Deel vs Gusto: vendor pricing, September 2026

Start with Gusto for US payroll software; shortlist Deel for international employee hiring through an employer of record (EOR).^1,2 Gusto publishes single-state and multi-state payroll plans, while Deel lists EOR employment in 130+ countries.^1,2 For international contractors alone, compare payment fees with management fees before choosing: both companies list services for that work.^2,1 These vendor prices and coverage statements were checked 28 September 2026.^2,1

TL;DR

• Gusto Simple covers single-state payroll.¹ Multi-state payroll is a listed feature of Plus, so a team spanning states should compare the relevant tier.¹
• Deel’s published US PEO price buys co-employment.² Comparing it with Gusto’s payroll subscription cannot establish a saving for equivalent services.^2,1
• Gusto’s contractor-only promotion waives the base fee for the first six months, subject to terms; the per-person charge remains.¹
• International contractor fees use different units: Deel lists a monthly management charge; Gusto lists payment and foreign exchange fees with no monthly per-contractor charge.^2,1
• Treat EOR country coverage, contractor payment coverage and supported currencies as separate procurement checks. The published figures describe different services.^2,1

How did we compare Deel and Gusto?

Glamdring Research compares Deel and Gusto by service type using their official pricing pages, checked 28 September 2026.^2,1 The published US employee products compared below are Gusto payroll software and Deel US PEO co-employment.^2,1 International contractor payments and EOR employment also have separate fees and coverage statements.^2,1

The illustrations treat the displayed dollar amounts as USD and exclude taxes from the model; the captured Deel and Gusto price displays do not explicitly confirm those currency and tax terms.^1,2 Verify billing currency and applicable tax in the quotes. Keep the product boundary alongside the price when comparing HR and payroll systems.

Service or coverage	Deel’s published terms	Gusto’s published terms
US payroll software	No separate standalone US payroll price appears on the checked pricing page; the listed US employee price is for PEO.2	Simple: $49/month + $6/person/month for single-state payroll.1
US co-employment	US PEO: $125/employee/month; Deel states coverage across all 50 US states with benefits included.2	The Simple payroll fee above buys a different service; it should not be treated as a PEO price.1
Contractor management or domestic payments	$49/contractor/month for global contractor management and payments.2	Contractor Only: normally $35/month + $6/person/month for domestic contractor payments; $0 base for the first six months, terms apply.1
Contractor of Record	$325/contractor of record/month; Deel describes an option to shift classification liability to Deel.2	The checked pricing page lists contractor payments, not an equivalent Contractor of Record price.1
International contractor payments	Contractor service includes payments in 120+ currencies.2	More than 120 countries; no monthly per-contractor fee.1 Service and foreign exchange fees apply to payments; $5 per payment to US-based bank accounts is the stated fixed charge.1
International employee hiring through EOR	$599/EOR employee/month; Deel states full legal employment in 130+ countries without opening a local entity.2	No EOR price or international employee-country count appears on the checked pricing page.1 Its published international coverage figure concerns contractor payments.1

These are vendor statements about listed fees and scope.^2,1 Use the research methodology to distinguish published terms from a binding quote.

What do Deel and Gusto cost for US payroll?

Gusto Simple lists $49/month plus $6/person/month for single-state payroll; Deel US PEO lists $125/employee/month for co-employment.^1,2 The choice depends on whether you need payroll software or the broader PEO service Deel describes.^2,1

Gusto publishes three employee payroll tiers:¹

Gusto plan	Listed monthly fee, USD before tax	Listed distinction
Simple	$49 base + $6/person	Single-state payroll, unlimited payroll runs, tax filings and payments.1
Plus	$80 base + $12/person	Multi-state payroll, next-day pay and time tracking.1
Premium	$180 base + $22/person	Dedicated Service Advisor, access to certified HR experts, performance and compensation management.1

For 10 US employees, the listed Simple calculation is $49 + (10 × $6) = $109/month before tax.¹ The same headcount at Deel’s listed US PEO fee is 10 × $125 = $1,250/month before tax.² The totals are a payroll-software budget and a PEO-service budget, respectively; they are not a like-for-like saving.^1,2

Deel describes its PEO package as co-employment with benefits, managed payroll, tax filings and reporting.² Gusto’s comparison table includes unlimited payrolls, tax filings, multiple pay rates and schedules, and domestic contractor payments across its employee plans.¹ Choose the service model first, then compare a quote for the same headcount and requirements.

For a Gusto budget, list the state coverage and add-ons you require before selecting a tier. Use the separate Gusto pricing analysis for that next review.

What do Deel and Gusto charge for contractors?

Deel lists $49/contractor/month for global contractor management and payments; Gusto’s domestic Contractor Only plan normally lists $35/month plus $6/person/month.^2,1 Gusto’s temporary $0 base fee applies for the first six months, subject to terms.¹

The domestic Gusto plan is for businesses that haven’t hired W-2 employees.¹ It lists domestic payments and Form 1099 creation and filings.¹ If you have employees as well, Gusto says US contractors are billed at the per-person rate of your chosen plan, and only in months you pay them.¹ Preserve that billing rule when estimating an irregular contractor roster.

Deel’s contractor package lists centralised management, automated invoicing, tax-form guidance and document collection.² Its $325/month Contractor of Record option carries a different scope: Deel says you can shift classification liability to it.² Compare the responsibility described in the contract before treating the two Deel fees as interchangeable. The separate Deel pricing analysis is the next reference for its service categories.

International contractor payments require a different calculation. Gusto says there is no monthly per-contractor fee, but service and foreign exchange fees apply to each payment.¹ Its pricing page also lists $5 per payment to US-based bank accounts and says foreign exchange rates may vary.¹ The $5 figure is specific to that payment destination; it is not a published flat fee for every international transfer.¹

For an international-contractor comparison, request the cost of your planned payment frequency and destination currencies. Compare Gusto’s subscription and payment charges with Deel’s management fee and quoted payment terms. A zero monthly per-contractor fee does not establish a zero total cost.^2,1

How far does international coverage extend?

Deel states EOR employment in 130+ countries; Gusto states contractor payments in more than 120 countries.^2,1 Those counts cover different activities, so they cannot establish equivalent international employee coverage.^2,1

Deel describes EOR as a way to hire employees without opening a local entity, with contracts, payroll, benefits and compliance handled through the service.² It also publishes a broader “150+ countries” statement and lists contractor payments in 120+ currencies.² Use the service-specific EOR count for an EOR decision. A currency count supplies no country-by-country eligibility list.²

Gusto’s published international figure belongs to its global contractor payment add-on.¹ Its checked pricing page does not provide an EOR fee or an international employee-country list.¹ That leaves a quote requirement for overseas employee hiring; it does not establish that Gusto offers no international employment service.

Ask each provider to confirm the worker’s country, worker type and required service. For an EOR quote, request separate figures for the service fee and employment costs. For contractor payments, request supported destinations, payout currency and payment charges. Keep each check attached to the product-specific quote.

Which service fits your team?

Shortlist Gusto for direct US payroll and Deel for international employees who require an EOR, based on their published plan scopes.^2,1 For a contractor-only international team, compare both: Gusto publishes cross-border payment coverage, while Deel publishes contractor management and payment services.^2,1

The decision changes with the work you need handled:

• A single-state US employee team has a published Gusto Simple option; multi-state payroll is listed under Plus. Start with the tier matching your states.¹
• A US team seeking co-employment has Deel’s published PEO option, which the company describes as including benefits and managed payroll. Compare it with other PEO quotes on the same scope.²
• International employees without a local entity fit Deel’s stated EOR use case. Confirm the specific country and full employment budget before hiring.²
• Contractors abroad may fit either payment service. Compare the administration you need as well as fees: Deel lists invoicing and document collection; Gusto’s international add-on lists payment coverage and transaction charges.^2,1

The next hiring location or a change from contractors to employees should trigger a fresh service-specific comparison.

Frequently asked questions

What are the downsides of Gusto payroll?

Gusto’s documented constraints include Simple’s single-state scope and extra fees for some add-ons.¹ Multi-state payroll is listed under Plus, while global contractor payments are an add-on with service and foreign exchange fees.¹ Evaluate those limits against your team; the published terms alone do not establish poor support or unreliable payroll.

Does Gusto charge for US contractors in months I don’t pay them?

No. Gusto says it bills US contractors only in months when you pay them, at the per-person cost of the selected plan.¹ The Contractor Only plan also has a monthly base fee, temporarily discounted to $0 for the first six months under the published offer.¹ The paid-month billing rule should not be read as a waiver of every plan charge.

Are health insurance premiums included in Gusto’s subscription?

No. Gusto lists health insurance premiums separately and says it charges no administration fee when it acts as the broker.¹ Its existing-broker integration lists $6/month per eligible employee; the pricing FAQ says Premium customers can integrate their broker free.¹ Include premiums in the benefits budget even where an administration or integration fee is waived.