AppBreakup

Gusto alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Gusto: employees must be in the US, and HR and reporting depth is limited for larger companies. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Gusto, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. OnPay currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1OnPay logoOnPayPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 366.5
2Rippling logoRipplingPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 562.6
3Justworks logoJustworksPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 559.6
4ADP Workforce Now logoADP Workforce NowPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 357.2
5Paychex Flex logoPaychex FlexPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 355.3
6Deel logoDeelPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 553.6
  1. OnPay logo

    1. OnPayTop pick

    Best for: Small US businesses that want inexpensive, full-service payroll with simple pricing

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Gusto

    Lower-cost US payroll with HR tools and simple pricing.

    Pros

    • Simple base-plus-per-worker pricing
    • Handles farms, tips and nonprofits well
    • Integrates with QuickBooks and Xero

    Cons

    • No international payroll
    • Basic HR and reporting for larger companies
    • Smaller ecosystem than Gusto
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is OnPay a good Gusto alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Starting price
    $49/month base + $6 per worker
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onpay.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Promotion
    One month free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onpay.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Benefits
    Licensed in-house agents
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onpay.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Rippling logo

    2. Rippling

    Best for: Growing companies that want HR, payroll, IT and spend automated from one system

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Gusto

    Payroll plus HR, IT and global options for growing companies.

    Pros

    • One employee record drives HR, payroll and IT
    • Global payroll, EOR and contractor payments
    • Strong workflow automation across modules

    Cons

    • Quote-based pricing that rises as you add modules
    • More than a very small business needs
    • Sales-led buying process
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Rippling a good Gusto alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Pricing
    Custom quote by modules
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rippling.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Scope
    HR, payroll, IT and finance
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rippling.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Customers
    25,000+ businesses
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rippling.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Contractor payments
    185+ countries
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rippling.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Integrations
    650+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rippling.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Justworks logo

    3. Justworks

    Best for: US small businesses that want PEO benefits and compliance help with clear pricing

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Gusto

    PEO option that pools benefits for better rates.

    Pros

    • Published per-employee pricing
    • Access to large-group benefits through the PEO
    • Payroll-only option without co-employment

    Cons

    • PEO costs more per employee than payroll alone
    • Co-employment means less control over benefits
    • Mainly for US-based teams
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Justworks a good Gusto alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Payroll plan
    $8/employee/month + $50 base fee
    Checked Oct 25, 2026justworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    PEO Basic
    $79/employee/month, no base fee
    Checked Oct 25, 2026justworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    PEO Plus
    $124/employee/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026justworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Global EOR
    $599/employee/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026justworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Payroll processed
    $31B in 2025
    Checked Oct 25, 2026justworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. ADP Workforce Now logo

    4. ADP Workforce Now

    Best for: Mid-sized US companies that want payroll and HR from a large, established provider

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Gusto

    Large provider with more support options as you scale.

    Pros

    • Payroll and tax compliance from a very large provider
    • Benefits, time and talent modules in one platform
    • App marketplace for integrations

    Cons

    • Quote-based packages with add-on costs
    • Interface feels dated next to newer tools
    • Support experience varies
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ADP Workforce Now a good Gusto alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Clients
    1,000,000+ (ADP overall)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026adp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Countries
    140+ (ADP overall)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026adp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Target size
    50 to 1,000+ employees
    Checked Oct 25, 2026adp.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Paychex Flex logo

    5. Paychex Flex

    Best for: Small and mid-sized US businesses that want payroll with a dedicated specialist

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Gusto

    Established payroll provider with dedicated support and HR services.

    Pros

    • Dedicated payroll specialists and HR services
    • Wide range of add-ons from benefits to PEO
    • Large, established provider

    Cons

    • No published prices
    • Add-on fees increase the total
    • Interface less modern than newer platforms
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Paychex Flex a good Gusto alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Clients
    About 840,000+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026paychex.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Automatic pay calculation
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026paychex.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Promotion
    3 months free (time-limited)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026paychex.com(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Deel logo

    6. Deel

    Best for: Companies hiring employees or contractors in countries where they have no entity

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Gusto

    Covers international employees and contractors Gusto cannot pay.

    Pros

    • EOR, contractors and global payroll in one platform
    • Wide country coverage
    • Extra tools such as HRIS, immigration and equipment

    Cons

    • EOR fees are high per employee
    • Support quality varies by country
    • Many products to navigate
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Deel a good Gusto alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    EOR price
    From $599 per employee/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026deel.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Contractor price
    From $49 per contractor/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026deel.com(opens source in a new tab)
    US PEO price
    From $125 per employee/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026deel.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Customers
    40,000+ companies
    Checked Oct 25, 2026deel.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Countries
    150+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026deel.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Gusto alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

OnPay logo

Best Gusto alternative for most people

OnPay

Lower-cost US payroll with HR tools and simple pricing.

Rippling logo

Best Gusto alternative for iPhone and Android

Rippling

Payroll plus HR, IT and global options for growing companies.

Justworks logo

Best Gusto alternative for working in the browser

Justworks

PEO option that pools benefits for better rates.

Gusto alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Gusto?

OnPay ranks first right now. Lower-cost US payroll with HR tools and simple pricing. Rippling and Justworks follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Gusto?

None of the 6 alternatives we track has a free plan; all are paid, though some offer trials.

Is there an open-source alternative to Gusto?

None of the 6 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from Gusto?

The complaints we hear most: employees must be in the US; HR and reporting depth is limited for larger companies; per-person fees add up as you grow.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Gusto, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.