ADP VS Paychex Comparison
Take a look at our head-to-head ADP vs. Paychex comparison to see which payroll software has better pricing, features, and support.
ADP | Paychex | |
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Ideal For |
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Pricing | Variable | Starting from $39/month + $5/employee |
Standout Features |
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What’s Missing |
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What’s Next | Get A Quote Read Review |
Visit Site Read Review |
When it comes to the top payroll software options, many business owners find themselves comparing ADP vs. Paychex when trying to choose the best fit for their business’s needs. Paychex and ADP are top payroll software contenders offering essential features, such as payroll tax support, PTO, benefits administration, employee management, and payroll services. It can be challenging to determine which software is best for your business.
To help narrow down your search, we will compare two leading payroll software apps available to small businesses: ADP and Paychex. We’ll dive into what features they offer small businesses and how they stack up in terms of pricing, customer support, feedback from small business users, and more.
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
ADP VS Paychex
When comparing ADP vs. Paychex, it helps to highlight scenarios and situations when businesses might benefit from each software. There are some significant differences to consider with the in-app features, integrations, and pricing when choosing between ADP and Paychex.
Before getting into the nitty-gritty of how ADP and Paychex measure up head-to-head, let’s start with an overview of each, including the pros and cons.
ADP Quick Overview
Pros
- Eight plan options help with customization
- Strong payroll and employee management features
- 24/7 virtual assistant for support
- Ample employee management features
Cons
- Pricing is not disclosed online
- Some additional features come with added fees
ADP Payroll sets itself above the competition as a payroll solution by offering a robust set of payroll, HR, and employee management features for businesses ranging from one to 1,000 employees. With ADP, businesses can easily run payroll with just a few clicks, get payroll tax support, run customizable reports, onboard new employees, and much more.
Although ADP’s time-tracking and benefits administration services come at an extra cost, businesses looking for an all-in-one solution will appreciate the ability to choose the services they need. ADP’s greatest drawback is its lack of pricing transparency, making it hard for smaller businesses to determine whether they can afford the software quickly.
Paychex Quick Overview
Pros
- Built-in onboarding and HR
- Includes extensive employee benefits on all plans
- Scalable for growing businesses
- Easy-to-use employee portal
Cons
- Non-transparent pricing
- Time tracking is an extra add-on feature
Paychex provides payroll and HR solutions for businesses of all sizes. Beyond running payroll, Paychex is known for its variety of additional services, including retirement plans, health care, benefits administration, and much more. Businesses looking to integrate their payroll and HR on one platform will find that Paychex checks all the boxes.
Like ADP, Paychex boasts a lengthy list of add-ons that make it easy to customize Paychex services and select the features that best fit the scope of your business. Paychex offers 24/7 customer support across all of its plans if you encounter any issues or need some tech-savvy support. Paychex will also take care of the setup and implementation process for you.
What’s The Difference Between ADP & Paychex?
In the battle of ADP vs. Paychex, the biggest differences between the software solutions include their benefits administration, customer support, and integrations. While both ADP and Paychex offer insurance and retirement benefits for employees, Paychex has more extensive options, including financial wellness tools, business insurance, and emergency loans.
Both ADP and Paychex are known for their 24/7 customer service and support, but Paychex provides customers with an assigned payroll specialist. ADP leads Paychex in the integrations category, as it offers a much larger selection of integrations, although Paychex isn’t lacking in that department either.
Both ADP & Paychex Offer…
- Mobile app
- Background check services
- Payroll tax support
- Direct deposit
- An employee portal
- Benefits administration
- New-hire reporting
- Reports
- APIs
- PTO management
- Garnishments
- Compliance posters
Only ADP Offers…
- Auto-scheduled payroll
- Onboarding support on all plans
- ZipRecruiter integration
- Small business marketing toolkit (add-on only)
Only Paychex Offers
- An assigned payroll specialist
- Financial wellness tools
- Business insurance
- Emergency loans
- ERC funding services
ADP VS Paychex Pricing
ADP | Paychex | |
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Price | Variable | Starting at $39/month + $5/employee |
Number Of Users | Up to 100,000 | 1,000+ users |
Discounts Available | Yes | Yes |
Neither ADP nor Paychex is transparent about plan pricing. While ADP doesn’t publish any of its plan pricing online, Paychex publishes its Flex Essentials plan pricing, which starts at $39/month + $5/employee. Both ADP and Paychex include variable add-on fees that will drive up your bill if you’re interested in time tracking, benefits administration, advanced HR support, and more.
If affordability is your main concern regarding payroll software pricing, here are the best cheap payroll software options.
ADP VS Paychex Features
Features | ADP | Paychex |
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Payroll Processing | ||
Direct Deposit | ||
Employee Management | ||
Reports | ||
Benefits Administration | (add-on only) | (add-on only) |
Time Tracking | (add-on only) | (add-on only) |
Employee Portal | ||
Service & Support | ||
Integrations | ||
Tax Support | ||
New-Hire Reporting |
ADP and Paychex carry many of the same features and tools. Still, there are some key differences in scope, and the availability of certain features may depend on which plan you go with. We’ll dive into the feature differences between ADP and Paychex below.
For a more in-depth look at the Paychex vs. ADP features breakdown, take a look at our Paychex review and ADP review, respectively. You’ll find a detailed explanation of each platform’s features, pricing, and much more.
Do Users Like ADP Or Paychex Better?
As a veteran provider, ADP Run has worked out many bugs and internalized customer feedback over the years. This experience has been praised in some customer reviews. Users also appreciate the round-the-clock support, the multitude of features, and an easy-to-use interface. Conversely, customer complaints have touched on hidden fees and undisclosed pricing for its various plans. Some customers have voiced frustration with having to request a demo from a sales representative to get a sense of the software’s interface.
In terms of user reviews, there is more praise than complaints regarding Paychex’s payroll software. On the positive side, users make note of Paychex’s helpful customer support, solid payroll features, a centrally-organized platform, and time savings for their businesses. On the flip side, some customers have taken issue with unauthorized payment withdrawals, missed tax filings, inaccurate payroll calculations, and overall cost.
Which Payroll Software Should I Choose: ADP Or Paychex?
Having been in business for several decades each, ADP and Paychex are tried-and-true payroll applications. But are they well-suited for small businesses? Everyone’s situation is unique, so we’ve laid out some scenarios where each software might be a better solution through the lens of small businesses.
Choose ADP If…
- You own a mid-size and expanding business
- Your business needs to integrate payroll with other apps and software
- You need more extensive HR features to recruit applicants and perform background checks
Choose Paychex If…
- You run a small- to medium-sized business
- You require add-on features, such as benefits administration and employee screening
- You want top-notch, dedicated customer support that is tailored to your needs
ADP VS Paychex Comparison: The Bottom Line
Across all four plans, ADP Run easily integrates with other software. Beyond its full-service payroll processing, ADP’s most prominent features are its extensive reporting and analytics, HR support, and time tracking. Additionally, 24/7 customer service can give small businesses peace of mind, especially if working outside standard 9-5 business hours. Since ADP doesn’t disclose pricing, the time demand and uncertainty of negotiating a price — plus hidden fees — may make this payroll solution a bad fit for smaller businesses.
Paychex is another solid choice for strong payroll features, such as automatic payroll tax filing, direct deposit, and new hire reporting. Paychex’s wealth of tools and features can be a big plus for securing a full-service payroll and HR system. While the lack of time-tracking and attendance capabilities, plus limited integrations, could increase costs through extra add-ons, a committed payroll specialist could reduce your payroll processing workload enough to justify the heftier price tag.
If you’re still undecided about which payroll software solution would work best for your business, check out the best payroll software options on the market for small businesses. The detailed breakdown of the top payroll software options on the market will help you make an informed decision and narrow down your list of contenders.