ADP, boasting over 70 years of industry expertise and serving a vast clientele exceeding one million corporations, stands as a premier global provider of payroll services. Originally rooted in human resources, the company has evolved to integrate comprehensive payroll solutions into its offerings. Presently, ADP offers a seamless integration of HR and payroll services through a diverse range of software packages, designed to scale alongside the growth of client businesses.

ADP’s exclusive RUN payroll software emerges as an ideal choice for burgeoning enterprises, offering the flexibility to incorporate additional services as required. Small businesses benefit from automated payroll processing and tax filing services, while larger corporations gain access to comprehensive HR support and robust benefits management tools.

Each of ADP’s plans for RUN includes fundamental payroll processing capabilities. However, as your business expands and you progress to higher tiers, you unlock access to a broader array of features tailored to managing the human resources aspect of your company.

With RUN, you have the flexibility to process payroll conveniently online, either through the mobile app or via phone. Whether importing or manually inputting employee work hours each pay period, the system calculates paychecks accurately based on wages or salary. ADP further handles tax deductions, health insurance premiums, and retirement contributions, ensuring precision in every paycheck issued.

You have multiple options for paying employees through RUN, including direct deposit, prepaid debit card, or traditional paper checks delivered to your office. Additionally, ADP offers the convenience of signing direct deposit stubs and paper checks on your behalf before preparing and stuffing them into envelopes.

ADP takes care of calculating your payroll taxes and generating necessary forms, ensuring timely submission of payments to local, state, and federal agencies. Their knowledgeable staff members are readily available to address any tax-related inquiries you may have. Moreover, in the event of an error, ADP assumes responsibility and covers any fines or penalties incurred. Additionally, except for the Essential plan, ADP will also handle the management of your state unemployment insurance.

ADP takes charge of generating and distributing W-2 and 1099 forms to your employees, while also filing these forms with the IRS on your behalf. Through the employee self-service app, your employees can conveniently access these forms as needed.

Easily export payroll data from ADP into popular accounting software such as QuickBooks, Wave, Xero, or as a CSV file, enabling seamless integration with your other business tools. This streamlined process facilitates collaboration with your accountant and enhances the efficiency of financial management tasks.

ADP’s optional time and attendance system seamlessly integrates with your payroll service, ensuring automatic synchronization. Employees have the flexibility to clock in and out using various methods such as time clocks, web browsers, phones, and mobile apps. The platform provides real-time visibility into employees nearing overtime, flags unplanned absences, and highlights timecard exceptions for managers’ attention. Additionally, it accurately records meal breaks and transfer time between locations while supporting biometric login options for enhanced security.

Similar to leading time and attendance software, ADP’s module efficiently tracks paid-time-off (PTO) accruals and enables employees to request vacation and sick days seamlessly. Additionally, ADP offers performance and productivity tools designed to monitor progress on individual projects and track the time allocated by each employee to various projects throughout their workday.

Across all plans, ADP simplifies state-mandated new-hire reporting by completing and filing all required paperwork on your behalf. Additionally, ADP offers a range of payroll and HR reports that are customizable and easily accessible. These reports serve as valuable tools for businesses seeking to leverage analytics to make informed decisions.

Every ADP package incorporates essential HR features, such as digital new-hire paperwork, employee self-service, and employee shopping discounts. However, opting for one of the higher-tiered plans unlocks additional HR tools. These include access to ZipRecruiter for online job postings to aid in filling open roles, as well as the capability to conduct pre-employment background checks. This comprehensive suite of HR tools eliminates the need to contract separately with leading background check companies.

Businesses subscribed to the Complete or HR Pro levels with ADP gain access to additional HR resources. This includes an employee handbook wizard to assist in creating customized toolkits for onboarding and offboarding, along with a comprehensive library of HR forms and documents. For those prioritizing HR assistance, it’s worth exploring Gusto, which we recognized as the top payroll service for its extensive HR services, including benefits management.

ADP offers two distinct lines of payroll software tailored to different company sizes: RUN Powered by ADP caters to businesses with one to 49 employees, while Workforce Now is designed for larger enterprises with 50 to over 1,000 employees. Within the RUN line, four diverse packages are available, catering to the payroll requirements of various small businesses. These packages accommodate startups with straightforward payroll needs as well as larger firms seeking seamless integration of payroll with other HR operations.

The plans for RUN differ in both pricing and features, but all four include fundamental payroll processing. Here’s a breakdown of additional features offered in each plan

With the Essential plan, you have the flexibility to pay employees via debit pay card, direct deposit, or traditional paper checks delivered to your office. This package encompasses new-hire reporting, standard payroll reports, and seamless integration with popular accounting software for general ledger purposes. Additionally, employees gain access to a self-service portal, enhancing their ability to manage their own information conveniently.

This plan expands its offerings to include state unemployment insurance management, along with the convenience of having ADP handle the signing and stuffing of paper checks on your behalf. Additionally, it introduces the capability to conduct pre-employment background checks and post job openings through ZipRecruiter.

The third tier of ADP’s package introduces comprehensive HR services, including an employee handbook wizard and applicant tracking system. Additionally, you gain access to HR training resources, toolkits, and a library of forms and documents. ADP’s HR help desk stands ready to provide support on demand, offering expert assistance whenever needed.

The most comprehensive tier of ADP’s four package tiers builds upon the Complete plan by offering expanded HR help desk support, providing additional assistance in creating an employee handbook, and delivering legal assistance and training for both you and your employees.

ADP offers a range of add-on services for its four packages, with prices varying based on the unique needs of your business. The prices for ADP’s payroll plans are influenced by several factors, including your business’s location, the number of employees, the frequency of payments, and other pertinent factors. To determine the pricing for each of these services, you’ll need to collaborate with an ADP sales representative.

In evaluating the Enhanced plan for a business with 25 biweekly-paid employees, ADP provided a price estimate of $115 per payroll, along with an additional $2.11 per employee. Should the business opt for weekly payroll runs instead, the cost would double. ADP typically imposes a one-time setup fee of $200. Nevertheless, the representative assured us that they could waive this fee and extend the offer of the first three months of service at no charge. Additionally, businesses enrolling in small business payroll processing may be eligible for three months of complimentary service.

ADP offers automated support through a toll-free phone number, along with online assistance for both employees and client administrators. The company’s primary support page conveniently provides quick links to address common inquiries for employees and administrators. These include instructions for tasks such as changing an employee’s password and accessing tax and payroll forms.

The employee support page features a comprehensive FAQ list addressing various issues, including tax form errors, paycheck discrepancies, and login difficulties. Similarly, the client administrator support page offers detailed explanations on tax deadlines, agency notices, and guidance on accessing The Bridge client community for networking with payroll, tax, and HR professionals. Additionally, both support pages include links to specific payroll-related topics, such as 401(k) and other retirement plans, as well as information about the RUN Powered by ADP mobile payroll app.

Client administrators can access support via chat by logging into the RUN platform and clicking the “Chat” icon located at the bottom of the page. Chat support is available from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Additionally, ADP offers 24/7 live payroll support for client administrators via a toll-free phone number. Furthermore, client administrators have access to remote support, allowing them to share their screen with a service representative for assistance as needed.

With over 70 years of industry presence, ADP boasts a robust brand reputation as a leader in the payroll sector. It stands out as our top choice for complex and expanding businesses seeking an integrated payroll and HR service solution. This recommendation particularly applies to multistate firms and companies operating in regulated industries, where comprehensive support and expertise are essential for navigating complex payroll and HR requirements.

One significant drawback we uncovered in our evaluation of ADP is its per-payroll charging structure. This setup can prove costly for small businesses that operate weekly payroll cycles or frequently run off-cycle payrolls for commissions and bonuses. In contrast, many online payroll services offer a flat fee model, granting unlimited payroll runs each month, which may be a more cost-effective option for businesses with frequent payroll needs.