# Guideline alternatives: what AI models name instead, October 2026

HR AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. 184 of the 252 answers in the 1 category where Guideline holds a standing named it neither first nor as an alternative; these are the first choices those answers made. Page: https://hr-ai-index.com/vendors/guideline/alternatives/

## Named instead, most often (every category and segment added)

- Fidelity Investments: 27
- Fidelity Advantage 401: 23
- ADP Retirement Services: 17
- Human Interest: 11
- Vanguard: 11
- Empower Retirement: 8

## 401(k) providers

**Small business**: 45 of 84 answers did not name Guideline (Guideline is #1 of 9 at 43%).

- Fidelity Advantage 401: first choice in 8 of those 45
- ADP Retirement Services: first choice in 4 of those 45
- Human Interest: first choice in 4 of those 45
- Vanguard: first choice in 3 of those 45
- ADP Starter-k Complete: first choice in 1 of those 45
- ADP's Starter-k Complete: first choice in 1 of those 45
- Betterment at Work: first choice in 1 of those 45
- Merrill: first choice in 1 of those 45

**Mid-market**: 62 of 84 answers did not name Guideline (Guideline is #2 of 12 at 20%).

- Fidelity Advantage 401: first choice in 8 of those 62
- ADP Retirement Services: first choice in 7 of those 62
- Human Interest: first choice in 7 of those 62
- Vanguard: first choice in 5 of those 62
- Empower Retirement: first choice in 4 of those 62
- Fidelity Investments: first choice in 4 of those 62
- ADP 401(k) Premier: first choice in 1 of those 62
- Charles Schwab: first choice in 1 of those 62

**Enterprise**: 77 of 84 answers did not name Guideline (Guideline is #7 of 11 at 4%).

- Fidelity Investments: first choice in 23 of those 77
- Fidelity Advantage 401: first choice in 7 of those 77
- ADP Retirement Services: first choice in 6 of those 77
- Empower Retirement: first choice in 4 of those 77
- Vanguard: first choice in 3 of those 77
- Alight: first choice in 2 of those 77
- T. Rowe Price: first choice in 2 of those 77
- 401GO: first choice in 1 of those 77

Published under CC BY 4.0. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.