Paylocity vs Gusto: Payroll Software Comparison (2026)

An independent side-by-side comparison of Paylocity and Gusto for payroll software 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 payroll software questions. Last 90 days across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot.

Gusto leads overall100% cited vs Paylocity 13% across 60 probes.
ChatGPT
Paylocity
1 / 6 probes
17%
Average
GustoLeads
6 / 6 probes
100%
Excellent
Perplexity
Paylocity
0 / 6 probes
0%
Invisible
GustoLeads
6 / 6 probes
100%
Excellent
Gemini
Paylocity
0 / 6 probes
0%
Invisible
GustoLeads
6 / 6 probes
100%
Excellent
Claude
Paylocity
2 / 6 probes
33%
Good
GustoLeads
6 / 6 probes
100%
Excellent
Copilot
Paylocity
1 / 6 probes
17%
Average
GustoLeads
6 / 6 probes
100%
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/mo
Free tier
gusto.com

Key Features

Paylocity
  • Automated payroll workflows
  • 24/7 self-service portal
  • AI-powered expense management
  • Employee experience dashboard
  • Marketplace integrations
  • Customizable HR workflows
  • Real-time access auditing
  • Mobile access for employers and employees
Gusto
  • Domestic contractor payments
  • 4 day pay
  • Form 1099 creation and filings
  • Single-state payroll
  • Unlimited payrolls per month
  • Tax filings and payments
  • Multi-state payroll
  • Dedicated Service Advisor

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.

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