On this page13 sections
Justworks is a good fit for small U.S. teams that want payroll, HR tools and access to large-group health insurance at a published per-employee price with no implementation fee. It is a legitimate New York PEO and payroll company founded in 2012, certified by the IRS as a CPEO in 2017 and accredited by ESAC. The tradeoffs are cost as you grow (PEO plans run $79 to $124 per employee a month before benefit premiums) and service: the BBB rates it D- for failing to respond to complaints, and Trustpilot reviews cite slow support and payroll tax errors. Get a written quote that includes benefit premiums and add-ons before you sign.
- Company
- Justworks, Inc., 601 W 26th St, New York, NY; founded in 2012 by Isaac Oates; $143 million raised2
- Payroll plan
- $50 a month base fee plus $8 per employee a month, as listed October 20261
- PEO Basic
- $79 per employee a month, no base fee (archived pricing page, May 2026)3
- PEO Plus
- $109 per employee a month on the May 2026 pricing page; some third-party trackers report $124 since mid 2026; confirm with Justworks3
- Add-ons
- Time tracking $8, U.S. contractors $8, international contractors $39, Dedicated HR Consulting $30, EOR $599 per person a month (May 2026)3
- Setup
- No implementation fee, per Justworks1
- Credentials
- IRS Certified PEO since 2017, ESAC accredited since 2019, SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports, per Justworks2
- BBB
- D-, not accredited; 11 complaints in the last 3 years4
Pros
- Published prices for payroll, PEO and add-ons
- No implementation fee
- IRS Certified PEO and ESAC accredited
- PEO Plus opens access to large-group health, dental and vision plans
- 24/7 support on PEO plans
Cons
- BBB rating of D- for not responding to complaints
- PEO fees of $79 to $124 per employee add up quickly
- Health premiums are on top of the plan price
- EOR requires a PEO plan
- Trustpilot reviews cite slow support and tax filing errors
Best for: U.S. small businesses that want better health benefits and HR compliance help for a published per-employee price.
Skip it if: You only need payroll for a small team, since Gusto or OnPay cost less and carry stronger BBB ratings.
Justworks vs. competitors
| Company | Payroll price | PEO price | Global hiring | BBB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justworks | $50 a month plus $8 per employee | $79 to $124 per employee | EOR $599 per employee (PEO plans only) | D-, not accredited |
| Gusto | $49 a month plus $6 per person (Simple) | Not a PEO | Contractors in other countries | A+ |
| Deel | Global payroll priced separately | U.S. PEO $125 per employee | EOR $599 per employee in 130+ countries | No profile found |
| Rippling | Quote only | Quote only | Quote only | A+ |
Justworks pricing at a glance
Justworks plans and add-ons, per month3
| Plan or add-on | Price | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | $50 base plus $8 per employee | Payroll, tax filings, W-2 and 1099s, HR tools, access to time tracking |
| PEO Basic | $79 per employee | Payroll plus compliance support, HR consulting, 24/7 support, 401(k) access, workers' comp access, EPLI |
| PEO Plus | $109 per employee (May 2026); $124 reported since | Everything in Basic plus medical, dental and vision administration, HSA/FSA, mental health and fertility benefits |
| Payroll plus health insurance | $8 per benefits-eligible employee | Group medical, dental and vision access and COBRA admin on the Payroll plan |
| Time tracking | $8 per employee | Payroll, Basic and Plus |
| Contractors | $8 per paid U.S. contractor; $39 per paid international contractor | Pay contractors in the same system |
| Dedicated HR Consulting | $30 per employee | Basic and Plus only |
| Employer of Record (EOR) | $599 per international employee | Basic and Plus only |
Payroll pricing was confirmed in October 2026; PEO and add-on prices come from Justworks' pricing page as archived May 21, 2026, because the live page didn't show prices to our checks. Health insurance premiums are extra and depend on your team and plan choices.
Justworks, step by step
Pick a plan
Choose Payroll, PEO Basic or PEO Plus on justworks.com and register online, or talk to sales for a benefits quote.
Onboard your company
Enter company, tax and bank details and invite employees to onboard themselves. Justworks says there's no implementation fee.
Co-employment (PEO plans)
On PEO plans, Justworks becomes a co-employer that handles payroll taxes, benefits and compliance paperwork; you still hire and direct the work.
Run payroll and benefits
Run payroll, track time off and manage benefits in the dashboard and mobile app, with phone, chat and email support.
Add or change
Add time tracking, contractors or international hires as add-ons, or switch plans as the team grows.
Justworks legitimacy and licensing
Yes. Justworks, Inc. was founded in New York in 2012 by Isaac Oates, a former Etsy executive, and says it has raised $143 million. It says it received IRS Certified Professional Employer Organization (CPEO) status in 2017 and ESAC accreditation in 2019, and that it holds SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports. The IRS certifies PEOs that show a history of financial responsibility and tax compliance, which is a useful check when you hand over payroll taxes.
Service is the weak spot. The BBB rates JustWorks, Inc. D-, not accredited, and lists 11 complaints in three years, citing complaints the company didn’t respond to. On Trustpilot it scores 2.1 out of 5 from only 37 reviews, with more than half one star.
Justworks cost
The Payroll plan costs $50 a month plus $8 per employee, so a 10-person team pays $130 a month. On the PEO plans there’s no base fee: PEO Basic was $79 per employee a month and PEO Plus $109 on Justworks’ May 2026 pricing page, and several third-party trackers report PEO Plus at $124 since mid 2026. For 10 people that’s about $790 to $1,240 a month before health premiums.
Add-ons include time tracking ($8 per employee), U.S. contractors ($8 each) and international contractors ($39 each), Dedicated HR Consulting ($30 per employee) and EOR for international hires ($599 per person). Justworks says there’s no implementation fee. Because the live pricing page didn’t display prices to our checks, confirm current PEO rates in writing.
Justworks PEO vs. Payroll: what you get
The Payroll plan is software: unlimited payroll, multi-state payroll, contractor payments, tax filings, W-2s and 1099s, and HR tools like onboarding and PTO tracking. For $8 per benefits-eligible employee you can add access to medical, dental and vision insurance and COBRA administration.
The PEO plans make Justworks your co-employer. PEO Basic adds compliance support, standard HR consulting, 24/7 support, 401(k) access, employment practices liability insurance and required workers’ comp. PEO Plus adds health insurance administration, HSA and FSA accounts, and mental health and fertility benefits. The main reason small companies pick a PEO is to buy health insurance through a larger pool.
What customers say about Justworks
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- Easy-to-use platform for admins and employees
- Helpful onboarding, offboarding and time off tools
- Flat, published monthly pricing for payroll
- Knowledgeable support staff in some cases
Common complaints
- Slow support and issues bounced between departments
- Payroll tax filing and wage reporting errors
- Delayed pay or trouble connecting bank accounts
- Benefit and retirement contribution mistakes and unexpected charges
- Complaints left unanswered, per the BBB
Justworks complaints and how to avoid problems
Recurring complaints are slow or unresponsive support, issues passed between departments, payroll tax filing and wage reporting errors, delayed pay or bank connection problems, and mistakes in benefit or 401(k) contributions. Praise centers on an easy platform and good onboarding tools.
- Review the first few payroll registers and tax filings line by line.
- Get the health plan rates and employer contribution rules in writing before you move benefits.
- Keep a record of every support ticket and escalation date.
- If a tax notice arrives, send it to Justworks right away, since it files payroll taxes for you.
Canceling or switching away from Justworks
Justworks doesn’t publish its termination terms on its pricing page, and our checks didn’t find a contract length listed. Leaving a PEO mid-year is complicated: your employees’ health coverage, year-to-date payroll taxes and workers’ comp all move with you. Ask for the client service agreement, the notice period and how a mid-year exit affects benefits before you sign, and plan any switch for a year boundary if you can.
Who should skip Justworks
If you don’t need group health benefits, a PEO is usually more than you need; payroll software such as Gusto or OnPay costs a fraction per employee. Companies hiring mostly outside the U.S. may find Deel simpler, since Justworks’ EOR needs a PEO plan. Larger teams with HR staff may get better rates with a broker and their own small-group plan.
Alternatives to Justworks
- Gusto Cheaper if you only need payroll and basic HR, with month-to-month billing and an A+ BBB rating. Read review
- OnPay A lower-cost payroll option at $49 a month plus $6 per worker, with optional HR add-ons. Read review
- Deel Better if most of your hires are outside the U.S., since its EOR covers 130+ countries without needing a U.S. PEO plan. Read review
- A local benefits broker plus payroll software Can cost less than a PEO once your team is large enough to get decent small-group health rates on its own.
Justworks reviews
Written by readers, read by our moderators, never edited by the company.
No reader reviews yet. If you have used Justworks, yours will be the first.
Write a reviewHow do I know I can trust these reviews about Justworks?
- Every reviewer confirms an email address before a review can publish.
- Our moderators read every review before it publishes.
- Companies can respond publicly but can never edit, hide or remove a review.
- Paying BestGuide never changes the reader rating or which reviews publish.
Frequently asked questions
Is Justworks a real company?
Yes. It's a New York company founded in 2012 that says it's an IRS Certified PEO and ESAC accredited. Its BBB rating is D-, though, because of unanswered complaints.
How much does Justworks cost per employee?
Payroll is $50 a month plus $8 per employee. PEO Basic was $79 per employee and PEO Plus $109 in May 2026, with some trackers reporting $124 since; confirm the current rate with Justworks.
Is Justworks a PEO?
Yes, on its PEO Basic and PEO Plus plans. It also sells a payroll-only plan that isn't a PEO.
Does Justworks charge setup fees?
Justworks says it doesn't charge an implementation fee. Add-ons and health premiums cost extra.
What's the difference between Justworks PEO Basic and PEO Plus?
Plus adds medical, dental and vision administration, HSA and FSA accounts, and mental health and fertility benefits to Basic's payroll, compliance and HR support.
Does Justworks offer health insurance?
Yes. PEO Plus includes health insurance administration, and the Payroll plan can add access to medical, dental and vision plans for $8 per benefits-eligible employee. Premiums are extra.
Can Justworks pay international employees?
Yes, through its EOR add-on at $599 per employee a month, available on PEO plans. International contractors cost $39 per paid contractor.
What is Justworks' BBB rating?
D-, not accredited, with 11 complaints in three years. The low grade reflects complaints the company didn't respond to.
Justworks vs. Gusto: which is cheaper?
Gusto's Simple plan is $49 a month plus $6 per person, versus $50 plus $8 for Justworks Payroll. Justworks' PEO plans cost far more but include group benefits access and compliance support.
Is Justworks good for small businesses?
It's designed for them, and the platform is easy to use. Compare the full cost with benefits and read support reviews before committing.
Sources (6)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- Justworks: PEO and payroll plans pricing (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Justworks: About us (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Justworks: Pricing page (Internet Archive copy, May 21, 2026) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- BBB: JustWorks, Inc. business profile (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Trustpilot: Justworks reviews (accessed October 13, 2026)
- IRS: Certified professional employer organization (accessed October 13, 2026)
BestGuide is free to use. Some companies we review pay us when you visit their site or contact them through us. Compensation may influence which companies we feature and their order. It doesn't change what our reviews say. Advertising disclosure