Best Gusto Alternatives (2026)

Gusto alternatives at a glance

1. 1

   BambooHR

   HR

   HR software for small businesses.

   BambooHR sits in the mid-market sweet spot — pricier than bare-bones tools like Gusto's people features, but cheaper and less complex than enterprise suites like Workday or ADP. They're clearly going after the 50-500 employee company that's outgrown manual HR but doesn't want SAP-level implementation pain.

   Plans: Core $10/mo per seat · Pro $17/mo per seat · Elite $25/mo per seat

   From $10/mo · Gusto vs BambooHR → BambooHR pricing →
2. 2

   Rippling

   HR

   Workforce management platform.

   Quote-only pricing typically signals premium positioning in the HR tech space. They're clearly not competing on being the cheapest option — this is the move of a company that thinks their integrated platform justifies custom enterprise pricing.

   Custom pricing · Gusto vs Rippling → Rippling pricing →
3. 3

   Deel

   HR

   Global payroll and compliance.

   Playing the enterprise premium game by hiding all pricing behind sales walls — signals they're going after companies with serious budgets who expect white-glove treatment. They're betting that HR/payroll buyers prefer negotiated deals over transparent pricing.

   Plans: Standard Contact Sales · Enterprise Contact Sales

   Custom pricing · Gusto vs Deel → Deel pricing →
4. 4

   15Five

   HR

   Performance management that drives results.

   At $4-16/seat/month, 15Five lands in the mid-market lane — pricier than bare-bones survey tools but cheaper than enterprise HCM suites bundling performance, comp, and LMS together. They're clearly courting mid-sized companies that want a dedicated performance/engagement layer without buying into a full Workday-style platform.

   Plans: Engage $4/mo per seat · Perform $11/mo per seat · Total Platform $16/mo per seat

   From $4/mo · Gusto vs 15Five → 15Five pricing →
5. 5

   360Learning

   HR

   Collaborative learning platform.

   At $8/seat, they're priced to compete with the accessible end of the corporate LMS market, undercutting bigger enterprise learning suites while still charging more than bare-bones course-hosting tools. They're clearly chasing mid-market companies that want collaborative, peer-driven learning without enterprise LMS price tags.

   Plans: Team $8/mo per seat · Business Contact Sales · Enterprise Contact Sales

   From $8/mo Free trial · Gusto vs 360Learning → 360Learning pricing →
6. 6

   7shifts

   HR

   Team management for restaurants.

   7shifts sits mid-market in the restaurant workforce management space — pricier than bare-bones scheduling apps but cheaper than enterprise WFM suites like Workday or UKG. They're clearly chasing independent and small-chain restaurant operators who've outgrown spreadsheets but don't need enterprise HR infrastructure.

   Plans: Comp $0/mo · Essentials $44/mo · Pro $89/mo · Premium $149/mo

   From $44/mo Free plan Free trial · Gusto vs 7shifts → 7shifts pricing →
7. 7

   ADP

   HR

   Payroll and HR services platform for businesses of all sizes (RUN, Workforce Now).

   ADP plays in premium territory, leaning on brand trust and enterprise-grade reliability rather than competing on sticker price. They're chasing businesses that outgrow scrappy payroll tools like Gusto and want a name their accountant already recognizes, even if that means quote-shopping instead of instant checkout.

   Plans: Essential Payroll Contact Sales · Enhanced Payroll Contact Sales · Complete Payroll & HR Plus Contact Sales · HR Pro Payroll & HR Contact Sales

   Custom pricing · Gusto vs ADP → ADP pricing →
8. 8

   Articulate 360

   HR

   E-learning authoring suite including Storyline and Rise, with review and course distribution tools.

   This sits at the premium end of the course-authoring category — there's no free tier and pricing is locked behind 'contact sales' framing, which signals they're chasing corporate L&D budgets rather than indie creators or small teams price-shopping. They're not competing on cost; they're betting their tool quality and market incumbency let them charge enterprise-style rates even for a single seat.

   Plans: Teams Contact Sales · Personal $0/mo per seat

   Custom pricing Free trial · Gusto vs Articulate 360 → Articulate 360 pricing →
9. 9

   Ashby

   HR

   All-in-one recruiting platform.

   Ashby plays in the premium mid-market-to-enterprise recruiting space, not the cheap Greenhouse-alternative lane — $400/mo as a floor for a company with just 11-25 employees is a real signal they're not chasing scrappy startups on price. They're positioning against Greenhouse and Lever for teams that want an all-in-one ATS plus sourcing plus analytics, and betting that opaque enterprise pricing signals sophistication rather than scaring off buyers.

   Plans: Foundations Plan $400/mo · Plus Plan Contact Sales · Enterprise Plan Contact Sales · For your existing ATS Contact Sales

   From $400/mo · Gusto vs Ashby → Ashby pricing →
10. 10

    Bonusly

    HR

    Employee recognition and rewards.

    At $5/seat, Bonusly sits mid-pack in the recognition and rewards space — cheaper than premium engagement platforms that bundle surveys and performance data, but pricier than bare-bones kudos tools with no AI or rewards marketplace. They're clearly chasing mid-market teams who want something more polished than a Slack plugin but don't need enterprise-grade HR suite pricing.

    Plans: Free $0/mo per seat · Team + Bizy $5/mo per seat · Organization + Bizy Contact Sales

    From $5/mo Free plan Free trial · Gusto vs Bonusly → Bonusly pricing →

None of these fit? See every hr tool we price →

What is the best alternative to Gusto?

BambooHR is the closest Gusto alternative we track for hr. Paid plans start at $10/mo. Rippling and Deel are also worth a look.

Are there free alternatives to Gusto?

Yes — 7shifts, Bonusly offer a free plan, so you can switch without paying up front.

How much do Gusto alternatives cost?

Entry prices range from $4/mo (15Five) to $400/mo (Ashby). Each product page has the full verified tier breakdown.

Is there a cheaper alternative to Gusto?

Yes — Gusto starts at $49/mo, while 15Five ($4/mo), Bonusly ($5/mo), 360Learning ($8/mo) start lower.