What AI assistants actually recommend when buyers ask about payroll software for startups — measured on a rolling 4-week window across 5 engines, published as open data.
Updated 2026-09-18 · 48 sampled answers · rolling 4-week window · methodology
Rankings are measured from sampled AI answers — never editorial, never paid. Orbator builds AI-visibility tooling; when Orbator itself appears in any category, it is measured by the same rules as everyone else.
Measured by Orbatormethodology owner Henrik Tellewindow ends Sep 18, 2026
Sample: 48 AI answers · Window: Aug 21, 2026 – Sep 18, 2026 (4-week rolling) · trend vs prior 4 weeks (56 answers)
Samples by engine: CLAUDE 16 (last run Aug 29, 2026) · GROK 8 (last run Aug 28, 2026) · GEMINI 8 (last run Aug 28, 2026) · CHATGPT 8 (last run Aug 28, 2026) · PERPLEXITY 8 (last run Aug 28, 2026 — stalest)
How these numbers are made: sampling design · prompt provenance · what counts as a mention · what we cannot see
On the record: This ranking is frozen as a dated snapshot every day. View this category's history to see what entered and left the ranking and when, or read what the engines actually said on a given day.
Across 48 sampled AI answers from 5 engines, Gusto is recommended most often — appearing in 77.1% of recommendations, followed by OnPay (56.3%) and Rippling (54.2%).
This is a measurement of share of voice across 5 AI engines — not an editorial pick. See the full ranking below.
Orbator asked Claude, Grok, Gemini, ChatGPT and Perplexity buyer questions about payroll software for startups and sampled 48 answers between Aug 21, 2026 and Sep 18, 2026. Recommendation share counts the answers that recommended or listed a product, so a passing mention or a warning adds nothing to it. A category publishes once it holds at least 20 independently sampled answers in the window. Read the full methodology or download this ranking as CSV.
| # | Product | Share | Trend | Engines | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | gusto.com | 77.1% 95% CI 63.5–86.7% 37 mentions · avg pos 3 first pick 45.9% | — | GROK 100%GEMINI 87.5%CHATGPT 75%CLAUDE 68.8%PERPLEXITY 62.5% | Claim |
| 2 | onpay.com | 56.3% 95% CI 42.3–69.3% 27 mentions · avg pos 5.6 first pick 7.4% | — | GROK 87.5%GEMINI 75%CHATGPT 50%CLAUDE 37.5%PERPLEXITY 50% | Claim |
| 3 | rippling.com | 54.2% 95% CI 40.3–67.4% 26 mentions · avg pos 5.7 first pick 11.5% | — | GROK 75%GEMINI 62.5%CHATGPT 62.5%CLAUDE 37.5%PERPLEXITY 50% | Claim |
| 4 | deel.com | 47.9% 95% CI 34.5–61.7% 23 mentions · avg pos 7.6 first pick 0% | — | GROK 75%GEMINI 50%CHATGPT 50%CLAUDE 31.3%PERPLEXITY 50% | Claim |
| 5 | justworks.com | 43.8% 95% CI 30.7–57.7% 21 mentions · avg pos 6.3 first pick 4.8% | — | GROK 75%GEMINI 37.5%CHATGPT 62.5%CLAUDE 31.3%PERPLEXITY 25% | Claim |
| 6 | remote.com | 43.8% 95% CI 30.7–57.7% 21 mentions · avg pos 7.2 first pick 4.8% | — | GROK 87.5%GEMINI 62.5%CHATGPT 37.5%CLAUDE 37.5% | Claim |
| 7 | quickbooks.intuit.com | 39.6% 95% CI 27–53.7% 19 mentions · avg pos 4.6 first pick 0% | — | GROK 37.5%GEMINI 75%CHATGPT 50%CLAUDE 18.8%PERPLEXITY 37.5% | Claim |
| 8 | patriotsoftware.com | 35.4% 95% CI 23.4–49.6% 17 mentions · avg pos 5.5 first pick 11.8% | — | GROK 37.5%GEMINI 62.5%CHATGPT 25%CLAUDE 31.3%PERPLEXITY 25% | Claim |
| 9 | square.com | 22.9% 95% CI 13.3–36.5% 11 mentions · avg pos 6.3 first pick 0% | — | GROK 25%GEMINI 37.5%CHATGPT 25%CLAUDE 12.5%PERPLEXITY 25% | Claim |
| 10 | Square Payroll | 22.9% 95% CI 13.3–36.5% 11 mentions · avg pos 6.3 first pick 0% | — | GROK 25%GEMINI 37.5%CHATGPT 25%CLAUDE 12.5%PERPLEXITY 25% | Claim |
| 11 | adp.com | 22.9% 95% CI 13.3–36.5% 11 mentions · avg pos 8.9 first pick 0% | — | GROK 37.5%GEMINI 62.5%CHATGPT 12.5%CLAUDE 6.3%PERPLEXITY 12.5% | Claim |
| 12 | warp.co | 22.9% 95% CI 13.3–36.5% 11 mentions · avg pos 9.4 first pick 0% | — | GROK 75%GEMINI 37.5%CLAUDE 6.3%PERPLEXITY 12.5% | Claim |
| 13 | Carta | 14.6% 95% CI 7.2–27.2% 7 mentions · avg pos 2.2 first pick 28.6% | — | GROK 37.5%CHATGPT 12.5%CLAUDE 12.5%PERPLEXITY 12.5% | Claim |
| 14 | paychex.com | 12.5% 95% CI 5.9–24.7% 6 mentions · avg pos 8.5 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5%GEMINI 37.5%CHATGPT 12.5%CLAUDE 6.3% | Claim |
| 15 | xero.com | 8.3% 95% CI 3.3–19.6% 4 mentions · avg pos 3 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5%GEMINI 37.5% | Claim |
| 16 | joinhomebase.com | 8.3% 95% CI 3.3–19.6% 4 mentions · avg pos 3.5 first pick 0% | — | GEMINI 12.5%CLAUDE 12.5%PERPLEXITY 12.5% | Claim |
| 17 | TriNet | 6.3% 95% CI 2.1–16.8% 3 mentions · avg pos 6 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5%GEMINI 12.5%CLAUDE 6.3% | Claim |
| 18 | Payroll4Free | 6.3% 95% CI 2.1–16.8% 3 mentions · avg pos 13.7 first pick 0% | — | GROK 25%GEMINI 12.5% | Claim |
| 19 | firsthr.app | 4.2% 95% CI 1.2–14% 2 mentions · avg pos 3.5 first pick 50% | — | GROK 25% | Claim |
| 20 | oysterhr.com | 4.2% 95% CI 1.2–14% 2 mentions · avg pos 5.5 first pick 0% | — | GEMINI 12.5%CLAUDE 6.3% | Claim |
| 21 | waveapps.com | 4.2% 95% CI 1.2–14% 2 mentions · avg pos 6 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5%CHATGPT 12.5% | Claim |
| 22 | Zenefits | 4.2% 95% CI 1.2–14% 2 mentions · avg pos 6 first pick 0% | — | GEMINI 12.5%CLAUDE 6.3% | Claim |
| 23 | forbes.com | 4.2% 95% CI 1.2–14% 2 mentions · avg pos 15 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5%PERPLEXITY 12.5% | Claim |
| 24 | ADP Run | 4.2% 95% CI 1.2–14% 2 mentions · avg pos 19 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5%GEMINI 12.5% | Claim |
| 25 | Pulley | 4.2% 95% CI 1.2–14% 2 mentions first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5%CHATGPT 12.5% | Claim |
| 26 | squareup.com | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions · avg pos 2 first pick 0% | — | PERPLEXITY 12.5% | Claim |
| 27 | zoho.com | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions · avg pos 2 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5% | Claim |
| 28 | irs.gov | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions · avg pos 3 first pick 0% | — | CHATGPT 12.5% | Claim |
| 29 | Ledgy | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions · avg pos 5 first pick 0% | — | CLAUDE 6.3% | Claim |
| 30 | Rise | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions · avg pos 5 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5% | Claim |
| 31 | slack.com | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions · avg pos 16 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5% | Claim |
| 32 | bamboohr.com | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions · avg pos 23 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5% | Claim |
| 33 | paylocity.com | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions · avg pos 26 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5% | Claim |
| 34 | plane.so | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions · avg pos 30 first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5% | Claim |
| 35 | Cake Equity | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions first pick 0% | — | CLAUDE 6.3% | Claim |
| 36 | pcmag.com | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5% | Claim |
| 37 | Paychex Flex | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions first pick 0% | — | GROK 12.5% | Claim |
| 38 | surepayroll.com | 2.1% 95% CI 0.4–10.9% 1 mentions first pick 0% | — | CLAUDE 6.3% | Claim |
Reading the numbers: Share is a point estimate on 48 sampled answers, so each row also shows its 95% CI — the Wilson score interval around that share. When two products' intervals overlap, the gap between them isn't statistically meaningful at this sample size. First pick is the share of a product's recommending answers where it was named first, which separates “always mentioned” from “usually the top recommendation”. Full methodology.
Independence: Orbator customers are badged for disclosure. Customer status does not affect prompts, sampling, extraction, or ranking — see the methodology. Your product on this list? Claim it to see the prompts behind your rank and track it weekly.
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Head-to-head pages for products ranked in Payroll software for startups. Each one sets out sourced facts side by side, plus which product AI assistants recommend more, engine by engine.
Every number on this page is measured from sampled answers, and those answers are kept. The archive holds dated excerpts of what each engine answered, never full answers. Read the answer archive for payroll software for startups to see the excerpts by date and engine, or view the ranking history to see what entered and left this ranking and when.
Across 48 sampled AI answers from 5 engines (Aug 21, 2026 to Sep 18, 2026), Gusto is recommended most often for payroll software for startups, appearing in 77.1% of recommendations, followed by OnPay (56.3%). This is a measurement of what AI assistants recommend, not an editorial verdict.
ChatGPT recommends Gusto most often for payroll software for startups. It appears as a recommendation in 75% of ChatGPT's sampled answers in this window (Aug 21, 2026 to Sep 18, 2026). Other engines answer differently. The per-engine breakdown in the ranking shows each one.
Orbator samples AI answers to buyer questions across 5 engines and counts how often each product is recommended. No product pays for placement. The payroll software for startups ranking is based on 48 answers in the current 4-week window (Aug 21, 2026 to Sep 18, 2026). Full methodology is published at https://www.orbator.io/ai-index/methodology.
Verified facts for the most-recommended products — each sourced and dated. No editorial scoring, just the data side by side.
| QuickBooksquickbooks.intuit.com | Xeroxero.com | Wave Payrollwaveapps.com | Square Invoicessquareup.com | BambooHRbamboohr.com | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Simple Start: $19 a month ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | Established: $9 a month ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | Digitally capture unlimited receipts: $96 a year (free tier available) ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | — | Core: $10 a month ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 |
| Features | Automated bookkeeping ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | Track time and costs for projects ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | Add users to your account ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | POS app for any payment ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | Employee Records ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 |
| Platforms | Web ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | — | iOS ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | — | — |
| Integrations | Shopify ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | Gusto ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | Plaid ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | Google ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 | Mercer ↗ sourceverified Sep 5, 2026 |
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