7 Best Gusto Alternatives in 2026 (Free & Paid)

OnPay is what Gusto should have stayed: simple, powerful payroll for small businesses that don't need 50 HR modules. The interface is cleaner, the pricing is more transparent, and the customer support is legendary (real humans who actually answer!).

What makes OnPay special is its focus on doing payroll really well instead of trying to be everything. You get full-service payroll (including tax filing), time tracking, benefits administration, and HR essentials—but without the overwhelming feature sprawl that makes Gusto feel like homework.

The onboarding is smooth (2-3 business days vs. Gusto's sometimes week-long setup), and the mobile app is actually intuitive. Plus, OnPay includes HR support and new hire reporting at no extra cost—features Gusto charges for. It integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks, Xero, and most accounting software.

The main limitation? If you need advanced performance management tools or sophisticated org charts, you'll need to supplement with another tool. But for 90% of small businesses, OnPay hits the sweet spot of powerful and simple.

If Gusto feels like it's doing too much, Rippling will blow your mind—in a good way. This is the platform for companies that want to automate everything: HR, payroll, benefits, IT provisioning, app management, and device deployment. It's what happens when a payroll company and an IT department have a very ambitious baby.

The killer feature is automation. When you hire someone in Rippling, it automatically provisions their email, Slack, GitHub, laptop, and 500+ other apps—all from one dashboard. When they leave, it revokes everything instantly. This isn't just convenient; it's a security game-changer.

Payroll and benefits are best-in-class (better than Gusto, honestly), and the reporting is enterprise-grade. The custom workflows let you automate things like "when someone hits 90 days, assign them this benefit package and send their manager this survey." It's powerful stuff.

The catch? It's complex. You need someone technical (or willing to learn) to set it up properly. And while pricing starts lower than Gusto, it adds up fast once you turn on all the cool features. But if you're growing fast and automation excites you, Rippling is worth every penny.

Wave Payroll is the "less is more" answer to Gusto. If you're a solopreneur, freelancer, or tiny team (under 10 people), Wave is brilliantly simple. It's built by the same folks who make Wave Accounting—the free accounting software beloved by bootstrappers—so it integrates seamlessly if you're already in that ecosystem.

The payroll process is stripped down to the essentials: enter hours, approve payroll, done. Tax filing is automatic (federal, state, and local). Direct deposit works flawlessly. There's no benefits administration or performance reviews or employee surveys—just good, reliable payroll that doesn't make you think too hard.

Pricing is straightforward: $40/month base + $6 per employee (same as Gusto's base tier). But Wave doesn't nickel-and-dime you with add-ons. What you see is what you get. The mobile app is basic but functional, and customer support is surprisingly responsive for a budget tool.

The limitation is scale. Once you hit 15-20 employees or need HR features beyond basic payroll, you'll outgrow Wave. But for tiny teams that just need to pay people legally and on time, it's perfect.

Justworks is a different beast: it's a PEO (Professional Employer Organization), which means they become your co-employer to give you access to Fortune 500-level benefits and handle all your HR compliance. If Gusto's benefits options feel limited or you're drowning in HR paperwork, Justworks might be your escape hatch.

The big win is benefits. Through Justworks, your tiny 8-person company can offer health insurance, dental, vision, 401(k), FSA, HSA, and commuter benefits that would normally require 100+ employees to access. The rates are often better than what you'd get on the small group market. They also handle all the annoying compliance stuff—unemployment claims, workers comp, wage garnishments—so you don't have to.

Payroll runs smoothly, and the platform is clean (though not as pretty as Gusto). You get HR support from real people who know employment law, which is invaluable when you're navigating leave policies or terminations. They also handle multi-state payroll seamlessly if you're hiring remote workers.

The downside is cost: $59 per employee per month is significantly more than Gusto. But you're not just paying for software—you're paying for serious HR support and premium benefits access. If you have employees who value good benefits, the math often works out.

ADP Run is the "grow up" option. If Gusto feels too startup-y or you need something more robust for 20-200 employees, ADP brings enterprise credibility and decades of payroll expertise. It's not as pretty or modern as Gusto, but it's powerful, reliable, and handles complex scenarios (multi-state, union workers, certified payroll) that make other platforms sweat.

The platform combines payroll, time tracking, HR management, and benefits in one place. What sets ADP apart is depth: custom reporting that can slice data 50 ways, sophisticated compliance tools, and integrations with virtually every accounting and ERP system on the planet. If you have an accountant or CFO, they probably already know how to work with ADP.

Support is another differentiator. You get a dedicated account manager (not just email support), and ADP's network of HR and tax experts is massive. When you call, someone answers. When something breaks, they fix it fast. That reliability is worth a lot when payroll mistakes can cost thousands.

The learning curve is steeper than Gusto, and pricing is less transparent (you need to call for a quote, which is annoying). But if you're past the scrappy startup phase and need something that scales, ADP Run is solid.

Paychex Flex is ADP's main competitor and offers similar enterprise muscle with slightly more modern UI. The "Flex" name is accurate: the platform is highly modular, so you can start with basic payroll and add time tracking, HR, benefits, retirement, and even PEO services as you grow. If you're worried about outgrowing Gusto's capabilities, Paychex scales from 5 to 5,000 employees.

The payroll engine is rock-solid, handling everything from simple hourly workers to complex commission structures, garnishments, and certified payroll for contractors working on government projects. The mobile app is decent (better than ADP's), and employee self-service is well-designed—people can update their W-4, check pay stubs, and request PTO without bugging HR.

Paychex's benefits administration is particularly strong. They have partnerships with major insurance carriers and can help you set up and manage health insurance, retirement plans, and even student loan repayment programs. The HR support library is extensive, with templates for everything from employee handbooks to performance review forms.

Downsides? Like ADP, pricing isn't transparent (prepare to negotiate), and you might feel like you're buying a luxury car with all the upsells. The interface is functional but won't win design awards. But if you need something that definitely won't break as you scale, Paychex delivers.

If your team is remote, international, or contractor-heavy, Gusto won't cut it—and Deel is your answer. This platform is built specifically for companies that hire globally, whether that's contractors, full-time employees in other countries, or a mix. They handle the legal compliance, payroll, benefits, and taxes for 150+ countries, which is basically magic.

Paying contractors through Deel is ridiculously easy. They can invoice through the platform, you approve, and Deel handles payment in their local currency through their preferred method (bank transfer, PayPal, crypto, etc.). No more wire transfer fees or currency conversion headaches. For international employees, Deel partners with local entities (EORs) to hire people legally in countries where you don't have a business entity.

The platform also handles compliance automatically—local tax laws, employment contracts that meet country-specific requirements, and even IP assignment agreements. This alone saves thousands in legal fees. The dashboard gives you a single view of your entire global team, and you can run payroll for everyone (US and international) in one click.

The catch? If you're purely US-based with W-2 employees, Deel is overkill and more expensive than Gusto. But if you're hiring internationally or working with contractors, it's a game-changer. They also recently added US payroll, so you can consolidate everything in one place.