QuickBooks Payroll, sold as QuickBooks Workforce, publishes three plans from $50 a month plus $7 per employee on Workforce Payroll. RUN Powered by ADP sells four packages, from Essential Payroll to HR Pro Payroll & HR, by quote.
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Scorecard
QuickBooks Payroll wins 2ADP RUN Powered by ADP wins 11 tie
QuickBooks Payroll vs ADP RUN Powered by ADP by dimension
Dimension
QuickBooks Payroll
ADP RUN Powered by ADP
PricingQuickBooks Payroll lists $50 plus $7 per employee, $88 plus $13 and $134 plus $17 a month, month to month. ADP RUN quotes every package and charges extra for W-2 and 1099 forms. Monthly1
$50/mo + $7/employee/mo
Quote only
CapabilitiesBoth run payroll with tax filing, 1099 e-filing, hiring and onboarding. QuickBooks Payroll adds integrated time tracking and an AI Payroll Agent; ADP RUN adds learning management, garnishment payments and state unemployment insurance management. Payroll tax calculation, filing and payment, Automatic payroll runs after initial setup, 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC e-filing, Employee app for pay info and W-2s, Payroll AI time and attendance collection, Integrated time tracking and timesheet approval, Hiring, onboarding and e-signature offer letters, HR advisor access via Mineral, Expert-assisted payroll setup2
10 of 12 core capabilities
10 of 12 core capabilities
Fit and supportADP RUN offers payroll support by phone or chat 24/7. QuickBooks Payroll supports by phone and chat in business hours, with weekend hours on Premium and Elite. 24/7 payroll support by phone or chat3
Small businesses, mid-market companies
Small businesses
SecurityQuickBooks Payroll states SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 and HIPAA. ADP RUN names no certification on the product pages we reviewed. Yes (company-level, product not named)4
SOC 2, ISO 27001
SOC 2 (type not stated), GDPR
Key differences
Where QuickBooks Payroll and ADP RUN Powered by ADP differ (10)
Pricing. QuickBooks Payroll lists $50 plus $7 per employee, $88 plus $13 and $134 plus $17 a month, month to month. ADP RUN quotes every package and charges extra for W-2 and 1099 forms.
Capabilities. Both run payroll with tax filing, 1099 e-filing, hiring and onboarding. QuickBooks Payroll adds integrated time tracking and an AI Payroll Agent; ADP RUN adds learning management, garnishment payments and state unemployment insurance management.
Integrations. QuickBooks Payroll can be added to QuickBooks Online at any time and offers webhooks for payslips and employees. ADP RUN exports the general ledger to QuickBooks, Xero, Wave and Creative Solutions and offers a REST API. Neither publishes an integration count.
Fit and support. ADP RUN offers payroll support by phone or chat 24/7. QuickBooks Payroll supports by phone and chat in business hours, with weekend hours on Premium and Elite.
Security. QuickBooks Payroll states SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 and HIPAA. ADP RUN names no certification on the product pages 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)15
QuickBooks Payroll publishes its price: $50 a month plus $7 per employee on Workforce Payroll, or $120 a month for 10 employees. ADP quotes RUN, so ask for a written quote with the same headcount, pay frequency and year-end forms, which ADP bills separately.
Is QuickBooks Payroll being discontinued?
No discontinuation is stated: Intuit sells it today as QuickBooks Workforce, in three plans named Workforce Payroll, Workforce Premium and Workforce Elite.
Does ADP RUN work with QuickBooks?
Yes. RUN exports its general ledger to QuickBooks, as well as to Xero, Wave and Creative Solutions. QuickBooks Payroll can be added to a QuickBooks Online account at any time.
Which pays employees faster, QuickBooks Payroll or ADP RUN?
QuickBooks Payroll offers next-day direct deposit on Workforce Payroll and same-day on Premium and Elite, with a 7 AM PT cutoff. ADP RUN runs a two-day processing cycle: approve payroll by 5:00 p.m. ET the business day before the check date.
Do QuickBooks Payroll and ADP RUN include benefits?
Both sell them as extras. QuickBooks Payroll offers health insurance through Allstate, 401(k) through Vestwell and workers' comp through NEXT, sold separately. ADP RUN adds health insurance, retirement and workers' compensation as add-ons to any package.
Do QuickBooks Payroll and ADP RUN use AI?
Yes. QuickBooks Payroll’s Payroll Agent collects time and attendance data, spots inconsistencies and drafts a ready-to-run payroll. ADP Assist answers payroll questions, flags errors before payroll runs and imports timesheets.
Do QuickBooks Payroll and ADP RUN Powered by ADP offer a free trial?
QuickBooks Payroll lists a free trial; ADP RUN Powered by ADP does not.
Who are QuickBooks Payroll’s biggest competitors?
QuickBooks Payroll ranks #2 of 15 in our payroll software ranking. Besides ADP RUN Powered by ADP, the highest-scored are Patriot Payroll, Gusto, and Square Payroll. Every alternative, matched to the reason you might switch: QuickBooks Payroll alternatives.
How this page was made
What it is built from
42 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
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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Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll“After initial setup, set payroll to run automatically and stay in control with clear alerts and notifications.” “QuickBooks Workforce works for small to midsize businesses—from accountants and financial experts to hospitality companies, construction companies, truckers, and more.”
ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/payroll/payroll-for-1-49-employees/payroll-packages.aspx“24/7 Customer Support Get answers to your payroll questions any time of day over the phone or by online chat from experienced payroll professionals.” “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. Pricing may also increase if you add HR tools, benefits administration or more advanced compliance support, such as garnishment management or State Unemployment Insurance.”
Intuit assurance.intuit.com“Badges ISO 27001:2022 SOC 1 Type I SOC 2 Type II PCI:DSS” “Badges HIPAA ISO 27001:2022 SOC 1 Type I SOC 2 Type II PCI:DSS CCPA SIG”
ADP sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/8670/000000867026000030/adp-20260630.htm“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.” “In 1949, our founders established ADP with a simple, innovative idea: help clients focus on their business by solving their payroll challenges.”
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”
Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/one-employee“Expert product support: Phone and chat support included with QuickBooks Workforce during business hours. Weekend phone and chat support is only available with Workforce Premium and Elite.” “Whether you’re running payroll for a single employee or a team of 100, Auto Payroll simplifies payroll so you can relax.”
U.S. SEC (Intuit Inc. Form 10-K) sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/896878/000089687826000037/intu-20260731.htm“Intuit Inc. was incorporated in California in March 1984. We reincorporated in Delaware and completed our initial public offering in March 1993.” “Our principal executive offices are located at 2700 Coast Avenue, Mountain View, California 94043”
Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/pricing“Basic Payroll is $17/month + $4 per worker paid; Full Service Payroll is $37/month + $5 per worker paid.”
ADP adp.com/privacy.aspx“ADP has adopted Binding Corporate Rules (BCR) for processing Client employee data and business contact data.”
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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.
High confidence: at least 80% of the critical facts are verified on primary sources.
Medium confidence: at least 50% are; the rest are missing or rely on secondary sources.
Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.
