Written by: Carolyn Young
Carolyn Young is a writer with over 25 years of experience in business in various roles, including bank management, marketing management, and business education.
Reviewed by: Daniel Eisner
Daniel Eisner is a payroll specialist with over a decade of practical experience in senior accounting positions.
Updated on July 14, 2023
Payroll is an absolutely crucial business process, and because it’s often complex and tedious many entrepreneurs rely on a professional payroll service to do the job.
Two of the leading online services to consider are ADP and Paycor. To help you determine which is better, and which might be best for you and your business, we have thoroughly reviewed their services by putting ourselves in the shoes of an entrepreneur.
Read on to make the choice that will keep your business on the surest path to success.
After a thorough assessment, we have determined that ADP offers the better value, though both services have similar offerings.
Explore ADP RUN PayrollPaycor also offers four plans. Their base plan includes full payroll services including tax filings. Their three upper-tier plans offer increasing levels of HR support and tools that are quite robust.
ADP has four plans, all of which include full payroll services and tax filings. Their upper tier plans offer quite a few HR tools as well.
All four of the ADP plans are custom priced. The base plan includes full payroll services and tax filings, while the three upper-tier plans offer various levels of HR tools and support.
The Paycor base plan is $99 per month plus $5 per employee per month and offers full service payroll.
The Paycor middle plan is $149 per month plus $5 per employee per month and offers the additional benefits of an HR resource center, a month end accounting package, and 401K integration.
Paycor’s upper plan is $199 per month plus $8 per employee per month and has the added benefits of Paycor HR and career management. The Paycor top-tier plan is $199 per month plus $14 per employee per month and offers more extensive HR resources and services.
Paycor’s top-tier plan is $199 per month plus $13 per employee per month and includes compensation management and talent management.
While it’s difficult to judge the value since ADP has custom pricing, ADP offers a bit more, with onboarding services included in their plan.
| ADP | Paycor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Custom | $99 per month plus $5 per employee per month |
| Payroll service and tax filings | Included | Included |
| Garnishments | Not included | Included |
| Reports | Included | Included |
| New hire filing | Included | Included |
| Auto payroll | Included | Not included |
| Direct deposit | Included | Included |
| New hire paperwork and onboarding | Included | Not included |
| Customer Support | Included | Included |
At this level, Paycor offers more than ADP in terms of HR support and tools.
| ADP | Paycor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Custom | $149 per month plus $5 per employee per month |
| Payroll service and tax filings | Included | Included |
| Garnishments | Included | Included |
| Reports | Included | Included |
| New hire filing | Included | Included |
| Auto payroll | Included | Not included |
| Direct deposit | Included | Included |
| New hire paperwork and onboarding | Included | Included |
| Customer Support | Included | Included |
| Poster Compliance | Included | Included |
| SUI management | Included | Not included |
| Background checks | Included | Not included |
| HR support center | Not included | Included |
| ime off manager | Not included | Included |
| Job costing | Not included | Included |
| 401K EDI and integration | Not included | Included |
Both of these plans offer valuable HR tools, but the ADP plan also offers SUI management.
| ADP | Paycor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Custom | $199 per month plus $8 per employee per month |
| Payroll service and tax filings | Included | Included |
| Garnishments | Included | Included |
| Reports | Included | Included |
| New hire filing | Included | Included |
| Auto payroll | Included | Not included |
| Direct deposit | Included | Included |
| New hire paperwork and onboarding | Included | Included |
| Customer Support | Included | Included |
| Poster Compliance | Included | Included |
| SUI management | Included | Not included |
| Background checks | Included | Not included |
| HR support center | Included | Included |
| Time off manager | Not included | Included |
| Job costing | Not included | Included |
| 401K EDI and integration | Not included | Included |
| Expense Management | Not included | Included |
| HR service | Documents and toolkits | Included |
| Career management service | Not included | Included |
| Employee handbook wizard | Included | Not included |
| Job description wizard | Included | Not included |
| HR tracking | Included | Not included |
Both of these plans offer extremely robust HR services and support.
| ADP | Paycor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Custom | $199 per month plus $14 per employee per month |
| Payroll service and tax filings | Included | Included |
| Garnishments | Included | Included |
| Reports | Included | Included |
| New hire filing | Included | Included |
| Auto payroll | Included | Not included |
| Direct deposit | Included | Included |
| New hire paperwork and onboarding | Included | Included |
| Customer Support | Included | Included |
| Poster Compliance | Included | Included |
| SUI management | Included | Not included |
| Background checks | Included | Included |
| HR support center | Included | Included |
| Time off manager | Not included | Included |
| Job costing | Not included | Included |
| 401K EDI and integration | Not included | Included |
| Expense Management | Not included | Included |
| HR service | Included | Included |
| Career management service | Not included | Included |
| Employee handbook wizard | Included | Not included |
| Job description wizard | Included | Not included |
| HR tracking | Included | Not included |
| Analytics | Not included | Included |
| Compensation management | Not included | Included |
| Talent management | Not included | Included |
| Employee assistance program | Included | Not included |
The ADP website is very user-friendly. Each of the four plans’ features are easy to locate and review and each feature is thoroughly explained.
ADP requires potential customers to submit a quote before purchasing services, so we tested the online quote process instead. First, we clicked on the blue Start Quote button at the top of the ADP homepage.
We then clicked on the No button under “Are you a current ADP client?”.
Next, we were given the option to be contacted or to schedule a call. We chose the Contact me option.
The next step prompted us to provide our zip code, number of employees, company name, and email address.
The last prompt asked for a full name and phone number. After clicking Get Pricing, we received a popup message that a representative would be in touch.
ADP’s mobile solutions give employees access to their payroll information and benefits on their smartphone. Employees can complete a variety of tasks, such as view their pay stubs, manage their time and attendance, and enter time-off requests. Employers can also access their account online through a safe and secure app and run payroll from anywhere.
The ADP web experience is very user-friendly and the quote process took just a few minutes to complete. Each ADP RUN payroll plan was clearly outlined and it was very easy to find detailed information on each plan feature.
However, it was rather difficult to find live customer assistance, as the chatbot is heavily automated and there’s no email feature for prospective customers. If you’re interested in speaking with a representative as you’re exploring the various plan options, calling customer service is your best bet.
The ADP chat feature is heavily automated. When we tried to engage the chat for support with questions as a potential customer, we were directed to a customer support page, which seemed like it was for existing customers only.
Support Rating:
Response time:
Reasonable
We decided to go through email and phone to get our questions answered. We learned that if you are an existing customer, live chat agents are available M-F 7:30am–10pm EST.
We called the ADP customer service number and reached a live representative within about two minutes. We asked if we could get a ballpark estimate on pricing for each of the plans. The representative was very polite and cordial and said that pricing needs to be provided by the sales team.
They asked if we’d like to be transferred to get a quote started, but we declined and said we would try completing one online instead. The call ended after we thanked the representative, who was not pushy and did not make a sales pitch or push us to stay on the line.
Support Rating:
Response time:
Reasonable
While there is email support available for ADP RUN customers, we were unable to locate an email support feature for prospective clients. However, we did receive an automated email once we completed our online quote:
Support Rating:
Response time:
Reasonable
The site is user-friendly. The plans are easy to find, with good detail on features and pricing. It’s laid out well and easy to understand.
The site also has a robust help center where you can get information on a variety of topics.
When you view all the packages, you have the option to select one to set up an account and unlock your three-month free trial.
Then you’ll be asked to enter your name, email, phone number, company name, and number of employees.
Once that’s done, you’re told that someone will reach out to you to continue the setup. Most other services allow you to immediately complete the setup yourself online.
We received a phone call within a few minutes, and then an email about scheduling a call.
Paycor has a mobile app for employers and employees. Employees can review their timecards, schedules, PTO, and pay stubs. Employers can manage employees from the app, reviewing timecards and schedules.
The app is great compared to competitors, most of which only have an app for employees.
The site is quite user-friendly, and information is easy to find. However, being unable to complete account setup online is less than ideal. Having to speak to someone to do so seems intrusive and will likely include upselling efforts.
We asked chat support if any of the plans offer healthcare administration. It took about one minute to get a reply, and the answer was that it can be added to any of the plans. We asked the price and were told to speak to a sales representative.
Support Rating:
Response time:
Immediate
We attempted to call customer support. A menu is offered when the call is answered, and you’re asked to enter a customer ID to speak to a representative or select that you’re a prospective customer and be routed to a salesperson.
Acting as a prospective customer, we asked the salesperson the same question about health care pricing. In response, she wanted to do a full interview to determine our needs, which we declined.
Support Rating:
Response time:
Very quick
Email support is not available.
Note that after giving our information during the signup process, we have received numerous sales emails and phone calls.
Support Rating:
Response time:
Reasonable
After a thorough assessment, we have determined that ADP offers the better value, though both have similar offerings. With ADP you might save money, and you’ll definitely get robust HR services. The main advantage of Paycor is their career and talent management services, but we feel that ADP offers more bang for your buck.
As a leading human resources advisory site, we take our responsibilities seriously. We understand that countless entrepreneurs, and potential entrepreneurs, rely on our judgments and insights, particularly when it comes to managing their business.
As a result, our writers do their utmost to gain a comprehensive understanding of the services offered and the actual customer experience. In this case, we:
Thanks to this full immersion in the actual customer experience, our reviewer and team are able to provide the most complete and insightful comparison of ADP and Paycor payroll services.
A payroll service handles the payroll process for you, making it nearly seamless and automated while offering additional services that can make life easier for a business owner. The service takes care of all the red tape so you can focus on building a successful business.
The Essential plan includes a robust suite of payroll services, including access to an online portal and mobile app, 24/7 customer support, and payroll tax filing. You’re also able to run electronic reports and have access to a comprehensive new hire reporting feature.
It also includes payroll delivery services, integrations with accounting software platforms, and the ability to set recurring payrolls that process automatically. All ADP plans also come with direct deposit capabilities as well as a direct debit card option from Wisely.
The Enhanced payroll plan from ADP includes everything from the Essential plan plus access to services from ZipRecruiter, state unemployment insurance assistance, and background checks. You will also get poster compliance services, wage garnishment payment services, and check signing and stuffing.
The Basic Plan offers full-service payroll including W-2s, 1099s, and tax filings. It also offers new hire verification and reporting.
The Essential Plan offers full payroll services and the added benefits of HR support, onboarding tools, and 401K administration.
Payroll is an absolutely crucial business process, and because it’s often complex and tedious many entrepreneurs rely on a professional payrollser ...
Payroll is an absolutely crucial business process, and because it’s often complex and tedious many entrepreneurs rely on a professional payrollser ...
Payroll is an absolutely crucial business process, and because it’s often complex and tedious many entrepreneurs rely on a professional payrollser ...