Home › Rippling vs Gusto for small law firms
Rippling vs Gusto for small law firms
Researched, not hands-on testedPrices checked: 2026-10-31Sources: each vendor's official pages
Rippling vs Gusto for a 2–25 person law firm: published pricing, contractor payments abroad, and which fits a firm that may hire remote staff. From official pricing pages.
Our shortlist
1. Gusto
Best for: Small firms that want transparent, published payroll pricing
Gusto publishes Simple at $49/month + $6/person, Plus at $80 + $12 and Premium at $180 + $22, month to month. It also lists contractor payments in 120+ countries with no monthly per-contractor fee.
Published pricing: Simple $49/mo + $6/person; Plus $80/mo + $12/person; Premium $180/mo + $22/person. Source (2026-10-31)
- Global contractor payments in 120+ countries with no monthly per-contractor fee (FX/service fees per payment)
- Unlimited payroll runs on every plan
Visit official site →2. Rippling
Best for: Firms that want HR, IT (devices, app access) and payroll in one system, possibly with global employees
Rippling says plans start at $8 per employee per month plus a monthly base fee, quoted by product. Its product menu includes Global Payroll, Employer of Record and PEO.
Published pricing: FAQ: "plans start at $8 per employee per month, with a monthly base fee"; total depends on products — custom quote. Source (2026-10-31)
- HR, IT and finance modules priced per product
Visit official site →Side-by-side (from official pages)
| Product | Published pricing | Trial / buying | Source |
|---|
Gusto
HR & payroll | Simple $49/mo + $6/person; Plus $80/mo + $12/person; Premium $180/mo + $22/person. | Month-to-month, cancel anytime (per FAQ) | Official page
2026-10-31 |
Rippling
HR & payroll | FAQ: "plans start at $8 per employee per month, with a monthly base fee"; total depends on products — custom quote. | Demo | Official page
2026-10-31 |
Deel
EOR & contractors | EOR from $599/employee/month; contractors from $49/contractor/month; Contractor of Record from $325/month; US PEO from $125/employee/month. | Demo | Official page
2026-10-31 |
Remote
EOR & contractors | EOR from $599/employee/month (annual contracts); Contractor Management from $29/contractor/month; Contractor Management Plus $99; Contractor of Record $325; PEO from $99/employee/month. | Demo | Official page
2026-10-31 |
USD prices as shown on official pages on the date above; they may exclude taxes, fees and add-ons. We do not assign scores or star ratings.
The short answer
A small firm that mainly needs US payroll and benefits and wants to know the price up front usually starts with Gusto, because its pricing is published. A firm that also wants device management, app provisioning and staff abroad in one system should get a Rippling quote and compare the total, base fee included.
Law-firm specifics to check
- Trust accounting is not payroll. Neither tool replaces IOLTA or trust accounting in your practice management software.
- Contractors abroad. If you pay a paralegal or assistant in Latin America as a contractor, check FX and per-payment fees, and get local advice on classification.
- Device and data security. Client confidentiality makes laptop management and access removal at offboarding important. Rippling sells IT modules; with Gusto you would add a separate tool.
Hiring outside the US
For employees abroad you need an Employer of Record, an entity or a staffing partner. See our EOR guide for Latin America and Deel vs Remote.
Our own service, not an affiliate link.
Need bilingual people, not just software?
This site is owned by SupportMates LLC. We provide bilingual (English/Spanish) remote staff based in Guatemala to US law firms and businesses for intake, case follow-up and paralegal support supervised by your attorneys, at one monthly rate.
Book a 15-minute call Calculate your savingsFAQ
Does Rippling publish full pricing?
No. As of 2026-10-31 its FAQ says plans start at $8 per employee per month with a monthly base fee, and the total is a custom quote.
Can Gusto pay contractors in Mexico or Guatemala?
Gusto's pricing page lists contractor payments in 120+ countries. Check its current country list and fees before you rely on it.