Head to head
RUN Powered by ADP vs Gusto
Both platforms are scored with the same methodology and the same category rubric. Nothing on this page is influenced by advertising.
51/100 | 62/100Higher score | |
|---|---|---|
| Category rank | #5 | #3 |
| Confidence | High confidence | High confidence |
| External Reputation | 89 | 92 |
| AI Authority | 24 | 69 |
| Web Authority | 25 | 23 |
| Expert Assessment | 56 | 46 |
| TOP10 User Score | — | — |
| Pricing | Not published — third-party outlets (tech.co Jan 2026, business.com May 2026) report Essential from $79/month + $4 per employee, unconfirmed by ADP · free tier: None published | Reported at USD $35/month + $6 per contractor (Contractor Only) — not vendor-verified · free tier: None published or verified |
| Pricing model | Subscription (custom quote; base fee plus per-employee, per third-party reports) | Subscription (base fee plus per-person fee, with paid add-ons) |
| Best for | US small businesses of roughly 5–49 employees that prioritise reliable multi-state tax filing and 24/7 phone support over price transparency, and expect to add HR services later. | 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. |
| Avoid if | You need a published price to budget or compare, employ only 1–4 people, need a true HRIS with effective-dated records and deep HR reporting, or expect to outgrow the small-business tier soon given reported migration friction. | 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. |
| Markets | SMB (1–49 employees) | SMB, Mid-Market, Contractor-heavy businesses |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | Denver, Colorado, USA (offices also in San Francisco and New York) |
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.