Is QuickBooks Payroll cheaper than Gusto?

At the entry tier, Gusto Simple ($109/month for 10 employees) is slightly cheaper than QuickBooks Workforce Payroll ($115/month for 10 employees). At the mid tier, QuickBooks Workforce Premium ($188/month for 10 employees) is cheaper than Gusto Plus ($200/month for 10 employees). The comparison changes when multi-state payroll is factored in: QuickBooks Payroll and Premium add $12/state/month for additional states, while Gusto Plus includes multi-state payroll at no extra charge. For single-state businesses, QuickBooks Premium is cheaper at most team sizes. For multi-state businesses on the Payroll or Premium plan, Gusto Plus can be more cost-effective.

Does QuickBooks Payroll include time tracking?

Time tracking is not included in Workforce Payroll (the entry plan). Workforce Premium includes QuickBooks Time Premium, which covers mobile time tracking, timesheet approvals, and basic scheduling. Workforce Elite includes QuickBooks Time Elite, which adds project-based time tracking, geofencing, and mileage tracking. If you need time tracking on the entry plan, you can purchase QuickBooks Time separately: but it requires a QuickBooks Online subscription, which adds $15-34/month to the cost.

What is tax-penalty protection in QuickBooks Elite?

Workforce Elite includes protection against payroll tax penalties up to $25,000 per year. If QuickBooks makes an error in payroll tax calculations or filings after your account is properly set up, they cover the resulting penalty. This does not cover every payroll compliance issue: it specifically applies to errors QuickBooks makes in its automated tax handling, and you must meet notice deadlines (15 days) and setup requirements. For businesses in states with complex local payroll taxes or those that have had tax penalty issues, this coverage has real financial value. No comparable guarantee is offered by Gusto, ADP RUN, or Paychex at equivalent price points.

Can I use QuickBooks Payroll without QuickBooks Online?

Yes. QuickBooks Workforce payroll is available as a standalone subscription without a QuickBooks Online accounting subscription. The payroll-only path works for businesses that use another accounting system. The exception is QuickBooks Time purchased separately: the standalone Time product requires a QuickBooks Online account. If you want time tracking without QuickBooks accounting, you would need to choose Workforce Premium (which includes Time) rather than buying Time separately.

Does QuickBooks Payroll handle 1099 contractors?

Yes, but how depends on your workforce. If you have both W-2 employees and 1099 contractors, any Workforce plan can pay contractors by direct deposit: the charge is $6.50, $10, or $12 per contractor paid (following your plan tier). If you pay only 1099 contractors with no W-2 employees, QuickBooks offers a separate Contractor Payments plan for $25/month covering up to 20 contractors (plus $2 per additional contractor). For a business with 10 contractors, QuickBooks Contractor Payments ($25/month) is cheaper than Gusto Contractor Only ($60/month for 10 contractors at $6 each).

QuickBooks Payroll Pricing 2026: Plans, Hidden Costs, and What You'll Actually Pay

Last updated: August 2026

TL;DR

QuickBooks Payroll, now branded as QuickBooks Workforce, publishes all its pricing. The base plan (Workforce Payroll) costs $50/month plus $6.50 per employee. Workforce Premium costs $88/month plus $10 per employee and adds QuickBooks Time and same-day direct deposit. Workforce Elite costs $134/month plus $12 per employee and adds expert setup, a dedicated HR advisor, and tax-penalty protection up to $25,000/year. Multi-state payroll costs an extra $12 per additional state per month on the Payroll and Premium plans: Elite includes all states. QuickBooks is currently running a 90% off for 3 months promotion (verified August 2026). At 10 employees, Gusto Simple ($109/month) is cheaper than Workforce Payroll ($115/month), but at 25 employees the gap widens and the comparison shifts depending on features needed.

QuickBooks rebranded its payroll product to QuickBooks Workforce in 2026. The payroll functionality is unchanged: full-service payroll, automated tax filing, W-2s and 1099s: but the naming now reflects the combined employee management and payroll positioning. This guide uses Workforce as the product name but QuickBooks Payroll throughout as the search term most people use.

QuickBooks Payroll Plans and Pricing (August 2026)

All prices are published at quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing and verified August 2026. QuickBooks changed its pricing effective July 1, 2026. If you are comparing against older guides, the figures may differ.

QuickBooks Workforce payroll plan pricing, verified at quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing, August 2026.

Plan	Base price	Per employee	Direct deposit	Key additions over prior tier
Workforce Payroll	$50/mo	$6.50/mo	Next-day	Full-service payroll, tax filing, W-2 and 1099, employee self-service, one state included
Workforce Premium	$88/mo	$10/mo	Same-day	QuickBooks Time Premium included, setup review, document e-signatures, HR resources via Mineral
Workforce Elite	$134/mo	$12/mo	Same-day	Expert-completed setup, tax-penalty protection ($25k/yr), QuickBooks Time Elite, dedicated HR advisor, performance management

ℹ Current promotion: 90% off for 3 months

QuickBooks is running a 90% off promotion for 3 months for new customers as of August 2026 (visible on the official pricing page). The discount applies to the base monthly fee only, not the per-employee fee. After the promotional period, the account reverts to standard pricing. Factor post-promotion costs into your comparison: a lower first-quarter price can obscure the full annual cost.

What Each Plan Actually Includes

The three tiers are not just price differences: each adds substantive features that change what the platform can replace.

•Workforce Payroll ($50 + $6.50/person): The entry plan covers the core payroll function completely: unlimited payroll runs, automated federal and state tax payments, W-2 and 1099 filing, next-day direct deposit for eligible employees, and an employee self-service portal for pay stubs and tax forms. It does not include time tracking, HR tools, or same-day direct deposit. Multi-state payroll costs $12 per additional state per month (one state is included). This is the right plan if payroll processing and tax compliance are all you need.
•Workforce Premium ($88 + $10/person): The main upgrade from Payroll to Premium is same-day direct deposit and the inclusion of QuickBooks Time Premium. If you were going to pay for QuickBooks Time separately, the standalone price is $20/month base + $8 per user, and it requires a QuickBooks Online account. For a 10-person team, buying Time separately would cost $100/month plus the $15-34/month QBO subscription: easily $115-134/month just for time tracking. Bundled in Premium, the time tracking effectively costs $38/month more than Payroll (the base fee difference), with no QBO subscription required.
•Workforce Elite ($134 + $12/person): Elite adds three features that stand out. Expert-completed setup: QuickBooks staff configure payroll for you rather than walking you through it. Tax-penalty protection up to $25,000/year: if QuickBooks makes a payroll tax error after your account is properly set up, they cover the penalty (with eligibility requirements and a 15-day notice requirement). Dedicated HR advisor via Mineral: a named person available for HR questions, hiring, and compliance guidance. For small businesses without an HR function, this can replace a significant portion of what a fractional HR consultant would cost.

Cost by Team Size

Total monthly QuickBooks Workforce cost at common team sizes, August 2026. Base fee plus per-employee fee at standard (non-promotional) pricing. Excludes additional state fees, contractors, and add-ons.

Team size	Workforce Payroll	Workforce Premium	Workforce Elite
5 employees	$82.50/mo	$138/mo	$194/mo
10 employees	$115/mo	$188/mo	$254/mo
25 employees	$212.50/mo	$338/mo	$434/mo
50 employees	$375/mo	$588/mo	$734/mo

⚠ Multi-state payroll adds $12 per state on Payroll and Premium

One state is included in every Workforce plan. If your employees work in more than one state, Workforce Payroll and Premium add $12/month per additional state. For a 10-person team across three states on Workforce Payroll: $115/month base + $24/month for two additional states = $139/month total. Workforce Elite includes multi-state payroll at no additional charge: so if you operate in multiple states, Elite's effective cost advantage over Premium narrows significantly. Factor in your state count before dismissing Elite as overpriced.

Add-Ons and Additional Costs

QuickBooks Workforce additional costs, verified at quickbooks.intuit.com, August 2026.

Cost item	Price	When it applies
Additional state payroll filing	$12/state/month	Workforce Payroll and Premium only; Elite includes all states
Contractor direct deposit (via Workforce)	$6.50 / $10 / $12 per contractor paid	Follows your plan tier; charged per payment, not per month
QuickBooks Contractor Payments (separate product)	$25/mo for up to 20 contractors; +$2/contractor	For businesses paying only contractors, not W-2 employees
QuickBooks Time (bought separately)	$20 base + $8/user/mo (Premium) or $40 base + $10/user/mo (Elite)	Requires QuickBooks Online subscription in addition
Background checks	From $29.99 per report	Via Checkr, optional
Benefits administration	Not publicly disclosed; requires 20+ employees	Partner-delivered; premiums are separate
Health, 401(k), workers' comp	Quote-based	Via Allstate Health, Vestwell, and NEXT: premiums are additional
Printed and mailed 1099s	Additional fees apply	When you need physical copies beyond electronic filing

The QuickBooks Online Bundle: Often Better Value Than You Think

QuickBooks sells a bundle that combines Workforce Payroll and QuickBooks Online Simple Start for $88/month plus $6.50 per employee. QuickBooks Online Simple Start normally costs $38/month on its own. Workforce Payroll on its own costs $50/month. Together that is $88/month at full price: but the bundle is also $88/month. In other words, if you were going to use both QuickBooks accounting and QuickBooks Payroll anyway, the bundle gives you QuickBooks Online effectively at no additional cost. For small businesses already on QuickBooks accounting who are evaluating payroll, this bundle math makes the payroll cost look quite different from the standalone price.

QuickBooks Payroll vs Gusto: Direct Comparison

QuickBooks Workforce vs Gusto pricing comparison at 10 employees, August 2026. QuickBooks prices verified at official pricing page. Gusto prices verified at gusto.com/product/pricing.

	QuickBooks Workforce Payroll	Gusto Simple	QuickBooks Workforce Premium	Gusto Plus
Base fee	$50/mo	$49/mo	$88/mo	$80/mo
Per-employee fee	$6.50/mo	$6/mo	$10/mo	$12/mo
10-employee total	$115/mo	$109/mo	$188/mo	$200/mo
25-employee total	$212.50/mo	$199/mo	$338/mo	$380/mo
Multi-state payroll	+$12/state/mo	Included in Plus	Included in Plus	Included
Time tracking	Not included	Not included	Included (Time Premium)	Included
Same-day direct deposit	Not included	Not included (Plus: next-day)	Included	Next-day (not same-day)
Free trial	No (90% off 3 months)	30 days free	No	30 days free
HR advisor access	Not included	Not included	Resources only (Mineral)	Not included (Premium plan only)
Tax-penalty protection	Not included	Not included	Not included	Not included

At 10 employees, Gusto Simple ($109/month) is $6/month cheaper than Workforce Payroll ($115/month). At 25 employees, Gusto Simple ($199/month) is $13.50/month cheaper. For the mid-tier comparison at 25 employees, QuickBooks Premium ($338/month) is $42/month cheaper than Gusto Plus ($380/month): and QuickBooks Premium includes same-day direct deposit and QuickBooks Time, while Gusto Plus offers next-day direct deposit and its own time tracking tools. Neither is clearly better value for every business; the right choice depends on which specific features matter to your team.

When QuickBooks Payroll Makes Sense

•You already use QuickBooks Online for accounting: The payroll-accounting integration is native and seamless. Payroll journal entries, direct deposit records, and tax payments flow directly into your books without manual reconciliation. For QuickBooks accounting users, adding Workforce payroll is lower-friction than switching to Gusto and maintaining a two-system integration.
•You need time tracking and payroll in one plan: Workforce Premium ($188/month for 10 employees) includes QuickBooks Time Premium: mobile time tracking, timesheet approvals, and project time. Buying Time separately and adding it to Gusto Plus or ADP would typically cost more than the Premium plan.
•You want tax-penalty protection without a third-party service: Elite's tax-penalty protection up to $25,000/year is a distinctive feature. If you have had payroll tax issues in the past or operate in states with complex local payroll taxes, this coverage has concrete financial value. Gusto and ADP RUN do not offer an equivalent guarantee.
•You only pay contractors and no W-2 employees: The QuickBooks Contractor Payments plan ($25/month for up to 20 contractors) is meaningfully cheaper than Gusto's Contractor-Only plan ($6/contractor/month). For a business with 10 contractors, QuickBooks at $25/month beats Gusto at $60/month.

When to Consider Alternatives

•You want transparent pricing with a free trial before committing: Gusto offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. QuickBooks offers a promotional discount but not a trial. If you are not already a QuickBooks user, Gusto's lower barrier to entry makes it easier to evaluate before locking in.
•You operate in multiple states and are on the Payroll or Premium plan: The $12/state/month add-on on QuickBooks Payroll and Premium can eliminate the price advantage over Gusto Plus (which includes multi-state at no extra charge) for businesses in 3+ states.
•You do not use QuickBooks accounting: If your accounting is in Xero, FreshBooks, or another system, the native integration advantage disappears. Gusto integrates with Xero natively; QuickBooks Payroll works best within the QuickBooks ecosystem.
•You need HRIS beyond payroll: None of the three QuickBooks Workforce plans include applicant tracking, performance reviews, or a full HRIS without separate tools. BambooHR and Rippling offer deeper HR functionality alongside payroll. QuickBooks is payroll-first; HR is an add-on layer.
•You are scaling above 100 employees: QuickBooks Workforce serves businesses of all sizes, but HR-intensive companies above 100 employees typically outgrow its HR capabilities. ADP Workforce Now, Paychex Flex Pro, or Rippling are better positioned for that scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

QuickBooks Workforce Payroll (the entry plan) costs $50/month plus $6.50 per employee. For 10 employees, that is $115/month at standard pricing before any promotions. Workforce Premium costs $88/month plus $10 per employee ($188/month for 10 employees). Workforce Elite costs $134/month plus $12 per employee ($254/month for 10 employees). These are post-July 2026 prices. QuickBooks is currently running a 90% off for 3 months promotion for new customers.