Payroll software · October 2026 Edition
ADP vs Paylocity
Two of fourteen models named ADP first on the direct prompt; one named Paylocity. ADP was named by thirteen of the fourteen models and Paylocity by fourteen and ADP carries 30 labels and Paylocity 31, so the shares are not directly comparable.
Named in fourteen categories this edition.
Named in twenty categories this edition.
First-choice share9%4%Of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts, 0 to 100.
Negative rate33%19%Negative labels as a share of the product's labels, 0 to 100.
Rank in category#4#7A position in a field of 14; printed, not drawn.
Labels3031A count; the two differ.
The two percentage rows are drawn on one 0 to 100 track, ADP reading right to left. Rank and label count are printed, not drawn.Rippling was named alongside these two in ten of the fourteen direct answers. Rippling vs ADP · Rippling vs Paylocity · ADP Workforce Now vs ADP
Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category; every quote names the model and the prompt it came from. Both figures come from the payroll software page.
By framing
How many of the fourteen models made each the first choice, per way of asking, and how many argued against it.
ADPFirst choices, of fourteen modelsPaylocity
Direct21
Paraphrase30
Comparative00
Budget-constrained001 against ADP
Scale-constrained01
Negative009 against ADP · 6 against Paylocity
Bars are first choices, 0 to 14 each sideModels that argued againstA model can name both, so the two sides of a row do not sum to fourteen.
Every model, every framing
The eighty-four answers behind the chart above, one cell each: where ADP and Paylocity stood in it.
| Model | Direct | Paraphrase | Comparative | Budget-constrained | Scale-constrained | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | | | | |||
| GPT-5.4 mini | | | | |||
| Gemini 3.5 Flash | | | | | ||
| Perplexity Sonar | | | | |||
| Grok 4.1 Fast | | | | |||
| Mistral Small | | | ||||
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | | | | | ||
| Llama 4 Maverick | | | ||||
| Qwen 3.7 Flash | | | | | ||
| Kimi K2 | | | | | ||
| GLM 4.7 FlashX | | | | |||
| MiniMax M2.5 | | | | |||
| GPT-6 Luna | | | ||||
| Muse Glimmer 30B | | | |
ADP Paylocity first choice named as an alternative argued againstblank: not namedEach cell is one answer, ADP on the left and Paylocity on the right.The direct prompt
The plain question, one answer per model, grouped by where ADP and Paylocity stood in it.
ADP first, Paylocity an alternative
2 of 14 modelsPaylocity was named in the answer but not as the choice, or not at all.Mistral SmallADP, Rippling alternatives: Keka, Paylocity
GLM 4.7 FlashXADP alternatives: Dayforce, Gusto, Paycom, Paycor, Paylocity, Rippling
Paylocity first, ADP not the choice
1 of 14 modelsADP was named in the answer but not as the choice, or not at all.GPT-6 LunaPaylocity alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Rippling, UKG Ready
Neither was the first choice, one was named
8 of 14 modelsThe answer put something else first and named one of the two as an alternative.Claude Haiku 4.5Paycom alternatives: ADP, Deel, G-P, Namely, Paylocity, Rippling
GPT-5.4 miniRippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Deel, Paylocity
Gemini 3.5 FlashRippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Paycom, Paylocity
Perplexity SonarRippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Paycom, Paylocity
Grok 4.1 FastRippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Deel, Gusto, Paychex Flex, Paycom, Paycor, Paylocity
DeepSeek V4 FlashADP Workforce Now, Rippling alternatives: Dayforce, Paycom, Paylocity
Kimi K2Rippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Paycom, Paylocity
Muse Glimmer 30Bno first choice alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Namely, Paychex Flex, Paycor, Paylocity
Neither was named
3 of 14 modelsThe answer made no first choice from these two in this category.Llama 4 Maverickno first choice
Qwen 3.7 FlashADP Workforce Now alternatives: Dayforce, Gusto, Paycom
MiniMax M2.5ADP Workforce Now, Paycom, Paycor alternatives: QuickBooks Payroll
Bold names in an answer are the products the judge labeled a first choice; a model naming several gives each of them that label. The full answer text for every row is in the record.
By buyer segment
The same question asked on behalf of a different buyer. Each standing is computed within its segment and they are never added together. The figures above are the mid-market standing, which is the one the category orders by.
Small business
Mid-marketThe figures above
Enterprise
What the models said about ADP
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Four of five in this category shown.
“Severe customer support issues ... Payroll processing failures — missed payrolls, tax filings not submitted” DeepSeek V4 Flash · negative prompt · hard negative
“If your B2B business is mature, growing rapidly, or faces strict regulatory environments, ADP Workforce Now is the safer long-term investment.” Qwen 3.7 Flash · paraphrase prompt · first choice
“ADP is especially noted for being a tried and tested system for mid-sized companies operating across multiple states” Mistral Small · paraphrase prompt · first choice
“I'd most often recommend ADP if your priorities are multi-state payroll, scalability, and a proven system.” Perplexity Sonar · paraphrase prompt · first choice
What the models said about Paylocity
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Four of four in this category shown.
“Be cautious with these payroll platforms... Paylocity: Frequent complaints about poor customer service, glitchy platform” Grok 4.1 Fast · negative prompt · hard negative
“Paylocity - Some users have reported subpar customer support and technical issues with the platform.” Llama 4 Maverick · negative prompt · hard negative
“Unresponsive customer support ... Glitchy software that's difficult to navigate” DeepSeek V4 Flash · negative prompt · hard negative
“Paylocity: Highly rated for its balance of flexibility, HR tools, and ease of use in the mid-market space.” Qwen 3.7 Flash · scale prompt · first choice
Also compared
Rippling vs ADPRippling vs PaylocityADP Workforce Now vs ADPADP Workforce Now vs PaylocityPatriot Payroll vs ADPPatriot Payroll vs PaylocityADP vs PaycomADP vs GustoADP vs Paychex FlexPaycom vs PaylocityGusto vs PaylocityPaylocity vs Paychex FlexAll twenty-eight head-to-head pages and the full payroll software standing
Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category, each against each. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.