Independent research on 266 HR & workforce products. Facts checked against vendors’ official documentation.

We may earn a referral fee. We may earn a referral feeHow we make money

LeadChange Group

ADP RUN Powered by ADP vs ADP Workforce Now

ADP RUN Powered by ADP5.1/10

ADP Workforce Now5.5/10

Scored in Payroll Software

The short answer

RUN Powered by ADP and ADP Workforce Now are both ADP products, priced by quote. RUN is built for small businesses, from one employee up, in four payroll and HR packages.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Based on 13 sources, most recently checked

ADP RUN Powered by ADP

Best for
Small businesses paying 1 to 49 employees, including owners who pay only themselves

Choose ADP RUN Powered by ADP if

  • You have a small team, from a single employee up.
  • You want payroll support by phone or chat 24/7.
  • You want to run payroll by phone call or set recurring payroll to run on its own.
  • You want an HR help desk, an employee handbook wizard and HR forms (Complete Payroll & HR+).

What ADP RUN Powered by ADP costsADP RUN alternatives

ADP Workforce Now

Best for
Midsize and large US employers that want payroll and HR in one suite

Choose ADP Workforce Now if

  • You employ more than 50 people.
  • You want benefits administration in the suite (Plus) or time and attendance (Premium).
  • You run off-cycle payments often: Workforce Now includes them at no additional cost.
  • You want recruiting, onboarding, learning and performance tools in the same suite.

ADP Workforce Now pricingADP Workforce Now competitors

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

ADP RUN Powered by ADP wins 1ADP Workforce Now wins 02 ties

ADP RUN Powered by ADP vs ADP Workforce Now by dimension
DimensionADP RUN Powered by ADPADP Workforce Now
PricingADP quotes both. RUN adds fees for W-2 and 1099 forms and for more frequent payrolls; Workforce Now includes off-cycle payments and sells ADP API Central consulting hours for a fee. Quote only1Quote onlyQuote only
CapabilitiesBoth cover payroll and HR. Workforce Now adds benefits administration, time and scheduling, talent and analytics in one suite; RUN adds contractor payments, garnishment payments, state unemployment insurance management and bill pay, with time and attendance as an add-on. Payroll, Payroll tax filing, Contractor payments, HR support (HR HelpDesk), Recruiting (ZipRecruiter; applicant tracking by CareerPlug in HR Pro), New hire onboarding, Learning management (HR Pro), Garnishment payment service, State Unemployment Insurance management, Bill pay and invoicing, Time and attendance (add-on)110 of 12 core capabilities10 of 12 core capabilities
Fit and supportRUN offers 24/7 payroll support by phone or chat and an HR HelpDesk on its HR packages. Workforce Now lists dedicated service experts for enterprise clients and ADP Professional Services. 24/7 payroll support by phone or chat1Small businessesMid-market companies, enterprises

ADP RUN Powered by ADP or ADP Workforce Now: what matters most to you?

We match on verified product facts for this need, never on who pays us.

Key differences

Where ADP RUN Powered by ADP and ADP Workforce Now differ (4)
AttributeADP RUN Powered by ADPADP Workforce Now
Contract termMonthly1Custom2
Best forSmall businesses2Mid-market companies, enterprises3
Support channelsPhone, chat, email, HR HelpDesk by phone and email (Complete and HR Pro)4Client service specialists, Dedicated service experts (enterprise), ADP Professional Services, Phone sales line 800-225-52375
HeadquartersRoseland, NJ, US2Roseland, New Jersey, US2
Show 8 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (8)
AttributeADP RUN Powered by ADPADP Workforce Now
Pricing modelQuote only1Quote only6
Price transparencyQuote only1Quote only5
Mobile appsRUN Powered by ADP app (iOS), RUN Powered by ADP app (Android)78
API910
GDPR program1111
Automatic tax filing112
Founded1949219492
OwnershipPublicly traded2Publicly traded2

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. ADP quotes both. RUN adds fees for W-2 and 1099 forms and for more frequent payrolls; Workforce Now includes off-cycle payments and sells ADP API Central consulting hours for a fee.

Capabilities. Both cover payroll and HR. Workforce Now adds benefits administration, time and scheduling, talent and analytics in one suite; RUN adds contractor payments, garnishment payments, state unemployment insurance management and bill pay, with time and attendance as an add-on.

Integrations. Both offer an API. RUN lists connections to QuickBooks, Xero, Wave, Creative Solutions and Clover; ADP publishes no Workforce Now integration list on the pages we reviewed.

Fit and support. RUN offers 24/7 payroll support by phone or chat and an HR HelpDesk on its HR packages. Workforce Now lists dedicated service experts for enterprise clients and ADP Professional Services.

Security. ADP names no security certification on either product page we reviewed.

Neither one?

Patriot Payroll

Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (8.7/10).

From $37/mo + $5/employee/mo (Full Service Payroll plan)13

Patriot Payroll review

Frequently asked questions

Are ADP RUN and ADP Workforce Now the same?

No. Both are ADP products, but RUN is built for small businesses and Workforce Now for employers with more than 50 workers.

How much does ADP Workforce Now cost?

ADP prices Workforce Now by quote in three packages: Select (payroll and HR), Plus (adds benefits administration) and Premium (adds time and attendance).

When should a company move from ADP RUN to Workforce Now?

ADP positions Workforce Now for businesses with more than 50 employees. The move makes sense when you need benefits administration, time and attendance or talent tools in the same suite rather than as RUN add-ons.

Does ADP charge for off-cycle payrolls?

On RUN, payroll fees increase with payroll frequency. Workforce Now runs off-cycle payments at no additional cost.

Do ADP RUN and Workforce Now include time tracking?

RUN sells time and attendance as an add-on to any package. Workforce Now includes it in Premium, with Time Kiosk, badge, PIN, face or finger clock-ins and geofencing.

What AI does ADP add to RUN and Workforce Now?

RUN’s ADP Assist answers payroll and HR questions and flags errors before payroll runs. Workforce Now explains pay changes, recommends retro pay and answers workforce questions with AI analytics.

Which is better for small businesses, ADP RUN Powered by ADP or ADP Workforce Now?

ADP RUN Powered by ADP lists small businesses among the sizes it is built for; ADP Workforce Now is built for mid-market companies and enterprises.

Who are ADP RUN Powered by ADP’s biggest competitors?

ADP RUN Powered by ADP ranks #13 of 15 in our payroll software ranking. Besides ADP Workforce Now, the highest-scored are Patriot Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, and Gusto. Every alternative, matched to the reason you might switch: ADP RUN Powered by ADP alternatives.

How this page was made

  • What it is built from

    32 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 8, 2026.

  • Method

    Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology

  • Independent review

    Our independent review of Oct 30, 2026 asked for changes. How we review

  • Hands-on testing

    We have not tested either product hands-on: this page uses public information only.

  • Who made it

    The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us

  • Independence and errors

    Who pays us never changes a score or a rank. If something here is wrong, tell us and we correct it publicly. Request a correction

ADP RUN Powered by ADP or ADP Workforce Now? Your answer in 3 questions

Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts.

LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.We may earn a fee.

Get my answer

ADP RUN Powered by ADP vs ADP Workforce Now

We may earn a fee.

Sources

The 13 pages this page's facts come from, with the day we last checked each one. The numbers beside the figures above link here.

Quotes from the sources
  1. ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/payroll/payroll-for-1-49-employees/payroll-packages.aspx“Payroll costs are influenced by several variables, including how often you run payroll, the number of employees or contractors you pay and how frequently your workforce changes.” “Applicant Tracking System, powered by CareerPlug … Learning Management System … Garnishment Payment Service … State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) Management … Bill Pay and Client Invoicing … Time and Attendance”
  2. ADP sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/8670/000000867026000030/adp-20260630.htm“The Company’s agreements vary in duration having a legally enforceable term of 30 days to 7 years.” “RUN Powered by ADP®, serving over 980,000 small businesses, is an all-in-one platform designed specifically for small businesses to simplify payroll, HR, and compliance.”
  3. ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/payroll/payroll-for-50-1000-plus-employees.aspx“Free up time to focus on strategy with a partner you can trust to tackle the payroll details for businesses with more than 50 employees.”
  4. ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/payroll/payroll-for-1-49-employees/switching-to-adp.aspx“Support from a payroll specialist via phone & email, at no additional fee … ADP offers 24/7 access to real payroll professionals to help resolve issues before they impact your team or business.”
  5. ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/products/adp-workforce-now.aspx“Support – Get fast, reliable answers from client service specialists who understand your needs … Support your enterprise with an HCM platform designed to scale, provide workforce insights and deliver ongoing support from dedicated service experts.” “Three packages. One powerful central hub for your HR ecosystem. … Select … Get Pricing … Plus … Get Pricing … Premium … Get Pricing”
  6. ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/products/adp-workforce-now/compare-options.aspx“Select … All-in-one payroll and HR software suite … Get Pricing … Plus … Everything in Select … Get Pricing … Premium … Everything in Plus … Get Pricing”
  7. ADP (Apple App Store listing) apps.apple.com/us/app/adp-run/id388928133“the RUN Powered by ADP® payroll mobile app is built for the way your small business works. Here are some of the features available at your fingertips—wherever your day takes you. • Start payroll with a tap • Avoid payroll mistakes with error detection powered by AI”
  8. ADP apps.adp.com/en-US/apps/406528/adp-workforce-now-next-generation-time-and-attendance/features“Device: Employees can use their mobile phones or turn a shared tablet into a timeclock with the Time Kiosk app.”
  9. ADP marketplace-cdn.adp.com/dev-portal/pdf/protected/RUN_Powered_by_ADP_API_Catalog“The Marketplace API Catalog for RUN Powered By ADP lists APIs supported by RUN Powered By ADP”
  10. ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/integrations/api-central.aspx“ADP API specialists are available to guide you through your development efforts including API selection and best practices to help drive your project to completion.”
  11. ADP adp.com/privacy.aspx“ADP has adopted Binding Corporate Rules (BCR) for processing Client employee data and business contact data.”
  12. ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/payroll/payroll-software.aspx“Just right for growing organizations, ADP Workforce Now® includes: Automated payroll Payroll tax filing and compliance Mobile access”
  13. Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/pricing“Basic Payroll is $17/month + $4 per worker paid; Full Service Payroll is $37/month + $5 per worker paid.”

What the LeadChange Score means

A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.

Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.