Our verdict
OnPay is the better value for most small businesses: one inexpensive plan covers what many need. Gusto is worth the premium if you want its employee experience and are likely to use Plus-tier HR and time tools.
Gusto and OnPay are two of the most popular full-service payroll providers for small US businesses. Both file payroll taxes automatically, pay employees and contractors, and offer benefits administration. Gusto is the better-known brand with a polished employee experience and tiered HR features. OnPay competes with a single, all-inclusive plan that is often cheaper.
Choose Gusto if…
- You want a polished employee experience and onboarding
- You value add-ons like time tracking, performance and hiring tools
- You may need higher-tier HR support later
- You want a broad accounting and app integration list
Choose OnPay if…
- You want one simple plan with nearly everything included
- Cost per employee is your top priority
- You run a business with niche needs such as farms or restaurants
- You want to avoid tier upgrades as you grow
Side by side
| Criterion | Gusto | OnPay |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.5 / 10 | 8.2 / 10 |
| Features & fit | 8.4 | 7.8 |
| Ease of use | 9.2 | 8.6 |
| Value for money | 8.3 | 9.0 |
| Support & reliability | 8.0 | 8.4 |
| Security & privacy | 8.4 | 8.2 |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 8.6 | 7.4 |
| Starting price (indicative) | Base fee from around $49 / month plus a per-person fee | Around $49 / month + $6 / person |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | No | Yes |
| Best for | US small businesses hiring their first employees | US small businesses wanting simple pricing |
Feature by feature
| Feature | Gusto | OnPay |
|---|---|---|
| Base price (indicative) | From ~$49 / month + ~$6 / person (Simple) | ~$49 / month + ~$6 / person |
| Tiers | Simple, Plus, Premium | One plan |
| Automatic tax filing | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-state payroll | Plus and above | Included |
| Contractor payments | Yes | Yes |
| Benefits administration | Yes | Yes |
| Time tracking | Plus and above | Via integrations |
| Accounting integrations | QuickBooks, Xero and more | QuickBooks, Xero and more |
Pricing compared
Gusto
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | ≈ $49 / mo base + $6 / employee / mo | Base fee plus per person |
| Plus | ≈ $80 / mo base + $12 / employee / mo | — |
| Premium | ≈ $180 / mo base + $22 / employee / mo | — |
OnPay
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OnPay Payroll | ≈ $49 / mo | Base fee; plus about $6 per person |
| Team size | Gusto | OnPay |
|---|---|---|
| 5 seats | $79 (Simple) | Flat pricing |
| 10 seats | $109 (Simple) | Flat pricing |
| 25 seats | $199 (Simple) | Flat pricing |
Indicative USD list prices; excludes tax, add-ons and promotions. Confirm on each vendor’s site.
Pricing model
Gusto has three main tiers: Simple (around $49 base plus about $6 per person), Plus (around $80 plus $12) and Premium (around $180 plus $22). OnPay has one plan at around $49 per month plus about $6 per person, including features Gusto reserves for higher tiers.
Features included
OnPay's single plan includes multi-state payroll, HR tools and benefits administration. Gusto's Simple plan covers single-state payroll basics; multi-state payroll, time tracking and richer HR arrive on Plus.
Employee experience
Gusto's employee app, onboarding flows and extras (such as savings and pay-on-demand features) are among the best in payroll. OnPay's experience is clean but more utilitarian.
Specialised payroll
OnPay supports specialised scenarios such as agricultural payroll and tip handling for restaurants. Gusto handles tips well and covers most small-business cases.
Support and HR
Gusto Premium adds HR experts and priority support. OnPay offers HR resources and responsive support without tiering.
Pros & cons
Gusto
- Intuitive payroll runs
- Automatic tax filings
- Benefits and onboarding included
- Primarily US-focused
- Per-person fees add up
OnPay
- One plan, transparent pricing
- Unlimited payroll runs
- Free data migration
- Fewer advanced HR features
- US only
Key features of each
Gusto
- Full-service payroll. Automatic calculations and filings.
- Benefits. Health insurance and retirement options.
- Onboarding. Offer letters and digital paperwork.
- Time off. PTO policies and tracking.
Integrates with: QuickBooks Online, Xero, FreshBooks, Slack.
OnPay
- Full-service payroll. Taxes, filings and year-end forms.
- HR tools. Onboarding, PTO and documents.
- Benefits. Health and workers' comp integrations.
- Multi-state. Pay staff in multiple states.
Integrates with: QuickBooks, Xero, Deputy, When I Work.
Who should avoid each
Skip Gusto if…
- Large international teams
- Complex enterprise HR needs
Best for: US small businesses hiring their first employees; Teams wanting payroll plus simple HR; Businesses paying contractors.
Skip OnPay if…
- Companies needing advanced HRIS
- International employees
Best for: US small businesses wanting simple pricing; Restaurants, farms and nonprofits; Teams switching from manual payroll.
Switching between Gusto and OnPay
Migration difficulty: Moderate
Both providers help with migration and will import year-to-date payroll data. Switch at a quarter boundary to simplify tax filings.
- Pick a quarter start as your first payroll date on the new provider.
- Gather year-to-date pay, tax and deduction totals per employee.
- Re-enter or import employee, bank and tax setup details.
- Run a test payroll and compare to the old provider's last run.
- Confirm the old provider files final quarterly returns.
Weigh it your way
Adjust the weights to your priorities to see which tool comes out ahead for you. Print or export the result for your team.
| Tool | Features | Ease | Value | Support | Security | Integrations | Your score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Gusto | 8.4 | 9.2 | 8.3 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 8.6 | 8.53 |
| 2. OnPay | 7.8 | 8.6 | 9.0 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 7.4 | 8.24 |
Drag the sliders to match your priorities. Scores are our editorial sub-scores; weights start at the values we publish on the methodology page. Nothing you change is stored or sent anywhere.
How our scores and weights work · Add a third tool side by side
Frequently asked questions
Is OnPay cheaper than Gusto?
At entry level the base prices are similar, but OnPay includes features like multi-state payroll that require Gusto Plus, so OnPay is often cheaper for equivalent features.
Do Gusto and OnPay file payroll taxes?
Yes. Both calculate, file and pay federal, state and many local payroll taxes automatically.
Which is easier to use?
Both are easy. Gusto is more polished, especially for employees; OnPay is straightforward for administrators.
Can I pay contractors with both?
Yes. Both pay contractors and produce 1099 forms.
Does Gusto or OnPay have a free plan?
Gusto has no free plan or trial; OnPay has a free trial but no permanent free plan. Indicative starting prices: Gusto — Base fee from around $49 / month plus a per-person fee; OnPay — Around $49 / month + $6 / person.
Which scores higher in our review, Gusto or OnPay?
Gusto scores 8.5/10 and OnPay 8.2/10 on our weighted rubric. Gusto leads on 4 of six criteria. A higher score does not make it right for every buyer — see the “choose if” lists above.
