15Five vs Gusto: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of 15Five and Gusto. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Gusto starts at $2.5/mo, making it $2/mo cheaper than 15Five ($4/mo). Neither offers a free plan.
Last updated: June 15, 2026
Gusto - Gusto covers foundational payroll and HR operations that are harder to skip; 15Five adds performance management on top.
15Five vs Gusto: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | 15Five | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $4/mo | $2.5/mo |
| Number of Plans | 3 | 20 |
| Free Tier | No | No |
| Pricing Model | per-seat | per-seat |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Gusto is the more affordable option, starting at $2.5/mo compared to 15Five's $4/mo. Both are HR & People tools with 23 combined pricing plans and 16 features compared.
Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your HR & People needs.
| Pricing Plans |  15Five Try free |  Gusto Try freeAffiliate |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Engage $4/monthCheapest Includes
| Global contractor payments $5/month |
| Tier 2 | Perform $11/monthCheapest Includes
| State tax registration Custom pricing |
| Tier 3 | Total Platform $16/month Includes
| R&D tax credits $15/monthCheapest |
| Tier 4 | - | Next-Day pay $15/monthCheapest |
| Tier 5 | - | Instant pay $100/monthCheapest |
| Tier 6 | - | Same-day pay $90/monthCheapest |
| Tier 7 | - | Time & Attendance Plus $6/monthCheapest |
| Tier 8 | - | Priority Support $30/monthCheapest |
| Tier 9 | - | HR Resources $50/monthCheapest |
| Tier 10 | - | Performance $3/monthCheapest |
| Tier 11 | - | Health insurance Custom pricing |
| Tier 12 | - | Health insurance broker integration $6/monthCheapest |
| Tier 13 | - | Workers' compensation $14/monthCheapest |
| Tier 14 | - | Life and disability Custom pricing |
| Tier 15 | - | Gusto Money Plus $19/monthCheapest |
| Tier 16 | - | Health savings accounts (HSAs) $3/monthCheapest |
| Tier 17 | - | Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) $4/monthCheapest |
| Tier 18 | - | Dependent care FSAs $4/monthCheapest |
| Tier 19 | - | Commuter benefits $4/monthCheapest |
| Tier 20 | - | 401(k) $401/monthCheapest |
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Gusto
Gusto covers foundational payroll and HR operations that are harder to skip; 15Five adds performance management on top.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Try Gusto freeFrom $2.5/moWhich Should You Choose?
Choose 15Five if:
- •You need a dedicated performance management platform with OKRs and structured feedback
- •Manager effectiveness and engagement measurement are the HR priorities
- •Payroll and benefits are handled separately and you want a focused performance tool
Choose Gusto if:
- •You need payroll, benefits administration, and HR data management in one platform
- •Gusto's full-service payroll and employee onboarding workflows are important to you
- •A combined payroll and HR platform with time tracking is more efficient for your size
15Five is a performance management platform. Gusto is a payroll and HR platform for small to mid-size businesses. Gusto starts at $40/month plus $6/person for payroll; 15Five starts at $4/user/month for performance. Gusto handles compensation, onboarding, and HR compliance. 15Five handles goal-setting, reviews, and engagement. These tools serve different HR functions and many teams run them together. If you're choosing between them because budget is limited, Gusto covers more essential operational HR functions that are hard to skip.
Frequently Asked Questions: 15Five vs Gusto
Which is cheaper, 15Five or Gusto?
How many pricing plans does 15Five have vs Gusto?
Does 15Five or Gusto offer custom enterprise pricing?
How do 15Five and Gusto compare for HR & People?
Sources
- 15Five Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
- Gusto Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
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