# Paycom vs Gusto: which do AI models recommend for payroll software, September 2026

HR AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition, Payroll software. One of twelve models named Paycom first on the direct prompt; zero named Gusto. Page: https://hr-ai-index.com/core/payroll-software/paycom-vs-gusto/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paycom | 6% | #5 of 13 | 25% | 24 | 11 of 12 |
| Gusto | 4% | #6 of 13 | 13% | 45 | 12 of 12 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- Mistral Small: paycom first (first choices: Paycom) (alternatives: ADP, Gusto, Paylocity, Rippling)
- GPT-5.4 mini: neither first, one named (first choices: Rippling) (alternatives: ADP Global Payroll, ADP Workforce Now / ADP Full Service Payroll, Deel, Paycom)
- Perplexity Sonar: neither first, one named (first choices: Paylocity, Rippling) (alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Paycom)
- Grok 4.1 Fast: neither first, one named (first choices: Paylocity, Rippling) (alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Paycom)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: Paylocity) (alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Paycom, Rippling, UKG Pro)
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: ADP, Rippling) (alternatives: BambooHR, Gusto, Zenefits)
- Kimi K2: neither first, one named (first choices: Rippling) (alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Gusto, Paycom)
- Claude Haiku 4.5: neither named (first choices: Rippling) (alternatives: Paycor, Paylocity)
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: neither named (first choices: Rippling) (alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Deel, Paylocity)
- Llama 4 Maverick: neither named
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: neither named (first choices: Paylocity, Rippling) (alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Paycor, UKG Pro, Workday)
- MiniMax M2.5: neither named (first choices: ADP Workforce Now, Paylocity) (alternatives: Rippling, UKG Pro)

## What the models said about Paycom

- "Platforms with Significant Complaints ... Paycom - Major Issues: Tax filing errors that have caused users "tears"" (Kimi K2, negative prompt, hard negative)
- "class‑action lawsuit settled for $900K over a 2023 data breach ... This is a red flag for security." (GLM 4.7 FlashX, negative prompt, hard negative)
- "Paycom stands out as the best overall due to its high user satisfaction, strong support, and efficient implementation." (Mistral Small, direct prompt, first choice)
- "1. Paycom - named the No. 1 software in Implementation Index for Benefits Support" (Llama 4 Maverick, paraphrase prompt, first choice)
- "I'd recommend starting with Paycom or ADP depending on your priorities" (MiniMax M2.5, paraphrase prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about Gusto

- "Gusto is the most popular all\u2011round choice for small businesses, offering a polished employee experience and built\u2011in HR/benefits." (GLM 4.7 FlashX, comparative prompt, first choice)
- "the platforms that most consistently earn positive feedback on simplicity and transparent pricing are Gusto (for small businesses)" (DeepSeek V4 Flash, negative prompt, first choice)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all twelve models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.