7 Top ADP Competitors & Alternatives In 2024

OnPay is an affordable option for running payroll when the number of workers you pay keeps changing every month. OnPay payroll is not fully automated. You need to approve some of the screens every month before you can run the payroll. Usually, this would be problematic for businesses because they want their payroll system to run automatically every month.

However, this is a boon in disguise if the majority of your employees are on contract or get paid hourly. You can review what you are paying each of them against the terms and conditions agreed upon.

For those months when the number of workers increases, you don’t need to shift to a higher payment tier; you just pay for the extra workers. OnPay doesn’t have multiple pricing tiers. OnPay also includes a full set of customizable HR tools that you can use to streamline paperwork associated with hiring, onboarding and managing each new hire.

Who should use it:

If you are driving growth through temporary workers, whose number keeps changing from one month to another, OnPay is the best solution for you.

Read more:

Read our full OnPay review.

Approximately 29 million small businesses in the U.S. use QuickBooks accounting software and other apps from Intuit. QuickBooks payroll offers native integration with all these software. If you are already using QuickBooks applications, it makes sense to integrate and use QuickBooks payroll.

QuickBooks has a built-in accounting program specifically for small businesses, which ADP Run―ADP Payroll for small businesses up to 49 employees―does not have.

If you sign up for its premium plan, QuickBooks Payroll also offers you next-day or same-day direct deposits. However, QuickBooks doesn’t report new hires to the state automatically, which is a feature available in ADP.

Who should use it:

QuickBooks Payroll is ideal for SMBs that are already using QuickBooks Accounting and other software.

Read more:

Read our full QuickBooks Payroll review.

Gusto is a full-feature payroll system built for startups and small businesses. It is our pick for the most customizable payroll solution because it has multiple options that are usually unavailable in other payroll systems, including ADP.

Here are some off-the-shelf customizations available:

• Run your payroll system in fully automated or manual modes
• Provide two-day or four-day direct deposit
• Set a salary or hourly wage in the employee profile
• Run payroll on a predetermined date every month, and Gusto allows you unlimited payroll runs a month
• You can make an employee or an external entity administer the Gastro payroll
• Employees have the option of opening a regular checking account and setting up their paychecks to save a fixed amount every month
• You can manage employee health benefits from Gusto, depending upon their unique needs

Gusto can be the right customized solution if you are a small business. However, if you are a larger business or an enterprise, ADP would be better for you.

ADP provides payroll and HR services for organizations of all sizes. It also supports benefits administration in a self-service platform for employees.

Who should use it:

Gusto is the perfect solution for small businesses looking to automate and streamline business processes as they grow.

Read more:

Read our full Gusto review.

Paychex Flex is a stripped-down version of Paychex, a human resources (HR) and payroll solution for businesses of all sizes. When you sign up for Paychex, you are confident that as you grow, you can move to a higher-pricing tier and continue using the same platform.

In Paychex, you can run payroll for employees as well as contractors through direct deposit or printed checks. Both employees and contractors have access to a self-service portal where they can view pay stubs and tax forms on their own.

You can integrate Paychex Time, an additional service to enable your employees to track time, attendance and mileage. You can import these data into your payroll system and run payroll accordingly. The only drawback is that it isn’t included with Flex, so you may need to pay an additional fee. Paychex Flex administers garnishments without any additional fee.

Who should use it:

If you are a solopreneur or a small business looking for a simple payroll solution right now but might need a more robust system as your business grows, Paychex Flex is ideal for you. As you grow, you can opt for its Pro or Select pricing.

Read more:

Read our full Paychex flex review.

Square Payroll is one of the most affordable payroll systems around. If you pay only contractors, there is no monthly subscription fee. You only pay for the number of employees or contractors per month. Also, there are no fees for running payroll more than once.

At this affordable pricing. Square payroll includes benefits administration, time tracking, shift scheduling, overtime calculations and custom reporting for all the plans.

If you are already using other Square products like its POS, you have access to Square dashboard to integrate all tools natively.

Who should use it:

If you are a solopreneur or a small business that employs mostly contractors or needs to make off-cycle payments, Square Payroll is the most affordable option for you.

Read more:

Read our full Square review.

TriNet Zenefits started out as an employee benefits and insurance employee management platform. So, it has a robust platform for managing the entire employee life cycle from hiring and onboarding to retirement.

TriNet Zenefits offers a wide range of HR solutions like hiring, onboarding, benefits administration, compensation planning, performance reviews, compliance support and business communications. You might find these solutions in other payroll apps like ADP but they would not be as robust or compliant.

Time tracking and scheduling, which is an add-on feature for ADP, is built into TriNet Zenefits, which makes payroll calculation easier, especially for hourly workers.

Who should use it:

If you operate in a highly regulated industry that needs a wide range of compliances, TriNet Zenefits is ideal for you.

Learn More: Read our full Zenefits review.

Wave Payroll fits the needs of new businesses, especially freelancers, contractors and microbusinesses perfectly due to its user-friendliness and affordability.

Wave offers tax payments and filings in 14 U.S. states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. In these states, the price is $35 per month plus $6 per active employee or contractor paid per month.

For all the other US states as well as Canada, the price is $20 per month plus $6 per active employee and contractor paid per month.

In contrast, ADP pricing is ambiguous and depends upon employee paid, frequency of use and the features you need. This makes price estimation very difficult, a challenging situation for new businesses looking to optimize expenses.

Who should use it:

Wave Payroll is ideal for U.S.- or Canada-based solopreneurs and microbusinesses who have just started out. This implies they invoice their clients frequently and their team consists mostly of freelancers and contract employees.

Read more:

Read our full Wave Payroll review.