TL;DR
Gusto for US payroll simplicity. Rippling for all-in-one HR/IT. Deel for international contractors and EOR.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Gusto | Rippling | Deel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $40+/mo | $8+/user | $49+/contractor |
| Best for | US payroll | US HR + IT | Global hiring |
| US payroll | Excellent | Excellent | Via EOR |
| International | No | Limited | Excellent |
| Benefits admin | Yes | Yes | No |
1. Gusto
Simple US payroll, benefits, and HR for small businesses. Automatic tax filing, workers' comp, and 401(k) administration. The default for US startups hiring their first employees.
2. Rippling
Unified HR, IT, and payroll platform. Onboard an employee and their laptop, apps, and payroll are set up simultaneously. Scales from 2 to 2,000 employees.
3. Deel
Hire and pay contractors and employees in 150+ countries. Employer of Record (EOR) for full-time international hires. Essential for remote-first startups with global talent.
How We Chose These Tools
We compared payroll accuracy, international capabilities, pricing, ease of setup, and additional HR features for startup hiring patterns.
Key Takeaways
- US employees only: Gusto.
- US team + need IT management: Rippling.
- International contractors/employees: Deel.