Gusto alternatives: when your team stops being simple or US-only
Gusto does plain US payroll well, so people usually look elsewhere when the team stops being plain or US-only. Since 1 May 2026 Gusto refers new international hires to Remote's employer-of-record service, from about $599 per employee a month on a separate contract. Others need enterprise or multi-entity HR, or watch the per-person fees climb as headcount grows.
Most tools on this page are affiliate partners of ours, Gusto included: we may earn a commission if you sign up through a button here, at no extra cost to you. That is why the page also says when to stay with Gusto.
Why people look beyond Gusto
- US only. Since 1 May 2026 new international hires go to Remote's employer-of-record service, from about $599 per employee a month, on a separate contract.
- Base plus per-person adds up. A twenty-person team pays $169 a month on Simple, $320 on Plus and $620 on Premium (our arithmetic on the rates read 16 October 2026).
- Our review puts complex, multi-entity HR outside what Gusto is built for.
- The Contractor Only plan ($35 a month plus $6) was gone from the pricing page by 16 October 2026; Solo at $49 plus $6 now sits on the Pay Myself tab.
Gusto today: Simple $49 a month plus $6 per person (single-state payroll) (read 16 Oct 2026)
The alternatives
1. Deel
Best forCompanies paying contractors or hiring employees outside the US without a local entity.
Why switchDeel pays contractors compliantly in 150+ countries for $49 per contractor a month, and its EOR employs a hire abroad from $599 per employee a month (read 9 October 2026). That EOR floor matches the Remote service Gusto refers to, so the gain is one vendor for everyone, not a lower price.
Watch outEvery price is a starting figure behind a demo, and buyers on Capterra and G2 (August 2026) report all-in EOR costs 20 to 60% above the quoted fee.
Price we readFrom $14 a month per worker for Find talent (hiring); Contractor, PEO and EOR are priced separately, up to $599 (read 9 Oct 2026)
Try Deel →2. Rippling
Best forGrowing companies that want payroll, IT and Finance on one employee record.
Why switchOne hire can trigger payroll, a provisioned laptop and app access at once, and admins on Capterra (August 2026) say onboarding and offboarding is where it earns its keep. Our Rippling dossier describes it as the broader system that also scales internationally, where Gusto is US-only.
Watch outThe published $8 per employee a month plus a $40 base fee is only the floor (read 16 October 2026); the real price is quoted, and one franchise operator says it could not split labour across locations.
Price we readFrom $8 per employee a month plus a $40 monthly base fee (published floor); real price is quote-based (read 16 Oct 2026)
Try Rippling →3. ADP
Best forUS employers who would rather have a named account team than a self-service tool.
Why switchADP has run payroll for over 75 years and gives its own figure of more than 900,000 small businesses on RUN. Small employers on Capterra (August 2026) describe its payroll runs and tax filings as quick and dependable.
Watch outIt publishes no price: on 11 October 2026 all four RUN tiers said Get pricing, and a controller (February 2026) reports RUN could not handle employees working across states.
Try ADP →Stay with Gusto if
- Your team is all in the US and you want to cost payroll yourself: Simple is $49 a month plus $6 per person (read 16 October 2026).
- Staff work in several states: Plus at $80 a month plus $12 per person adds multi-state payroll, next-day pay and time tracking.
- You want no lock-in: Gusto is month to month with no long-term contract, and US contractors are billed only in months you pay them.
Questions buyers ask
What is the best Gusto alternative for staff abroad?
Deel, of the tools in our dossiers. It pays contractors in 150+ countries from $49 per contractor a month and offers EOR from $599 per employee a month (read 9 October 2026). Both are starting prices, so get a quote for your country.
Is ADP cheaper than Gusto?
We cannot say. ADP publishes no price for RUN (checked 11 October 2026), so the only way to compare is to get an ADP quote and set it against Gusto's published rates.
Does Gusto get cheaper per person as the team grows?
Per head, yes. On Simple, five employees cost about $79 a month, or $15.80 each, and fifty cost $349, or $6.98 each (our arithmetic on the rates read 16 October 2026).
Where these facts come from
Gusto's pricing page and pricing FAQ, read in a browser on 16 October 2026. Deel's pricing page (9 October 2026), Rippling's pricing page (16 October 2026) and ADP's package comparison (11 October 2026). Prices change: each one carries the date we read it, and our reviews are re-checked against the vendor pages.