ADP Run Review: Is It the Right HR Payroll Software for You?
Charlette has over 10 years of experience in accounting and finance and 2 years of partnering with HR leaders on freelance projects. She uses this extensive experience to answer your questions about payroll.
Karina Fabian writes and reviews business software, services, and topics for starting a business, startups, and small businesses. She has more than seven years of business writing experience.
This article is part of a larger series on Payroll Services.
What We Recommend ADP Run For
We’ve conducted ADP reviews for many of our best-of lists and it invariably impresses with its easy interface, depth of functionality, and variety of use cases. While it offers solutions to fit the HR needs of all business sizes, its ADP Run product is designed specifically for small businesses with up to 49 employees. Aside from full-service payroll, automated tax payments and filings, and multiple payment options, it has robust tools to help keep you compliant with payroll and tax regulations.
So, who is ADP best for?
- Startups and companies with fewer than 49 employees: Considered ADP’s small business payroll and HR software product, ADP Run has all the essential tools you need to process payroll, manage payroll taxes, onboard new hires, and find qualified candidates through its partnership with ZipRecruiter. New clients get three or more months of free payroll processing.
- Small businesses that aren’t on a bare-bones budget and need HR tools and support: ADP offers integrated HR tools, such as onboarding, employee and employer training, and access to a library of HR forms, policies, and documents, which you can use. It provides state-specific HR Help Desk support if you need assistance navigating through complicated employee-related issues. It ranks as one of our selections for the best HR payroll software.
- Firms needing payroll software that connects to its existing software: ADP Run is compatible with numerous popular accounting solutions such as QuickBooks, Wave, and Xero. It also integrates with enterprise business solutions offered by Oracle, Sage, Workday, and SAP. Other integrations include those with HR software, time tracking solutions, benefits services, productivity apps, and POS software.
- Growing businesses wanting an HR service that can scale with them: ADP Run offers four plans, plus add-on features like time tracking and employee benefits. As your business grows, you can transition to ADP’s more robust HR and payroll solutions, including its professional employer organization (PEO) option, ADP TotalSource.
When ADP Run Is Not a Good Fit
- Midsize to large companies: ADP’s other products, such as ADP Workforce Now and ADP Vantage HCM, are more suitable for midsize and large operations. These include a wider range of HR solutions like talent management and analytics. You may also want to consider other payroll services like Paychex. See our expert comparison of Paychex vs ADP.
- Businesses that need only ADP Run’s add-on features: Features like retirement, time tracking, workers’ compensation, and health insurance are excluded from the introductory payroll packages—and you have to pay extra to have these solutions added to ADP Run. Providers like Gusto, which offers a simple time tracking feature with premium plans, include most of these features in their plans.
- Businesses on a budget: ADP Run has a lot to offer, not only in features but in 70-plus years’ experience. However, its pricing is higher than many HR payroll providers with simpler features. You can find cheaper options on our list of best HR payroll software or look at our list of best free payroll software.
Are you looking for something different? Read our guide to the best online payroll services for small businesses to find a payroll service or software that’s right for you.
ADP Run Alternatives At-a-Glance
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
Best for: Small businesses | Best for: QuickBooks accounting small business users | Best for: Startups planning to grow significantly |
Base monthly fee from: $39 to $149 | Base monthly fee from: $45 to $125 | Base monthly fee from: $39 |
Per employee monthly fee from: $6 to $12 | Per employee monthly fee from: $4 to $10 | Per employee monthly fee from: $5 |
If you’re not sure if one of these payroll solutions is right for you, see how they compare to other ADP competitors.
ADP Run Overview
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Pay employees with direct deposit, pay card, or checks | Setup fee required; may be waived |
| Next-day direct deposit | No state unemployment support for its basic Essential package |
| Built-in compliance tools that flag potential errors | Benefits, time tracking, and workers' compensation are add-on products |
| Automated tax payments and filings with guarantee against errors | Year-end reporting (W-2s/1099s) cost extra |
| Integration with popular business software | Fees may go up in the second year |
ADP Run Pricing
ADP offers custom quotes, based on the frequency of pay runs. (You can process manual checks for free, such as for termination, and the system will include them in its payroll calculations.) Depending on when you are switching, they offer three to five months of free payroll in the first year. They may also waive the setup fee, which I’ve been told is around $200. This is terrific for the first year but be aware that prices might increase for the next year.
Essential | Enhanced | HR Plus | HR Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly Pricing* | $65 plus $3 per employee | $88 plus $3.60 per employee | $144 plus $3.50 per employee | $220 plus $4.50 per employee |
Payroll Processing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Next-day Direct Deposit | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Access to Wisely Direct Debit Card | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Tax Payments and Filings | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Year-end Reporting (W-2s/1099s) | Costs extra | Costs extra | Costs extra | Costs extra |
New Hire Reporting | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Customizable Reports | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Employee Self-service Portal | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
New Hire Onboarding | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
State Unemployment Insurance Management | N/A | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
ZipRecruiter Job Postings | N/A | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Background Checks | N/A | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Handbook Wizard, Documents and Forms | N/A | N/A | ✔ | ✔ |
HR Help Desk | N/A | N/A | Expert Assistance | Enhanced Assistance** |
*Based on quotes we received for biweekly payroll. Quotes take into account any promotional discounts of the time and may increase next year. You need to call for a custom quote.
**The Enhanced HR Help Desk service includes scheduled check-ins and one-off questions with ADP’s designated team of HR business advisers.
If you want to enhance ADP Run’s functionality, you can purchase some of its products as paid add-ons (custom priced).
- Time and attendance
- Workers’ compensation (pay-as-you-go plans)
- Health insurance
- Retirement plans
ADP Run Features
Running payroll with ADP Run requires several steps, but the software is overall easy to use, and ADP does the setup for you. That’s one factor that makes it a valuable solution for small business owners looking for an easy yet efficient way to pay both employees and contractors. Below are our reviews of ADP Run’s features.
Payroll Processing
Running payroll with ADP Run requires several steps, but the software is overall easy to use, and ADP does the setup for you. That’s one factor that makes it a valuable solution for small business owners looking for an easy yet efficient way to pay both employees and contractors. Below are our reviews of ADP Run’s features.
Payroll Processing
ADP Run provides the payroll features you would expect such as automatic pay runs and the capability to run payroll on computers and mobile devices. Its system can handle computations for hourly, salaried, and contract workers. It automates compliance rules and warns you if there is an issue.
Sending employees their pay is also very easy given ADP Run’s multiple payment options—salaries can be sent via direct deposits and through the Wisely Direct Debit Card. You can approve payroll as late as 4:30 p.m. the day before to have employees paid by direct deposit the next day. If you prefer paychecks, ADP can stuff and seal the paychecks into envelopes and deliver them to your office so that you can hand them out to employees.
It’s easy to run payroll each pay period, or you can set it on automatic.
(Source: ADP)
Tax Services
ADP processes tax-compliant payroll deductions and sends your payments and tax forms to the correct federal, state, and local tax entities. Its representatives will respond to tax agency notices for you, and if ADP makes a tax filing mistake, it will cover all the penalties and fines imposed by the tax authorities. Note, however, that with ADP Run, W-2/1099 year-end reporting costs extra.
Benefit Processing Support
Processing payroll involves a lot more than just cutting a paycheck. Most businesses also need to process deductions. ADP Run also aids in processing unique deductions, such as court-ordered wage garnishments, including responding to unemployment claims, which can save you a lot of hassle and help keep your business compliant.
If you need assistance in supporting workers’ compensation, retirement plans, and health insurance, ADP offers those services for a fee. It has a variety of other benefits, including legal and an advice line, LifeCare. Finally, it can enroll employees in its program that offers discounts for everything from gym memberships to vacations.
Employees can monitor garnishments and add some documents.
(Source: ADP)
Employee Self-service Portal
Employees can access pay stubs through ADP Run’s online portal, including up to three years of W-2/1099 forms. In addition to viewing their pay history, your staff can manage their retirement accounts, benefits, garnishments, and profile information online.
The self-service portal works on online or mobile devices.
(Source: ADP)
Compliance Tools
Aside from helping you stay compliant with tax regulations, payroll requirements, and wage laws, ADP will provide the latest updates so that you are on top of all the regulatory changes across all 50 states constantly. ADP Run also has a smart system that notifies you if it spots potential payroll errors.
ADP alerts you to compliance and other errors.
(Source: ADP)
Hiring & Onboarding Tools
With its higher plans, ADP offers two revolving job postings with ZipRecruiter, one of the best job boards. You can post jobs straight from the ADP dashboard. In addition, ADP has background checks, state new hire reporting, and new hire onboarding. Overall, it makes growing your workforce easier.
Access ZipRecruiter from your ADP dashboard.
(Source: ADP)
HR Support
What’s great about ADP Run is that it comes with HR tools that other small business payroll software don’t offer. It provides basic employee/employer training and a library of HR forms and documents. You can also call its dedicated team of HR experts if you need help handling HR issues. You have access to state-specific experts so that you are getting the best local information. ADP Run even has a simple-to-use employee handbook wizard to help you create one that complies with federal employment regulations, and its highest plan HR-Pro includes sexual harassment prevention training.
Third-party Software Integrations
While ADP Run connects seamlessly with other ADP products, it also integrates well with a variety of third-party solutions. Here are some of its partner systems:
- Accounting: QuickBooks, Wave, and Xero
- Enterprise resource planning (ERP): SAP SuccessFactors, Workday, Oracle, and Sage Intacct
- Time and attendance: QuickBooks Time, ClockShark, Deputy, When I Work, and 7shifts
- Recruiting and onboarding: GoodHire, Greenhouse, iCIMS, JazzHR, TempWorks, and ZipRecruiter
- Learning management: SAP Litmos, Brainier, Cornerstone, and Absorb LMS
- Benefits administration: Flock, PlanSource, Decisely, and Employee Navigator
- Employee benefits: LifeMart, PayActiv, FinFit, Gift of College, HealthEquity, and KrowdFit
- POS: Aloha, Clover, Micros, PosiTouch, Revel, and Toast
- Collaboration and productivity tools: Docufree, signNow, OrgChart Now, Pingboard, Slack, and Microsoft Teams
Mobile App
ADP’s mobile app lets users view their pay and W2s, request time off, track time and attendance, view pay card accounts, make changes to benefits, and contact coworkers. There is a timeclock function if you purchase it. Managers can also approve time cards and time off, see team calendars, view employee stats, and more. The app is available in more than 25 languages.
Employees get easy access to their pay information and can view and make changes to their benefits.
(Source: Google’s Play store)
The executive dashboard gives managers an overall view of their teams.
(Source: Google’s Play store)
The mobile app has excellent reviews yet the most recent ones are full of complaints about lags, unnecessary animations, which slows things down, and problems with logins and the quick clock feature.
- Score on Google Play: 4.6 out of 5, 395,000 reviews
- Score on Apple Play Store: 4.7 out of 5, 2.4 million reviews
ADP Run Ease of Use
- Simple setup process
- Employee self-service onboarding
- Phone and chat support
- Free webinar training courses
- Help center with how-to guides
- Online library of HR forms
Considering how much this payroll software can do, we found the interface simple to navigate. Plus, if you have a small company with a handful of employees, you should be able to set up your business in ADP Run in less than 20 minutes. If you have a lot of data to migrate into the system and need help with setup, ADP can assist you with implementation. This support is not free but likely worth it if you need help setting up the payroll services correctly. Sometimes, they waive this fee for new customers.
ADP Run Reviews from Real-world Users
Most of the online ADP Run reviews are positive, with many users highlighting its ease of use and how its payroll tools help them save time and simplify processes. However, some reviewers complained about ADP Run’s pricing, while a few said the reports were not as easy to access or as robust as they’d hoped. In 2021, users said the support they received was generally good and, in 2022―as of this writing―only one person complained about problems contacting support.
ADP Run earned the following scores on popular user review sites:
- Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 based on around 710 reviews
- G2: 4.6 out of 5 based on about 875 reviews
- TrustRadius: 7.8 out of 10 with about 380 reviews
These are some of the trends I noticed when reading through online ADP Run reviews:
Users Like: | Users Don’t Like: |
|---|---|
Easy to use | Can be expensive for small businesses; add-on features are a little pricey |
Simplifies payroll processes | Occasional mobile app glitches |
Support team is generally helpful | Would like better reports |
Bottom Line
ADP Run is a good option for small businesses with up to 49 employees as long as the company has decent profit margins because it’s not the cheapest option. It helps you pay employees and manage payroll taxes, and has a variety of HR solutions like new hire onboarding, job postings, and access to basic employee training programs, that other small business payroll software providers don’t offer. It even provides expert HR support so that you can get professional services easily to help you better manage your employees and complicated HR issues.
Our ADP Run review only touches on its many features. Sign up for an ADP Run demo today to learn more about its functionalities.
