RecommendedFeatured
Starts at
Free plan
- Starting price
- $49/mo + $6/mo per person
- Simple plan. A contractor-only plan is $35/mo + $6/mo per contractor, currently promoted at a $0/mo base for the first 6 months.
- Free trial / plan
- No free plan. Gusto states there are no contracts, free account setup, and you can switch or cancel anytime.
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Web
- App Advisor rating
- 4.4
- transparency & India fit
What is Gusto?
Gusto is a US small-business payroll, benefits and HR platform. Its payroll engine files US federal, state and local payroll taxes — that is the product.
Pricing is fully published: a base monthly fee plus a per-person fee, across three plans, with a separate contractor-only plan.
For India, Gusto does two things and neither is Indian payroll: it pays Indian contractors as part of its global contractor payments add-on (120+ countries, no monthly per-contractor fee), and it has offered Employer of Record hiring in India through a partnership with Remote.
Gusto's help centre indicates that from 1 May 2026 customers wanting to hire international employees are referred directly to Remote for EOR. If an Indian hire is your reason for looking at Gusto, verify the current arrangement with Gusto before you buy.
What works well
- +Completely transparent pricing right down to the add-ons, including the $200 annual benefits service charge and the $6/employee broker fee.
- +Unlimited payroll runs and no charge for off-cycle payrolls — a genuine cost saver versus per-run pricing.
- +Strong small-business usability and a well-regarded employee app.
- +Global contractor payments in 120+ countries with no per-contractor monthly fee is unusually generous for paying Indian freelancers.
What to watch out for
- −Payroll is US-only. Gusto cannot run Indian statutory payroll under any plan.
- −EOR is Remote's product, and Gusto's help centre signals a shift to referring international-employee customers directly to Remote from 1 May 2026 — so the 'hire in India inside Gusto' story may no longer hold.
- −Per-person pricing on Premium ($22/person/month on top of a $180 base) gets expensive as headcount grows.
- −Benefits, tax credits and much of the value are US-specific and worthless to an India-only buyer.
Best suited for: US companies with an Indian contractor bench that want one system for US payroll and global contractor payouts · Indian founders who have incorporated a US entity and need US payroll for US staff · Small businesses that want published pricing and no contract lock-in · Contractor-first businesses that have not yet hired W-2 employees
AI analysis of Gusto
Analysing Gusto — pricing, features, reviews and alternatives…
Generated by App Advisor's native engine from this listing's verified data — not a paid placement.
Gusto features
Researched from Gusto's official product pages · updated September 2026.
US payroll
- Unlimited payroll runs per month with no charge for off-cycle payrolls
- Federal, state and local tax filings and payments
- Payroll on AutoPilot for recurring runs
- Multiple pay rates and pay schedules
- Direct deposit or printable checks
- Same-day, next-day and instant pay options on higher tiers or as add-ons
Contractors
- Domestic (US) contractor payments included on every plan
- Form 1099 creation and filing
- Global contractor payments in 120+ countries as an add-on, with no monthly per-contractor fee
- W-8BEN / W-8BEN-E collection and storage for non-US contractors
Benefits (US)
- Health, dental and vision through Gusto's licensed brokers, or integrate your existing broker
- Workers' compensation, pay-as-you-go
- Life and disability cover
- 401(k) integrated with payroll
- HSA, FSA, dependent care FSA and commuter accounts
HR tools
- Employee and employer mobile apps
- Time & Attendance Plus with project tracking, time off and scheduling
- Performance reviews, real-time feedback, goal tracking and surveys
- Custom admin roles (Premium)
Money and finance
- Gusto Money Plus for business money management
- Workforce cost reports (Plus and above)
- Accounting integrations including QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks and others
Gusto pricing (USD)
SourceEvery edition as published by the vendor. Prices exclude GST unless stated. Full Gusto pricing breakdown
Simple
$49/mo + $6/mo per person
base fee plus per person, per month
- Unlimited payroll runs, direct deposit or printable checks
- US tax filings and payments, payroll approvals, Payroll on AutoPilot
- Domestic contractor payments included
- Expenses and reimbursements only as a paid add-on at this tier
Plus
$80/mo + $12/mo per person
base fee plus per person, per month
- Everything in Simple
- Workforce cost reports
- Unlimited custom earning types
- Expenses and reimbursements included
Premium
$180/mo + $22/mo per person
base fee plus per person, per month
- Everything in Plus
- Unlimited custom admin roles
- Same-day pay and Instant pay
- Health insurance broker integration at no extra cost
Contractor Only
$35/mo + $6/mo per contractor
base fee plus per contractor, per month
- For businesses with no W-2 employees yet
- Domestic contractor payments, 4 day pay, Form 1099 creation and filings
- Gusto advertises a discounted base price of $0/mo for the first 6 months (promotional terms apply)
- Does not include back-up withholding or other state-required contractor withholding
Other pricing options & add-ons
Global contractor payments
Pay contractors in more than 120 countries. This is the route most Indian contractor relationships would use.
Add-on; Gusto states no monthly per-contractor fee
Employer of Record (Gusto Global, powered by Remote)
Gusto's help centre states you can add non-US employees "for as low as $599 per employee per month". Remote is the legal employer. Gusto's help centre indicates customers hiring international employees on or after 1 May 2026 are referred directly to Remote.
From $599 per employee per month
Priority Support
Available as an add-on on Simple and Plus; not needed on Premium
$30/mo + $3/mo per person
Health insurance broker integration
Free for Premium plan customers. Keeping your own broker inside Gusto.
$6/month per eligible employee
Tax-advantaged benefits (HSA, FSA, dependent care FSA, commuter)
One charge covers all four account types. US benefit accounts.
$200 annual service charge
State tax registration, R&D tax credits, Next-Day/Instant/Same-day pay, Time & Attendance Plus, Performance
Prices for these are shown on Gusto's add-on section rather than in the plan cards
Priced add-ons
- • Plan prices were taken from Gusto's individual plan pages (gusto.com/product/price/simple, /price/plus, /pricing/premium) on 18 September 2026 because the comparison table renders the figures in tabs.
- • Gusto states: "No contracts. Free account setup. Switch or cancel anytime."
- • US contractors are billed at the per-person cost of whichever plan you are on, and Gusto states it only bills for contractors in months when you have paid them.
- • The $0/mo base on the Contractor Only plan is a limited-time promotional offer for the first 6 months, subject to Gusto's promotional terms.
- • All prices are USD. Gusto does not publish INR pricing and we have not converted.
Buying for a team? App Advisor can get you a volume quote and any partner discount available.
Integrations, security & India
Integrations
- Accounting: QuickBooks, Xero, Aplos, ZipBooks, Autobooks, FreshBooks
- Operations and time: Expensify, Hubstaff, Clover, Homebase
- Full directory at gusto.com/product/integrations
For Indian businesses
- Gusto does not run Indian payroll. There is no PF, ESI, professional tax, TDS or Form 16 capability. Gusto's payroll engine is built for US federal, state and local taxes.
- Paying Indian contractors is well supported: Gusto's global contractor payments add-on covers more than 120 countries and Gusto states there is no monthly per-contractor fee for it. Gusto's own India guide walks through onboarding an Indian contractor, self-onboarding with local bank details, and collecting Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E.
- Gusto's India country guide is explicit that as a US employer you are not required to withhold or pay Indian taxes for Indian contractors — that obligation sits with the contractor. This is correct but it is also the classification trap: if the person works like an employee, Indian labour law will treat them as one regardless of your contract.
- For full-time Indian employees, Gusto has offered EOR through Remote — Gusto's help centre lists India among the supported countries and quotes pricing "as low as $599 per employee per month", with Remote as the legal employer.
- Important caveat: Gusto's help centre indicates that customers wanting to hire international employees on or after 1 May 2026 are referred directly to Remote at remote.com/partners/gusto. Confirm the current arrangement with Gusto before you plan an India hire around it.
- Gusto's help centre also notes a prerequisite: you must fully onboard to Gusto and run payroll for at least one US employee before you can add non-US employees. An India-only company cannot use this route.
- All Gusto pricing is USD. There is no INR price list.
Mobile apps
Gusto lists both a Gusto employee app and an employer mobile app as features included on every plan.
What reviewers say about Gusto
Scores published on independent review sites — follow the links for the full reviews.
Support, resources & partner network
Support & learning
- Basic Support included on Simple and Plus
- Priority Support add-on at $30/mo + $3/mo per person for faster phone and chat access
- Premium plan includes prioritised support without the add-on
- Public Help Center at support.gusto.com
Is Gusto the best choice for you?
Best choice if you are…
- US companies with an Indian contractor bench that want one system for US payroll and global contractor payouts
- Indian founders who have incorporated a US entity and need US payroll for US staff
- Small businesses that want published pricing and no contract lock-in
- Contractor-first businesses that have not yet hired W-2 employees
Look elsewhere if you are…
- Any company whose main requirement is Indian statutory payroll
- Enterprises needing multi-country native payroll
- Companies with no US footprint at all — most of Gusto's value is US tax and benefits machinery
Still comparing? Get an unbiased shortlist and demos arranged for free.
Sources (7) · updated September 2026
- https://gusto.com/product/pricing
- https://gusto.com/product/price/simple
- https://gusto.com/product/price/plus
- https://gusto.com/product/pricing/premium
- https://gusto.com/product/global/country-guide/india
- https://support.gusto.com/article/231027160926237/add-and-pay-non-us-employees-with-employer-of-record-eor-powered-by-remote
- https://gusto.com/product/global/gcp
Specifications
- Category
- HRMS software, Payroll software
- Vendor
- Gusto
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, United States
- Founded
- 2011
- Pricing model
- Subscription
- Starting price
- ₹3,000/mo
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Platforms
- Web
- Best for
- Small business, SMB, Mid-market
- Made in India
- No
More software like Gusto
Alternatives, the same vendor's other products and India-first picks.
Compare all Gusto alternatives with pricing →
Gusto — frequently asked questions
What is Gusto pricing?+
Simple is $49/mo plus $6/mo per person, Plus is $80/mo plus $12/mo per person, and Premium is $180/mo plus $22/mo per person. A Contractor Only plan is $35/mo plus $6/mo per contractor, currently promoted with a $0/mo base for the first six months. Gusto states there are no contracts and setup is free.
Does Gusto support Indian payroll?+
No. Gusto's payroll engine files US federal, state and local taxes. It does not calculate PF or ESI, does not handle professional tax or TDS, and does not issue Form 16. If you employ people in India, Gusto cannot be your payroll system.
Can I pay Indian contractors with Gusto?+
Yes. Gusto's global contractor payments add-on covers more than 120 countries and Gusto states there is no monthly per-contractor fee. Gusto's India guide covers onboarding, local bank details and collecting Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E. As a US payer you do not withhold Indian tax — that is the contractor's obligation.
Can I hire a full-time employee in India through Gusto?+
Gusto has offered this through Gusto Global, powered by Remote, with India among the supported countries and pricing quoted from $599 per employee per month. However, Gusto's help centre indicates that from 1 May 2026 customers wanting international employees are referred directly to Remote. Confirm the current position with Gusto before planning around it.
Is Gusto available in India?+
Gusto sells US payroll to US businesses. There is no Indian product, Indian entity offering or INR pricing. Its relevance to an Indian buyer is paying Indian contractors from a US business, or running US payroll if you have a US entity.
What is the difference between Gusto Simple, Plus and Premium?+
Simple covers core payroll and tax filing. Plus adds expenses and reimbursements, workforce cost reports and unlimited custom earning types. Premium adds unlimited custom admin roles, same-day and instant pay, prioritised support and free broker integration.
Does Gusto offer a free trial?+
Gusto does not advertise a free trial. It offers free account setup, no contracts, and the ability to cancel anytime, plus a promotional $0/mo base on the Contractor Only plan for the first six months.
Are there hidden costs in Gusto?+
Gusto is unusually explicit about add-ons, but budget for them: Priority Support at $30/mo plus $3/mo per person, broker integration at $6/month per eligible employee (free on Premium), and a $200 annual service charge covering HSA, FSA, dependent care FSA and commuter accounts.
What is Gusto?+
Gusto is hrms software by Gusto. US payroll and HR for small businesses.
How much does Gusto cost?+
Gusto starts at about ₹3,000 per month according to the vendor's published pricing. Plans and taxes vary, so confirm on the official site.
Does Gusto offer a free trial or free plan?+
Gusto typically offers a free trial before you commit to a paid plan.
Is Gusto made in India?+
No. Gusto is developed by Gusto in San Francisco, United States, though it is used by Indian businesses.
Who is Gusto best suited for?+
Gusto suits small business, smb, mid-market buyers looking for hrms software with payroll software.
What are the best alternatives to Gusto?+
Popular alternatives in hrms software include greytHR, Zoho People, Kredily. Use App Advisor's compare tool to see them side by side.
How is Gusto deployed?+
Gusto is available as a cloud (SaaS) product, with web access.
About Gusto
Gusto · San Francisco, United States · Founded 2011 · 1 product in our catalogue
Recommended hrms software
Top-rated in this category on App Advisor's rating — pricing transparency, India readiness and maturity. How we rate
Get an instant demo