Edition 01 · September 2026
50 buying questions, six ways each
Each category is one buying question, put to twelve models in six framings: 72 answers a category per segment. Share counts the four framings that ask for a pick, so 48 of the 72. The verdict comes first: whether the models agree, whether one product leads clearly, or whether the order is still contested. The page for each category shows who leads, who is warned against, how every model answered, and every judgment call made between the raw labels and the numbers.
50 categories: 2 consensus, 27 with a clear leader, 48 contested. Share counts the four framings that ask for a pick.
What the verdicts meanThe leader changes here
Core HR and payroll9 categories. The system of record and the money: HRIS and HCM, payroll at home and abroad, benefits, time, scheduling, leave and compliance.Function page →
Core HR and payroll · Benefits administrationBenefits administration“benefits administration platform”A different leader in every segment
Core HR and payroll · Global payrollGlobal payroll and employer of record“employer of record”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Core HR and payroll · HR complianceHR compliance and policy management“HR compliance software”A different leader in every segment
Core HR and payroll · HRIS and HCM platformsHRIS and HCM platforms“HRIS”A different leader in every segment
Core HR and payroll · LeaveLeave and absence management“leave management software”A different leader in every segment
Core HR and payroll · Payroll softwarePayroll software“payroll software”A different leader in every segment
Core HR and payroll · Time and attendanceTime and attendance“time and attendance system”A different leader in every segment
Core HR and payroll · Workforce management suiWorkforce management suites“workforce management software”A different leader in every segment
Core HR and payroll · Workforce schedulingWorkforce scheduling“employee scheduling software”A different leader in every segment
Talent acquisition10 categories. Finding and hiring: applicant tracking, sourcing, scheduling, interviewing, assessment, screening, recruitment marketing and the AI that now sits in front of all of it.Function page →
Talent acquisition · AI recruiting assistantsAI recruiting assistants“AI recruiter”A different leader in every segment
Talent acquisition · Applicant tracking systeApplicant tracking systems“applicant tracking system”Mid-market and enterprise share a leader. Small business differs.
Talent acquisition · Background screeningBackground screening“background check provider”A different leader in every segment
Talent acquisition · Candidate assessmentCandidate assessment“pre-employment assessment platform”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Talent acquisition · Interview schedulingInterview scheduling“interview scheduling software”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Talent acquisition · Job advertisingJob advertising and distribution“programmatic job advertising platform”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Talent acquisition · Recruiting CRMRecruiting CRM and sourcing“candidate sourcing tool”A different leader in every segment
Talent acquisition · Recruitment marketingRecruitment marketing and career sites“recruitment marketing platform”A different leader in every segment
Talent acquisition · Technical hiring assessmTechnical hiring assessments“coding assessment platform”Mid-market and enterprise share a leader. Small business differs.
Talent acquisition · Video interviewingVideo interviewing“video interviewing platform”A different leader in every segment
Onboarding and employee experience8 categories. The employee side of HR: onboarding, engagement, recognition, communication, the HR help desk, wellbeing, frontline apps and AI assistants.Function page →
Onboarding and employee experience · Employee engagement survEmployee engagement surveys“employee engagement survey platform”Mid-market and enterprise share a leader. Small business differs.
Onboarding and employee experience · Employee onboardingEmployee onboarding“employee onboarding software”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Onboarding and employee experience · Employee wellbeingEmployee wellbeing and mental health“employee wellbeing platform”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Onboarding and employee experience · Frontline employee appsFrontline employee apps“frontline employee communication app”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Onboarding and employee experience · HR AI assistantsHR AI assistants“AI assistant for HR teams”A different leader in every segment
Onboarding and employee experience · HR help deskHR help desk and case management“HR help desk software”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Onboarding and employee experience · Internal communicationsInternal communications and intranet“employee intranet”A different leader in every segment
Onboarding and employee experience · Recognition and rewardsRecognition and rewards“employee recognition platform”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Performance and talent management7 categories. Managing and moving talent: performance, goals, feedback, succession, internal mobility, skills and talent intelligence.Function page →
Performance and talent management · 360 feedback360 feedback“360-degree feedback tool”A different leader in every segment
Performance and talent management · Goals and OKRsGoals and OKRs“OKR software”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Performance and talent management · Internal talent marketplInternal talent marketplace“internal talent marketplace”A different leader in every segment
Performance and talent management · Performance managementPerformance management“performance management software”A different leader in every segment
Performance and talent management · Skills intelligenceSkills intelligence“skills intelligence platform”A different leader in every segment
Performance and talent management · Succession planningSuccession planning“succession planning software”A different leader in every segment
Performance and talent management · Talent intelligenceTalent intelligence“talent intelligence platform”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
PinContested
Learning and development7 categories. Training the workforce: learning management, learning experience, content libraries, authoring, coaching, mentoring and compliance training.Function page →
Learning and development · Coaching platformsCoaching platforms“employee coaching platform”A different leader in every segment
Learning and development · Compliance trainingCompliance training“compliance training platform”A different leader in every segment
Learning and development · Course authoring toolsCourse authoring tools“elearning authoring tool”One leader in all three segments
Learning and development · Learning experience platLearning experience platforms“learning experience platform”A different leader in every segment
Learning and development · Learning management systLearning management systems“LMS for employee training”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Learning and development · Mentoring softwareMentoring software“mentoring program software”A different leader in every segment
Learning and development · Online course librariesOnline course libraries“online course library for employees”A different leader in every segment
Compensation and total rewards5 categories. Pay and what surrounds it: compensation planning, benchmarking data, pay equity, earned wage access and flexible benefits.Function page →
Compensation and total rewards · Compensation benchmarkinCompensation benchmarking data“salary benchmarking data provider”A different leader in every segment
Compensation and total rewards · Compensation managementCompensation management“compensation management software”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Compensation and total rewards · Earned wage accessEarned wage access“earned wage access provider”A different leader in every segment
Compensation and total rewards · Flexible benefitsFlexible benefits and lifestyle spending accounts“lifestyle spending account platform”One leader in all three segments
Compensation and total rewards · Pay equityPay equity“pay equity analysis software”Mid-market and enterprise share a leader. Small business differs.
Workforce planning and analytics4 categories. The numbers behind the workforce: people analytics, workforce and headcount planning, org design and the contingent workforce.Function page →
Workforce planning and analytics · Contingent workforce manContingent workforce management“vendor management system for contingent workers”Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
Workforce planning and analytics · Org chartsOrg charts and org design“org chart software”A different leader in every segment
Workforce planning and analytics · People analyticsPeople analytics“people analytics platform”A different leader in every segment
Workforce planning and analytics · Workforce planningWorkforce planning“workforce planning software”A different leader in every segment
Twelve models, six framings per category. September 2026 Edition.