The short answer
Both sell by quote. Dayforce, formerly Ceridian, runs HR, payroll, time, talent and planning on one platform and pays employees in over 200 countries and territories. ADP Workforce Now is ADP’s payroll, HR, benefits, time and talent suite for businesses with more than 50 employees, sold as Select, Plus and Premium.
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Dayforce wins 0ADP Workforce Now wins 03 ties
| Dimension | Dayforce | ADP Workforce Now |
|---|---|---|
| PricingNeither publishes prices: Dayforce routes buyers to sales, and ADP shows a pricing form for each package. Quote only | Quote only | Quote only |
| CapabilitiesBoth cover HR, payroll, time and talent. Dayforce adds global payroll in over 200 countries and a skills engine; ADP adds benefits administration with eligibility guidance during enrollment. HR, Payroll and global payroll, Workforce management (scheduling, time), Talent (skills, recruiting, succession), Planning and analytics, On-demand pay | 11 of 12 core capabilities | 10 of 12 core capabilities |
| Fit and supportDayforce is positioned for large and global employers and serves smaller companies through its Powerpay team. ADP sells Workforce Now from 50 employees up, with ADP Professional Services from implementation onward. Mid-market companies, enterprises | Mid-market companies, enterprises | Mid-market companies, enterprises |
| Attribute | Dayforce | ADP Workforce Now |
|---|---|---|
| Support channels | Dedicated customer success teams, Powerpay support team, Dayforce customer community, Global assistance | Client Success Executive (enterprise), ADP Professional Services, Phone sales line 800-225-5237 |
| Founded | 1992 | 1949 |
| Headquarters | Minneapolis, Minnesota, US | Roseland, New Jersey, US |
| Ownership | Private equity-backed | Publicly traded |
| Attribute | Dayforce | ADP Workforce Now |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Quote only | Quote only |
| Price transparency | Quote only | Quote only |
| Best for | Mid-market companies, enterprises | Mid-market companies, enterprises |
| Mobile apps | ||
| Open API | ||
| GDPR program | ||
| Automatic tax filing |
Pricing. Neither publishes prices: Dayforce routes buyers to sales, and ADP shows a pricing form for each package.
Capabilities. Both cover HR, payroll, time and talent. Dayforce adds global payroll in over 200 countries and a skills engine; ADP adds benefits administration with eligibility guidance during enrollment.
Integrations. ADP Workforce Now connects through ADP Marketplace and an API. Dayforce keeps HR, pay, time and talent on one record. Neither publishes an integration count.
Fit and support. Dayforce is positioned for large and global employers and serves smaller companies through its Powerpay team. ADP sells Workforce Now from 50 employees up, with ADP Professional Services from implementation onward.
Security. Neither names a security certification on the pages we checked.
Paylocity has the highest LeadChange Score in HCM Software after excluding these two (6.8/10).
Competitors. Dayforce, Inc., formerly Ceridian, is owned by the investment firm Thoma Bravo; ADP, Inc. is a public company listed on Nasdaq. Both sell quoted HCM suites to midsize and large employers.
Dayforce keeps HR, pay, time and talent on a single employee record, and Gartner named it a Leader in its 2026 Magic Quadrant for HCM suites for 1,000+ employee enterprises. It is less suited to buyers who need a published price or a named security certification.
Both calculate pay continuously: Dayforce as time is captured, ADP with proactive variance detection. Dayforce pays people in over 200 countries and territories; ADP covers local, state, federal and global payroll and tax rules and includes off-cycle payments at no extra cost.
Both quote. Dayforce has no pricing page and routes buyers to a demo; ADP shows a Get pricing form for Select, Plus and Premium.
Dayforce offers an AI Assistant and AI Agents and flags anomalies in time and pay in real time. ADP Workforce Now explains pay changes with AI, recommends retro pay adjustments and drafts feedback summaries for managers.
Dayforce is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was founded in 1992. ADP, founded in 1949, has its corporate headquarters in Roseland, New Jersey.
Both Dayforce and ADP Workforce Now state GDPR. Only Dayforce states SOC 2 Type II.
Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts and list prices. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.
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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.
