Head to head

Gusto vs MHR

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

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

MHR

Sales-quoted

MHR is a UK HR, payroll, and finance vendor. People First, iTrent, and MHR ERP are sold on bespoke quotes, not a public per-employee card.

Where MHR fits

  • UK mid-market employers combining HR and payroll
  • Frontline-heavy organisations that need WFM plus payslips
  • Finance leaders who want HR and finance in one MHR ERP conversation
  • Companies already on iTrent that need a path to People First

At a glance

DetailGustoMHR
Starting price$49/moSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API✓Yes–No
Listed underBenefits administration, HR compliance, HRIS, Onboarding, Payroll, Time & attendanceHRIS, Payroll, Workforce management
Capterra4.6 from 4,225 reviewsNot enough reviews

Where they pull apart

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

MHR

Stands out: People First puts workforce management, HR, and payroll on one platform so frontline staff can clock in, see a schedule, and open a payslip from the same login.

Watch out: Quotes track headcount, payroll frequency, modules (HR, finance, time, analytics, iTrent Shield), and whether you want software-only or fully managed payroll. A small People First entity is priced unlike a multi-entity iTrent rollout.

Not the right fit for

  • US SMBs that want Gusto-style $49/mo checkout
  • Teams that only need a lightweight HRIS without UK payroll

Pros and cons

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

MHR

  • HR, payroll, and WFM in one UK vendor
  • People First aimed at frontline clock-in plus payslip
  • iTrent path for more complex multi-entity payroll
  • No public per-employee price
  • Implementation is a project
  • US payroll is not the core market

What each one costs

Gusto

$49/mo

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

Checked 7 Sep 2026

MHR

Sales-quoted

MHR does not publish a rate card. People First, iTrent, and ERP are quoted from headcount, modules, and software vs managed payroll. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Gusto or MHR for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.
Does Gusto or MHR 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 7 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?