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Special offer: Get 12 months free1

93% of employees say offering 401(k) influences their decision to choose an employer.2 Offer one today and get 12 months free.1

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See our Privacy Policy to learn how we use and protect your information.

Special offer: Get 12 months free1

93% of employees say offering 401(k) influences their decision to choose an employer.2 Offer one today and get 12 months free.1

See our Privacy Policy to learn how we use and protect your information.

50K+

businesses3

1M+

savers4

$15B+

invested for retirement5

fast company logo

Innovation by Design Award 20246

$0 is a great place to start

Enjoy no employer fees for the first 12 months.1 After that, you’ll get a powerful 401(k) at industry-low pricing.

  • Starter
    New offer
    $39
    $0
    / month
    +$4/mo per active participant
    $0

    A simplified 401(k) with limited features and easy administration.

    Connect
    • $6,000 employee contribution limit

    • No employer contributions

    • Exempt from IRS testing

  • Core
    New offer
    $89
    $0
    / month
    +$8/mo per active participant
    $0

    Our most popular 401(k) with robust features and more plan design options.

    Connect
    • $23,500 employee contribution limit8
    • Safe Harbor9

      or Traditional 401(k)

    • Features like employer contributions and profit sharing

  • Enterprise
    New offer
    $149
    $0
    / month
    + active participant fee
    $0

    Our most custom 401(k) with premium support and flexible pricing that scales as you grow.

    Contact sales
    • $23,500 employee contribution limit8

    • Flexible pricing options

    • Premium support for plan admin and employees

    • Support for plan transfers

Money in shield simple icon

Already have a 401(k)? Switch and get 0% AUM on transferred assets plus 12-months free.7 Schedule a demo

  • $0 transaction fee

  • $0 rollover fee

  • $0 loan fee

  • $0 distribution fee

Refer to Guideline’s Form ADV 2A Brochure for additional information regarding Guideline’s fees.

Help employees save more

The total fees for our managed portfolios are up to 6x less than the industry average.10 Learn more

Active employees are only charged an annual account fee starting at 0.15%11 (0.0125%/month).

Refer to Guideline’s Form ADV 2A Brochure for additional information regarding Guideline’s fees.

Hear what customers have to say about Guideline

Melissa W.

Zipline

"We chose Guideline because we didn't want the overhead, management or complexity of traditional options. Guideline is practically a 1-click setup that integrates with our payroll system and is incredibly easy to manage."



Client of Guideline and Gusto. Views may not be representative of other clients.

Ben C.

The Well Counseling Center

"Guideline consistently provides fast, easy-to-decipher customer support to me and our team."



Client of Guideline and Gusto. Views may not be representative of other clients.

Carol P.

RedKnot Resource Group

"With Guideline, it feels like we've put 401(k) administration on auto-pilot. Guideline 401(k) enables us to give our employees a big benefit without our small business hiring in-house expertise."



Client of Guideline. Views may not be representative of other clients.
Headshot of Jeri A.

Jeri A.

Rose City Philanthropy

"We learned about Guideline through its partnership with Gusto. They're so plugged into Gusto, they make the experience seamless — it was just a no brainer to adopt it."



Client of Guideline and Gusto. Views may not be representative of other clients.
  • A friendly customer support specialist assisting a customer with a smile.
  • A dedicated customer support specialist going above and beyond to assist a client.
  • A friendly customer support specialist assisting a customer with a smile.
  • A dedicated customer support specialist going above and beyond to assist a client.
  • A patient customer support specialist listening attentively to a customer's questions.
  • An experienced customer support specialist providing helpful advice.
  • An empathetic customer support specialist providing personalized support to a customer.
  • A friendly customer support specialist assisting a customer with a smile.
  • A dedicated customer support specialist going above and beyond to assist a client.
  • A patient customer support specialist listening attentively to a customer's questions.
  • An experienced customer support specialist providing helpful advice.
  • An empathetic customer support specialist providing personalized support to a customer.
  • A knowledgeable customer support specialist helping a client with a retirement plan.
  • A courteous customer support specialist providing exceptional service to a client.
  • A helpful customer support specialist assisting a client with a retirement plan enrollment.
  • A professional customer support specialist offering expert guidance on retirement savings.
  • A knowledgeable customer support specialist helping a client with a retirement plan.
  • A courteous customer support specialist providing exceptional service to a client.
  • A helpful customer support specialist assisting a client with a retirement plan enrollment.
  • A professional customer support specialist offering expert guidance on retirement savings.

Live customer support

Support you can count on — and call

With Guideline, you and your team get support from our 401(k) specialists via phone or email — our annual plan sponsor customer satisfaction score is 93%.12 See our customer support metrics

Invest in your team

With an intuitive dashboard and an award-winning mobile app6, it’s easy for your employees to set up their account, track their progress, and access resources—anytime, anywhere.

  • Easy account setup, via web or mobile app

  • Recommended investment portfolio

  • Retirement education and live support

Guideline mobile app portfolio screen.
Guideline mobile app portfolio screen.

This information is general in nature and is for informational purposes only. It shouldn’t be used as a substitute for specific tax, legal and/or financial advice that considers all relevant facts and circumstances. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value. Tax laws and regulations are complex and subject to change. You should consult a qualified financial adviser or tax professional before relying on this information.

  • 1

    Dependent on the promotion. Fees may include Guideline's monthly base fee, the monthly active participant fee and annual account fee on 401k assets under management transferred from your prior plan provider. This promotion does not include future or current individual participant account assets. This offer ends December 31, 2024 and cannot be combined with other offers. We reserve the right to modify or discontinue this promotion at any time without prior notice. Terms & Conditions apply. Please contact Sales at hello@guideline.com for further details. We require all plan sponsors transferring an existing 401(k) to Guideline to set up and maintain an Enterprise plan for at least one year. We require all legally related groups to be in our Enterprise or Starter tiers. Go to our pricing page or see our Form ADV 2A Brochure for more information on pricing and fees.

  • 2

    Source: Guideline research run with Suzy. Insights based on data collected from December 2023 to February 2024 with 150 US-based employers and 1038 US-based employees, ages 18-75. Guideline was not identified as the survey sponsor. The experiences of the respondents in this survey may not be representative of all people.

  • 3
    As of May 2024
  • 4
    Total number of Savers, both active and non-active, that have participated in Guideline products from 2016-2024.
  • 5
    As of August 2024
  • 6

    2024 Fast Company Innovation by Design Award Winner for Guideline's mobile application in the Mid-Size business category.

  • 7

    Fees included in this promotion are Guideline's monthly base fee, the monthly active participant fee and annual account fee on assets under management transferred. This offer ends December 31, 2024 and cannot be combined with other offers. We reserve the right to modify or discontinue this promotion at any time without prior notice. Terms & Conditions apply. Please contact Sales at hello@guideline.com for further details. We require all plan sponsors transferring an existing 401(k) to Guideline to set up and maintain an Enterprise plan for at least one year. After one year, the plan will be eligible to switch to a different pricing plan. We require all legally related groups to be in our Enterprise or Starter tiers.

  • 8

    May be adjusted annually to account for IRS cost-of-living adjustments.

  • 9
    In general, Safe Harbor 401(k) plans automatically satisfy Top Heavy requirements. One exception is for plan years in which the employer makes discretionary contributions (such as profit sharing contributions) in addition to Safe Harbor contributions. Removing Safe Harbor contributions mid-year will also require plans be subject to all compliance testing.
  • 10
    This information is provided for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to be taken as investment or tax advice. Consult a qualified tax and financial advisor to determine the appropriate investment strategy for you. The average investment expense of plan assets for 401(k) plans with 25 participants and $250,000 in assets is 1.37% of assets, according to the 24th Edition of the 401k Averages Book, with data updated through September 30, 2023, and is inclusive of investment management fees, fund expense ratios, 12b-1 fees, sub-transfer agent fees, contract charges, wrap and advisor fees or any other asset based charges. Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) product (when 3(38) fiduciary services are appointed) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. The managed portfolios have blended expense ratios ranging from 0.067% to 0.069% of assets under management. When combined with an assumed account fee of 0.15% charged by Guideline Investments, LLC, the estimated total AUM fees for one of the managed portfolios can be under 0.22%. Alternative account fee pricing is available ranging from 0.15% to 0.35%. Contact Sales at hello@guideline.com to learn more about exclusive pricing options available in the Enterprise tier. See the Form ADV 2A Brochure for more information regarding fees. Expense ratios for custom portfolios will vary. These expense ratios are subject to change by and paid to the fund(s).View full fund lineup.
  • 11

    An annual account fee ranging from 0.15% to 0.35% is applied to assets under management and is deducted on a monthly basis. It’s calculated at 1/12 of the annual stated rate based on the account balance on the last day of each month. The fee presented does not include other fees that a 401(k) participant may incur, including, but not limited to, from mutual fund expense ratios.

  • 12
    Guideline’s average plan sponsor satisfaction score (CSAT) based on feedback received from 1/1/2023 to 12/31/2023.

Guideline.com is owned and operated by Guideline, Inc. This website contains content from Guideline, Inc. and its affiliates, each a separate entity with different regulatory marketing requirements and standards. References to "our" or "we" on this website refer solely to Guideline RK, LLC unless otherwise specifically stated.

The information in this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be an offer, recommendation, investment advice, legal or tax advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. By using this website, you agree to Guideline, Inc.’s Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions of Use. Neither Guideline, Inc. nor its subsidiaries, are responsible for information provided by third parties. Information included herein from third parties is believed to be reliable however Guideline, Inc. does not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of that information.

Guideline, Inc. is a technology company that provides an integrated platform to companies who seek to work with 1) Guideline RK, LLC ("Guideline") and/or 2) Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser ("RIA"), both of which are wholly owned by Guideline Holdings, LLC. Guideline Holdings, LLC is wholly owned by Guideline, Inc. Neither Guideline, Inc. nor Guideline Holdings, LLC or Guideline RK, LLC is involved in securities activities and is not registered with the SEC or FINRA. Neither Guideline, Inc., nor any of its affiliates, is a bank.

Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) (when 3(38) fiduciary services are selected) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. For more information regarding fees and services, see Guideline Investments, LLC’s ADV 2A Brochure and Form CRS. References throughout this website to investment advisory services including but not limited to: investments offered, portfolios, managed portfolios, investment philosophy, assets under management (AUM), annual account fees expressed as a percentage of AUM, suitability questionnaire, 3(38) investment advisory management fiduciary services, robo-advisory services, and investment advice, unless otherwise specifically stated, are services provided by Guideline Investments, LLC. Investing involves risk and may lose money, including loss of principal. Investing is not guaranteed and past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. The investment options offered by Guideline Investments, LLC are not FDIC insured.

Recordkeeping services for Guideline’s 401(k) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline RK, LLC. 3(16) plan administration services are also offered by Guideline RK, LLC and only made available to clients who utilize an eligible payroll provider. For more information on Guideline’s pricing, see here. Guideline uses a third-party to provide custodial services. Custodial fees are paid by Guideline.

Any graphs, charts, and other visual aids (collectively referred to as "image(s)") are provided for information purposes only. None of these images can of themselves be used to make investment decisions. No representation is made that these will assist any person in making investment decisions and no image can capture all factors and variables required in making such decisions.

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