Gusto PEO Review: Pricing, Coverage and Fit

Written by Peolet Editorial · Reviewed by Peolet Editorial · Last verified 2026-08-10

What we know about Gusto

Gusto is a payroll and HR platform for small businesses that also acts as a licensed health insurance broker, helping employers select medical, dental, and vision plans. The company reports that more than 500,000 businesses use its platform, with more than 300,000 lives enrolled in health insurance plans arranged through Gusto. Gusto is not a co-employment PEO: it is not listed as a Certified Professional Employer Organization (CPEO) on the IRS roster, and it does not appear on the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC) accredited provider list.

Gusto's health benefits offering gives clients access to more than 9,000 plans across 30-plus carriers, with licensed advisors helping employers compare plans and build packages, and the company charges no broker fees for benefits administration. Benefits administration is included at no extra cost for employers, and deductions sync automatically with payroll. Gusto also offers 401(k) retirement plans through Gusto Retirement Services, LLC, workers' compensation, life and disability insurance, and HSA, FSA, and commuter benefit accounts.

Gusto publishes its pricing structure. The contractor-only plan costs $35 per month plus $6 per month per person, and the Simple, Plus, and Premium plans are billed on a monthly basis plus per-employee fees, with Premium priced through a custom quote. Gusto states that it does not require contracts and that customers can switch or cancel their plan at any time, making it month-to-month. The platform integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, Aplos, ZipBooks, Autobooks, FreshBooks, Expensify, Hubstaff, Clover, and Homebase. Gusto did not publish a minimum employee requirement or state-by-state registration information on the pages reviewed.

Gusto suits very small businesses and owner-operators that want transparent, contract-free pricing, simple payroll, and access to group health insurance through a broker rather than a full co-employment arrangement. Employers that want a certified PEO structure, with the provider acting as co-employer, should compare Gusto against providers like ADP TotalSource or Justworks that hold CPEO and ESAC credentials. Gusto's strengths are its straightforward month-to-month plans and its integration of payroll with benefits administration, which keeps enrollment and deductions in sync without manual reconciliation. The company's broker model means employers pay the plan premiums with no platform fee for benefits administration, and its licensed advisors assist with plan selection and renewals. Gusto also offers HR tools, time tracking, and hiring features on the same platform, and it supports 401(k) plans through its licensed retirement services arm, which syncs contributions with payroll. Businesses that anticipate needing co-employment or large-group benefits under a PEO structure should evaluate the certified PEO providers in this directory instead, since Gusto operates as payroll and benefits software rather than as an employer of record.

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