Last updated: October 2026

Gusto vs ADP: How the Two Compare

This page compares Gusto’s published plan prices with ADP’s quote-based pricing.

Gusto’s published tiers and ADP’s quote pricing

Gusto publishes every tier on its pricing page, and these are its September 2026 rates. Simple runs $49 per month plus $6 per employee. Plus is $80 plus $12, and it adds multi-state filing, project tracking, and time tools. Premium sits at $180 plus $22 and targets firms that want a dedicated support contact.

ADP does not publish prices for RUN Powered by ADP.

At 10 employees on Gusto Simple, you pay $109 per month, or $1,308 a year. Above 50, ADP moves you to Workforce Now, which is sold by quote, and those agreements can run several years with price increases written in. That makes the cost predictable for the term, so ask for the length, the renewal terms and any scheduled increases in writing before signing.

Your move this week

Here is the action plan.

Count your current employee headcount by state. Write down every special requirement: union dues, tip allocation, certified payroll, garnishments, S corporation owner payroll, or multi-state remote workers. Take that list to the Gusto pricing breakdown. Call an ADP rep for a RUN quote and demand they itemize every fee, including year-end processing.

Neither payroll service provider is your compliance department. If Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 15 (Circular E) says something different than your rep, the IRS wins and may assess penalties and interest on the employer’s account.

Read the Gusto review and the ADP review before you sign anything. Pull the ADP pricing deep dive if the rep will not email you a written quote.

Check the Gusto vs Justworks comparison next.

This is not legal or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.