# Square Payroll alternatives: what AI models name instead, October 2026

HR AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. 239 of the 252 answers in the 1 category where Square 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/square-payroll/alternatives/

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

- Gusto: 48
- ADP: 31
- ADP Workforce Now: 21
- Patriot Payroll: 16
- Rippling: 16
- Workday: 16

## Payroll software

**Small business**: 77 of 84 answers did not name Square Payroll (Square Payroll is #6 of 11 at 2%).

- Gusto: first choice in 36 of those 77
- Patriot Payroll: first choice in 9 of those 77
- QuickBooks Payroll: first choice in 6 of those 77
- OnPay: first choice in 5 of those 77
- Payroll4Free: first choice in 2 of those 77
- QuickBooks Workforce: first choice in 2 of those 77
- ADP: first choice in 1 of those 77
- Rippling: first choice in 1 of those 77

**Mid-market**: 78 of 84 answers did not name Square Payroll (Square Payroll is #14 of 14 at 0%).

- Gusto: first choice in 12 of those 78
- Rippling: first choice in 12 of those 78
- ADP Workforce Now: first choice in 10 of those 78
- Patriot Payroll: first choice in 7 of those 78
- ADP: first choice in 5 of those 78
- Paycom: first choice in 4 of those 78
- Paylocity: first choice in 2 of those 78
- Payroll4Free: first choice in 2 of those 78

**Enterprise**: 84 of 84 answers did not name Square Payroll.

- ADP: first choice in 25 of those 84
- Workday: first choice in 16 of those 84
- ADP Workforce Now: first choice in 11 of those 84
- Paylocity: first choice in 4 of those 84
- Dayforce: first choice in 3 of those 84
- Rippling: first choice in 3 of those 84
- ADP Global Payroll: first choice in 2 of those 84
- Deel: first choice in 2 of those 84

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