Gusto vs Rippling: An Honest Comparison for Growing Businesses
Gusto and Rippling are two of the most popular payroll and HR platforms for small to mid-sized businesses. But they're built for different types of companies, and picking the wrong one will cost you money and headaches.
Here's the bottom line upfront: Gusto is better for small businesses that want simple, transparent pricing and easy payroll. Rippling is better for tech-forward companies that need HR, IT, and finance tools unified in one platform.
Let's break down everything you need to make the right call.
Pricing Comparison: Gusto vs Rippling
This is where these two platforms diverge significantly.
Gusto Pricing
Gusto uses transparent, published pricing with three main tiers:
- Simple: $40/month + $6/employee/month - Single-state payroll, basic onboarding, employee profiles
- Plus: $80/month + $12/employee/month - Multi-state payroll, time tracking, hiring tools, custom reports
- Premium: $180/month + $22/employee/month - Dedicated support, HR resource center, compliance alerts, certified HR experts
There's also a Contractor Only plan at $35/month + $6/contractor for businesses that only pay 1099 workers.
For a company with 15 employees, here's what you'd pay monthly:
- Simple: $130/month ($40 + $90)
- Plus: $260/month ($80 + $180)
- Premium: $510/month ($180 + $330)
Want more details? Check out our full Gusto pricing breakdown and Gusto review.
Rippling Pricing
Rippling doesn't publish pricing. You need to contact sales for a quote. That said, here's what we know:
- Core Platform: Starts at $8/employee/month (required for all Rippling products)
- Payroll: Reported at around $35/month per user when added
- Benefits, IT, Spend Management: Additional modules with custom pricing
The modular approach sounds flexible, but it can get expensive fast. A 50-employee company using payroll, HR services, and benefits could easily hit $1,500-2,000+/month based on reported estimates.
Some sources report a $50/month base fee on top of the per-employee costs.
The pricing verdict: Gusto wins on transparency. You know exactly what you'll pay before signing up. Rippling requires a sales call, and costs can escalate quickly as you add modules.
Core Features Comparison
Payroll
Both platforms handle the basics well: unlimited pay runs, automatic tax filing, W-2s and 1099s, direct deposit, and multi-state payroll (though Gusto's Simple plan is single-state only).
Gusto advantages:
- AutoPilot feature for fully automated payroll runs
- Next-day direct deposit available
- Contractor payments in 120+ countries (no monthly contractor fee)
- Health insurance administration brokered directly through Gusto at no extra cost
Rippling advantages:
- Processes payroll in 90 seconds or less once set up
- Deeper automation with custom workflows
- Native integration with IT and finance tools
- Supports multiple EINs in one account
For straightforward domestic payroll, Gusto is simpler to use. For complex payroll needs with heavy automation, Rippling edges ahead.
HR Features
Gusto:
- Employee onboarding with digital document signing
- Employee self-service portal
- PTO tracking and management
- Performance reviews and goal tracking (Plus and Premium)
- HR resource center with certified HR experts (Premium only)
- Compliance alerts for state and federal law changes (Premium)
Rippling:
- Comprehensive HRIS with all employee data centralized
- Custom workflow automation
- Learning management system
- Performance management
- Recruiting and applicant tracking
- Headcount planning
Rippling's HR features are more extensive, especially for companies that want to build complex approval workflows and automate more processes.
IT Management (Rippling Only)
This is Rippling's killer feature that Gusto simply doesn't have. Rippling can:
- Provision and deprovision employee apps (Google Workspace, Slack, etc.)
- Ship, configure, and manage employee devices
- Enforce security policies
- Single sign-on (SSO) across all apps
If you're a tech company with remote workers who need laptops shipped and software accounts set up, Rippling does this automatically when you hire someone. When they leave, everything gets shut off instantly. Gusto can't touch this.
Benefits Administration
Gusto: Works as a broker for medical, dental, vision, and life insurance in 38 states plus DC. Health insurance admin is included at no extra cost when using Gusto as your broker. You can also integrate an existing broker (free on Premium, $6/employee/month on Plus).
Rippling: Partners with major carriers and can manage benefits enrollment, FSA/HSA, 401(k), and commuter benefits. Works with existing brokers. More flexibility for complex benefits packages.
Gusto is easier for simple benefits. Rippling handles more complex setups better.
Who Should Use Gusto?
Gusto is the right choice if you:
- Have under 50 employees
- Want predictable, transparent pricing
- Need straightforward payroll without a lot of customization
- Value ease of use over advanced features
- Don't need IT management capabilities
- Want solid customer support without paying premium prices
Gusto excels for restaurants, retail stores, professional services firms, and small businesses that just need payroll and basic HR to work without hassle.
Who Should Use Rippling?
Rippling is the right choice if you:
- Have 25+ employees and growing fast
- Need HR, IT, and finance in one platform
- Have remote employees who need device and app management
- Want deep automation and custom workflows
- Plan to expand internationally
- Can handle less transparent pricing for more powerful features
Rippling shines for tech startups, remote-first companies, and businesses with complex operational needs who want everything connected.
The Downsides You Should Know
Gusto Drawbacks
- Limited scalability: Once you pass 100+ employees, you may outgrow it
- No IT management: App and device provisioning doesn't exist
- Health insurance limitations: Only available in 38 states
- Basic reporting: Custom reports are limited compared to Rippling
- Price jumps between tiers: Going from Simple to Plus doubles your per-employee cost
Rippling Drawbacks
- No transparent pricing: You can't know your cost without talking to sales
- Unexpected charges: Some users report billing issues and charges for former employees
- Complexity: More features means more setup time and a steeper learning curve
- No phone support: Without the HR Help Desk add-on, you're limited to chat and email
- Still maturing: As a younger platform, some modules aren't as polished as competitors
Integrations
Gusto integrates with popular accounting tools (QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks), time tracking apps (TSheets, Homebase, When I Work), and other business software. Solid coverage for most small business needs.
Rippling integrates with 500+ applications across HR, IT, accounting, and business operations. The integrations are deeper because of Rippling's unified data architecture—changes sync automatically across connected tools.
Rippling wins on integrations, especially for companies using a lot of SaaS tools.
Customer Support
Gusto: Email and chat support available on all plans. Hours are 5am-5pm PT, Monday-Friday. Premium plan customers get priority support and a dedicated customer success manager.
Rippling: Email and chat support with an online knowledge base. Phone support requires the paid HR Help Desk add-on. Response times are generally fast, but the lack of included phone support frustrates some users.
For support quality, Gusto has the edge—especially at lower price points.
Making Your Decision
Here's a simple framework:
| Choose Gusto If... | Choose Rippling If... |
|---|---|
| You have <50 employees | You have 25+ employees and growing |
| You want simple, predictable pricing | You need HR + IT + Finance unified |
| You need basic payroll and HR | You have remote workers needing device management |
| You value ease of use | You want deep automation |
| You're a traditional small business | You're a tech company or startup |
Most businesses under 30 employees will be happier with Gusto. It's simpler, cheaper for basic needs, and just works.
If you're a growing tech company with remote workers, complex workflows, and you need IT management, Rippling is worth the extra cost and complexity.
Looking at Other Options?
If neither Gusto nor Rippling feels right, consider these alternatives:
- ADP Run: Enterprise-grade payroll with more hand-holding. See our Gusto vs ADP comparison
- Paychex: Good middle ground with strong support. Check out Gusto vs Paychex
- QuickBooks Payroll: Best if you're already using QuickBooks for accounting. Read our Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll breakdown
- Justworks: PEO option for companies wanting co-employment. See Gusto vs Justworks
Need help finding the best payroll solution for your situation? Our guide to payroll software for small business covers more options.
Final Verdict
For most small businesses, Gusto is the better choice. It's more affordable, easier to use, and does everything a typical small business needs without overcomplicating things.
For tech companies, fast-growing startups, and businesses with remote teams, Rippling's unified platform and IT management capabilities justify the higher cost and sales-driven pricing model.
The good news: both are quality platforms. You won't go wrong with either if you match it to your actual needs.