BambooHR vs Gusto: pricing, plans, and positioning compared
Verified pricing and side-by-side plan structures. Updated daily.
Side-by-side comparison
BambooHR HR & People | Gusto HR & People | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $10/mo | $49/mo |
| Annual discount | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Number of tiers | 4 | 3 |
| Positioning | HRIS for small-to-mid businesses (5-500 employees), acquired by KKR-backed private equity in 2023. Positioned as the alternative to Workday for teams that don't need enterprise-grade complexity. Distinctive for its non-technical HR generalist UX and its e-signature + onboarding flows. Priced per employee monthly (~$8-$12) with all-in-one plans. Real cost bloat comes from add-ons: Performance, Time Tracking, Payroll (US only). | US payroll + benefits platform positioned as the alternative to ADP and Paychex for SMBs (1-500 employees). Distinctive for its modern UX (unlike ADP's 1990s-era interface) and built-in benefits marketplace. Valued $9.6B private (2022). Priced $40/mo base + $6/employee (Simple) up to $80+$12 (Premium). Popular with US-based startups and SMBs — no international payroll (unlike Deel/Rippling). Direct competitor to Rippling in the US mid-market. |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Plan-by-plan comparison
| # | BambooHR | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Core Monthly: 10 · Annual: 10 per employee/mo, 25+ employees | Simple Monthly: 49 · Annual: 49 base fee + $6/employee/mo |
| 2 | Pro Monthly: 17 · Annual: 17 performance management + AI assistant | Plus Monthly: 80 · Annual: 80 base + $12/employee/mo + multi-state + time tracking |
| 3 | Elite Monthly: 25 · Annual: 25 full suite | Premium Monthly: 180 · Annual: 180 base + $22/employee/mo + dedicated HR support |
| 4 | (≤25 employees: flat rate from $250/mo) | — |