Gusto vs ADP RUN: which payroll wins in 2026?
Same question, two very different answers: Gusto is priced on a public rate card and built for owners who run payroll themselves; ADP RUN is quote-priced enterprise plumbing scaled down. Here is the head-to-head, scored criterion by criterion from cited evidence.
| Criterion (weight) |  Gusto |  ADP RUN |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing value (20%) | 7.0 | 4.5 |
| Ease of use (20%) | 9.5 | 7.5 |
| Tax & compliance (20%) | 9.0 | 8.5 |
| Features (15%) | 9.5 | 8.5 |
| Support (15%) | 6.5 | 6.0 |
| Solo & S-corp fit (10%) | 9.5 | 5.5 |
| PR Score | 8.5 | 6.8 |
| Solo S-corp cost | $55/mo — Simple plan: $49 + $6/person (single-state) | $83/mo — Quote-only; leaked Essential rate ~$79 + $4/employee. ADP's own answer for solos is Roll by ADP at $44/mo |
| Reputation | G2 4.6/5 (12,848 reviews) · Trustpilot 2.1/5 (2,476) | G2 4.6/5 (~5,460; #1 in 17 categories) · Trustpilot 1.2/5 (ADP-wide) |
Bold = higher score. Each criterion is scored 0–10 from cited evidence; the PR Score is the weighted total, computed at build time — how scoring works.
Gusto: strengths / weaknesses
- Best-in-class UI and AutoPilot automation
- Unique solo S-corp tooling: reasonable-salary estimator, 2% shareholder flag
- Everything included: W-2s, 1099s, year-end forms, unlimited runs
- Three consecutive years of price increases (payroll and 401(k))
- Support reputation has slipped since ~2024; phone support is Premium-only
ADP RUN: strengths / weaknesses
- 24/7 real-person support
- Excellent documented S-corp handling (official guide + 2% medical fringe)
- Same-day ACH capability; deep benefits/HR ecosystem
- Quote-only pricing with documented 3-8% annual creep
- Year-end forms, setup, off-cycle runs and more billed extra
For a solo S-corp or a team under ~10, Gusto wins this one on the criteria that dominate small-business payroll: transparent pricing (a public $49 + $6 rate card vs quotes that users document creeping 3–8% a year), S-corp tooling nobody else has, and software you will not need a rep to operate. Choose ADP RUN when you specifically need what it is genuinely better at: 24/7 live phone support and headroom to scale past 50 employees — and go in eyes-open about quote-only pricing and year-end fees.
Try Gusto — $100 gift card via this link Full Gusto review → Full ADP RUN review →