ADP vs. QuickBooks: Discover the difference
When it comes to payroll and HR, ADP1 helps small businesses run faster and grow with confidence.
- Payroll, HR, benefits and compliance help all in one platform
- Support from real people, 24/7
- Flexible plans built around your needs
- Features that are ready to scale when you are
- Compare Providers:
- ADP vs. Gusto
- ADP vs. Paychex
- ADP vs. QuickBooks
- ADP vs. SurePayroll
So, why do small businesses choose ADP over QuickBooks?
QuickBooks and ADP can both handle your payroll, but only ADP is built for everything that comes next: HR, compliance help, benefits2,3 and support that grows with your business.
Built-in HR and compliance
HR and compliance help come standard here
QuickBooks doesn’t offer the same level of built-in HR and compliance depth that ADP does. With ADP, payroll, people and compliance help work together in one platform, supported by proactive alerts, pre-built handbooks, background checks, benefits administration and hiring tools powered by ZipRecruiter®4.
24/7 Support
When you need help, we pick up – day or night
QuickBooks doesn’t offer 24/7 live payroll support, and longer support hours are limited to higher-tier plans. ADP gives every customer round-the-clock access to real payroll experts who know the needs of small businesses and can help resolve issues fast. No upgrades. No runaround. Just help when you need it.
Flexible pricing
Pricing that fits — not forces — your business
Your small business isn’t static, and your payroll and HR shouldn’t be either. ADP offers flexible plans that adapt as your needs change, not rigid tiers that make you pay more for the basics. Start simple, add HR and benefits when you’re ready and stay in control of your budget along the way. It’s payroll that grows with you, not against you.
Scalability
A platform with room to grow
QuickBooks can hit limits as your people management needs change. ADP centralizes multi-state payroll, benefits2,3 and compliance without third-party workarounds. Plus, you get dedicated onboarding support, integrated tax-registration tools and a built-in employee-handbook wizard for smoother operations from day one.
ADP delivers more right from the start
ADP goes beyond the basics with features built for every stage of business. Compare below to see how ADP stacks up against Gusto (and why more small businesses choose ADP).
 ADP |
QuickBooks6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | ||
| Advanced State Unemployment Insurance management tools (claim responses, benefit payments review, best practices consulting) |  Offered |
not offered |
| Convenient mobile app for payroll and HR | Offered |
not offered |
| 24/7 live support across all bundles | Offered |
not offered |
| Dedicated new client onboarding support for small businesses of all sizes | Offered |
not offered |
| Register with tax agencies in all 50 states (does not require third-party partner) | Offered |
not offered |
| Award-winning (Titan Award, Stevie Award, Globeee Award) portal access that connects your accountant to your payroll | Offered |
not offered |
| General Ledger (GL) mapping with key accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, etc.) | Offered |
not offered |
| Rated #1 small business software by G2 in 2025 | Offered |
not offered |
| G2 rating peer review 4.5 (of 5) stars or higher | Offered |
not offered |
| Over 75 years of payroll experience | Offered |
not offered |
| HR & Business | ||
| Employee handbook wizard, pre-populated for your state/jurisdiction (no third-party partner required) | Offered |
not offered |
| Online courses (and completion tracking) on sexual harassment and abusive conduct, HR compliance, and much more | Offered |
not offered |
| Printed labor law posters at no additional fee (QuickBooks charges extra) | Offered |
not offered |
| Employee discount program for brand-name products and daily essentials. | Offered |
not offered |
| Hiring via ZipRecruiter®4 | Offered |
not offered |
| Applicant tracking system to help manage the end-to-end hiring process | Offered |
not offered |
| Background checks for prospective hires | Offered |
not offered |
| Access to free and discounted legal services (provided by third party)7 | Offered |
not offered |
See RUN Powered by ADP® in action
Click through our self-led demo to see how easy payroll and HR can be.
Clients who made the switch to ADP
What small businesses say
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
What small businesses say
When we started, we used QuickBooks to do payroll. I had to go to all these different websites to keep up with my records and filings, and it didn’t have any of the helpful features you’d expect from a payroll provider. A lot of people told me to switch to ADP, so I gave it a try — and I loved it.
Dontae Greenfield Co-owner, Solid Source Healthcare Resources
What small businesses say
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
What small businesses say
We were using QuickBooks to run payroll and On the Clock for time and attendance… this entire process took several days and two people. For me, time is money. And now, payroll is hassle and time free.
Jacqueline Sanchez Office Manager, Beach Family Medicine
What small businesses say
Employers don’t understand the value of ADP until they have someone that works in HR and can show them the difference between using just QuickBooks and using ADP.
Laura Barbieri Corporate Director of People Operations, SAUCE Miami
Over 900,000 small businesses count on ADP
ADP gives small businesses the tools and support to run easier today and grow stronger tomorrow.
4 out of 5
customers who switched from QuickBooks payroll say ADP is easier to use.
22 minutes
average time savings per payroll of customers who switched from QuickBooks 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
FAQs about ADP vs. QuickBooks
Why should my business choose ADP over QuickBooks?
QuickBooks is great for getting payroll started, but ADP gives you more as your business grows, including HR, compliance, benefits2,3 and live payroll support available in every plan. You get one connected system that helps you manage your people, not just their paychecks.
Is it easy to switch to ADP from QuickBooks?
Yes. You don’t have to wait until year-end or start from scratch. ADP helps transfer your employee and payroll data, walks you through setup and provides dedicated onboarding support to help your first payroll run smoothly.
How does ADP pricing work?
While QuickBooks uses fixed tiers with different feature sets and support levels, ADP offers flexible payroll and HR plans based on your size and needs. And since tax filing and compliance support are built in, you often get more value for the cost.
Does ADP make payroll easier to run?
Yes. ADP’s software is designed for small businesses, with simple automation, AI-enabled features and mobile access that lets you run payroll and taxes in minutes from any device. We also provide reminders and support to help you with your compliance challenges as your business grows.
How fast can I get started with ADP?
Once you have your EIN, tax documents and bank account, you can begin running payroll right away. Our automated solution is designed for simplicity, so you can process payroll in just minutes from any device. Dedicated onboarding specialists are available to guide you through setup.
Is ADP easy for small businesses to use?
Absolutely. ADP is built to be user-friendly, even if you’re not an HR or payroll expert. The dashboard is simple and intuitive, so you can run payroll in just a few clicks. Clear prompts guide you through tasks like adding employees or handling deductions and employees get their own easy-to-use self-service tools.
Does ADP include HR tools and benefits?
It does. ADP includes built-in HR support like handbook templates, compliance alerts and retirement3, as well as recruiting tools through ZipRecruiter. Through ADPIA2, an ADP affiliate, you can also access workers’ comp, health and that connect directly to payroll.
Can I keep using QuickBooks for accounting if I switch to ADP for payroll?
Yes. ADP integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks Online, along with hundreds of other accounting, POS and time-tracking tools, so your payroll data syncs automatically without double entry.
Is ADP right for small businesses?
Absolutely. ADP works with more than 900,000 small businesses and is built to grow with you. Whether you have one employee or fifty, you get the same simple payroll experience, flexible plans and expert support.
- Unless otherwise noted, the information on this page pertains to RUN Powered by ADP®.
- Internal survey of 3,099 RUN Powered by ADP® customers in 2025
- Information based on ADP internal research and is accurate as of October 7, 2025 and is subject to change.
- ZipRecruiter is a registered trademark of ZipRecruiter, Inc.
- Legal services are provided by Upnetic Legal Services, a third-party provider.
- Automatic Data Processing Insurance Agency, Inc. (ADPIA) is an affiliate of ADP, Inc. All insurance products will be offered and sold only through Automatic Data Processing Insurance Agency, Inc., its licensed agents or its licensed insurance partners, 1 ADP Blvd., Roseland, NJ 07068. CA license #0D04044. Licensed in 50 states. Certain services may not be available in all states.