Gusto Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
Gusto costs Free to $180 per month as of March 2026. Pricing depends on your chosen tier, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
Yes, Gusto offers a forever free plan as of March 2026. The free tier includes 1 features with limits on per_person_monthly and setup_fee. Paid plans start at $49/month (Simple). Pricing verified from 8 sources by CostBench.
Gusto's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- Contractor-only payroll
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- Single-state payroll
- Unlimited payrolls per month
- Tax filings and payments
- Basic PTO policies and holiday pay
Free Plan Limits
| Limit | Free Plan | Paid Plans |
|---|---|---|
| per_person_monthly | 6 | Unlimited/Higher |
| setup_fee | 35 | Unlimited/Higher |
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like Single-state payroll or Unlimited payrolls per month
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- Gusto branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs Simple Plan Comparison
| Contractor Only $0 | Simple $49/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 1 included | 4+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | Gusto branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Contractor-only businesses | Small businesses needing single-state payroll |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Gusto free?
Yes, Gusto offers a forever free plan with 1 core features included. However, there are limits on per_person_monthly, setup_fee that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in Gusto's free plan?
Gusto's free plan includes: Contractor-only payroll. Key limits include per_person_monthly: 6, setup_fee: 35.
03 What's NOT included in Gusto's free plan?
The free plan excludes: Single-state payroll, Unlimited payrolls per month, Tax filings and payments, Basic PTO policies and holiday pay. You'll also have Gusto branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from Gusto's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like Single-state payroll or Unlimited payrolls per month, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $49/month.
05 Is Gusto's free plan really free forever?
Yes, Gusto's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.