Gusto is an all-in-one payroll, benefits, and HR platform built for small to mid-sized US companies. For a nonprofit or social enterprise with a US legal entity and US-based staff or contractors, it automates tax filing and payroll runs instead of leaving a small finance team to handle federal and state compliance by hand.
Key features
- Unlimited monthly payroll runs at no extra charge
- Automated federal, state, and local tax filing, including W-2, 1099, 940, and 941 forms
- Health insurance broker services with integrated plan enrollment
- Time tracking and attendance management
- HR tools, including performance reviews and goal tracking
- 401(k) retirement plan administration and domestic or global contractor payments
Pricing
| Plan | Base + per-person | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Contractor Only | $0/mo base + $6/person | Contractor-only organizations |
| Simple | $49/mo base + $6/person | Small teams, single-state payroll |
| Plus | $80/mo base + $12/person | Multi-state operations |
| Premium | $180/mo base + $22/person | Larger teams needing dedicated support |
Billing is month-to-month with no long-term contract, and plans can be canceled anytime. Prices change over time. Figures above are based on Gusto’s own pricing page.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unlimited payroll runs remove the temptation to bundle pay periods to save money | Built specifically for US-based payroll and tax compliance, not usable for staff employed outside the US |
| Automated tax filing reduces the compliance burden on a small finance team without in-house payroll expertise | Multi-state operations require the Plus tier or above, adding real monthly cost as an organization grows across states |
| Contractor payments cover both domestic and international contractors from the same account | Health insurance and 401(k) administration add complexity a very small nonprofit may not need yet |
Who it’s best for
A nonprofit or social enterprise with a US legal entity and at least a few US-based employees or contractors that wants payroll and tax compliance handled automatically rather than managed manually or through a general accountant.
Skip it if your organization has no US entity or US-based staff. Gusto’s core value is US payroll tax compliance, which does not apply outside that context.
How to get started
Start with the Contractor Only or Simple plan if you are a small, single-state team, and confirm your state-specific tax setup during onboarding before running your first payroll.
FAQ
Does Gusto work for a nonprofit, not just a for-profit company? Yes. Gusto serves any US-registered organization running payroll, including 501(c)(3) nonprofits, provided it has US-based staff or contractors.
Can Gusto pay international contractors? Yes, its contractor payment tools cover both domestic and global contractors from the same platform.
Are there extra fees for filing payroll taxes? No, automated federal, state, and local tax filing is included in every plan, not billed as a separate add-on.
Disclosure: Impact DOTS may earn a commission if you sign up for Gusto through the links in this article. This does not change what you pay, and it does not influence which tools we choose to cover.
