Our verdict · 8.1/10 Excellent
A strong option for US startups wanting competitive benefits without an HR team. The PEO model is not for everyone, and payroll-only users have cheaper alternatives.
Key takeaways
- Best for: US startups wanting better benefits.
- Strongest area: Ease of use (8.6/10). Weakest: Integrations & ecosystem (7.4/10).
- Price: From around $8 / employee / month (payroll); PEO from around $59.
- Watch out for: PEO model not right for all.
What is Justworks?
Justworks offers a professional employer organisation (PEO) that co-employs your staff, giving access to large-group health benefits, plus a payroll-only option. It handles payroll, taxes, benefits and compliance with transparent per-employee pricing.
Justworks is made by Justworks and is reviewed here as a payroll platform. It is priced on a subscription basis, and our editorial score is 8.1 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose Justworks if
- US startups wanting better benefits
- Small teams without HR staff
- Remote US teams across states
Not for you if
- Businesses that do not want co-employment
- International-first teams
Key features
Co-employment for benefits and compliance.
Automated pay and tax filing.
Health, dental, vision and 401(k).
Help with multi-state rules.
- QuickBooks
- Xero
- Slack
- Expensify
Pros & cons
What we like
- Access to large-group benefits
- Transparent pricing
- 24/7 support
- Strong compliance support
Watch out for
- PEO model not right for all
- Benefits costs add up
- Limited international features
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | ≈ $8 / employee / mo | Plus base fee |
| PEO Basic | ≈ $59 / employee / mo | Monthly |
| PEO Plus | ≈ $109 / employee / mo | Monthly |
Pricing watch-out: Benefit costs are additional.
True cost at 5, 10 and 25 seats
Cheapest paid plan that fits each team size, from indicative list prices checked October 31, 2026. Excludes tax, add-ons, onboarding fees and promotional discounts.
Pricing watch-outs
- Steep tier jump. Moving from Payroll to PEO Basic raises the per-user price from $8 to $59 (7.4×). Check which features force the upgrade.
- No free plan or trial. Ask for a demo account, a pilot or money-back terms before committing.
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing, last checked October 31, 2026. Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 25% | 8.2 | 2.10 | |
| Ease of use | 20% | 8.6 | 1.70 | |
| Value for money | 20% | 7.6 | 1.50 | |
| Support & reliability | 10% | 8.4 | 0.80 | |
| Security & privacy | 10% | 8.4 | 0.80 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 15% | 7.4 | 1.10 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for business software products | 8.1 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask Justworks |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for Justworks against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check Justworks’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any payroll platform
Check Justworks against the same list we use for every payroll platform — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Automatic tax filing in your jurisdictions
- Contractor payments
- Benefits and time-off management
- Employee self-service portal
- Accounting integration
See every ranked option in Payroll & HR.
Justworks alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- Cheaper
Paychex Flex≈ $39/mo vs $80/mo at 10 users (cheapest paid plans, indicative) - Easier to use
GustoEase-of-use score 9.2 vs 8.6 - Better integrations
RipplingIntegrations score 9.2 vs 7.4 - Higher overall scoreGustoOverall 8.5 vs 8.1
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as Justworks. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
Friendly, full-service US payroll with benefits and HR built in.
A unified workforce platform: payroll, HR, IT and devices in one system.
Payroll from the largest US provider, with dedicated support and HR add-ons.
Featured in: Best Payroll Software for Small Business, Best HR Software for Small Business
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
Justworks FAQ
What is a PEO?
A professional employer organisation co-employs your staff to pool benefits and share HR compliance.
Does Justworks offer payroll only?
Yes, there is a payroll-only plan without PEO co-employment.
Does Justworks have a free plan?
No, Justworks does not offer a permanent free plan. Pricing starts at From around $8 / employee / month (payroll); PEO from around $59 (indicative).
Who is Justworks best for?
Justworks is best for: US startups wanting better benefits; small teams without HR staff; remote US teams across states.
How much does Justworks cost for a team of 10?
On indicative list prices, the cheapest paid plan that fits 10 users (Payroll) works out at roughly $80 per month, or about $960 per year, before tax, add-ons and discounts.
How is the Justworks score calculated?
The 8.1/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for software products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to Justworks?
Popular alternatives include Gusto, Rippling, ADP RUN. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.