Head to head
Gusto vs OnPay
Both platforms are scored with the same methodology and the same category rubric. Nothing on this page is influenced by advertising.
62/100Higher score | 54/100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Category rank | #3 | #4 |
| Confidence | High confidence | High confidence |
| External Reputation | 92 | 86 |
| AI Authority | 69 | 37 |
| Web Authority | 23 | 25 |
| Expert Assessment | 46 | 55 |
| TOP10 User Score | — | — |
| Pricing | Reported at USD $35/month + $6 per contractor (Contractor Only) — not vendor-verified · free tier: None published or verified | USD $49 base/month + $6 per worker (minimum $55/month for one worker) · free tier: Free first month; the 30-day free period begins after self-onboarding is completed and the bank account is verified. A free trial is also recorded on Capterra. |
| Pricing model | Subscription (base fee plus per-person fee, with paid add-ons) | Subscription (base fee plus per-worker fee) |
| Best for | US small businesses with roughly 1–50 salaried W-2 employees or heavy contractor use, with straightforward payroll, who value fast self-service setup and bundled benefits administration over hands-on account management. | US employers of roughly 1–50 workers, first-time employers, nonprofits and accounting firms running several small client payrolls, especially on a QuickBooks or Xero stack needing multi-state filing or 50-state benefits. |
| Avoid if | You need a responsive human on the phone when payroll breaks, run shift-based, multi-location or high-volume-hiring operations, require non-standard payroll customisation, are headcount-heavy enough that per-employee fees dominate, or are mid-way through a business banking change. | You need international or multi-currency payroll, a broad integration ecosystem (ATS, expense, ERP), PTO and live HR advice inside the base price, mid-market/enterprise capability, or you have zero tolerance for a missed tax filing without an accountant independently watching agency notices. |
| Markets | SMB, Mid-Market, Contractor-heavy businesses | SMB, Accounting firms and bookkeepers, Nonprofits |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | Denver, Colorado, USA (offices also in San Francisco and New York) | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
A higher TOP SCORE means more of the evidence favours that platform on this methodology — it is not a recommendation, and it does not account for your specific requirements. Advertisers are never declared the winner of a comparison.