Prices checked 2026-10-17 to 2026-10-19
Square Payroll vs Gusto: cost for hourly crews
Both charge a base fee plus a fee per person paid. Here is what each costs for a crew of 1 to 20, and what changes when you need time tracking for hourly workers.
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The short answer
- Cheapest plan that files your payroll taxes: Square Payroll Full-service payroll ($35/mo + $6/person) vs Gusto Simple ($49/mo + $6/person).
- By crew size, at regular prices: 1 to 50 people: Square Payroll costs less.
- For 5 people: Square Payroll $65/mo vs Gusto $79/mo ($780 vs $948 a year).
- Where those two plans differ, from each vendor’s pages: Multi-state: Square Payroll Yes, Gusto No; Time tracking: Square Payroll Yes, Gusto Add-on; Next-day deposit: Square Payroll Yes, Gusto Add-on.
Price comparisons use regular monthly list prices on each vendor’s cheapest plan that files and deposits payroll taxes. Features differ by plan; check the table below.
Cheapest full-service plan, by crew size
Each side’s lowest-cost plan that files payroll taxes at that crew size: base fee + per-person fee × crew. Year = monthly × 12.
| Crew | Square Payroll | Gusto | Difference per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $41/moFull-service payroll · $492/yr | $55/moSimple · $660/yr | Square Payroll $14 less |
| 2 people | $47/moFull-service payroll · $564/yr | $61/moSimple · $732/yr | Square Payroll $14 less |
| 3 people | $53/moFull-service payroll · $636/yr | $67/moSimple · $804/yr | Square Payroll $14 less |
| 5 people | $65/moFull-service payroll · $780/yr | $79/moSimple · $948/yr | Square Payroll $14 less |
| 8 people | $83/moFull-service payroll · $996/yr | $97/moSimple · $1,164/yr | Square Payroll $14 less |
| 10 people | $95/moFull-service payroll · $1,140/yr | $109/moSimple · $1,308/yr | Square Payroll $14 less |
| 15 people | $125/moFull-service payroll · $1,500/yr | $139/moSimple · $1,668/yr | Square Payroll $14 less |
| 20 people | $155/moFull-service payroll · $1,860/yr | $169/moSimple · $2,028/yr | Square Payroll $14 less |
Every plan, priced for 1, 5 and 10 people
Regular monthly price. Intro offers are listed separately. Bundles with accounting or HR software are on the vendor pages.
| Plan | Regular price | Intro offer | 1 person | 5 people | 10 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square Payroll Full-service payroll | $35/mo + $6/person | — | $41/mo | $65/mo | $95/mo |
| Gusto Simple | $49/mo + $6/person | — | $55/mo | $79/mo | $109/mo |
| Gusto PlusNext-Day pay included | $80/mo + $12/person | — | $92/mo | $140/mo | $200/mo |
| Gusto PremiumNext-Day pay and Business Compliance included | $180/mo + $22/person | — | $202/mo | $290/mo | $400/mo |
For an hourly crew: who gets billed, and time tracking
- Square bills per person paid per month. Gusto bills: Per active person per month on top of base; US contractors billed at the per-person rate only in months they are paid. If your crew size changes through the season, ask each how it counts someone who is on the books but not paid that month.
- Square time tracking: Timecard import is included on both plans. Scheduling (up to 10 days out) is on full-service only.
- Gusto time tracking: Plus lists "Time tracking and scheduling". On Simple, Time & Attendance Plus is an add-on: free trial, then $6/mo per person.
Square Full-service payroll lists time tracking as included; on Gusto Simple it’s the Time & Attendance Plus add-on at $6 per person per month. Like for like, at regular prices:
| Crew | Square Full-service payroll | Gusto Simple + Time & Attendance Plus | Difference per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $41/mo | $61/mo | Square $20 less |
| 5 people | $65/mo | $109/mo | Square $44 less |
| 10 people | $95/mo | $169/mo | Square $74 less |
| 15 people | $125/mo | $229/mo | Square $104 less |
The two time tools aren’t identical (see the vendor notes above). Gusto Plus includes time tracking without the add-on.
Paying only 1099 contractors? Square lists Contractor-only payroll at $6/person/mo, no base fee Doesn’t file taxes: it doesn’t file payroll taxes, and it isn’t in the comparison above. See best payroll for 1099 contractors.
Features on each plan
From each vendor’s own pages. “Not stated” means we couldn’t find it either way, not that the feature is missing. Certified payroll isn’t listed: neither vendor states it on the pages we checked.
| Feature | Square Payroll Full-service payroll | Gusto Simple | Gusto Plus | Gusto Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Files and deposits payroll taxes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pays 1099 contractors | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Job costing | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |
| Multi-state | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Time tracking | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Yes |
| Workers' comp | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on |
| Next-day deposit | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Yes |
| Year-end W-2 / 1099 filing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What each vendor says (14)
- Square Payroll, next-day deposit: Full-service: next-day direct deposit and Instant Deposit via Cash App are included. Contractor-only: next-day is "Not included", but Instant Deposit via Cash App is included, so it counts as faster than next-day (Cash App only).
- Square Payroll, time tracking: Timecard import is included on both plans. Scheduling (up to 10 days out) is on full-service only.
- Square Payroll, multi-state: Multistate: included on full-service, not included on contractor-only.
- Square Payroll, files and deposits payroll taxes: Automated federal and state filings are on full-service only.
- Square Payroll, year-end w-2 / 1099 filing: Full-service: W-2s and 1099-NECs generated and filed. Contractor-only: "will generate, prepare, and file Form 1099-NEC". Mailed forms cost $3 each.
- Square Payroll, workers' comp: Workers' compensation is listed as an add-on on both plans.
- Square Payroll, job costing: Labor-cost reporting exists, but job costing is not stated.
- Gusto, multi-state: Simple: "Run basic payroll in one state". Plus: "Multi-state payroll". Premium includes everything in Plus.
- Gusto, time tracking: Plus lists "Time tracking and scheduling". On Simple, Time & Attendance Plus is an add-on: free trial, then $6/mo per person.
- Gusto, next-day deposit: Next-Day pay is an add-on on Simple ($15/mo + $3/mo per person). Plus: "Unlimited next day pay". Premium: "Unlimited same day + instant pay". Same-day ($90 per payroll) and Instant ($100 per payroll) are add-ons on Simple and Plus.
- Gusto, job costing: Premium lists "Project based rules and costing". Simple and Plus do not list job costing (Time & Attendance Plus mentions project tracking only).
- Gusto, workers' comp: "Set up pay-as-you-go workers' comp plans that integrate with your payroll." Starting at $14/mo, through partner NEXT Insurance.
- Gusto, year-end w-2 / 1099 filing: FAQ: "We file federal, state, and local payroll tax forms ... (things like Form W-2, Form 1099, Form 940, Form 941...)"
- Gusto, pays 1099 contractors: US contractors are billed at the plan's per-person rate only in months they are paid. Global contractor payments are an add-on.
Who gets counted, trials and fees
| Square Payroll | Gusto | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is billed per person | Per person paid per month | Per active person per month on top of base; US contractors billed at the per-person rate only in months they are paid |
| Free trial or offer | Not stated | Not stated on pricing page |
| Pay runs and optional fees | Regular pay runs: no per-run fee published; Off-cycle runs: no extra charge; Mailed tax forms: $3 per form | Regular pay runs: no per-run fee published; Off-cycle runs: no extra charge; Same-day pay: $90 per payroll (included in Premium); Instant pay: $100 per payroll (included in Premium); Global contractor payment: $5 per payment to US-based bank accounts |
Optional fees are shown as notes, not added to the totals: you pay them only if you use them.
Gusto price history
List-price changes first seen on Gusto’s own pricing page in archived snapshots.
| First seen at the new price | Plan | Price | Old → new | Change | Effective date (announced) | Sources | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-10old price last seen 2025-02-28 | Gusto Simple | Base fee per month | $40 → $49 | ▲ +$9 (+23%) | Not announced | After · Before | — |
| 2024-07-12old price last seen 2024-06-07 | Gusto Premium | Base fee per month | no public price → $180 | New public price | Not announced | After · Before | Premium price published (it had been "Exclusive pricing / Contact us"). |
| 2024-07-12old price last seen 2024-06-07 | Gusto Premium | Per employee per month | no public price → $22 | New public price | Not announced | After · Before | Premium price published (it had been "Exclusive pricing / Contact us"). |
| 2022-08-19old price last seen 2022-07-02 | Gusto Simplethen: Core | Base fee per month | $39 → $40 | ▲ +$1 (+3%) | Not announced | After · Before | Plan restructure: Core became Simple. Per-person fees unchanged (Core/Simple $6; Complete/Plus $12). |
| 2022-08-19old price last seen 2022-07-02 | Gusto Plusthen: Complete | Base fee per month | $39 → $80 | ▲ +$41 (+105%) | Not announced | After · Before | Plan restructure: Complete became Plus. Per-person fees unchanged (Core/Simple $6; Complete/Plus $12). |
| 2022-08-19old price last seen 2022-07-02 | Gusto Premiumthen: Concierge | Base fee per month | $149 → no public price | Price no longer public | Not announced | After · Before | Plan restructure: Concierge became Premium. Per-person fees unchanged (Core/Simple $6; Complete/Plus $12). Premium showed "Exclusive pricing / Contact us for details" (no public price); Concierge had been $149 + $12/person. |
Every change we track: payroll price tracker.
We haven’t recorded price history for Square Payroll yet, so that isn’t evidence it has never changed its prices.
Square Payroll pricing · Gusto pricing · Payroll calculator for any crew size · Cheapest payroll for 1, 2 and 5 employees
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