The short answer
Both sell by quote. Workday HCM targets mid-market and enterprise employers, ships over 5,000 prebuilt reports and connects payroll across 180+ countries; deployment is a separate fixed-fee Workday Launch package.
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Workday HCM wins 2ADP Workforce Now wins 01 tie
| Dimension | Workday HCM | ADP Workforce Now |
|---|---|---|
| CapabilitiesBoth cover payroll, HR, time and talent. Workday adds workforce planning, HR service delivery and reorganization modeling; Workforce Now adds benefits enrollment with eligibility guidance and continuous payroll calculations with variance detection. Human Resource Management, Talent Management, Workforce Management, Payroll, HR Service Delivery, Workforce planning and analytics | 9 of 12 core capabilities | 2 of 12 core capabilities |
| Fit and supportWorkday targets mid-market and enterprise organizations; ADP Workforce Now targets employers with more than 50 workers, with a Client Success Executive for enterprise clients. Mid-market companies, enterprises | Mid-market companies, enterprises | Mid-market companies, enterprises |
| SecurityWorkday states SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, GDPR and HIPAA. ADP names no certification on the Workforce Now pages we reviewed. Yes | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR | None verified |
| Attribute | Workday HCM | ADP Workforce Now |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 | 1949 |
| Headquarters | Pleasanton, California, US | Roseland, New Jersey, US |
| Attribute | Workday HCM | 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 |
| Ownership | Publicly traded | Publicly traded |
Pricing. Neither publishes prices. Workday sells deployment as separate fixed-fee Launch packages; ADP sells API Central consulting hours for a fee.
Capabilities. Both cover payroll, HR, time and talent. Workday adds workforce planning, HR service delivery and reorganization modeling; Workforce Now adds benefits enrollment with eligibility guidance and continuous payroll calculations with variance detection.
Integrations. Workday connects payroll to native and partner systems in 180+ countries. ADP Workforce Now offers an API with paid consulting through ADP API Central. Neither publishes an integration count.
Fit and support. Workday targets mid-market and enterprise organizations; ADP Workforce Now targets employers with more than 50 workers, with a Client Success Executive for enterprise clients.
Security. Workday states SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, GDPR and HIPAA. ADP names no certification on the Workforce Now pages we reviewed.
Paylocity has the highest LeadChange Score in HCM Software after excluding these two (6.8/10).
Both sell to midsize employers. ADP Workforce Now targets companies with more than 50 workers and grows by package; Workday targets mid-market and enterprise organizations that need planning and reporting depth.
Workday is less suited to small businesses: it targets mid-market and enterprise employers. It publishes no prices, and deployment is bought separately as a fixed-fee Workday Launch package from Workday or a partner.
Both are quoted. ADP Workforce Now comes in three packages, Select, Plus and Premium; Workday adds a separate deployment package to the subscription.
Workday connects native and partner payroll systems across 180+ countries. ADP lists no country count on the Workforce Now pages we reviewed.
Workday’s Payroll Agent validates and explains pay runs, and Sana orchestrates agents in the background. ADP Workforce Now explains pay changes, recommends retro pay and summarizes feedback for managers.
Workday, founded in 2005, is based in Pleasanton, California. ADP is headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey; both are public companies.
Only Workday HCM states SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA (BAA), and GDPR.
Besides ADP Workforce Now, the highest-scored are Paylocity, Paycor, and HiBob. Every alternative, matched to the reason you might switch: Workday HCM alternatives.
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.
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.
How we make money
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.
