ADP is one of the largest providers of human capital management solutions.
It started in 1949 as Automatic Payrolls, Inc., focusing on manual payroll for small businesses. ADP changed its name in 1961 after adopting punch-card technology.
Today, ADP handles payroll for around 40 million workers globally.
Headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey, the company has about 64,000 employees serving clients in over 140 countries. In fiscal 2024, it reported revenues of $19 billion.
In this ADP review, I’m going to share what makes this platform stand out.
ADP’s mission centers on making work better by streamlining payroll, HR, talent management, time tracking, tax, and benefits administration.
It achieves this through cloud-based tools and strong compliance expertise, helping you focus on your people instead of paperwork.
Led by CEO Carlos Rodriguez, ADP has earned a spot on the Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies list for 19 consecutive years.
Recently, it added AI-driven features and expanded its partnerships to strengthen its ecosystem and financial performance.
You’ll find that ADP balances innovation and reliability, making it a solid choice if you want robust HR and payroll services.
| ADP – Quick Overview | |
|---|---|
| What It Does | Helps you streamline payroll, HR, talent, time, tax, and benefits administration with cloud-based human capital management solutions. |
| Best For | • Small to large companies (2–100,000+ employees) • Businesses with complex payroll or compliance needs • HR teams wanting unified payroll, HR, benefits, and talent management • Organizations needing strong integrations, dedicated support, and mobile access |
| Key Products | ADP RUN (small biz) • ADP Workforce Now (mid-sized) • ADP Vantage HCM (enterprise) • ADP TotalSource (PEO) • ADP SmartCompliance • Global Payroll • Time, benefits, talent, analytics solutions |
| Pricing | Starts around $39/mo + $4-6/employee (small biz) • Mid-sized from $80–120/mo + $8–15/employee • Enterprise/custom quotes • PEO priced 2–6% of payroll • No standard free trial, demos available |
| Standout Features | • Automated multi-state payroll and tax processing • Tax compliance and filing support • Centralized HR management and onboarding • Time & attendance tracking with mobile clock-in • Talent management with AI-driven recruiting and analytics |
| Integrations | QuickBooks, Xero, major ERPs, time-tracking apps, HRIS platforms, benefits providers, plus hundreds more |
| Get Started | Start Free Trial → |
ADP Solutions
You’ll find a broad selection of products and services in ADP’s portfolio.
They suit businesses ranging from startups to global enterprises.
Core Product Lines
1. ADP RUN
This one is made for small businesses, usually with up to 49 employees. RUN is cloud-based and simplifies payroll processing, employee management, tax filings, and compliance.
It takes a lot of headache out of handling HR basics.
2. ADP Workforce Now
If you have a midsize business with 50 to 999 employees, this is a solid fit. It combines payroll, HR management, benefits, talent management, time tracking, analytics, and compliance into one platform.
You get all the tools you need to run HR smoothly without juggling multiple software programs.
3. ADP Vantage HCM
This product targets large enterprises with over 1,000 employees. It adds advanced features like strategic talent management, workforce analytics, and global payroll capabilities.
It’s designed to handle complex HR needs as your business scales.
4. ADP TotalSource
This is ADP’s professional employer organization (PEO) service. It handles outsourced HR, payroll, benefits, risk, and compliance.
TotalSource suits businesses wanting comprehensive co-employment solutions that reduce the burden of managing these areas internally.
5. ADP SmartCompliance
This modular platform automates tax compliance, wage payments, garnishments, and employment verification across various systems and locations.
It helps you stay on top of regulatory requirements without extra manual work.
6. Global Payroll
ADP processes payroll in more than 140 countries. It supports local compliance, currencies, and multiple languages.
This makes managing a worldwide payroll easier and reduces errors.
7. Additional Solutions
ADP also offers other tools you might find useful:
- Time and attendance
- Benefits administration
- Talent acquisition
- Learning management
- Workforce analytics
- Background screening
- Retirement services
Integrations
ADP integrates with hundreds of third-party tools like major ERPs and accounting software such as QuickBooks and Xero.
It connects with time-tracking apps, HRIS platforms, and benefits providers too.
That makes syncing payroll with your overall tech setup a lot simpler.
ADP Features
1. Payroll Processing
ADP supports automatic, on-demand payroll runs with flexible scheduling. You can easily manage multi-state and multi-jurisdiction taxes, direct deposit, wage garnishments, bonuses, and tips.
The system handles federal, state, and local compliance updates automatically. This helps reduce errors and lowers your risk.
2. Tax Compliance & Filing
ADP calculates, files, and pays payroll taxes on your behalf. This includes quarterly and year-end tax forms like W-2 and 1099.
Their SmartCompliance tool also helps you manage complex filings, amendments, and keep up with regulatory changes.
3. HR Management
ADP centralizes employee records, hiring and onboarding, benefits enrollment, document management, and performance reviews.
You get built-in templates and guided workflows that make HR tasks simple, even without dedicated HR staff.
4. Time & Attendance
You can use digital timeclocks, mobile clock-in/out, and advanced scheduling tools that link directly to payroll. This cuts down on manual entry and errors.
The system supports advanced rules to handle different overtime and labor regulations.
5. Talent Management
For larger organizations, ADP offers recruiting, applicant tracking, onboarding, training, and succession planning solutions.
AI-driven features help match candidates, automate screening, and support internal mobility.
6. Analytics & Reporting
ADP provides real-time dashboards and customizable reports. These give you clear visibility into labor costs, turnover, compliance risks, and workforce trends.
If you use enterprise suites, you also get access to predictive analytics.
7. Mobile & Self-Service
Employees and managers can handle tasks like accessing pay stubs, requesting time off, clocking in/out, viewing schedules, and updating personal info through ADP’s mobile apps.
These apps work on both iOS and Android devices and have won awards for their ease of use.
8. API & Extensibility
If you need more custom features, ADP offers RESTful API access and a developer marketplace.
This lets you integrate ADP with your data workflows, third-party apps, or data warehouses more deeply.
9. Security & Compliance
ADP secures your data with encryption, multi-factor authentication, regular audits, and certifications including SOC 1 & 2 and ISO 27001.
They also provide extensive compliance resources to keep your compliance updated on labor laws and data regulations worldwide.
ADP Pricing Plans
ADP pricing varies a lot depending on your company size and which features you need. It’s not straightforward because they customize pricing based on modules and services.
Generally, small businesses start with a base fee plus a per-employee cost. Then, mid-sized and enterprise options come with more features and different pricing models.
While you won’t find exact prices on their website, I’ve gathered some typical costs to give you a rough idea.
| Plan | Price & Features |
|---|---|
| ADP RUN (Small Business) | Starts around $39/month base fee + $4-6 per employee monthly • Four tiers: Essential, Enhanced, Complete, HR Pro • Features scale from basic payroll to advanced HR tools • Includes HR support, background checks, compliance tools at higher tiers |
| ADP Workforce Now (Mid-Sized) | $80–$120/month base fee + $8–$15 per employee monthly • Bundled modules: HR, payroll, benefits, time management • Pricing increases with added modules • Advanced analytics and talent management available |
| ADP Vantage HCM (Enterprise) | Custom pricing – contact sales • Designed for large, complex organizations • Tailored solutions for unique needs |
| ADP TotalSource (PEO) | Priced as 2–6% of total payroll • Covers payroll, HR, compliance, benefits administration • All-in-one professional employer organization service |
ADP typically offers live demos customized to your business, but you won’t usually see a free trial. Sometimes they do promotions with discounted fees or a few free months for small businesses.
If your company is large or operates internationally, expect pricing customized based on your specific geographic and service needs. Transparency around pricing is sometimes a pain point for users.
If you’d like to try ADP or dig deeper into ADP pricing, click here to learn more about ADP pricing →
ADP Alternatives
Let’s look at how ADP stacks up against its main competitors in the HCM and payroll space.
Paychex is strong for small to medium businesses. It offers payroll and HR bundles.
Its base pricing starts around $39 per month plus $5 per employee.
ADP is pretty similar in price. Paychex has a slightly simpler interface for very small firms.
Gusto is known for being user-friendly and built especially for small businesses. It also includes automated features.
The base pricing usually starts at $40 per month plus $6 per employee.
Gusto tends to be cheaper at entry levels, but it’s less robust on compliance for larger organizations.
Paylocity offers a modern user interface and targets mid-size organizations. It includes a solid HR suite.
Its base price is around $80 per month plus $10 per employee.
Paylocity’s UI feels more modern, but ADP is stronger when it comes to integrations.
Workday is really geared toward large enterprises. It offers deep analytics and supports global operations.
Its pricing is custom and can often be about twice what ADP charges.
Workday comes with more features for global and complex organizations, but it’s pricier.
UKG (Ultimate Kronos) focuses heavily on timekeeping and workforce management, offering a broad HCM solution.
Its pricing varies but tends to be on the premium side.
UKG shines with time and labor management, while ADP covers payroll more broadly.
Here are some unique advantages you get with ADP:
It has more global payroll coverage than most rivals.
The compliance resources and tax services are robust.
ADP supports a wide range of third-party integrations and partners.
It has a long track record and solid financial stability.
If you’re running a small startup, you might find Gusto or Paychex more affordable and simpler.
But for complex, multinational operations, only Workday or ADP will truly scale.
| Competitor | Their Strengths | ADP Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Paychex | Strong for small-medium businesses; payroll & HR bundles | Similar pricing but ADP offers more comprehensive features beyond small firms |
| Gusto | User-friendly, built for small biz, automated features | Better compliance and broader service offering for larger organizations |
| Paylocity | Modern UI, solid for mid-size orgs, HR suite | Stronger integrations and partner ecosystem |
| Workday | Leading for large enterprises, deep analytics, global | More cost-effective with sufficient scalability for global operations |
| UKG (Ultimate Kronos) | Timekeeping, workforce management, broad HCM | Greater payroll coverage and wider compliance resources |
Who Should Use ADP
1. Small to large companies (2–100,000+ employees)
ADP works well whether your business has just a few employees or tens of thousands.
It can handle the complexity that comes with a rapidly growing team or a big organization spread out.
2. Businesses with complex payroll or compliance requirements
If your company deals with payroll or compliance and payroll accuracy challenges, especially in multiple states or countries, ADP fits the bill.
It helps you stay on top of ever-changing rules without making payroll a headache.
3. HR teams seeking a unified platform
You can manage payroll, your hr team benefits, and talent all in one place.
This unified platform means fewer systems to juggle and a smoother workflow for your HR team.
4. Organizations needing robust integrations, support, and mobile access
ADP provides solid integrations with other tools you might use.
Plus, you get dedicated support and the ability to handle tasks on the go with mobile access.
It really shines in businesses where compliance and payroll accuracy matter most.
That includes healthcare, manufacturing, finance, nonprofits, and multinational companies.
If you are a micro-business with 1 to 5 employees focused on simple payroll on a tight budget, ADP might be more than you need.
Also, if you want a very modern and super simple user experience above all else, you might find better options elsewhere.
Bottom Line
ADP stands out for its flexibility and reliability.
It offers deep features that suit businesses needing serious payroll and HR infrastructure.
Its compliance tools and global reach give you peace of mind as your company grows.
The pricing can be unclear and higher than competitors aimed at startups. Setup might feel complex if your team is small.
If you want solid, scalable HR tech with strong compliance, ADP is a safe choice.
Just be ready to invest time onboarding and negotiate pricing to fit your needs.
I hope this ADP review has helped you get a clear picture.
