At Guideline, we know different businesses have different needs. That’s why we’re proud to offer three different 401(k) plan options with pricing and features to fit your unique goals.
Your plan will be placed into one of these three tiers based on your plan design and options. To view a side-by-side comparison of our pricing tiers, see here.
Starter
Our Starter tier offers a simplified 401(k) with limited features and easy administration.
Features:
IRS limited employee contribution limit: $6,000 for 2024 and 2025
No employer contributions
Must connect with one of our fully integrated payroll providers
No plan loans permitted
Support for controlled groups and affiliated service groups
Can only switch to a higher tier at the beginning of the year (IRS requirement)
Employer pricing:
$39/month base fee + $4 per active participant¹
Employee pricing:
0.15% / year²
Due to IRS regulations, Starter 401(k) plans are only available to eligible employers who have not offered a retirement plan in the last 12 months. Learn about the differences between a Starter 401(k) and standard 401(k).
Core
A foundational 401(k) with robust features and more plan design options.
Features:
Standard employee contribution limit: $23,000 for 2024; $23,500 for 2025
Safe harbor and standard 401(k) design options
Employer contributions including match and profit sharing
Connection with any payroll provider
Employer pricing:
$89 base fee + $8 per active participant per month¹
Employee pricing:
0.15% / year²
Enterprise
Our most custom 401(k), featuring exclusive pricing options and premium support.
Features:
Standard employee contribution limit: $23,000 for 2024; $23,500 for 2025
Flexible pricing options
Premium support for plan admin and employees
Support for 401(k) plan transfers³
Support for controlled groups and affiliated service groups
Employer pricing:
$149 base fee + active participant fees from $4 to $8 per month¹
Employee pricing:
0.15% to 0.35% per year²
Pricing plan FAQs
Can I change my plan tier?
If you would like to switch your plan design or pricing tier, please keep the following in mind:
Plans can switch tiers only once per calendar year.
Companies transferring an existing retirement plan to Guideline must remain in an Enterprise plan for at least 12 full calendar months before becoming eligible to switch.⁴
You may lose access to certain plan designs and features when switching plans.
Existing customers cannot move to a Starter 401(k) plan due to IRS regulations. These plans are designed for businesses that have not offered a retirement benefit before.
Plans can only switch from Starter to Core or Enterprise on January 1 due to IRS regulations.
You can see a side-by-side comparison of our plans and their features here or contact support to initiate a change request.
Does Guideline charge the plan any fees in addition to the monthly base fee?
Employers pay a flat monthly base fee and a flat monthly participant fee based on the number of active participants in the plan.¹
Guideline does not charge separate transaction fees, which means no distribution, loan or rollover fees for employees, and no 5500 filing preparation (excluding any applicable audit fees⁴) or plan termination fees for employers. Participants are charged separate fees depending on your plan. Refer to Guideline’s Pricing Page for additional information regarding fees.
What are our options to pay the monthly fees?
Guideline accepts credit card payments (for invoice billing only) and direct ACH pulls from bank accounts (for invoice and contribution collections). You can update your bank information from the Plan Settings page in your Guideline administrator dashboard. Learn how to set up your preferred payment method here.
What does it mean to be an “active” participant for billing purposes?
For billing purposes, a participant is considered “active” if they are currently employed with your company and have an account balance in their 401(k) account during the month in which the monthly participant fee² is being charged. Please note that if an employee has opted out but remains employed by the company and has an account balance in their 401(k) account, then they will be considered an “active” participant for billing purposes. You can learn more about our invoicing and billing practices here.
¹ See Guideline’s Pricing Page for more information regarding fees.
² The annual account fee is charged by Guideline Investments, LLC, our affiliated SEC-registered investment adviser. This fee applied to assets under management is calculated and deducted on a monthly basis at 1/12 of the annual stated rate (0.08%, 0.15% 0.25%, or 0.35%, for example, depending on plan options and start date) based on the account balance on the last day of each month.
³ All plan sponsors transferring an existing 401(k) to Guideline must set up and maintain an Enterprise plan for at least one year. The plan will be eligible to switch to a different pricing plan, thereafter.
⁴ Third-party auditor fees will apply to large plans where a 5500 audit is required. These fees are not charged by Guideline.