ADP RUN

Established payroll with deep compliance support

Visit ADP RUN โ†’
Price band Quote only
Rough cost Quote only; per-employee per-payroll pricing
Company size 1โ€“1,000 employees
Category Accounting

What ADP RUN is

ADP RUN is the conservative payroll choice: extensive compliance coverage, pay-as-you-go workers compensation, HR advisory services, and an organisation large enough to handle unusual situations. Contractors with multi-state crews or complex classifications often prefer that depth.

Best for

Contractors wanting established payroll with HR and compliance support

Watch out

Pricing is quote-based and typically higher than the newer providers, with fees for extras that competitors bundle.

What it does well

  • Deep multi-state compliance coverage
  • Pay-as-you-go workers compensation options
  • HR advisory and handbook services
  • Handles complex classification scenarios

Integrates with

QuickBooks ยท Time tracking apps ยท Accounting platforms

Integration lists change often and "integrates" can mean anything from a real two-way sync to a one-way push through Zapier. Ask the vendor which fields move, in which direction, and how often.

Before you commit

  • Pick what your accountant already works in unless you have a strong reason not to. Migration costs real money.
  • Job-level profit is the number to chase. Verify labour burden โ€” not just wage โ€” flows into job cost.
  • If you run crews across jurisdictions, check multi-state payroll tax handling before you commit.
  • Prevailing-wage or public work means certified payroll. Confirm it is supported natively.
  • Weekly categorisation habit beats any feature. Software makes bookkeeping faster, not automatic.

How to judge it in a trial

Run one real job through it end to end โ€” not the demo data. Quote it, schedule it, do it, invoice it, take the payment. Then ask the only question that matters on day 400: did the people who have to use this every day find it faster than what they do now? Friction you notice in week one compounds forever, and tool-hopping costs more than any feature gap.

Compare

Alternatives to ADP RUN

Other tools solving the same problem, for a similar kind of business.

Gusto

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Best for: Small and mid-size contractors who want payroll handled without a specialist

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Best for: Almost any home-service business that wants its books where its accountant can work

Wave

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Free accounting and invoicing for the smallest businesses

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Best for: Brand-new and part-time contractors with simple finances

Xero

$

Cloud accounting with unlimited users

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Best for: Contractors who want modern cloud accounting and multiple people in the books

Construction accounting with strong union and certified payroll

$3M+ revenue, 20+ staff

Best for: Contractors with union agreements, prevailing wage work, or multi-state payroll

Invoice-first accounting for very small operations

Solo to ~5 staff

Best for: Solo contractors and very small service businesses billing time and materials

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