Modern HR software enables businesses of all sizes to streamline and improve their daily HR operations. It assists with addressing challenges such as payroll and compliance management, managing employee benefits, and time.

Justworks and ADP are two prominent solutions offering comprehensive tools to simplify HR processes and improve workforce management. Both platforms offer an intuitive interface with local and global payroll capabilities, enabling businesses to manage international operations.

In this Justworks Vs ADP comparison, we'll explore their key features, benefits, and potential drawbacks to help you identify the platform that best suits your organization's needs.

Justworks Vs ADP – Compared

Feature

Justworks

ADP

User-Interface

Intuitive interface with easy navigation

User-friendly payroll interface 

Payroll

Multi-state payroll with multiple pay rates

Offers local and global payroll capabilities

Benefits Administration 

Benefit plans offer options to integrate with the software's PEO or payroll

A diverse range of benefit plans to choose from

Compliance Management

Payroll tax support with free training resources

ADP SmartCompliance integrates payroll, ERP, benefits, and HR

Time Tracking

Report generation capabilities that include employee timesheets, payroll, and overtime

Automated time-tracking via web browser and mobile apps

Pricing

Three paid plans. Starting at $8/month/person

Custom pricing based on business preferences

What Is Justworks?

Justworks is a scalable HR software offering features like hiring, onboarding, payroll, benefits, and compliance for businesses so they can run their operations effectively. It integrates seamlessly with accounting tools like QuickBooks and Xero, leading to simplified financial processes.

The software is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses, offering features that optimize HR operations, ensure compliance with labor laws, and provide access to competitive employee benefits.

Standout Features

  • Integrations: The software offers integrations with a variety of third-party applications for learning, performance management, accounting, compliance, equity, and expense management
  • Document Management: Enables businesses to upload, send, and secure all HR documents and employee information, such as contact information, job titles, and compensation, all in one place
  • Reporting And Analytics: The software offers built-in reporting features so businesses can gather more visibility into their cash flows, generate payroll reports, and view upcoming payments
  • Professional Employer Organization (PEO): Justworks PEO offers businesses automated payroll and time tracking capabilities, compliance, and employee benefits so businesses can handle HR operations seamlessly

Pros And Cons

Pros

  • The software's intuitive interface simplifies employee daily tasks
  • Easy implementation requiring minimal administrative oversight
  • New hires can navigate pre-employment paperwork easily

Cons

  • Excessive emails make important ones hard to identify
  • Customer support could be improved

What Is ADP?

ADP is an all-in-one HR software for businesses of all sizes, offering features like PEO, talent management, payroll, benefits, and HR outsourcing. It provides features like employee self-service portals, performance management, recruitment, onboarding, and HR guidance from experts for addressing complex issues.

The software seamlessly integrates with various popular software, including accounting systems, compliance, benefits, and ERPs, ensuring a unified user experience. Justworks caters to multiple industries, including restaurants, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and many more.

Standout Features

  • Workforce Management: Integrates time-tracking, scheduling, absence management, compliance, payroll, and analytics into one platform, improving efficiency and minimizing errors through automation
  • PEO: Handles complex HR tasks like payroll and benefits administration, enabling businesses to focus on strategic goals. The software supports coverage for 50 states, offers benefits, and helps with the hiring process
  • AI Capabilities: Offer AI capabilities 'ADP Assist' to help businesses make informed decisions with AI-driven analytics offering insights for more efficient work processing
  • Worker's Compensation: Manages workers' compensation, ensuring regulatory compliance and reducing the administrative workload for businesses

Pros And Cons

Pros

  • Efficient reporting with easy customization options
  • Reliable and consistent payroll processing system
  • The software's tax management simplifies compliance processes

Cons

  • Occasional login and password reset issues
  • Difficult to navigate between ADP's different platforms

Justworks Vs ADP: Features Comparison

User-Interface

Justworks is designed for simplicity, offering an intuitive interface that ensures easy navigation for employers and employees. Its user-friendly design accommodates users of all technical skill levels. The mobile apps are just as straightforward, delivering seamless access on the go.

ADP's intuitive design and powerful features make it suitable for users of all experience levels. The software's payroll interface is simple and user-friendly, ideal for managing multi-state domestic payroll. However, some users suggest that its interface needs improvement and could be more intuitive.

Winner: Justworks wins this section as it offers a more straightforward user-interface.

Payroll

Justworks provides features to ensure timely and accurate employee payments and compliance with tax regulations. It handles payments for hourly and contract employees while accommodating multi-state payroll, multiple pay rates, custom schedules, off-cycle payments, and digital pay stubs.

Alerts for federal and state compliance help businesses stay aligned with regulatory requirements. Additionally, the software supports international contractor payments, enabling seamless transactions for global teams.

ADP's platform automates payroll calculations, deductions, and payments, minimizing errors and saving time. Employers can provide flexible payment options like direct deposit, pay cards, and checks to meet employee preferences. The software supports local and global payroll, offering tax filing and compliance management, along with additional features like garnishment handling, an employee handbook wizard, and access to legal assistance.

Winner: It's a tie as both platforms offer advanced payroll capabilities, enabling businesses of all sizes to easily manage their payroll.

Benefits Administration

Justworks provides comprehensive benefits options, including medical, dental, and vision plans, allowing businesses to choose those that suit their team's requirements. Employees can also take advantage of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), commuter benefits, and 401(k) retirement plans. In this way, businesses can ensure financial and insurance protection for their employees in unexpected situations.

ADP's platform streamlines benefits enrollment, life event updates, open enrollment, and adding dependents. The platform enables employees to easily choose the benefit plans that best fit their needs. ADP's AI allows employers to compare enrollment performance, measure system utilization, view trends in employer costs, and evaluate plan dimensions.

Winner: Justworks takes the lead in this section as it offers a diverse range of benefits plans, compliance, and support.

Compliance Management

Justworks handles employer payroll tax filings, including W-2, W-3, 1099, and forms 940 and 941, ensuring timely and accurate submissions. It also provides essential coverage options, such as workers' compensation, state unemployment insurance, and employment practices liability insurance, helping businesses maintain mandated protections.

Additionally, Justworks offers free online training programs, including Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) and sexual harassment prevention courses, promoting an inclusive workplace.

ADP SmartCompliance is an all-in-one solution designed to simplify and improve compliance with human capital management (HCM). It integrates with existing payroll and ERPs, offering features that increase efficiency and navigate complex regulatory requirements.

The platform provides features like unemployment claims, business tax credits, employment verification, wage garnishments, and many more, enabling businesses to reduce the burden of HCM compliance activities.

Winner: ADP wins this section due to its advanced compliance management capabilities, offering businesses a clear view of their compliance status.

Justworks'

time tracking feature enables employees to clock in and out easily using the mobile app or web browser, ensuring precise time tracking. Employers can verify their teams' locations with the software's geofencing capabilities.

The platform provides real-time reports on employee hours and attendance, leading to streamlined payroll processing. Approved hours automatically sync with Justworks Payroll, minimizing manual data entry and reducing errors.

ADP's time and attendance enable businesses to manage employee working hours, ensure compliance, and boost workforce productivity efficiently. Employees can log their working hours using web browsers, mobile devices, or smart buttons, streamlining time tracking. Managers can easily create and adjust schedules and attendance and handle shift swaps.

The platform provides features like unemployment claims, business tax credits, employment verification, wage garnishments, and many more, enabling businesses to reduce the burden of HCM compliance activities.

Winner: It's a tie as both platforms offer powerful time-tracking features, allowing businesses to easily handle their employee working hours.

Justworks and ADP offer robust HR features tailored to different requirements. Justworks is an intuitive, all-in-one solution best suited for small to medium-sized businesses seeking advanced benefits administration and payroll capabilities.

On the other hand, ADP is renowned for its compliance management, talent management, and PEO features, making it an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes, especially those with complex workforce management needs.

Ultimately, the decision between Justworks and ADP depends on your organization's size, specific HR needs, and operational priorities. Evaluating these factors will help ensure you choose a platform that aligns with your business goals.