ADP TotalSource vs Paychex PEO

ADP TotalSource5.7/10

Paychex PEO6.1/10

Scored in PEO Services

The short answer

Both quote their prices. ADP TotalSource is ADP’s co-employment PEO for small and midsize businesses, with a dedicated HR business partner and recruiting tools such as applicant tracking and background checks.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Nov 3, 2026Based on 9 sources, most recently checked Nov 9, 2026

ADP TotalSource

Best for: Small and midsize businesses that want a full-service PEO from ADP

Choose ADP TotalSource if

You want ADP MyLife Advisors, ADP's employee support line, as part of the PEO.
You want applicant tracking, background checks and a career site from the PEO.
You want an EAP and pet wellness among the benefits.
You want a PEO that states it has been ESAC-accredited since 1995.

What ADP TotalSource costs ADP TotalSource competitors

Paychex PEO

Best for: Small employers outsourcing HR, benefits and payroll

Choose Paychex PEO if

You want workers' comp administration run by the PEO, with safety assessments and OSHA-oriented programs on its master policy.
You want the PEO to file payroll taxes under its own EIN.
You want the PEO sold as HR PEO, which Paychex labels the most comprehensive of its three HR packages.
You want a provider whose company, Paychex, maintains SOC 2 Type 2 reports and ISO 27001 certification.

Paychex PEO pricing Paychex PEO competitors

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

ADP TotalSource wins 0Paychex PEO wins 13 ties

ADP TotalSource vs Paychex PEO by dimension
Dimension	ADP TotalSource	Paychex PEO
PricingBoth quote. Paychex PEO publishes some extra fees: a W-2 fee if you leave the service before December 31, a payroll delivery fee per location and a late fee for injuries reported after 48 hours. ADP TotalSource publishes no fee list on the pages we reviewed. Quote only1	Quote only	Quote only
CapabilitiesBoth cover payroll and tax filing, benefits, HR compliance and workers' compensation. Paychex PEO sells time and attendance, hiring, performance and business insurance as additional solutions; ADP TotalSource includes talent acquisition, onboarding and analytics. Payroll and tax administration, Benefits administration, Workers' compensation and risk management, HR compliance, Talent acquisition, Onboarding, Analytics and reporting1	9 of 10 core capabilities	10 of 10 core capabilities
Fit and supportADP TotalSource assigns a dedicated HR business partner and offers employees ADP MyLife Advisors. Paychex PEO adds a client advocate from 10 employees and a relationship manager from 200. Dedicated HR business partner, ADP MyLife Advisors (employee support)1	Small businesses, mid-market companies	Small businesses, mid-market companies
SecurityPaychex PEO holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. ADP TotalSource names no security certification on the PEO pages we reviewed. Yes (company-level, product not named)2	None verified	SOC 2, ISO 27001

Key differences

Where ADP TotalSource and Paychex PEO differ (4)
Attribute	ADP TotalSource	Paychex PEO
Mobile apps	ADP mobile app1	Paychex Oasis Employee Connect3
Support channels	Dedicated HR business partner, ADP MyLife Advisors (employee support)1	Client advocate (10+ employees), HR business partner, Safety specialist (master workers' comp policy clients), Payroll specialist, Relationship manager (200+ employees)4
Founded	19495	19716
Headquarters	Roseland, New Jersey, US7	Rochester, NY and Cincinnati, OH (dual headquarters)6

Show 5 attributes where they are the same

Where they are the same (5)
Attribute	ADP TotalSource	Paychex PEO
Pricing model	Quote only1	Quote only8
Price transparency	Quote only1	Quote only8
Best for	Small businesses, mid-market companies1	Small businesses, mid-market companies4
Automatic tax filing	1	4
Ownership	Publicly traded5	Publicly traded6

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. Both quote. Paychex PEO publishes some extra fees: a W-2 fee if you leave the service before December 31, a payroll delivery fee per location and a late fee for injuries reported after 48 hours. ADP TotalSource publishes no fee list on the pages we reviewed.

Capabilities. Both cover payroll and tax filing, benefits, HR compliance and workers' compensation. Paychex PEO sells time and attendance, hiring, performance and business insurance as additional solutions; ADP TotalSource includes talent acquisition, onboarding and analytics.

Integrations. Neither publishes an integration list on the PEO pages we reviewed.

Fit and support. ADP TotalSource assigns a dedicated HR business partner and offers employees ADP MyLife Advisors. Paychex PEO adds a client advocate from 10 employees and a relationship manager from 200.

Security. Paychex PEO holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. ADP TotalSource names no security certification on the PEO pages we reviewed.

Neither one?

Justworks

Justworks has the highest LeadChange Score in PEO Services after excluding these two (9.7/10).

From $79/employee/mo (PEO Basic plan)9

Justworks review

More ADP TotalSource comparisons

More Paychex PEO comparisons

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, ADP TotalSource or Paychex PEO?

Neither is better for every business. ADP TotalSource suits a buyer who wants a dedicated HR business partner and recruiting tools inside the PEO; Paychex PEO suits one who wants to start with HR guidance and move up to co-employment later.

Who are Paychex PEO’s competitors?

ADP TotalSource is the closest: both are quoted, IRS-certified PEOs for small and midsize businesses. Against ADP, Paychex PEO differs by its three service levels and by listing its extra fees. Insperity, TriNet and Justworks are other PEOs we review.

Is ADP a good PEO for a small business?

ADP TotalSource is built for small and midsize businesses and runs payroll and tax filings in all 50 states, with workers' compensation included and a dedicated HR business partner. It is less suited to buyers who want a published price.

Which is cheaper, ADP TotalSource or Paychex PEO?

Neither publishes a price: both quote. Paychex PEO does list what it adds on top, such as a W-2 fee for clients who leave before December 31 and postage for mailed checks, so ask both for a full quote that includes those fees.

Are ADP TotalSource and Paychex PEO IRS-certified?

Yes. ADP TotalSource, Inc. and Paychex PEO VI LLC have both been on the IRS list of certified PEOs since January 1, 2017.

Do ADP TotalSource and Paychex PEO include workers' compensation?

Yes, both include it. Paychex PEO adds safety assessments and OSHA-oriented programs for clients on its master policy; ADP TotalSource pairs coverage with risk and safety programs.

Is ADP TotalSource or Paychex PEO more secure?

Paychex PEO states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 (unverified for ADP TotalSource).

How this page was made

What it is built from
24 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 9, 2026.
Method
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology
Independent review
Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. 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

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ADP TotalSource vs Paychex PEO

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Sources

The 9 pages this page's facts come from. The date beside each is our last check of the facts taken from it (the oldest, when they differ). The numbers beside the figures above link here.

Quotes from the sources

ADP adp.com/solutions/employer-services/totalsource.aspx“ADP TotalSource pricing is quoted rather than listed, since it is built around factors that are specific to your business” “A highly specialized team of specialists works alongside your HR business partner”
Paychex paychex.com/corporate/security“Paychex maintains SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 reports over various products and services.” “ISO 27001 Certification”
Paychex paychex.com/apps/mobile-app“Paychex Oasis Employee Connect”
Paychex Paychex: PEO services“You'll work with dedicated professionals who understand your business, including a Client Advocate, HR Business Partner, Safety Specialist, and Payroll Specialist. … Client advocate available for client with 10 or more employees. Clients with 200 or more employees will be assigned a Relationship Manager. Clients with fewer than 10 employees will be supported by their assigned HR Business Partner.” “Small to mid-sized businesses have a lot to gain, as PEOs provide access to Fortune 500-level benefits, dedicated HR expertise, and risk management solutions at costs comparable to handling HR internally.”
Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Data_Processing“Starting in 1949 in an office above a Paterson” “On October 21, 2008, ADP switched its stock listing to the NASDAQ Global Select Market”
Paychex paychex.com/corporate“Founded in 1971 by B” “Dual-Headquarters — Rochester, NY and Cincinnati, OH”
ADP adp.com/about-adp.aspx“1 ADP Blvd., Roseland, NJ 07068.”
Paychex paychex.com/human-resources/hr-packages“Get Custom Pricing”
Justworks justworks.com/pricing“Justworks PEO pricing starts at $79 per month per employee for our Basic plan and $124 per month per employee for our Plus plan. Justworks Payroll customers pay $8 per month per employee plus a $50 base fee.”