Paycom vs ADP Run: Which Is Best for HR & Payroll
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.
Paycom and ADP Run are two popular payroll and HR software solutions that go beyond providing basic services to include onboarding, recruiting, benefits, and background check options. ADP Run boasts scalable plans and add-on features that grow with your business, while Paycom has a wide range of features in one system, allowing you to streamline and automate your HR functions. Although you’ll find similarities between the two, some differences may make one a better option for you.
- Paycom: Best for midsize and large businesses that want to set up multiple HR services under one system
- ADP Run: Best for smaller businesses and companies planning to scale their number of employees (including internationally); provides plan options to adapt as your business needs change
If you find neither Paycom nor ADP Run suitable for your needs and want a platform that also has IT solutions, we recommend the following:
- Rippling: Best for small and midsize businesses needing a strong employee management system and IT management tools, especially those with remote employees or international contractors
Paycom vs ADP Run Quick Comparison
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Best for | Medium to large businesses that need a wide range of HR services in one platform | Smaller and expanding businesses (including internationally) needing scalable HR tools and support |
Pricing* | Base fee (custom) + $4–$6 per employee/paycheck** | From $40–$220+ per pay run + $3–$4.50 per employee** |
Initial setup fee | ✓ | ✓ |
Pay options | Direct deposit and paper check | Direct deposit, paper check, pay card |
Self-service portal for managers and employees | ✓ iOS and Android | ✓ iOS and Android |
Payroll tax management |
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Time and attendance | ✓ | Available as add-on |
Talent acquisition | ✓ | ✓ |
HR support | ✓ | ✓ |
Software integration | Limited | QuickBooks, Xero, Wave, ClockShark, TSheets, Homebase, Sage Intacct, Deputy, Aloha, Toast, etc. |
PEO Services | ✕ | ✓ |
International payroll and HR services | Very limited, 9 countries | 140+ countries |
Customer support | Live online and phone support (M–F: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.); Dedicated specialist included | Live chat tech support (M–F: 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Eastern time); live payroll support 24/7 |
User Reviews | G2: 4.2 out of 5 from 955+ reviews Capterra: 4.3 out of 5 from 675+ reviews | G2: 4.6 out of 5 from 905+ reviews on G2 Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 from 710+ reviews |
*Based on quotes we received.
**Pricing can vary depending on the payroll frequency—the more often you pay employees, the greater the base cost fee.
Takeaway: We find ADP Run to be an excellent solution for small businesses needing only payroll because of its robust features. Also, if you have a growing company that may have changing HR and payroll needs in the near future, ADP is the solution for you. You get access to robust HR support, employee benefit options, international payroll plus professional employer organization (PEO) options, and multiple third-party integration partners. ADP manages payroll for nearly 800,000 small businesses.
For medium and large businesses—those with more than 50 employees—or those wanting to house all HR and payroll services under one system, Paycom is the right choice. It has a full suite of integrated tools that make the service worth the money. You also get a dedicated specialist to make setting up and managing each feature easy.
Both providers have the following features:
- Full-service payroll
- Files and pays federal, state, and local taxes
- Year-end tax reports (W-2s/1099s)
- Direct deposit and manual check capabilities
- PTO management
- Benefits management, including health insurance
- New hire reporting
- Online employee setup and accounts
- Manage deductions and garnishments
- Talent acquisition (job posting and background checks) and talent management (training) tools
- Reports and analytics
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When to Choose ADP vs Paycom
Still unsure whether ADP Run or Paycom is a good fit?
See our other top recommendations in our guide to the best HR payroll software.
Best Pricing: ADP Runs
*Based on a quote we received.
Both Paycom and ADP require you to call for a quote. However, ADP’s website does list the different plans it offers, what tools each includes, and add-on options, which can give you a better idea of what you want before you call.
Meanwhile, to get pricing for Paycom, you have to request a demo to discuss your needs. You will then receive a custom quote fit for your requirements. And, since it does not have tiered plans, it is difficult to gauge the specific features in its most affordable package.
Since we need to establish which option is best for small business owners, we compared the two on pricing for 15 employees:
- Paycom pricing: We received a quote of $500 for 15 employees for setup, training, and implementation. Pay runs cost $4–$6 per employee, per paycheck, and additional costs for other features like filing W-2s. Paycom’s other solutions and services, like time and attendance, also incur extra fees.
- ADP Run pricing: For Essential Payroll, we were quoted $40–$75 per pay run + $3 per employee. Base fee pricing depends on how often you do payroll. For weekly, it’s $40, $65 for biweekly, and $75 for monthly payroll. For 15 employees, this means $205/month for weekly pay runs, $175/month for biweekly, and $120/month for monthly. For more premium plans, there is an initial setup fee, but the rep waived it in our quote. There are additional costs for add-ons like time and attendance. (For pricing on higher-tier plans, check out our ADP Run review.)
Based on the quotes presented, ADP is cheaper than Paycom for the same number of employees.
If you have plans to expand your business not only in the US but in multiple countries, ADP Workforce Now is a solution for your growing payroll and advanced HR requirements. You may choose from four plan options: Payroll Essentials, HR Plus, Hiring Advantage, and Performance Plus. Moreover, since ADP has a strong presence in 140 countries, it will be able to provide you with localized international expertise if needed.
Best Payroll Features: ADP Run
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Payroll processing | Mobile app and phone; enables employees to run own payroll | Mobile app and phone |
Employee self-service portal | ✓ | ✓ |
Payment options | Direct deposit, checks via Paycom’s bank account | Direct deposit, checks, Wisely® Pay card |
Tax management | Automatic filing and payment | Automatic filing and payment |
W-2/1099 year-end reporting | ✓ | ✓ |
Other payroll services |
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Both ADP Run and Paycom have similar payroll and tax management features. They even have self-service portals to let employees view their pay stubs, deductions, pay history, and other documents. However, ADP has more payroll services to offer overall.
Aside from running payroll online or on a mobile application, ADP allows processing by phone. Employees can also opt to be paid via Wisely® Pay, a pay card. In addition, it has paycheck fraud protection in place and supports multiple jobs, pay rates, and pay schedules that are well-suited for different industries like education, nonprofit, and construction.
ADP supports several key tracking functions, such as recording billable hours for professional services, monitoring paid or volunteer tasks, and billing resources against specific grants. This is especially beneficial for budget forecasting in educational institutions. It also allows restaurant, manufacturing, retail, and healthcare managers to create and control shift schedule allocations to prevent staffing gaps. A restaurant or retail store’s POS system can also connect with ADP to capture time worked and process restaurant tips accurately.
ADP’s payroll software is intuitive and easy to use, although users say the mobile app is not great. (Source: ADP demo)
Paycom does not offer a pay card, but it does have Paycom Pay, which allows you to issue live checks using a Paycom bank account to help you lower bank charges and reduce general ledger transactions. For expense management, the provider makes it possible to upload or email photos of receipts for reimbursement and automatic expense parsing. You can also customize your expense accounts, categories, and policies to fit your organization’s needs.
One area where Paycom exceeds ADP in payroll ease is with its new program, Beti. Launched in 2021, Beti lets your employees manage their own payroll—managers only need to do a final check before submitting. Beti does automated checks beforehand to ensure the payroll is correct and directs employees to fix errors and verify their paycheck.
Paycom’s Beti takes a lot of the error checking and approval duties off the manager’s plate. (Source: Paycom)
If you’re primarily looking for help with payroll and want to consider providers other than ADP or Paycom, check out the other top payroll services we recommend.
Best HR Features & Employee Benefits: ADP Run
With both Paycom and ADP Run, you can take advantage of new hire reporting and online onboarding for new employees. The providers also offer access to expert professionals for any HR or payroll compliance advice. However, despite offering similar HR functionalities, ADP Run has an edge over Paycom due to its PEO services offering.
Best for Integrations: ADP Run
For third-party software integrations, ADP has a more robust selection than Paycom. Unlike Paycom—which only has in-house time-tracking, benefits, and HR management programs—ADP can integrate with third-party accounting, time tracking, POS, ERP, learning, recruiting, and onboarding solutions.
- ADP integrations: Wave, Xero, QuickBooks, Workday, Sage Intacct, Oracle, TSheets, Homebase, ZipRecruiter, Jobvite, Grovo, Litmos, Flock, Employee Navigator, PayActiv, LifeMart, Slack, MS Teams, Clover, Revel, Toast, and more.
- Paycom: Paycom does not list integrations as readily as ADP and offers fewer—although we found integrations to Harri, TimeCardPlus, and several industry-specific tools like Restaurant365. However, based on its features, you may not need to integrate with other tools.
Best for Ease of Use & Customer Support: Paycom
When considering ADP vs Paycom’s ease of use and customer support, Paycom wins due to its on-site training and minimal client support complaints.
Most ADP Run and Paycom users mentioned that both systems are easy to use and navigate. Paycom provides phone support and a dedicated payroll specialist for its clients. A no-cost on-site training for you and your employees is also available for midsize and enterprise clients. ADP, on the other hand, provides online training and 24/7 phone and email support for both payroll and HR services. It also provides you with a team of capable payroll and tax professionals for your troubleshooting or advisory needs.
User Reviews
- Paycom: Users on third-party review sites G2 and Capterra rated it 4.2 and 4.3 stars, respectively. Reviewers highlighted the ease of use, intuitive interface, and hands-on customer support as Paycom’s top features. Meanwhile, some experienced login problems and occasional software glitches. Others added that it is more expensive than other providers. Paycom’s mobile app has 4.7 out of 5 stars in the Apple Store from ~743k reviews and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Google Play from 55k+ reviews.
- ADP Run: Reviews published on G2 and Capterra show that ADP has 4.6 and 4.5 stars, respectively. Users find ADP Run easy to set up and navigate. Some like that it tracks time accurately, and its mobile application allows them to view their pay stubs without any glitch. On the other hand, there are mixed reviews about its customer support—wherein some users noted that its support team isn’t responsive enough, while others said that they received good service. On the Apple Store, it received 2.3 out of 5 stars and 2.6 out of 5 stars on Google Play for the manager app, while the employee app, ADP Mobile, earned 4.6 out of 5 on Google Play and 4.7 out of 5 on the Apple Store.
How We Evaluated Paycom vs ADP Run
To compare the differences between Paycom and ADP Run, we assessed the payroll solutions and services they offer to determine the types of employers they work best with. In short, we considered:
- Pricing: We love pricing transparency so that you can make decisions beforehand, but premium services and plans usually require you to schedule a demo for pricing details. Setup fees are common with HR Payroll providers like these two, so we anticipated that. ADP fared best for transparency of plans, if not pricing.
- Payroll features: Automatic payroll runs, payroll tax filing, 1099 form preparation, manual check capabilities, two-day direct deposits, and employee and contractor payroll services—including a penalty-free guarantee—are preferred. ADP offers more, but we did like Paycom’s Beti for taking some of the grunt work off manager’s plates.
- Ease of use: A provider should be user-friendly and intuitive, with a customizable platform. It’s also helpful if it seamlessly integrates with common third-party systems (like QuickBooks, Homebase, When I Work, and TSheets). Free setup, how-to guides, live phone support, and quick resolution of client issues are also appreciated. Both are good, but Paycom took the lead for ease of use—although ADP Run did have more integrations.
- HR features: A provider should give users access to an expert for any advice on compliance issues. A platform should also offer new hire state reporting, online onboarding, and a self-service portal. Employee benefits, such as health insurance and workers’ compensation, are also important for businesses needing HR support. Here again, we chose ADP, primarily because of its PEO.
- Popularity: We looked at the reviews that real users left on popular third-party sites like G2 and Capterra and tallied the ratings. Both services are highly regarded by their users, although ADP’s mobile apps leave much room for improvement.
Bottom Line
Choosing the right payroll solution is not easy since you have so many options to choose from. As you’re deciding between Paycom vs ADP Run, you should assess how many employees you have (and plan to have in the future) and the additional features that you will need for recruitment, talent management, HR support, and benefits management.
If you have a midsize to large business and are focused on hiring and retaining the best talent, then consider Paycom. However, if you are planning to expand your business—not only in the US but overseas—ADP Run is the option for you. Not only does it offer tiered plans, but you can choose to outsource its payroll and HR services or become a PEO partner to enjoy more benefits while taking care of the more profitable aspects of your business.
