliate link |
Which one fits
- Single-state US team, published price, no device management: Gusto Simple, then check whether you have anyone in a second state.
- Multi-state payroll or more HR tools: Gusto Plus or Premium on the October list, then confirm the live page.
- Laptops, app access and payroll on one record: Rippling, after a quote.
- You want a PEO instead of software you run yourself: read the Justworks comparison. This page does not price a PEO.
Illustrative Gusto bills
Assumptions: the October 2026 list prices are still the ones on the site; every person is an active employee on that plan; benefits premiums, state registration and add-ons are excluded. This is arithmetic, not a customer result. Rippling is left blank.
| Team | Gusto arithmetic | Rippling |
|---|---|---|
| 5 people, Simple | $49 + 5 × $6 = $79 a month | Request a quote |
| 5 people, Plus | $80 + 5 × $12 = $140 a month | Request a quote |
| 25 people, Plus | $80 + 25 × $12 = $380 a month | Request a quote |
| 25 people, Premium | $180 + 25 × $22 = $730 a month | Request a quote |
Questions to answer first
- Will anyone work in a second state in the next year?
- Do you need to ship laptops or shut off app access when someone leaves?
- Are you paying contractors only, employees only, or both?
- Do you need a number before a sales call?
- Should benefits live in the same login?
Related: Gusto review · Gusto pricing · Rippling review · Best payroll software · PEO vs payroll software · Justworks vs Rippling · Methodology
Open Gusto's site →Official site, not an affiliate link
Open Rippling's site →Official site, not an affiliate link
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Payroll tax rules vary by state. Check with a qualified accountant for your situation.
How this page was made: from each provider's official product and pricing pages and its public documentation, read on the date named in the page. We have not run a hands-on test, lab benchmark, or paid user study for this page. A step-by-step section describes the vendor's published flow. It is not a test we performed.