Head to head

Carta vs Gusto

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

Carta

Sales-quoted

Cap table and equity management for private companies. Launch is free up to 25 stakeholders and $1M raised; paid plans are quote-based.

Where Carta fits

Startups setting up a first cap table
Companies that need 409A valuations
Finance teams handling ASC 718 reporting
HR teams syncing equity with HRIS and payroll

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

Where they pull apart

Carta

Stands out: A free Launch plan for early cap tables, then Build, Grow and Scale with 409A valuations and ASC 718 reporting.

Watch out: Paid plans have no published price. Each has a per-stakeholder rate and a minimum annual fee, and add-ons like Total Compensation cost extra.

Not the right fit for

Buyers who need a published paid price
Public companies needing full stock admin

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

Carta

Free plan for early-stage cap tables
409A and ASC 718 on higher plans
Public API and official MCP servers

No published price for paid plans
Minimum annual fee on paid plans
Add-ons sold separately

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

Carta

Sales-quoted

Free plan; paid plans are sales-quoted. Launch is free for up to 25 stakeholders and $1 million raised. Build, Grow and Scale are priced per stakeholder with a minimum annual fee, and add-ons such as Total Compensation and Liquidity cost extra. 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 Carta or Gusto for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Does Carta or Gusto have an MCP server?

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

Not the pair you wanted?

All Carta alternatives All Gusto alternatives Every Compensation tool

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