The best ADP alternative for most small businesses is Gusto, because you can see its full price before talking to anyone. ADP doesn’t publish a price for any RUN or Workforce Now package. If you want a company like ADP, with reps, a PEO and room to grow, Paychex is the closest match, and it’s equally quote-only. Paycor sits in between: similar scope, published prices, but promo terms worth reading.
Why people look for ADP alternatives
ADP sells RUN for businesses with 1 to 49 employees and Workforce Now for 50 and up (ADP). Every RUN package, from Essential to HR Pro, shows only “Get pricing” (RUN). That’s a finding in itself: ADP’s price depends on worker count, pay frequency, payment method and support level, and you’ll get it after a sales conversation.
The RUN terms (effective February 12, 2026) add a few things worth knowing before you sign (RUN terms):
- 30 days’ notice. Either party can end the agreement on at least 30 days’ prior written notice (§12A). The agreement otherwise renews automatically with each processing cycle.
- A fee for not running payroll. A maintenance fee applies to any 30-day period in which no payroll is processed; the amount isn’t stated (§4A). Seasonal businesses should ask for it in writing.
- Base fees can rise after six months. After a new client’s first six months, ADP may raise base processing fees with at least 30 days’ notice (§4A).
- Late payments accrue 1.5% interest per month (§4A).
None of this is unusual for the category (our view). The problem is that you can’t price the risk because you can’t see the base fee.
Customer complaints point the same way. BBB lists 871 complaints against ADP in three years, with billing a top category and recurring reports of debits after cancellation and tax-filing errors (BBB). Capterra reviewers rate RUN 4.6/5 but often say add-ons and fees push the total up for small businesses (Capterra).
ADP’s “6 months free,” read closely
ADP currently advertises up to six months of free RUN payroll. The offer terms say:
- New RUN clients with 1 to 49 employees, paying by direct debit, signed by November 26, 2026.
- You must stay three consecutive months on the same bundle.
- Credits post in months 4 to 6 and 13 to 15, not at the start.
- Excluded: delivery and courier fees, off-cycle fees, hardware, penalties and interest.
- Essential clients who self-onboard digitally get only three months.
What that means (our view): you pay full price for months 1 to 3 and 7 to 12, and the second batch of credits only arrives if you’re still a client in year two. Combined with the clause allowing base-fee increases after month six, the promo is worth something, but it isn’t a price. Compare alternatives on what you’d pay in month 16, not month 4.
ADP competitors and companies like ADP: who each is best for
- Gusto: best for small businesses that want published prices and self-serve setup.
- Paychex: best if you want the ADP model (reps, add-ons, PEO) from a different vendor.
- Paycor: best for under-50 teams that want published prices and a full fee schedule.
- QuickBooks Payroll: best for businesses already on QuickBooks Online.
- Rippling: best for growing companies that want HR, payroll and IT on one platform.
- Paylocity: best for mid-size employers comparing against ADP Workforce Now.
Gusto: the published-price alternative
Gusto lists Simple at $49/month + $6 per person (one state only), Plus at $80 + $12 (multi-state) and Premium at $180 + $22 (Gusto pricing). It’s month-to-month, setup is free, and every plan includes unlimited payroll runs and tax filings.
What breaks: reviewers on Capterra and Trustpilot repeatedly describe slow or scripted support and trouble escalating (Capterra). Cancelling after the 5th of a month bills the full month. Multi-state employers need Plus, not Simple. No PEO is offered. Full comparison: Gusto vs ADP.
Paychex: the most similar to ADP
If what you like about ADP is the model, a big provider with reps, layered services and a PEO path, Paychex is the same model. Its Flex packages (Basic, Foundations, Advanced, Complete) and HR Pro and HR PEO tiers all show “Request Pricing” (Paychex). Its current free-months promo requires a one-year service agreement, covers only the payroll component, and lets Paychex recover the value of free months if you leave within the year (Paychex promo).
What breaks: Trustpilot reviewers frequently describe slow cancellations and billing after cancelling (Trustpilot); Capterra reviewers mention rep turnover and rising prices. Switching from ADP to Paychex trades one quote for another. See Paychex vs ADP.
Paycor: published prices and a full fee schedule
Paycor publishes under-50 prices: Basic at $99/month + $5 per employee, up to HCM at $199 + $12 (Paycor pricing). It also publishes its miscellaneous fees: $100 per pay run adjustment, $150 to undo a pay run, $125 NSF, $250 per amended tax return, $80 per client at year-end plus per-W-2 charges. That level of disclosure is rare (fact), and it lets you price corrections before they happen (our view).
What breaks: its discount promos require a 24-month commitment, with a fee of 100% of promo credits if you leave before month 13 and 50% in months 13 to 24 (promo terms). Without a promo, its general terms need 60 days’ written notice. Paycor has been owned by Paychex since April 14, 2025 (Paychex). The middle tiers’ per-employee rates conflict on its own pricing page, so get them in writing.
QuickBooks Payroll: if your books are already there
Intuit sells payroll as QuickBooks Workforce: $50/month + $7 per employee, Premium at $88 + $13 and Elite at $134 + $17 (QuickBooks). No annual contract. One state filing is included; each extra state costs $12/month on the two cheaper tiers. Elite includes tax penalty protection up to $25,000 a year, with conditions (disclosures).
What breaks: the checkout we checked bundles payroll with QuickBooks Online accounting, whose cost isn’t in our numbers. Intuit’s disclosures say prices are subject to change without notice, and Capterra reviewers mention frequent increases. Intuit charges $150 to prepare year-end forms after you cancel. More in QuickBooks Payroll pricing.
Rippling and Paylocity: for growing and mid-size teams
Rippling publishes only a starting point: $8 per employee per month plus an undisclosed base fee (Rippling pricing). Its terms have no termination for convenience, and committed seats can’t be reduced mid-term (customer terms). See Rippling vs ADP.
Paylocity is the natural alternative to ADP Workforce Now. It’s modular and quote-only (Paylocity pricing), and says clients typically have 10 to 5,000 employees. Its subscription agreement auto-renews unless you give non-renewal notice, and leaving early triggers the termination fee in your Order (agreement). Capterra reviewers report long implementations and data errors after migration.
Worked cost example: 5, 15 and 40 employees
Monthly list price, before taxes, add-ons and promos.
| Provider | 5 employees | 15 employees | 40 employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADP RUN | Quote only | Quote only | Quote only |
| Paychex Flex | Quote only | Quote only | Quote only |
| Gusto Simple (one state) | $79 ($49 + 5 × $6) | $139 ($49 + 15 × $6) | $289 ($49 + 40 × $6) |
| Gusto Plus | $140 ($80 + 5 × $12) | $260 ($80 + 15 × $12) | $560 ($80 + 40 × $12) |
| Paycor Basic | $124 ($99 + 5 × $5) | $174 ($99 + 15 × $5) | $299 ($99 + 40 × $5) |
| QuickBooks Workforce Payroll | $85 ($50 + 5 × $7) | $155 ($50 + 15 × $7) | $330 ($50 + 40 × $7) |
| Rippling | $40 + base fee | $120 + base fee | $320 + base fee |
Notes: QuickBooks excludes the QuickBooks Online subscription, and one Intuit pricing page still showed a lower per-employee rate on the day we checked. Rippling’s base fee isn’t published, so its row is a floor. Paycor’s fee schedule lists a $110 monthly payroll minimum; we haven’t confirmed it applies to these bundles, and all three Paycor figures above exceed it anyway.
How to use this: when ADP sends a quote, compare it with these rows for your headcount, and ask ADP what the base fee becomes after month six.
Switching away from ADP
- Give written notice at least 30 days ahead (RUN §12A), and keep proof.
- Download your I-9 data before termination. The terms say ADP may, but need not, keep payroll reports and tax forms afterwards (§1H, §14A).
- Return timeclocks within 30 days, or you buy them at ADP’s retail price (§1H).
- Watch your bank account for debits after cancellation, the top BBB complaint theme.
- Switch at a quarter start if you can. Our guide to switching payroll providers covers the order of steps.
Bottom line
- Under 50 employees and you want to see prices: Gusto first; Paycor if you want more HR tools and will read the promo terms; QuickBooks if your books live there.
- You like ADP’s model but want a second quote: Paychex.
- 50+ employees: Paylocity, Paychex, Paycor’s mid-market line or Rippling, all quoted. Compare the order terms, not just the price.
- Staying with ADP: fine, but get the base fee, the maintenance fee and the post-month-six pricing in writing.
How we verified these numbers is on our methodology page.