Gusto vs Rippling in 2026
Side-by-side ledger (100 employees, default modules)
| Line | Gusto | Rippling |
|---|---|---|
| Provenance | published | quote-only |
| Mid PEPM | $12.00 | $14.00 |
| Monthly base fee | $49.00 | $0.00 |
| Year 1 effective PEPM | $25.00 | $27.00 |
| Year 1 subscription | $30,588 | $32,400 |
| Implementation (midpoint) | $0.00 | $7,750 |
| Year 1 total | $30,588 | $40,150 |
| 3-year TCO | $102,996 | $117,081 |
| 3-year PEPM equivalent | $28.61 | $32.52 |
| Source | [1] | [2] |
Math: $25.00 x 100 x 12 = $30,000 (Gusto), $27.00 x 100 x 12 = $32,400 (Rippling).
Decision aid
Pick Gusto when the buyer wants a published list price, no implementation fee, and is content brokering benefits separately. Wins for sub-75 employee SaaS.
Pick Rippling when IT/Device, Performance, and Recruiting need to be in one platform, and the buyer can absorb a sales-led quote and a $5K-$10K implementation fee.
At what headcount does Rippling beat Gusto on TCO?
Around 75-100 employees, depending on which modules are in scope. Rippling Core + Payroll only is rarely cheaper than Gusto Plus; add IT/Device, Performance, and Recruiting and Rippling pulls ahead at 100+ employees.
Bundle comparison feature-by-feature
Gusto Premium ($180 + $22 PEPM) includes HR support, performance, surveys, time tracking. Rippling Unity bundles HR + Payroll + IT but Recruiting and Performance are still separate modules.
Which has lower implementation cost?
Gusto: $0 (self-serve). Rippling: $3,500-$12,000 depending on modules. Gusto wins outright on year-1 implementation line.
Multi-state payroll fees?
Gusto Plus: $15/mo per additional state. Premium: unlimited states bundled. Rippling: typically bundled across all 50 states at no additional fee.
Global-employment story?
Rippling Global is a separate EOR product priced per worker per country. Gusto offers contractor support globally and limited EOR via partner network; Gusto wins for US-only deployments, Rippling wins when EOR is critical.