QuickBooks Payroll vs ADP RUN Powered by ADP

The short answer

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.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Oct 19, 2026Facts checked Oct 12, 2026

QuickBooks Payroll

Starting price: $50/mo + $7/employee/mo
Best for: QuickBooks Online users who want payroll in the same Intuit account

Choose QuickBooks Payroll if

You want a published price: Workforce Payroll lists $50 a month plus $7 per employee.
You want to try it first: QuickBooks Payroll lists a free trial.
You want same-day direct deposit, included on Workforce Premium and Elite.
You want tax penalty protection up to $25,000 a year (Workforce Elite).

What QuickBooks Payroll costs Alternatives to QuickBooks Payroll

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 want payroll help by phone or chat 24/7.
You want state unemployment insurance management and a garnishment payment service from the payroll vendor (Enhanced Payroll and up).
You keep your books in Xero, Wave or Creative Solutions rather than QuickBooks: RUN exports the general ledger to all of them.
You want an HR help desk by phone and email (Complete Payroll & HR+ and HR Pro).

What ADP RUN Powered by ADP costs ADP RUN alternatives

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. Monthly	$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 setup	9 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 chat	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	SOC 2, ISO 27001	None verified

Key differences

Where QuickBooks Payroll and ADP RUN Powered by ADP differ (10)
Attribute	QuickBooks Payroll	ADP RUN Powered by ADP
Pricing model	Base fee + per employee	Quote only
Price transparency	Published	Quote only
Free trial
Best for	Small businesses, mid-market companies	Small businesses
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud, mobile
Mobile apps	iOS (QuickBooks Workforce), Android (QuickBooks Workforce)	RUN Powered by ADP app (iOS), RUN Powered by ADP app (Android)
Open API
Support channels	Phone, chat, online support hub and community	Phone, chat, email (Payroll Center), in-product help center, HR HelpDesk by phone and email (Complete and HR Pro)
Founded	1984	1949
Headquarters	Mountain View, California, US	Roseland, NJ, US

Show 5 attributes where they are the same

Where they are the same (5)
Attribute	QuickBooks Payroll	ADP RUN Powered by ADP
Contract term	Monthly	Monthly
Minimum employees	1	1
Automatic tax filing
Contractor payments
Ownership	Publicly traded	Publicly traded

Analysis by dimension

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 (9.3/10).

From $17/mo + $4/employee/mo

More QuickBooks Payroll comparisons

More ADP RUN Powered by ADP comparisons

Frequently asked questions

Is QuickBooks Payroll cheaper than ADP?

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.

Is QuickBooks Payroll or ADP RUN Powered by ADP more secure?

Only QuickBooks Payroll states SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and HIPAA (BAA).

Who are QuickBooks Payroll’s biggest competitors?

QuickBooks Payroll ranks #2 of 12 in our payroll software ranking. Besides ADP RUN Powered by ADP, the highest-scored are Patriot Payroll, Gusto, and Paychex Flex. Every alternative, matched to the reason you might switch: QuickBooks Payroll alternatives.

QuickBooks Payroll or ADP RUN Powered by ADP? 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 and list prices. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.

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