# Workday HCM alternatives: what AI models name instead, November 2026

Gane Index, November 2026 Edition. 387 of the 504 answers in the 2 categories where Workday HCM holds a standing named it neither first nor as an alternative; these are the first choices those answers made. Page: https://www.gane.ai/index/hr/vendors/workday-hcm/alternatives

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

- Gusto Benefits: 60
- Rippling: 45
- BambooHR: 39
- Gusto: 26
- Employee Navigator: 25
- Zoho People: 20

## HRIS and HCM platforms

**Small business**: 83 of 84 answers did not name Workday HCM (Workday HCM is #12 of 12 at 0%).

- BambooHR: first choice in 29 of those 83
- Gusto: first choice in 23 of those 83
- Rippling: first choice in 10 of those 83
- Zoho People: first choice in 9 of those 83
- ADP RUN: first choice in 1 of those 83
- LeaveBoard: first choice in 1 of those 83

**Mid-market**: 70 of 84 answers did not name Workday HCM (Workday HCM is #13 of 15 at 0%).

- Rippling: first choice in 19 of those 70
- Zoho People: first choice in 11 of those 70
- BambooHR: first choice in 4 of those 70
- HiBob: first choice in 4 of those 70
- Gusto: first choice in 3 of those 70
- ADP Workforce Now: first choice in 2 of those 70
- Paylocity: first choice in 2 of those 70
- Dayforce: first choice in 1 of those 70

**Enterprise**: 29 of 84 answers did not name Workday HCM (Workday HCM is #1 of 12 at 55%).

- SAP SuccessFactors: first choice in 3 of those 29
- ADP Workforce Now: first choice in 2 of those 29
- Rippling: first choice in 1 of those 29
- UKG Pro: first choice in 1 of those 29

## Benefits administration

**Small business**: 84 of 84 answers did not name Workday HCM.

- Gusto Benefits: first choice in 49 of those 84
- Employee Navigator: first choice in 8 of those 84
- BambooHR: first choice in 5 of those 84
- Rippling: first choice in 2 of those 84
- Ease: first choice in 1 of those 84
- GoCo: first choice in 1 of those 84
- Heartland: first choice in 1 of those 84
- Justworks: first choice in 1 of those 84

**Mid-market**: 75 of 84 answers did not name Workday HCM (Workday HCM is #12 of 16 at 0%).

- Employee Navigator: first choice in 16 of those 75
- Rippling: first choice in 13 of those 75
- Gusto Benefits: first choice in 11 of those 75
- GoCo: first choice in 2 of those 75
- Paycor: first choice in 2 of those 75
- PlanSource: first choice in 2 of those 75
- ADP Workforce Now: first choice in 1 of those 75
- BambooHR: first choice in 1 of those 75

**Enterprise**: 46 of 84 answers did not name Workday HCM (Workday HCM is #1 of 16 at 20%).

- Benefitfocus: first choice in 8 of those 46
- bswift: first choice in 4 of those 46
- ADP Workforce Now: first choice in 3 of those 46
- PlanSource: first choice in 3 of those 46
- Businessolver Benefitsolver: first choice in 2 of those 46
- Alight Solutions: first choice in 1 of those 46
- Dayforce: first choice in 1 of those 46
- Employee Navigator: first choice in 1 of those 46

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