The most visible HR and payroll tools in Europe, October 2026

October 2026 · 105 questions asked from 7 countries · ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode · 420 answers read

Leader

Gusto

34Heralded Score, range 31–37

Most cited source

youtube.com

100citations

From Google AI Mode, Gemini and Google AI Overviews

Where engines disagree most

Factorial

1/4engines put it in their top three

Top three on ChatGPT, not on Google AI Mode, Gemini and Google AI Overviews

Brands

Search is not measured for this board yet, so it ranks on AI answers.

Rank Brand Rank change Heralded Score All AI Score trend Mentioned Recommended By engine Mentioned by Change
11 Deel US New entry 7 , range 5–11 7#11
7
  • : score 7 · #11
7% 4% First reading
12 DATEV New entry 7 , range 5–10 7#12
7
  • : score 7 · #12
7% 3% None First reading
13 AFAS Software New entry 7 , range 5–10 7#13
7
  • : score 7 · #13
7% 3% First reading
14 Sesame HR ES New entry 6 , range 4–9 6#14
6
  • : score 6 · #14
6% 2% None First reading
15 Employes New entry 6 , range 4–9 6#15
6
  • : score 6 · #15
5% 3% First reading
16 Intuit QuickBooks Workforce Payroll + Simple Start US New entry 6 , range 4–9 6#16
6
  • : score 6 · #16
5% 3% None First reading
17 Breathe New entry 6 , range 4–8 6#17
6
  • : score 6 · #17
5% 3% None First reading
18 Lexware Office DE New entry 5 , range 4–8 5#18
5
  • : score 5 · #18
5% 2% None First reading
19 Loket.nl New entry 5 , range 4–8 5#19
5
  • : score 5 · #19
6% 2% First reading
20 Xero Payroll NZ New entry 5 , range 4–8 5#20
5
  • : score 5 · #20
5% 3% None First reading

“=” marks brands whose score ranges overlap, so the test cannot separate them. Every brand named in at least three answers is ranked. AI gives each brand’s score and rank from the engines’ answers; Search is not measured for this board yet. By engine has one dot per engine (ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode), darker the more often it names the brand.

Most cited sources

Rank Source Type Cited in Engines Pages cited Brands its pages mention
11 ordio.com Vendor site 2.1% 4 of 4 12 7
12 service-public.gouv.fr Regulator 1.4% 1 of 4 10 1
13 forbes.com Media 3.1% 3 of 4 2 8
14 talenthr.io Vendor site 3.1% 3 of 4 3 Not read
15 elster.de Regulator 1.0% 1 of 4 5 Not read
16 linkedin.com Social 2.6% 2 of 4 8 Not read
17 peoplemanagingpeople.com Media 2.1% 3 of 4 11 Not read
18 smallbusiness.co.uk Media 2.6% 3 of 4 3 Not read
19 zapier.com Vendor site 2.6% 3 of 4 1 9
20 facebook.com Social 1.9% 1 of 4 9 Not read

Questions asked

QuestionLanguageMost recommended
Welche Personal- und Lohnabrechnungssoftware ist am besten für kleine Unternehmen? German DATEV and Lexware Office, tied
Wie kann ein kleines Unternehmen Mitarbeitende und die Lohnabrechnung verwalten? German DATEV, Lexware Office and Personio, tied
Wie kann ein kleines Unternehmen die Löhne seiner Mitarbeitenden berechnen? German No brand recommended
Wie kann ich Urlaubstage und Arbeitszeiten im Blick behalten? German No brand recommended
HR-Software oder Tabellen für die Lohnabrechnung in kleinen Unternehmen? German DATEV
Manuelle Personalverwaltung oder HR-Software für mittelständische Unternehmen? German No brand recommended
Welche Alternativen zu Tabellen gibt es, um Mitarbeitende zu verwalten? German Factorial and Personio, tied
Welche Alternativen zur manuellen Lohnberechnung gibt es für kleine Unternehmen? German No brand recommended
Ich habe ein Unternehmen mit 10 Mitarbeitenden. Wie kann ich Lohnabrechnung und Urlaub verwalten? German Personio
Ich leite ein HR-Team und brauche Zeiterfassung für 200 Mitarbeitende. Welche Möglichkeiten gibt es? German Factorial and Personio, tied

Each engine's top three

Method

Each leaderboard ranks brands on two sides. AI is how ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews and Google AI Mode answer the board's buyer questions. Search is Google's top 10 results for the keywords behind those questions. All combines the two, where Search is measured.

For the AI side, each month Heralded asks every engine the same buyer questions, twice each, and reads every answer. An answer counts 0 for a brand it leaves out, 50 for a brand it names and 100 for a brand it recommends, and the Heralded Score is built from those. A brand named in at least three answers gets a score and a place.

How the leaderboards are measured