ADP vs. QuickBooks Payroll from Intuit
Small businesses need flexible payroll options. See how ADP compares as an alternative to QuickBooks Payroll as you make your decision.
- Compare Providers:
- ADP vs. Gusto
- ADP vs. Paychex
- ADP vs. QuickBooks
- ADP vs. SurePayroll
Get these features with ADP, but not with
QuickBooks Payroll from Intuit
 |
QuickBooks Payroll1 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | ||
| Advanced State Unemployment Insurance management tools (claim responses, benefit payments review, best practices consulting) |  |
not offered |
| Convenient mobile app for payroll and HR | |
not offered |
| 24/7 live support across all bundles (not limited to top bundle) | |
not offered |
| Dedicated new client onboarding support for small businesses of all sizes | |
not offered |
| Register with tax agencies in all 50 states (does not require third-party partner) | |
not offered |
| Award-winning (Golden Bridge Award, Stevie Award) portal that connects your accountant to your payroll | |
not offered |
| Rated #1 small business software by G2 in 2025 | |
not offered |
| G2 rating peer review 4.5 (of 5) stars or higher | |
not offered |
| Over 75 years of payroll experience | |
not offered |
| HR & Business | ||
| Employee handbook wizard, pre-populated for your state/jurisdiction | |
not offered |
| Online courses (and completion tracking) on sexual harassment and abusive conduct, HR compliance, and much more | |
not offered |
| Printed labor law posters at no additional fee (QuickBooks charges extra) | |
not offered |
| Employee discount program for brand-name products and daily essentials. | |
not offered |
| Job postings via ZipRecruiter® | |
not offered |
| Salary benchmarks data (to help you make competitive job offers and that can help you comply with pay transparency laws) | |
not offered |
| Applicant tracking system to help manage the end-to-end hiring process | |
not offered |
| Background checks for prospective hires | |
not offered |
| Access to free and discounted legal services (provided by third party) | |
not offered |
Meet Our Clients
I was looking for great payroll but also to add other services like workers’ compensation quotes, business insurance, retirement accounts, and other features all through one solution. QuickBooks was fine with payroll but didn’t have the ability to add benefits easily. That was a big reason I chose ADP — they just offered more.
Jaston Epp Owner, New City Cleaning Services
Meet Our Clients
Switching to ADP from QuickBooks took my business to the next level, because it freed me up to be better at the things I do — like management and sales.
Octavio E. Aguirre Owner, Creative Floor Covering
Meet Our Clients
Quickbooks was glitching too often for us and getting through to customer service was always a chore and a half. RUN has helped us to run reports and gather information we need easier and quicker.
Brittanee Watkins, Administrative Assistant, A to Z Moving and Driving
Join more than 900,000 small business clients who count on ADP for faster, smarter, easier payroll and HR
Get Pricing
User satisfaction ratings
See how customers rated ADP vs. QuickBooks Payroll on G2, a leading business software review platform, in the categories that matter most.2
Ease of use
vs. QuickBooks Payroll 87%
Quality of support
vs. QuickBooks Payroll 78%
Performance and reliability
vs. QuickBooks Payroll 87%
Ease of Admin
vs. QuickBooks Payroll 87%
Ratings include incentivized reviews.
Why clients choose ADP over QuickBooks Payroll from Intuit
Over 900,000 small businesses trust ADP® to deliver a better payroll experience. Our small business expertise and easy-to-use tools help you stay focused on what matters most – your business.
4 out of 5
customers who switched from QuickBooks Payroll say ADP is easier to use.
22 minutes
ADP customers who switched from QuickBooks Payroll saved an average of 22 minutes per payroll.
4 out of 5
customers who switched from QuickBooks Payroll have more confidence in ADP to do payroll right.
Internal survey of 219 RUN Powered by ADP® customers in 2025
Get valuable HR tools included
only with RUN Powered by ADP®
With RUN's premium HR package option, you will receive features that go above and beyond what you get with other providers. Customers get an average of $8k per year in added value with HR services that help them keep their businesses growing, hire new staff, train their teams, and much more.
- Access to ZipRecruiter® hiring platform and ADP salary benchmarks
- Employee assistance program and perks
- Employee HR training
- Business and marketing tools
- Legal assistance from Upnetic Legal Services3
Getting started with your payroll decision?
Get all the resources you need to choose the payroll provider that best suits your business. This informative kit includes: Choosing the Right Payroll Provider for Small Business (Guidebook), Payroll Checklist for Small Business, and Switching Payroll Providers Made Easy (Guidebook).
Why ADP is more robust compared to
QuickBooks Payroll from Intuit
Pricing
More value
ADP has a variety of flexible options designed specifically for small businesses. Taking into consideration the added value of HR tools that are included with RUN Powered by ADP, it’s clear that our payroll solutions offer more value than other providers. Compare our payroll packages to see which plan is right for you.
QuickBooks Payroll offers three payroll plans for small businesses with pricing based on total number of employees.
Payroll
Get payroll done in minutes
ADP payroll software is user-friendly and customizable. Our simple, automated solution makes it easy to process payroll and taxes in minutes from any device, anywhere. And we offer dedicated new client onboarding support for small businesses of all sizes.
QuickBooks Payroll does not offer dedicated new client onboarding support for all client sizes.
Benefits
Robust benefits offering
Automatic Data Processing Insurance Agency, Inc. (ADPIA®)*, an ADP® affiliate provides easy access to impactful insurance and benefits solutions. Let ADPIA help you explore, secure and manage the right workers’ compensation, business and group health insurance based on your unique needs. In addition, by becoming an ADP payroll client, you may be able to integrate and simplify your insurance and benefits administration.
ADP offers a range of retirement plans** for your workforce to help your employees become retirement ready and prepare for life's financial challenges. We leverage innovative technology to transform time-consuming administrative tasks and provide mobile-enabled solutions that give you and your workforce plan access – virtually anywhere.
QuickBooks Payroll partners with 3rd party providers to offer health insurance, workers’ compensation, and retirement plans.
HR Tools
Modern, intuitive solutions
ADP’s suite of user-friendly tools include advanced state unemployment insurance management tools. Our free mobile app puts the data you need at your fingertips.
QuickBooks Payroll does not offer a full suite of advanced state unemployment insurance management tools.
Customer Service
Unmatched expertise
With 24/7 live support anytime you need it and a long history of payroll compliance expertise, ADP is an industry leader when it comes to customer service. When you choose ADP, you also get dedicated onboarding support.
ADP has led the payroll industry for over 75 years.
Integration
Connect and share data
ADP makes it easy to integrate payroll with hundreds of popular business software applications including ERPs, accounting solutions, time-tracking tools, point of sale (POS) systems, productivity platforms and more. See the full list here. And with ADP’s Pay-by-Pay® premium payment program, companies can streamline workers’ compensation premium payments to improve cash flow.4
Top FAQs about ADP vs. QuickBooks Payroll from Intuit
- Why should I choose ADP?
-
ADP stays on top of changing rules and legislation to help you comply with the latest payroll tax rules and regulations. We offer direct deposit and mobile payroll solutions that integrate with time and attendance tracking. We also automatically calculate deductions for taxes and retirement contributions, and provide expert support to help you stay compliant with regulations.
- How long does it take to get set up and start running ADP payroll?
-
As soon as you have a federal employer identification number (EIN), employee tax documents and a business bank account, with ADP, you can set up your payroll process. Simply log in from any device into your ADP account and begin entering your payroll information. To save time, you can also have employees enter their own information. Once you’ve confirmed your employee hours, you can then make any necessary adjustments, such as overtime, bonuses earned or contractor payments. View the demo for RUN Powered by ADP to see how quick and easy payroll can be.
- What services are included in pricing?
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ADP offers several affordable options depending on a company’s size as well as on its payroll and HR requirements, so you only pay for what you require. Compare packages for your business needs to decide which payroll plan fits best.
- How easy is it to switch payroll platforms?
-
Switching to ADP is easy because we transfer your employee data for you. We also provide helpful training to ensure a smooth and rapid transition. You don’t even have to wait for the start of a new quarter or a new year — ADP can support your switch anytime. See our guidebook, Switching Payroll Providers Made Easy, for step-by-step resources for switching payroll.
- What type of customer support is offered?
-
Accessing help from ADP’s certified, friendly and knowledgeable customer service representatives is easy. We offer 24/7 live support and clients can also email questions to the Payroll Center at any time. Whether you need help with implementation or payroll issues, we’ve got your back.
Looking for a new payroll provider?
Switch to RUN Powered by ADP for easy payroll and 24/7 service.
Your privacy is assured.
1. Information based on ADP internal research and is accurate as of April 10, 2025 and is subject to change.
2. G2 user review data from April 7, 2025.
3. Legal services are provided by Upnetic Legal Services powered by Legal Club® (of America), a third-party provider.
*Insurance products will be offered and sold only through ADPIA, its licensed agents or its licensed insurance partners; 1 ADP Blvd. Roseland, NJ 07068. CA license #0D04044. Licensed in 50 states. All services may not be available in all states.
**Only registered representatives of ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc. (Member FINRA), an affiliate of ADP, Inc, One ADP Blvd, Roseland, NJ, may offer and sell ADP retirement products or speak to retirement plan features and/or investment options available in any ADP retirement product.
ADP, Inc. and its affiliates do not offer investment, tax or legal advice to individuals. Nothing contained in this communication (or website) is intended to be, nor should be construed as, particularized advice or a recommendation or suggestion that you take or not take a particular action. ADP, Inc. and its affiliates are not affiliated with Gusto, Paychex, QuickBooks Payroll or SurePayroll.
ADPIA is a registered trademark of ADP, Inc.