Gusto
Gusto
7.2
Overall Score / 10
Deel
Deel
7
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose Gusto if:
- —US small businesses running payroll for the first time
- —Companies wanting payroll + benefits + HR in one simple tool
- —Businesses that value a clean, modern interface
Choose Deel if:
- —Companies hiring contractors or employees internationally
- —Startups wanting to hire globally without setting up legal entities
- —Businesses needing compliant international payroll
The biggest difference: Gusto is the go-to for US small business payroll with benefits administration and simple pricing. Deel is built for hiring and paying international contractors and employees across 150+ countries.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Gusto | Deel |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $49/mo (Simple)Source: Gusto pricing page → | $29/mo (Global Payroll)Source: Deel pricing page → |
| Free Tier | No No free tier. Contractor-only plan available at $35/mo + $6/person/mo. | Yes Free HRIS for small teams with basic HR features. |
| Value for Money | 7 | 6 |
| Ease of Use | 9 | 7 |
| Feature Power | 7 | 9 |
| Setup Ease | 8 | 7 |
| Migration Ease | 5 | 5 |
| Transparency | 7 | 7 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Compliance | SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA (for benefits data) | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, ISO 27001 |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
21 features compared · 20 differences
| Feature | Gusto | Deel |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Automatic tax filing (federal, state, local) | Full | None |
| Background checks | None | Full |
| Benefits administration (health, dental, vision, 401k) | Full | None |
| Benefits administration (varies by country) | None | Full |
| Contractor management | None | Full |
| Contractor payments | Full | None |
| Deel HR (free HRIS) | None | Full |
| Employee onboarding | Full | None |
| Employee self-service portal | Full | None |
| Employer of Record (150+ countries) | None | Full |
| Equipment provisioning | None | Full |
| Full-service payroll | Full | None |
| Global payroll | None | Full |
| Hiring and offer letters (Plus+) | Full | None |
| Immigration support | None | Full |
| Localized contracts | None | Full |
| PTO management | Full | None |
| Time tracking (Plus+) | Full | None |
| Workers comp | Full | None |
| Integrations | ||
| API access | Full | Full |
| Security | ||
| Compliance management | None | Full |
Pricing Comparison
Gusto Pricing
$49/mo base + $6/person/mo. Single-state payroll, benefits admin, basic HR
$80/mo base + $12/person/mo. Multi-state payroll, next-day deposits, time tracking, hiring tools
$180/mo base + $22/person/mo. Dedicated support, HR experts, compliance alerts, migration help
Deel Pricing
Free HRIS for small teams. Org chart, time off, document management
$49/contractor/mo. Localized contracts, automated invoices, bulk payments
$599/employee/mo. Full employer of record — hire in 150+ countries without a local entity
$29/employee/mo. Payroll processing for companies with their own entities
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose Gusto
Best for
- US small businesses running payroll for the first time
- Companies wanting payroll + benefits + HR in one simple tool
- Businesses that value a clean, modern interface
Avoid if
- You have employees outside the US (Gusto's global support is limited)
- You need advanced HR features like performance management (add-on)
- You're a large company (50+ employees) needing enterprise HR
Who should choose Deel
Best for
- Companies hiring contractors or employees internationally
- Startups wanting to hire globally without setting up legal entities
- Businesses needing compliant international payroll
Avoid if
- You only have US-based employees (Gusto is simpler and cheaper)
- You have a small team and tight budget (EOR at $599/employee is expensive)
- You need advanced HR features like performance management
Switching Guidance
Switching from Gusto
Common triggers to leave:
- •Price increases (Simple went from $40 to $49 in 2025)
- •Need international payroll
- •Need advanced HR features
Potential blockers:
- •Payroll tax history
- •Benefits enrollment data
- •Employee onboarding workflows
Switching from Deel
Common triggers to leave:
- •EOR cost ($599/employee) becomes expensive at scale
- •Need to set up own entities as you grow
- •Need more advanced domestic HR features
Potential blockers:
- •International employee contracts and compliance
- •Multi-country payroll history
- •EOR legal entity relationships
Try Gusto
Plans from $49/mo
Try Deel
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