Calculate estimated payroll costs for your employees using Gusto's platform.
Simple ($40/month base + $6/month per employee)
Plus ($140/month base + $12/month per employee)
Premium ($350/month base + $20/month per employee)
Estimated Monthly Payroll Costs
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Understanding Gusto Payroll Costs
Gusto is a popular online payroll, benefits, and HR platform designed for small businesses. Its pricing is structured to be transparent and scalable, offering different tiers to suit varying business needs. Understanding how these costs are calculated is crucial for budgeting and financial planning.
How Gusto Pricing Works
Gusto's pricing is typically composed of two main components:
Base Monthly Fee: This is a fixed cost per month that varies depending on the plan tier you choose. It covers the core functionalities of the chosen plan.
Per-Employee Fee: This is a variable cost that is charged per employee, per month. The rate of this fee also depends on the chosen plan tier.
The total monthly cost is the sum of the base monthly fee and the total per-employee fees. Employer taxes and other benefits costs are separate and not directly part of the Gusto platform fee itself, though Gusto facilitates their calculation and payment.
The Calculator Explained
This calculator helps estimate your monthly payroll costs based on Gusto's pricing structure. It takes into account:
Number of Employees: The total count of individuals on your payroll.
Average Annual Salary: While not directly used in the Gusto platform fee calculation, this is a key metric for overall payroll budgeting. The calculator uses it here to provide context and a basis for potential future additions of payroll tax estimates.
Gusto Plan Tier: The selection of the specific Gusto plan (Simple, Plus, or Premium) determines the base fee and the per-employee fee rates.
Calculation Logic
The calculator determines the estimated monthly cost using the following formula:
Estimated Monthly Cost = Base Monthly Fee + (Number of Employees * Per-Employee Monthly Fee)
Each Gusto plan has predefined rates:
Simple Plan: $40/month base + $6/month per employee.
Plus Plan: $140/month base + $12/month per employee.
Premium Plan: $350/month base + $20/month per employee.
The calculator applies these rates based on your selection.
Example Calculation
Let's say you have 10 employees, and the average annual salary is $65,000. You choose the Plus Plan.
Base Monthly Fee (Plus Plan): $140
Per-Employee Monthly Fee (Plus Plan): $12
Number of Employees: 10
Total Per-Employee Costs: 10 employees * $12/employee = $120
This $260 represents the estimated monthly cost for the Gusto platform subscription. Remember that actual payroll expenses will also include employee wages, employer taxes, and potentially benefits contributions.
Use Cases
This calculator is useful for:
Small business owners evaluating payroll solutions.
HR professionals comparing subscription costs for different Gusto tiers.
Budgeting for operational expenses related to payroll and HR.
Comparing Gusto's pricing against other payroll providers.
Note: This calculator provides an estimate for Gusto's subscription fees only. It does not include the cost of actual payroll processing, employee wages, employer taxes, or benefits. For precise figures, always refer to Gusto's official pricing page or contact their sales team.
function calculateGustoPayroll() {
var employeeCountInput = document.getElementById("employeeCount");
var averageSalaryInput = document.getElementById("averageSalary");
var gustoTierSelect = document.getElementById("gustoTier");
var resultValueDiv = document.getElementById("result-value");
// Clear previous results
resultValueDiv.innerHTML = "–";
// Get input values and convert to numbers
var employeeCount = parseFloat(employeeCountInput.value);
var averageSalary = parseFloat(averageSalaryInput.value); // Not used in core calculation, but good for context
var gustoTier = gustoTierSelect.value;
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(employeeCount) || employeeCount <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid number of employees.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(averageSalary) || averageSalary < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid average annual salary.");
return;
}
var baseFee = 0;
var perEmployeeFee = 0;
// Define plan rates
var planRates = {
simple: { base: 40, perEmployee: 6 },
plus: { base: 140, perEmployee: 12 },
premium: { base: 350, perEmployee: 20 }
};
// Get rates based on selected tier
if (planRates.hasOwnProperty(gustoTier)) {
baseFee = planRates[gustoTier].base;
perEmployeeFee = planRates[gustoTier].perEmployee;
} else {
alert("Invalid Gusto tier selected.");
return;
}
// Calculate total cost
var totalPerEmployeeCost = employeeCount * perEmployeeFee;
var estimatedTotalMonthlyCost = baseFee + totalPerEmployeeCost;
// Display the result
resultValueDiv.innerHTML = "$" + estimatedTotalMonthlyCost.toFixed(2);
}