Deel vs Gusto
Choose Deel if you need to hire employees internationally or run payroll across countries; choose Gusto if your main need is U.S. payroll with published monthly plan prices. Both support international contractor payments, but their employee-hiring arrangements differ: Deel offers employer-of-record services, while Gusto refers new international employee-hiring customers to Remote.
Last updated October 24, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | Deel | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| International employee hiring | Employer of record in 130+ countries | New customers referred to Remote for employer-of-record services |
| Payroll through your own entities | Self-serve or managed multi-country payroll | U.S. payroll in all 50 states |
| International contractors | Hire and pay in 150+ countries | Pay contractors in 120+ countries |
| U.S. payroll price | Starts at $29 per employee per month | Simple: $49 per month plus $6 per person |
| Employer-of-record price | Starts at $599 per employee per month | Not published for new customers |
| International contractor charges | Starts at $49 per contractor per month | No monthly per-contractor fee; payment and exchange fees |
| U.S. payroll plans | U.S. payroll and PEO services | Simple, Plus, and Premium |
| Health benefits | Global and U.S. benefits with employer-of-record and PEO services | Health insurance brokerage; premiums apply |
| Integrations | QuickBooks, Xero, Workday, and others | QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, and others |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, and Android | Web, iOS, and Android |
| Support | 24/7 multichannel payroll support | Chat daily; weekday callbacks; email |
| International contractor payment limits | Not published | $25 minimum; $100,000 pending-payment maximum |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose Deel if
- Businesses hiring employees abroad without establishing local entities
- Teams running payroll through their own entities in multiple countries
- Businesses managing international employees and contractors in one platform
- Teams needing support across time zones
Choose Gusto if
- Small businesses primarily paying U.S. employees
- Employers wanting published U.S. payroll plan prices
- Teams needing U.S. payroll tax filing and health benefits administration
- Businesses paying international contractors without a monthly fee per international contractor
The verdict
Pick Deel when international employment or multi-country payroll is the deciding factor: it publishes employer-of-record coverage in 130+ countries and supports payroll through your own entities. Pick Gusto when U.S. payroll, tax filing, benefits, and a published base-plus-per-person price are the priorities. If you only need to pay overseas contractors, compare the payment pattern as well as the subscription price: Deel lists a monthly contractor fee, while Gusto lists payment fees without a monthly fee per international contractor.
Deel vs Gusto: common questions
- Should I choose Deel or Gusto for international employees?
- Choose Deel if you want employer-of-record hiring within the same provider that handles your global HR and payroll. Deel publishes employer-of-record coverage in 130+ countries. Since May 1, 2026, Gusto has referred new customers seeking international employer-of-record services directly to Remote; customers who joined earlier may have an integrated Gusto and Remote experience.
- Which is a better fit for U.S. payroll?
- Gusto is a fit for businesses that want published U.S. payroll tiers: Simple costs $49 per month plus $6 per person and covers single-state payroll; Plus and Premium cover multi-state payroll. Deel also offers U.S. payroll, with pricing starting at $29 per employee per month, alongside its international payroll services.
- How do Deel and Gusto charge for international contractors?
- Deel lists contractor management starting at $49 per contractor per month. Gusto says international contractor payments have no monthly per-contractor fee, but payment and foreign-exchange fees apply. The total depends on how many contractors you pay and how often you pay them.
- Does Gusto still offer a contractor-only plan to new customers?
- No. Gusto says its contractor-only plan closed to new customers on October 1, 2026. Existing customers can retain it, and contractors can still be paid on Gusto's other plans.
- Can either product run payroll for employees in multiple countries?
- Deel offers self-serve or managed multi-country payroll for companies employing workers through their own entities. Gusto publishes U.S. payroll plans and refers new customers seeking international employer-of-record hiring to Remote.
- Do Deel and Gusto integrate with accounting software?
- Yes. Both vendors publish QuickBooks and Xero integrations. Deel also lists HR and enterprise-system integrations, while Gusto lists additional accounting integrations, including FreshBooks.
- Are Deel and Gusto available on mobile?
- Yes. Both Deel and Gusto publish access through a web platform and mobile apps for iOS and Android. Available tasks can differ between the web and mobile experiences.
- What support does each offer?
- Deel publishes 24/7 multichannel support for payroll. Gusto offers chat from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time on weekdays and 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends; callbacks are available on weekdays, and email is available outside standard support hours.