Gusto

The exclusive SaaSTweaks offer — how to claim your $100

This is a genuine reader perk, not a coupon code you paste at checkout. To qualify: sign up for Gusto through the SaaSTweaks link above, then run one or more paid payrolls. Once you've paid your first invoice, a $100 Visa gift card lands within 30 days. There's nothing to unlock and no code to enter — the reward is tied to actually using the product, so all you have to do is get your first payroll out the door. Terms apply. It stacks with Gusto's standard free account setup, no long-term contract, and cancel-anytime policy.

What Gusto actually does

Gusto is an all-in-one payroll software, benefits and HR platform built for US businesses from a single-person S corp up to companies with hundreds of employees. The core is full-service payroll: unlimited payroll runs every month, with federal, state and local taxes calculated, filed and paid automatically — plus W-2 and 1099 e-filing done for you at year end. "Payroll on AutoPilot" means recurring runs happen without you logging in.

Around payroll sits a genuinely broad platform: employee benefits and health insurance administration (medical, dental and vision through licensed brokers — you pay only the premiums, no admin fees), 401(k) and retirement via integrations like Guideline, workers' comp, and tax-advantaged accounts (HSA, FSA, commuter). On the people side there's hiring and onboarding with an applicant tracking system, time tracking and attendance, PTO requests and approvals, scheduling, and HR tools with compliance alerts and (on higher tiers) certified HR experts. Gusto Wallet and money-management features give employees financial tools, and it integrates with QuickBooks, Xero and more — so it also works as a QuickBooks payroll alternative that syncs back to your books.

Pricing in 2026 — genuinely cost-effective

Verified from the official pricing page. Simple is $49/month + $6/month per person — single-state payroll, unlimited runs, all tax filings, basic PTO. Plus ($80/month + $12/person, marked Best Value) adds multi-state payroll, next-day pay, time tracking, expenses and reimbursements. Premium ($180/month + $22/person) brings a dedicated advisor, certified HR experts and performance management. There's also a Contractor Only plan at $35/month + $6/contractor — with a promo of $0 base for the first 6 months — for businesses paying only 1099 workers. You're billed per person only in months you actually pay them, and there are no long-term contracts.

Because the base fee is low and you pay per person, Gusto stays affordable for very small teams while scaling cleanly — the reason it's a default recommendation for startups and small businesses running payroll for the first time.

Managing a global team

Gusto also handles global contractor payments across 120+ countries with no monthly per-contractor fee ($5 per payment to US bank accounts), so distributed teams can pay international contractors alongside domestic W-2 employees from one dashboard. Note the important limit below: full employee payroll and benefits are US-only.

Where it shines

Ease of use is Gusto's signature — running payroll genuinely takes minutes, and the automatic tax handling removes the compliance anxiety that makes small-business owners dread payroll. The all-in-one breadth (payroll + benefits + HR + time tracking) means one login instead of four tools, the pricing is transparent and low to start, and the trust signals are real: 500,000+ businesses, 4.6 stars across 4,000+ Capterra and Software Advice reviews, and NerdWallet's best-overall payroll pick. With the SaaSTweaks $100 offer, your first months are effectively subsidised.

Where it falls short

The biggest limit is geography: full-service payroll, benefits and HR are US-only — international support covers contractor payments, not overseas employees or an Employer of Record. Per-person pricing also adds up at scale (Plus is +$12/person, Premium +$22/person), and several useful capabilities are paid add-ons rather than included — priority support, deeper HR resources, faster same-day/instant pay, and state tax registration all cost extra. Health-benefit availability also varies by state.

Who should buy

Gusto is the go-to HR software for small business and a strong fit from solo founders up to mid-sized US companies that want payroll, benefits and HR in one affordable, easy platform. Take Simple at $49/month to start, move to Plus when you need multi-state or time tracking, and — crucially — sign up through the SaaSTweaks link so your first paid payroll earns the $100 gift card. If you need to run full payroll for employees outside the US, pair Gusto with a global EOR instead.