Payroll software · November 2026 Edition
Patriot Payroll vs Gusto
Zero of fourteen models named Patriot Payroll first on the direct prompt; zero named Gusto. Both were named by all fourteen models and Patriot Payroll carries 25 labels and Gusto 45, so the shares are not directly comparable.
Named in one category this edition.
Named in twenty-one categories this edition.
First-choice share24%2%Of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts, 0 to 100.
Negative rate4%31%Negative labels as a share of the product's labels, 0 to 100.
Rank in category#2#8A position in a field of 18; printed, not drawn.
Labels2545A count; the two differ.
The two percentage rows are drawn on one 0 to 100 track, Patriot Payroll reading right to left. Rank and label count are printed, not drawn.Rippling was named alongside these two in twelve of the fourteen direct answers. Rippling vs Patriot Payroll · Rippling vs Gusto · Patriot Payroll vs ADP Workforce Now
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.
Patriot PayrollFirst choices, of fourteen modelsGusto
Direct001 against Gusto
Paraphrase002 against Gusto
Comparative011
Budget-constrained1213 against Gusto
Scale-constrained002 against Gusto
Negative121 against Patriot Payroll · 6 against Gusto
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 Patriot Payroll and Gusto 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 4.20 | | | | | ||
| 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 | | | |
Patriot Payroll Gusto first choice named as an alternative argued againstblank: not namedEach cell is one answer, Patriot Payroll on the left and Gusto on the right.The direct prompt
The plain question, one answer per model, grouped by where Patriot Payroll and Gusto stood in it.
Neither was the first choice, one was named
1 of 14 modelsThe answer put something else first and named one of the two as an alternative.Grok 4.20Rippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Gusto, Paylocity
Neither was named
13 of 14 modelsThe answer made no first choice from these two in this category.Claude Haiku 4.5ADP Workforce Now, Rippling alternatives: Paychex Flex, Paylocity
GPT-5.4 miniADP Workforce Now, Rippling alternatives: Deel, Paychex Flex
Gemini 3.5 FlashRippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Paycom, Paylocity
Perplexity SonarADP Workforce Now alternatives: Namely, Paycom, Paylocity
Mistral SmallUKG Pro, Workday Mid-Market alternatives: Dayforce, Namely, Paycom, Rippling
DeepSeek V4 FlashRippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Dayforce, Paycom
Llama 4 MaverickNamely alternatives: OnPay, Paychex Flex, Paycor, QuickBooks Payroll
Qwen 3.7 FlashPaylocity, Rippling alternatives: Dayforce, Deel, Paycom
Kimi K2Paychex Flex, Rippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Dayforce, Paycom
GLM 4.7 FlashXRippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Dayforce, Paylocity, UKG Pro
MiniMax M2.5Rippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Paylocity, Workday
GPT-6 LunaRippling alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Paylocity, UKG Ready
Muse Glimmer 30Bno first choice alternatives: ADP Workforce Now, Dayforce, Namely, Paycom, Paylocity, Rippling, UKG Pro, Workday
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
Gusto leads by thirty-five points.
Gusto58%#1 of 13Patriot Payroll23%#2 of 13Mid-marketThe figures above
The order flips: Patriot Payroll leads at mid-market.
Patriot Payroll24%#2 of 18Gusto2%#8 of 18Enterprise
Level: the same share of first choices.
Patriot Payroll0%#– of 15Gusto0%#15 of 15What the models said about Patriot Payroll
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Four of five in this category shown.
“low Customer Support scores for Patriot Software 1/10” Muse Glimmer 30B · negative prompt · soft negative
“Best overall budget pick: Patriot Software – it offers the lowest starting price, per‑employee fees, and solid features” GLM 4.7 FlashX · budget prompt · first choice
“If budget is your absolute top priority, go with Patriot Software. It offers the essentials at the lowest price point.” Kimi K2 · budget prompt · first choice
“Look into modern, full-service, transparently-priced platforms like Gusto, OnPay, or Patriot Payroll.” Gemini 3.5 Flash · negative prompt · first choice
What the models said about Gusto
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Four of four in this category shown.
“Complaints include unexpected fees, continuing memberships, and downtime where employees aren't paid” Claude Haiku 4.5 · negative prompt · hard negative
“Gusto leads on user experience and integrated benefits (health insurance, 401(k), workers' comp). Best if you want payroll and HR in one place.” Kimi K2 · comparative prompt · first choice
“Under 50 employees (US-based): Look into modern, full-service, transparently-priced platforms like Gusto, OnPay, or Patriot Payroll.” Gemini 3.5 Flash · negative prompt · first choice
“Choose Gusto if you have under 50 domestic US employees and want a modern, affordable, easy-to-use platform with solid basic HR.” Gemini 3.5 Flash · comparative prompt · first choice
Also compared
Rippling vs Patriot PayrollRippling vs GustoPatriot Payroll vs ADP Workforce NowPatriot Payroll vs PaylocityPatriot Payroll vs Paychex FlexPatriot Payroll vs PaycomPatriot Payroll vs ADPADP Workforce Now vs GustoPaylocity vs GustoPaychex Flex vs GustoPaycom vs GustoADP vs GustoAll 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.