Comparison
Gusto vs OnPay pricing (2026)
Base fee plus per-person fee, and what each plan costs for teams of different sizes.
Monthly cost by number of people paid
Each total is the base fee plus the per-person fee times the number of people paid, at list prices and before promotions, tax and optional add-ons.
| Plan | Pricing | 1 person | 5 people | 10 people | 25 people | 50 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gusto Simple | $49 + $6 per person | $55 | $79 | $109 | $199 | $349 |
| Gusto Plus | $80 + $12 per person | $92 | $140 | $200 | $380 | $680 |
| Gusto Premium | $180 + $22 per person | $202 | $290 | $400 | $730 | $1,280 |
| OnPay Payroll Essentials | $49 + $6 per person | $55 | $79 | $109 | $199 | $349 |
Gusto lists a separate Contractor Only plan at $35 a month plus $6 per contractor (its page has shown a limited-time offer on that plan; the list price is the figure shown). OnPay’s page headline says pricing “starts at $55”, which is the $49 base fee plus $6 for one worker. Per-person fees are charged on top of the base fee, so a total depends on how many people you pay. See the Gusto and OnPay pricing pages.
Billing
- OnPay bills monthly with no annual option and no minimum number of workers.
- Gusto shows a monthly base fee plus a per-person fee on each plan card. A fifth plan, Solo, appears on the “Pay Myself” tab of its pricing page rather than with the four plans for teams.
Price history
| Vendor | Plan | Earliest price found | Latest price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OnPay | Base plan | $36† Oct 17, 2019 | $49 as of Oct 11, 2026 | +$13 (+36%) |
Gusto replaced Core, Complete, Concierge and Select with Simple, Plus and Premium in 2022, so prices before and after 2022 are for different plans. Full detail is on the Gusto price history and OnPay price history pages.
What to check on each vendor’s page
OnPay
- “Pricing starts at $55” is the base plus one worker. The page title and footer advertise a starting price of $55 a month. That is the $49 base fee plus $6 for one worker, a combined headline figure and not the base fee.
- Calculator examples are not plan prices. A worker-count calculator on the page shows example totals such as $79 for five workers. These are worked examples; use the base fee and the per-worker rate and work out your own total.
- A “free month” is a promotion. The page advertises a free first month. It is a recurring promotion that can appear and disappear without any list-price change, so do not subtract it from the list price.
- Add-ons are shown in the same base-plus-per-worker style. Optional add-ons (HR, compliance resources and live HR support) are priced beside the plan in the same style. Add them only if you choose them; they are not part of the $49 plus $6 plan price.
Gusto
- Limited-time offers are not list prices. Gusto’s Contractor Only card has shown the base fee struck through and replaced by $0 a month for the first six months. After that the base fee is the list price.
- Add-ons are optional. Priority support, HR resources, faster pay and benefits fees are priced separately.
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Is Gusto or OnPay cheaper?
At list prices as read on October 11, 2026; Gusto last read October 8, 2026, OnPay’s Payroll Essentials ($49 plus $6 per worker) costs the same as Gusto Simple ($49 plus $6 per person). Gusto Plus and Premium cost more and include different features. For 10 people, OnPay and Gusto Simple each cost $109 a month.
What does OnPay cost for 10 employees?
$109 a month at list prices: the $49 base fee plus $6 per worker for 10 workers.
What does Gusto cost for 10 employees?
At list prices, $109 a month on Simple, $200 on Plus and $400 on Premium.