Head to head

ADP RUN vs Gusto

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

ADP RUN

Sales-quoted

Small-business payroll and HR from ADP, in Essential, Enhanced, Complete, and HR Pro packages. Sales-quoted.

Where ADP RUN fits

US small businesses that want ADP to file taxes
Owners who run payroll on a phone
Shops that also want hiring and benefits add-ons
Teams connecting payroll to Clover POS

Gusto

$49/mo

US small-business payroll, benefits and onboarding in one stack, from around $49/mo plus a per-seat charge.

Where Gusto fits

US small companies running payroll in-house
HR teams that want benefits next to pay
Desks that want MCP on payroll data
A first HRIS after spreadsheets

At a glance

Detail	ADP RUN	Gusto
Starting price	Sales-quoted	$49/mo
Free tier	–No	–No
MCP server	–No	✓Yes
Public API	–No	✓Yes
Listed under	HRIS, Payroll	Benefits administration, HR compliance, HRIS, Onboarding, Payroll, Time & attendance
Capterra	Not enough reviews	4.6 from 4,225 reviews

Where they pull apart

ADP RUN

Stands out: ADP Assist flags payroll errors and answers questions using your company's own payroll data.

Watch out: Package dollars are a quote. A three-month free payroll promo is not a product trial.

Not the right fit for

Buyers who need a public per-employee rate
Mid-market teams that need Workforce Now

Gusto

Stands out: Payroll sitting next to HR for US small companies, with a first-party MCP.

Watch out: It is US-only, so it is not a route to hiring people in other countries.

Not the right fit for

Global employer-of-record buyers
Enterprise HRIS selection processes

Pros and cons

ADP RUN

Tax filing across all 50 states
ADP Assist flags payroll errors
Four packages from payroll to HR

No public package dollars
Promo months are not a trial
Wrong fit past small-business scale

Gusto

Payroll, benefits and onboarding in one US stack
MCP and API available
Fits small-business HR and finance buyers

US-only
Per-seat charges on top of the base
Not built for hiring pipelines

What each one costs

ADP RUN

Sales-quoted

Sales-quoted. Essential, Enhanced, Complete, and HR Pro are named packages with a Get Pricing CTA. A three-month free payroll promo is a signup offer, not a trial. Dollars depend on headcount, pay frequency, and add-ons. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Gusto

$49/mo

From ~$49/mo +/seat. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try ADP RUN or Gusto for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Does ADP RUN or Gusto have an MCP server?

Gusto ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All ADP RUN alternatives All Gusto alternatives Every HRIS tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 19 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?