Paylocity vs Gusto: HR & Payroll Comparison (2026)

An independent side-by-side comparison of Paylocity and Gusto for hr & payroll buyers — pricing, features, integrations, and how often each is cited by major AI engines.

AI Citation Scorecard

How often each is cited by major AI engines when buyers ask hr & payroll questions. Last 90 days across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot.

Gusto leads overall73% cited vs Paylocity 10% across 60 probes.
ChatGPT
Paylocity
0 / 6 probes
0%
Invisible
GustoLeads
4 / 6 probes
67%
Excellent
Perplexity
Paylocity
1 / 6 probes
17%
Average
GustoLeads
5 / 6 probes
83%
Excellent
Gemini
Paylocity
1 / 6 probes
17%
Average
GustoLeads
5 / 6 probes
83%
Excellent
Claude
Paylocity
0 / 6 probes
0%
Invisible
GustoLeads
5 / 6 probes
83%
Excellent
Copilot
Paylocity
1 / 6 probes
17%
Average
GustoLeads
3 / 6 probes
50%
Excellent
Scale:NoneLowFairStrongExcellent

Probes run hourly; each (engine × query) combo retests every ~3 days.

Pricing

Paylocity
Starting price
Free tier
paylocity.com
Gusto
Starting price
$35/month
Free tier
gusto.com

Key Features

Paylocity
  • Automated payroll workflows
  • Global payroll support for 100+ countries
  • 24/7 access through self-service portal
  • Automated time and attendance tracking
  • Social collaboration hub with chat features
  • Real-time access auditing and controls
  • AI-powered touchless invoice capture
  • Centralized candidate communication
Gusto
  • Domestic contractor payments
  • 4 day pay
  • Form 1099 creation
  • Single-state payroll
  • Unlimited payrolls
  • Next-day pay
  • Dedicated Service Advisor
  • Custom reports

When to choose Paylocity

Choose Paylocity if your team prioritizes its strengths over Gusto's. Full guidance populates as Paylocity's feature data is indexed.

When to choose Gusto

Choose Gusto if your team prioritizes its strengths over Paylocity's. Full guidance populates as Gusto's feature data is indexed.

More HR & Payroll Comparisons