Head to head

Justworks vs Thatch

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

Justworks

$8/employee/mo

US payroll from $8 per employee per month plus a $50 monthly base fee. PEO Basic is $79 per employee. PEO Plus is $124.

Where Justworks fits

US startups that want a printed payroll rate
Teams ready for PEO benefits at $79 or $124
Employers that also need time tracking access
Companies hiring abroad through the $599 EOR line

Thatch is an ICHRA platform where the employer sets a monthly healthcare budget and employees pick individual medical, dental, and vision plans. The vendor charges a simple monthly fee per employee with no setup fees or long-term contracts, and does not print the dollar amount.

Where Thatch fits

Startups hiring across states that do not want to shop a new group plan each time
Employers replacing a rising group premium with a fixed ICHRA budget
Remote-first companies whose people need local individual networks
HR teams that want enrollment, carrier payments, and compliance reporting handled by the vendor

At a glance

Detail	Justworks	Thatch
Starting price	$8/employee/mo	Sales-quoted
Free tier	–No	–No
MCP server	–No	–No
Public API	–No	–No
Listed under	Benefits administration, HR compliance, Payroll	Benefits administration

Where they pull apart

Justworks

Stands out: A cheap payroll SKU plus two PEO tiers, so you can stay payroll-only or move into benefits later.

Watch out: Payroll-only adds a $50 monthly base fee. PEO Plus is the benefits tier at $124 per employee. EOR is $599 per employee.

Not the right fit for

Very small shops that refuse a $50 base fee
Enterprises that need a full HCM suite

Thatch

Stands out: Leftover budget loads onto a Thatch Card for copays, prescriptions, and other qualified medical expenses, so employees are not filing reimbursement forms after the premium is paid.

Watch out: There is no public PEPM. You upload a census into a quoting tool or book a call. Thatch Market (plan shopping) is included at no extra platform fee, but the per-employee software fee is still sales-quoted.

Not the right fit for

Buyers who need a printed dollar rate before a census quote
Employers that only want a GCHRA on top of a group plan they already like

Pros and cons

Justworks

Payroll from $8/employee plus $50 base
Printed PEO rates at $79 and $124
EOR line at $599/employee

$50 monthly base on payroll-only
Benefits need PEO Plus at $124
No published free trial

Thatch

No setup fee and no long-term contract on the vendor FAQ
ICHRA classes can vary by location and age so the budget is not a single national number
Thatch Card spends leftover allowance without a reimbursement queue

The per-employee software fee is not printed
It is ICHRA, not QSEHRA or a GCHRA supplement
You still fund the actual insurance allowance on top of the platform fee

What each one costs

Justworks

$8/employee/mo

Payroll is $8/employee/month plus a $50/month base fee. PEO Basic is $79/employee/month with no base fee. PEO Plus is $124/employee/month. Global EOR is $599/employee/month. No free trial stated. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Thatch

Sales-quoted

Thatch charges a monthly fee per employee. The vendor states there are no setup fees, long-term contracts, or hidden costs, and asks you to contact them for pricing based on team size. Thatch Market plan shopping is included at no additional platform fee. The software fee itself is not printed. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Justworks or Thatch for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Justworks alternatives All Thatch alternatives Every Benefits administration tool

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