Head to head

Eddy vs Gusto

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

Eddy

Sales-quoted

Eddy is all-in-one HR and payroll software for small and midsize businesses. Commercials are sales-quoted.

Where Eddy fits

  • US SMBs that want payroll, HR, ATS, and onboarding in one vendor
  • Teams comparing a quoted bundle with Gusto at $49/mo or BambooHR at $250/mo
  • Multi-state employers that have outgrown spreadsheets but not Workday
  • HR leads who want compliance and onboarding next to pay

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

DetailEddyGusto
Starting priceSales-quoted$49/mo
Free tier–No–No
MCP server–No✓Yes
Public API–No✓Yes
Listed underATS, HR compliance, HRIS, Onboarding, PayrollBenefits administration, HR compliance, HRIS, Onboarding, Payroll, Time & attendance
CapterraNot enough reviews4.6 from 4,225 reviews

Where they pull apart

Eddy

Stands out: HRIS, payroll, ATS, onboarding, and HR compliance sit in one SMB bundle, closer to Gusto than to a modular HR Cloud deal.

Watch out: eddy.com does not print a public per-employee rate. US payroll plus tax filing is the conversation, not global EOR. Implementation is a sales cycle.

Not the right fit for

  • Global employers that need Deel-style EOR
  • Enterprises on ADP Workforce Now or Workday

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

Eddy

  • Payroll, HRIS, ATS, onboarding, and compliance in one SMB bundle
  • Aimed at US small and midsize employers, not enterprise HCM
  • One vendor instead of Gusto plus a separate ATS
  • Sales-quoted, no public per-employee rate
  • Not a global EOR
  • Sales cycle is slower than a Gusto self-serve signup

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

Eddy

Sales-quoted

Eddy quotes HR, payroll, ATS, and onboarding as an SMB bundle. eddy.com does not print a public per-employee rate. 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 Eddy or Gusto for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.
Does Eddy 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?

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