# QuickBooks Payroll alternatives: what AI models name instead, September 2026

HR AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition. 179 of the 216 answers in the 1 category where QuickBooks Payroll 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/quickbooks-payroll/alternatives/

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

- Rippling: 25
- ADP: 24
- Gusto: 22
- Patriot Payroll: 20
- ADP Workforce Now: 13
- Paylocity: 8

## Payroll software

**Small business**: 46 of 72 answers did not name QuickBooks Payroll (QuickBooks Payroll is #6 of 10 at 0%).

- Gusto: first choice in 16 of those 46
- Patriot Payroll: first choice in 10 of those 46
- Rippling: first choice in 4 of those 46
- OnPay: first choice in 3 of those 46
- ADP RUN: first choice in 1 of those 46
- BambooHR: first choice in 1 of those 46
- BrightPay: first choice in 1 of those 46
- Payroll4Free: first choice in 1 of those 46

**Mid-market**: 61 of 72 answers did not name QuickBooks Payroll (QuickBooks Payroll is #11 of 13 at 0%).

- Rippling: first choice in 13 of those 61
- Patriot Payroll: first choice in 10 of those 61
- Paylocity: first choice in 8 of those 61
- ADP: first choice in 6 of those 61
- Gusto: first choice in 6 of those 61
- Paycom: first choice in 3 of those 61
- ADP Workforce Now: first choice in 2 of those 61
- Paycor: first choice in 2 of those 61

**Enterprise**: 72 of 72 answers did not name QuickBooks Payroll.

- ADP: first choice in 18 of those 72
- ADP Workforce Now: first choice in 11 of those 72
- Rippling: first choice in 8 of those 72
- Workday: first choice in 6 of those 72
- Dayforce: first choice in 5 of those 72
- Paycom: first choice in 3 of those 72
- SAP SuccessFactors: first choice in 2 of those 72
- ADP Enterprise / ADP Workforce Now or ADP Lyric HCM: first choice in 1 of those 72

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