ADP VS QuickBooks Payroll Comparison
Make deciding between ADP and QuickBooks Payroll easier with our full comparison of ADP vs QuickBooks' pricing, features, integrations, and more.
-
Contributor
UPDATED
Advertiser Disclosure: Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity.
| ADP | QuickBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Varies by business | Starts at $45/month plus $4/month per employee |
| Number Of States Supported | 50 | 50 |
| Key Features |
|
|
| Next Steps | Get started with ADP Payroll | Get started with QuickBooks Payroll |
Payroll and HR software can save precious time for small business owners, but searching through a laundry list of payroll products and features may be hard to squeeze into an already busy schedule.
To help get you started, we’ll take an in-depth look at two premier payroll software apps: QuickBooks Online Payroll and payroll with ADP. We’ll break down key differences in features, pricing, customer support, as well as reviews from real small business clients for each.
Read on to find out which payroll software best fits your business needs and budget.
Table of Contents
- ADP VS QuickBooks Payroll
- The Key Differences Between Intuit Online Payroll & ADP
- ADP VS QuickBooks Payroll Pricing
- ADP VS QuickBooks Payroll Features
- Which Do Users Like Better For Payroll: ADP Or QuickBooks?
- Which Is Better For My Business: ADP Or QuickBooks Online Payroll?
- ADP VS QuickBooks Payroll Comparison: The Bottom Line
- ADP VS QuickBooks FAQs
ADP VS QuickBooks Payroll
By comparing Intuit Online Payroll vs ADP, we will highlight situations when either option may be more beneficial for small businesses. Both have solid payroll functions, but there are key differences in pricing and features to consider when evaluating ADP vs Intuit Online Payroll.
Before we examine the finer details of Intuit Online Payroll and ADP, let’s start with a general overview of each, including pros and cons.
ADP Overview
Pros
- Easy to customize payroll between four different plans
- 24/7 customer service
- More favorable customer reviews than QuickBooks
Cons
- Pricing is not disclosed online
- Additional fees can add up quickly
What is ADP payroll, anyway? Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP for short), is a leader in workplace management for companies around the world. The company offers multiple ADP pricing plans catering to diverse business needs. ADP Run, which is structured for companies with 1-49 employees, is the most suitable ADP package for small businesses.
ADP Run handles core payroll functions, including payroll processing, direct deposit, tax filing, and new hire reporting. Each plan also comes with useful HR applications, namely PTO tracking and approvals, time tracking, and assistance with workers’ compensation, retirement, and health care. An employee portal (My ADP) connects workers with these HR functions, while also giving access to their pay stub and tax information.
QuickBooks Online Payroll Overview
Pros
- Seamless integration with QuickBooks Online
- Unlimited payroll runs at any time
- More straightforward pricing than ADP
Cons
- Reports of inexperienced customer support representatives
- Extra HR features can be costly
QuickBooks is well-known in the small business sphere for its accounting software. Now accounting and payroll can go hand in hand for QuickBooks Online users who choose to purchase QuickBooks Online Payroll, also known as Intuit Online Payroll.
QuickBooks Online Payroll is user-friendly, especially for customers who are experienced with QuickBooks accounting services. Within the payroll software market, Intuit Online Payroll has a solid repertoire of features and several integrations. Smaller small businesses may not have need of some of the higher-level features, so it’s worth exploring the differences in QuickBooks’s three plans.
The Key Differences Between Intuit Online Payroll & ADP
Between features, pricing, ease of use, customer support, reviews, and integrations, there’s a lot to think about when deciding between ADP vs Intuit Online Payroll. Let’s review some of the main distinctions between these payroll software apps.
- ADP Has Better Customer Service: ADP has a dedicated team of customer support specialists across the country who can answer questions by phone or chat 24/7. While it’s possible to get a hold of an Intuit Online customer service representative around the clock, they do not have a specific payroll extension line nor a reputation for expert assistance.
- QuickBooks Has Better Built-In HR, But ADP Has A ZipRecruiter Integration: Both ADP and Intuit Online offer HR features on all but their most basic plans. ADP includes a ZipRecruiter membership and background checks with its Enhanced Plan, as well as a dedicated team of HR advisors with the Complete and HR Pro plans. Intuit Online has an HR support center with informational resources for its top two plans, though only the Elite Plan provides the assistance of an HR advisor.
- QuickBooks Payroll Has Unlimited, Same-Day Pay Runs: Both payroll apps cover basic payroll functions like direct deposit and tax filing. The main difference is that Intuit Online supports unlimited, same-day payroll runs, whereas ADP charges each time you do payroll.
- QuickBooks Payroll Has More Transparent Pricing: Pricing for all three Intuit Online plans is straightforward. You’ll pay a set rate for each plan plus a flat fee for every employee on the payroll. Conversely, ADP does not advertise their pricing. Instead, prospective customers must reach out for a quote and negotiate their own contract.
ADP VS QuickBooks Payroll Pricing
| Vendor | Price |
|---|---|
| QuickBooks | Starts at $45/month plus $4/month per employee |
| ADP | Varies by business |
Intuit Online Payroll’s transparent pricing lets small businesses easily compare the cost of all three plans, which range from $45/month + $4/month per employee – $125/month + $10/month per employee.
Intuit Payroll’s pricing structure of a set monthly rate plus a flat fee per employee also makes it easy to project a long-term budget. ADP does not disclose its pricing information; you have to contact ADP’s sales team to get a custom quote for your business.
On ADP’s website, getting pricing for any of the ADP Run plans requires entering your business’s name, zip code, number of employees, and a contact email.
The bottom line is that ADP does not make it easy to compare pricing. Both ADP and QuickBooks offer multiple pricing tiers for different business sizes and needs, but QuickBooks Online is more transparent and its costs and fees are easier to plan for. However, there are many businesses who are happy customers of ADP, so it may be worth contacting ADP to get a quote.
ADP VS QuickBooks Payroll Features
| Features | QuickBooks Intuit | ADP |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll Processing | ✔︎ | ✔︎ |
| Tax Filing | ✔︎ | ✔︎ |
| Direct Deposit | ✔︎ | ✔︎ |
| Employee Portal | ✔︎ | ✔︎ |
| Time Tracking | ✔︎ | ✔︎ |
| Benefits Administration | ✔︎ | Complete & HR Plus plans |
| New Hire Reporting | ✔︎ | |
| Reports | 16 & option for customization | 50+ |
| Employee Management | ✔︎ | ✔︎ |
| Next Steps | Visit Site Read Review |
Get A Quote Read Review |
ADP has an extensive selection of included and add-on features for its small business clients. Once the software is installed, users can quickly access all of their payroll and HR tools on the admin portal with just a couple of clicks. All four of ADP Run’s plans come with tax filing, new hire reporting, direct deposit, and thorough reporting capabilities.
Intuit Online covers all the basic functions of payroll across its three plans. The admin portal is straightforward and intuitive, aided by the fact that there are separate tabs for employees, contractors, and benefits. Similar to ADP, reporting, direct deposit, and automated tax forms are available on every plan.
With the exception of new hire reporting, Intuit Online and ADP payroll services tout a comparable selection of features. However, there are some differences in pricing and depth to be aware of before committing to either payroll starter. Let’s take a closer look at the features with the most significant disparities.
Which Do Users Like Better For Payroll: ADP Or QuickBooks?
In general, users have positive things to say about both ADP and QuickBooks Payroll, but ADP seems to have a slightly higher ratio of positive reviews. Here’s what users have to say about both payroll software options.
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, multitude of features, and easy-to-use interface. On the other hand, customer complaints mention frustration with hidden fees and undisclosed pricing for its various plans. Some customers have taken issue with difficulties terminating their contract and having to request a demo from a sales representative to do a test run of the software’s interface.
Intuit Online Payroll’s overall reviews are mixed. Most verge on positive as demonstrated by a 4-star review on Capterra. Specifically, small business customers have highlighted the software’s user-friendliness and onboarding assistance as major perks. Also, some reviews have applauded Intuit Online’s willingness to make upgrades to their products on a regular basis, which occur automatically on the cloud-based platform. But there are some notable trends in the negative reviews worth mentioning. For starters, small businesses have expressed dissatisfaction with QuickBooks’ customer service representatives. Other reviews describe instances involving undisclosed fees and costs for add-on features.
Which Is Better For My Business: ADP Or QuickBooks Online Payroll?
Both payroll platforms have helped millions of small business customers. Yet, not every small business has the same payroll and HR needs or budget. Let’s look into some cases when each software could be a better solution for small businesses.
Choose ADP If…
- You have a mid-size or growing small business
- You want a customized payroll and HR package that can integrate with other apps and software.
- You need the help of more experienced HR advisors
Choose Intuit Online Payroll If…
- You have a mid-size business
- You already use QuickBooks accounting products, particularly QuickBooks Online, and would like to use QuickBooks Payroll online as well
- You want to run payroll frequently for your employees.
ADP VS QuickBooks Payroll Comparison: The Bottom Line
ADP Run is easily customized and integrated with other software on any of its four plans. Beyond its full-service payroll processing, ADP stands out for its reporting and analytics, HR support, and customer service. ADP’s main drawback is undisclosed pricing for any of its plans or add-on features. But, despite the lack of transparent pricing, many small businesses are happy with ADP and it’s features and good customer support make it a good option worth considering. Contact ADP to get a get a quote for how much ADP would cost your business.
Intuit Online gives small businesses options to customize any of its three plans to their needs with add-on features and plentiful integrations. Other benefits include unlimited payroll runs, recent upgrades to benefits administration, and the seamless integration with QuickBooks Online accounting. Compared to ADP, Intuit Online has received more negative reviews, especially regarding customer service, but if you are a fan of the QuickBooks interface and want the features Intuit has to offer, you can get started with QuickBooks Online Payroll.
Smaller businesses looking for a more streamlined payroll solution may prefer the pricing and stripped-down nature of Gusto or Square. Check out our top payroll software for small businesses to compare all of your options.
ADP VS QuickBooks FAQs
Kevin Brouillard
Contributor
Kevin Brouillard is a writer, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, aspiring goat farmer, and finance specialist based in Upstate New York. In addition to covering small business topics for Merchant Maverick, he has experience writing about environmental issues, travel, and personal finance.
Latest posts by Kevin Brouillard (see all)
- How To Do Bookkeeping: A Step-By-Step Beginner’s Guide - July 14, 2021
- 9 Bookkeeping Tasks You Should Be Performing Every Week - July 1, 2021
- How To Choose The Right ADP Payroll Services For Your Business - June 15, 2021
- Alternatives To QuickBooks Payroll - May 24, 2021
- The Complete Guide To Payroll Deductions - March 15, 2021
No Comments
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the vendor or bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the vendor or bank advertiser. It is not the vendor or bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.