RUN Powered By ADP vs Quickbooks Payroll: Complete Comparison

Discover which HR platform is the perfect fit for your business needs. Compare features, pricing, and user experiences to make an informed decision.

Platform Overview

RUN Powered By ADP

RUN Powered By ADP

Run Powered By ADP is a cloud-based payroll and HR management software that optimizes various processes and enhances overall efficiency. It offers an intuitive platform and a myriad of automated features. Accessible via web browsers and mobile applications, this innovative platform addresses common pain points in payroll management, such as time-consuming calculations, compliance complexities, and reporting challenges.

Quickbooks Payroll

Quickbooks Payroll

QuickBooks Payroll is a cloud-based payroll software designed to help businesses run payroll accurately and on time. It simplifies tax compliance by automatically filing federal and state taxes. It also manages employee timesheets, reducing manual entry and saving time whenever you run payroll. With next-day or same-day direct deposits, employers can pay employees quickly and meet payroll deadlines with confidence.

Feature Comparison

FeatureRUN Powered By ADPQuickbooks Payroll
Core Functionality & Automation
Automated Payroll Processing
Full automation
Full automation
Tax Calculation & Filing
Federal/state/local
Federal/state/local
Benefits & Deductions
Auto benefits sync
Auto sync
Off-cycle Payroll
Supported
Supported
Direct Deposit
Same day available
Same day available
Payroll Frequency
All frequencies
All standard
Multi-rate Pay
Multiple rates
Multiple rates
Retroactive Pay
Auto calculations
Auto adjustments
Compliance & Legal Management
Multi-jurisdiction Support
Global multi-state
All 50 states + local
Statutory Compliance
All 50 states + global
All 50 states
Audit Trail
Comprehensive
Built-in
Form Generation
All forms + global
W-2, 1099, state forms
Penalty Protection
Penalty protection
Tax penalty protection
Real-time Monitoring
Real-time monitoring
Compliance alerts
Compliance Certifications
SOC 2, industry standards
Standard certifications
Integration & Scalability
HRMS Integration
ADP ecosystem
Native QB platform
Accounting Connectivity
Extensive integrations
Extensive QB ecosystem
Time & Attendance
ADP time tracking
QB Time included
API Support
Extensive API
Extensive
Employee Growth
Enterprise global
Up to enterprise
Multi-entity Management
Global entities
Multi-location
Third-party Apps
500+ integrations
15+ Intuit integrations
User Experience & Accessibility
Admin Interface
Professional interface
Intuitive interface
Employee Self-service
Employee portal
Employee portal
Mobile Compatibility
Mobile app
Mobile app
Multi-language Support
Multi-language
Limited
Customization Options
Extensive
Moderate
Setup Complexity
Complex setup
Easy to moderate
Training Requirements
Moderate to high
Minimal to moderate
Security & Data Protection
Data Encryption
Enterprise grade
Standard encryption
Access Controls
Granular controls
Role-based
Security Certifications
SOC 1/2, ISO standards
Standard security
Backup & Recovery
Enterprise backup
Cloud backup
Privacy Compliance
Global compliance
Compliance ready
Audit Logging
Comprehensive
Standard logging
Cost Structure & Support
Base Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing
$50 + $6/employee (Core)
Payroll Add-on
Integrated platform
Integrated
Implementation Cost
Higher setup
Moderate
Hidden Fees
Enterprise transparent
Minimal
Customer Support
24/7 global support
24/7 chat, phone
Service Guarantees
SLA guarantees
Tax accuracy guarantee
Global Payroll Cost
Available globally
Not available
Still Not Sure Which Platform to Choose?

Our HR technology experts can help you evaluate your specific needs and recommend the best solution for your business.

RUN Powered By ADP vs Quickbooks Payroll: Complete Comparison
Logo for RUN Powered By ADP

RUN Powered By ADP

Who We Recommend RUN Powered By ADP For

RUN Powered by ADP automates payroll and tax filing, easing compliance worries for growing businesses. It's especially helpful for small teams without a full human resources (HR) department. While setup might take some getting used to, the payoff is streamlined payroll and fewer tax headaches. A great fit if you're after reliability, scalability, and peace of mind.

Major Pros Based on Community Feedback:

  • Sends timely reminders before and after processing payroll
  • Easy and quick implementation
  • The company takes full responsibility for anything that goes wrong on its end
Quickbooks Payroll

Quickbooks Payroll

Who We Recommend Quickbooks Payroll For

QuickBooks payroll can seamlessly integrate with the QuickBooks suite, ensuring all financial records are accurate and up to date. It provides comprehensive, integrated financial insights to help guide your decision-making process. Initial setup feels like a breeze, and the software allows you to run payroll in minutes. The platform is ideal for small to mid-sized businesses operating in diverse industries.

Major Pros Based on Community Feedback:

    Detailed Feature Comparison

    Core Functionality & Automation


    RUN Powered By ADP

    ADP delivers comprehensive automated payroll processing with sophisticated tax calculations, multi-state support, and extensive compliance automation. It excels at handling complex payroll scenarios with proven reliability and comprehensive service options ranging from basic processing to full workforce management.

    Best use cases: Businesses requiring proven payroll reliability, companies with complex multi-state tax requirements, organizations where established infrastructure and comprehensive service flexibility outweigh modern interface design and cost considerations.

    Quickbooks Payroll

    QuickBooks Payroll delivers advanced automated payroll processing with sophisticated tax calculations, multi-state support, and comprehensive reporting. It excels at handling complex pay structures, multiple locations, and automated compliance workflows with enterprise-level reliability.

    Best use cases: Companies with complex payroll requirements, multi-state operations, businesses needing detailed labor cost analysis, and organizations where comprehensive automation and advanced reporting capabilities justify higher complexity and cost.

    Compliance & Legal Management


    RUN Powered By ADP

    ADP offers industry-leading compliance management with comprehensive multi-jurisdictional expertise, penalty protection up to $25,000, and continuous regulatory monitoring. It provides enterprise-level compliance infrastructure with dedicated tax experts and extensive audit capabilities.

    Best use cases: Multi-state and multi-jurisdictional businesses requiring comprehensive compliance coverage, companies in highly regulated industries, and organizations needing established tax expertise where premium compliance services and penalty protection justify higher service costs.

    Quickbooks Payroll

    QuickBooks Payroll offers comprehensive compliance management with automatic tax updates, multi-jurisdictional support, and penalty protection up to $25,000. It provides enterprise-level compliance infrastructure with proactive regulatory monitoring and expert support.

    Best use cases: Multi-state businesses needing comprehensive compliance coverage, companies in regulated industries, and organizations requiring enterprise-level tax management where advanced compliance features and penalty protection justify premium pricing.

    Integration & Scalability


    RUN Powered By ADP

    ADP provides extensive integration capabilities with comprehensive API platform and broad third-party connectivity supporting complex business operations. It scales effectively across all business sizes with mature architecture supporting sophisticated multi-entity and enterprise-level requirements.

    Best use cases: Large businesses requiring extensive system integrations, companies with complex operational structures, and organizations prioritizing established integration capabilities and proven scalability over modern platform design and competitive pricing.

    Quickbooks Payroll

    QuickBooks Payroll provides extensive integration capabilities with 200+ pre-built connectors and robust API access for custom workflows. It scales effectively for growing businesses with sophisticated architecture supporting complex multi-entity and multi-location operations.

    Best use cases: Growing businesses needing extensive third-party connectivity, companies with complex operational workflows, and organizations prioritizing comprehensive integration capabilities and scalable infrastructure over simplicity.

    User Experience & Accessibility


    RUN Powered By ADP

    ADP offers comprehensive functionality through established interface design that prioritizes reliability and feature depth over modern usability. Its mature platform approach provides extensive capabilities while requiring user training for optimal utilization of advanced features.

    Best use cases: Businesses with dedicated payroll administrators requiring comprehensive functionality, companies prioritizing proven reliability over modern interface design, and organizations where extensive feature depth and established workflows outweigh ease of use considerations.

    Quickbooks Payroll

    QuickBooks Payroll offers feature-rich interface with comprehensive functionality that may require training for optimal utilization. Its powerful capabilities come with increased complexity, suited for businesses with dedicated payroll administrators or HR teams.

    Best use cases: Businesses with dedicated payroll staff, companies needing comprehensive feature sets, and organizations where payroll complexity and advanced capabilities outweigh ease of use and quick implementation requirements.

    Security & Data Protection


    RUN Powered By ADP

    ADP provides enterprise-grade security with comprehensive compliance standards, advanced data protection, and mature security infrastructure suitable for large business requirements. Security approach emphasizes proven protection with extensive compliance certifications and regulatory expertise.

    Best use cases: Large businesses requiring enterprise security standards with extensive compliance certifications, companies in regulated industries with strict data protection requirements, and organizations where established security infrastructure and compliance expertise justify premium service costs.

    Quickbooks Payroll

    QuickBooks Payroll provides enterprise-grade security with SOC 2 compliance, advanced encryption, and comprehensive data protection suitable for larger business security requirements. Its security infrastructure supports complex compliance needs and regulatory standards.

    Best use cases: Businesses requiring enterprise-level security standards, companies in regulated industries with strict compliance requirements, and organizations needing comprehensive data protection where advanced security features justify increased complexity.

    Cost Structure & Support Quality


    RUN Powered By ADP

    ADP offers tiered pricing starting at approximately $79 base plus $4 per employee with premium Enterprise solutions requiring custom pricing. Established market position and comprehensive service depth typically command premium pricing reflecting extensive infrastructure and service capabilities.

    Best use cases: Businesses justifying premium costs for established reliability and comprehensive services, companies where proven infrastructure and extensive support provide clear operational value, and organizations prioritizing service depth and reliability over competitive pricing considerations.

    Quickbooks Payroll

    QuickBooks Payroll offers tiered pricing starting at $50 base plus $6 per employee with premium plans reaching $130 base plus $11 per employee. Comprehensive feature sets and expert support justify higher costs for businesses needing advanced capabilities.

    Best use cases: Growing businesses requiring comprehensive features, companies with complex payroll needs justifying premium pricing, and organizations where advanced automation and enterprise capabilities provide clear ROI despite higher costs.

    Need Help Deciding?

    Let Us Help You Decide.

    Talk to our product experts free of charge. We will guide you to choose the best tools that fulfill your requirements while staying within your budget. Just fill out this form and our team will contact you soon.

    Loading form...

    Related Comparisons

    Gusto HR logo
    vs
    Paychex logo

    Gusto HR vs Paychex

    Explore a detailed comparison of Gusto HR and Paychex, covering features, pricing, and more.

    Gusto HR logo
    vs
     Rippling HR logo

    Gusto HR vs Rippling HR

    Explore a detailed comparison of Gusto HR and Rippling HR, covering features, pricing, and more.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    ADP is often better for larger businesses with complex payroll needs and multi-state operations. QuickBooks Payroll is more suitable for small businesses with straightforward payroll requirements.

    ADP offers global payroll capabilities in over 140 countries and handles complex international compliance. QuickBooks Payroll focuses primarily on U.S. payroll with limited international features.

    ADP provides comprehensive HR ecosystem integration and advanced compliance tools. QuickBooks integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks accounting software and offers transparent feature inclusion.

    QuickBooks offers transparent pricing with unlimited payroll runs included. ADP uses custom quote-based pricing with additional fees for many services included in QuickBooks.

    QuickBooks is known for its simplicity and ease of use, especially for existing QuickBooks users. ADP has more complex features but offers 24/7 customer support across all plans.