01 / Your buying guide
Which ADP product this compares
This compares Gusto with RUN Powered by ADP, the small business payroll product. Workforce Now is a different ADP platform and stays out of scope here.
Keep international hiring and larger-enterprise platform decisions separate from this US payroll comparison. A clear scope makes the proposal easier to discuss with your payroll and finance owners.
- Ask each rep to confirm in writing which product the proposal covers.
- Give both vendors the same headcount, states and pay frequency to quote against.
- Note the publication date beside any third party price you plan to rely on.
02 / Your buying guide
Decide by support and payroll needs
Gusto publishes Simple at $49 plus $6 per person monthly, Plus at $80 plus $12, and Premium at $180 plus $22. Simple covers a single state, while Plus and Premium cover multiple states.
RUN is quoted, and all four packages list payroll, tax filing, onboarding, multi-jurisdiction payroll and 24/7 payroll support. Gusto Premium includes a dedicated service advisor.
- Write down the hour you most often need help, then ask each vendor who answers then.
- Decide whether you want one named contact or a channel staffed around the clock.
- List the states you expect to file in next year, not just the ones you file in today.
| Decision | Gusto | ADP RUN |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Published monthly base + person rate | Written proposal for your setup |
| Several states | Plus or Premium | Multi-jurisdiction payroll listed across packages |
| Payroll help | Confirm plan support hours; Premium has a service advisor | 24/7 payroll support; confirm hours by channel |
| Time tracking | Included on Plus and Premium; add-on on Simple | Add-on to the selected RUN package |
03 / Your buying guide
Published prices versus a quote
Compare a full year, not a monthly headline. Our worksheet is a downloadable CSV you fill in yourself, not an automatic calculator: enter headcount, frequency, states, add-ons and setup, then total each column.
The ten-employee examples below show Gusto subscription arithmetic only. Leave the RUN figures blank until you receive a written proposal, then add the applicable annual and one-time charges on both sides.
- Record every state where you need payroll and confirm the selected package covers the entire list.
- Add a line for expedited payments, since same-day and instant options carry their own fees and eligibility rules.
- Total twelve-months before comparing, and keep taxes and benefit premiums out of the subscription column.
Your quote, on the same basis
Six lines to make the proposal clearer.
- Team
- Employees, contractors, states and entities
- Schedule
- Regular runs per year, expected off-cycle runs and payment speed
- Recurring fees
- Base, per-person, per-run and module fees; avoid counting a bundled item twice
- Annual extras
- Year-end forms, delivery and other separately quoted services
- First year
- Setup, data migration, training and any temporary discount
- Renewal
- Standard rate after the promotion and written cancellation terms
Use only the fee lines in your actual proposal. A blank price means unconfirmed, not zero. Compare subscription and service charges separately from wages, taxes and insurance premiums.
Download the annual worksheetA published-price reference: 10 employees.
| Gusto plan | Monthly subscription | 12-month subscription |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | $109 | $1,308 |
| Plus | $200 | $2,400 |
| Premium | $400 | $4,800 |
Regular rates checked September 20, 2026. Simple is single-state; Plus and Premium support multistate payroll. Excludes add-ons and other charges. These are different service scopes, not equivalent RUN packages. Enter the ADP quote in the worksheet before comparing totals.
04 / Your buying guide
Time, forms and service by package
Gusto includes time tracking on Plus and Premium and sells it on Simple as a $6 per person monthly add-on. With RUN, time and attendance is an add-on alongside retirement, workers compensation and health insurance.
Year-end forms are presented differently. Gusto documents electronic W-2 and 1099 forms, and ADP's package table marks W-2 and 1099 filing as an additional fee. Confirm extras such as corrections or mailing with each vendor.
- Ask each vendor to show the path from approved timesheet to funded pay run.
- Ask, in writing, what a form correction costs after filing.
- Check whether your current benefits broker setup carries over on each platform.
05 / Your buying guide
Switching scenarios
A midyear move is possible with either provider. ADP says timing depends on the data and service scope; Gusto describes full-year W-2 preparation using the prior wage information supplied during setup.
Agree a cutover date with both providers and your payroll owner. Reconcile prior wages and deductions, and put responsibility for quarter-end and year-end filings in writing.
- Ask who files the quarter in progress, and get that answer into the contract.
- Set the earliest pay date you would accept, then work back to a data deadline.
- Ask what happens if prior wage data arrives incomplete.
06 / Your buying guide
Making the call
Off-cycle handling is a useful tiebreaker. Gusto documents unlimited off-cycle payroll runs, with expedited payment fees and eligibility handled separately, while ADP off-cycle and year-end charges belong in your quote.
We read both vendors' official pages in a browser on September 20, 2026, and tested no customer account. Prices shown are the vendors' published figures in US dollars.
- Score each proposal on twelve-month total, support hours and states covered.
- Ask for termination terms in writing; ADP's FAQ says no long-term contract is required.
- Sign only once the final quote matches the worksheet you filled in.
Make your next conversation count
Bring a brief. Leave with a clear scope.
Compare Gusto and Rippling Still building your shortlist? Explore US payroll software.
Your questions, answered.
Is Gusto payroll better than ADP?
Neither wins outright. Gusto publishes plan prices and includes time tracking on Plus and Premium; RUN is quoted and lists 24/7 payroll support across its packages.
Read the source Additional referenceIs ADP cheaper than Gusto?
That depends on your quote. ADP does not publish RUN prices and says fees rise with pay frequency, so compare Gusto's published plan cost against a written ADP quote for the same setup.
Read the source Additional referenceDoes this comparison cover ADP RUN or Workforce Now?
This guide compares Gusto with RUN Powered by ADP for US small-business payroll. Workforce Now is a separate platform and is outside this comparison.
Read the sourceHow should annual payroll costs be compared?
Fill the downloadable CSV with headcount, frequency, states and add-ons, total twelve-months per vendor, and keep taxes and benefit premiums outside the subscription column.
Read the sourceWhich package supports a business operating in several states?
Gusto Plus and Premium support multiple states, while Simple is single state. RUN lists multi-jurisdiction payroll on all four packages; name your states in the quote.
Read the source Additional referenceWhat support is available outside business hours?
ADP lists 24/7 payroll support across RUN packages; confirm which channels are staffed around the clock. Gusto Premium includes a dedicated service advisor, and you should ask Gusto to state its hours.
Read the source Additional referenceHow do time tracking options differ?
Gusto includes time on Plus and Premium and sells it on Simple for $6 per person monthly. ADP time and attendance is an add-on to any RUN package.
Read the source Additional referenceAre year-end forms included in the quoted price?
Gusto documents electronic W-2 and 1099 forms, and you should confirm extras such as corrections. ADP marks W-2 and 1099 filing as an additional fee, so request that line.
Read the source Additional referenceHow are off-cycle payroll runs charged?
Gusto includes ordinary off-cycle runs; expedited payment speed may carry separate fees and eligibility conditions. ADP’s RUN FAQ says fees increase with payroll frequency. Ask for the charge for an extra run in your proposal.
Read the source Additional referenceWhat changes when a business adds contractors?
For Gusto employee plans, contractors are charged at the plan’s per-person rate in months when they are paid. ADP lists a separate contractor bundle; ask how contractors and year-end processing are billed in your mixed employee/contractor proposal.
Read the source Additional referenceCan a business switch payroll providers midyear?
Yes. ADP says a switch is possible at any time of year depending on data and scope, and Gusto says it can issue a full-year W-2 when prior wages are supplied.
Read the source Additional referenceWhat should be checked before signing a payroll contract?
Product name, package, twelve-month total, support hours by channel, year-end and off-cycle fees, states covered, and termination terms. ADP's FAQ says no long-term contract is required.
Read the sourceSources and method
Reviewed September 20, 2026. This guide examines official documentation and public pricing. Recommendations, demo questions and templates are editorial guidance. No customer account was tested and no savings or compliance outcome was measured.
Two FAQ questions came from People also ask observations in our September 19 US SERP and DataForSEO research. The other questions are editorial. This comparison concerns RUN, not every ADP product. Request current written terms for your company.
- www.adp.com · run powered by adp.aspx
- gusto.com · pricing
- www.adp.com · payroll packages.aspx
- gusto.com · faq
- www.adp.com · switching to adp.aspx