ADP alternatives: where to move your payroll, and how to switch cleanly
Five payroll services, one per reason to leave, and an eight-step switch plan.
The short answer: OnPay if you want full-service tax filing at a clear monthly price, with free data migration and no setup fees; QuickBooks Payroll if your books already live in QuickBooks; Rippling if you want payroll inside a wider HR and IT platform; Square Payroll if your staff clock in on Square; Patriot Payroll if you want the lowest full-service price. One thing first: every ADP RUN tier (Essential, Enhanced, Complete, HR Pro) says "Get pricing." You can only compare once you have ADP's quote in hand. We compared these five services and reread their official pricing pages in 2026.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Why businesses leave ADP, and why some stay
ADP isn't a bad payroll company. It's built for scale: Workforce Now serves midsize companies, and ADP also sells international payroll. If you run a multi-country group, you'll find fewer real alternatives. Small businesses on RUN leave for other reasons, and they come up again and again.
No price until you talk to sales
All four RUN tiers send you to "Get pricing." You can't check whether your quote is fair without collecting others. Every alternative on this page publishes at least a starting price, most of them per person per month.
Paying for more than you use
A common complaint from small shops: you pay for an infrastructure you don't use, or can't use. Former customers also describe the setup as complex. Reviewers who left RUN often say the same thing: fine for big businesses, too much for what a small team needs.
Extra fees that show up later
Customers report add-on charges for reports and services they assumed were included. Ask for a written list of what your quote includes, report by report.
Support that's hard to reach
Long hold times and rotating contacts are the most common complaints. On the largest public review platform, adp.com scores 1.2 out of 5 across more than 3,000 reviews, with 49% at one star. That rating covers every country and product, so read it as a signal on support, not on payroll accuracy.
Invoices after you cancel
Several customers say they kept getting invoices months after closing their account. Treat cancellation like a project: get written confirmation, note the end-of-service date, and watch your bank account for a few months.
Filing mistakes land on you
Some customers describe quarterly tax filings that went wrong and took months to fix. Whoever files, you remain the employer of record, and penalties are addressed to you. Whichever service you pick, check every quarterly filing in the first year.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right ADP alternative depends on what's pushing you out. Find your line, then read the card.
$49 a month plus $6 per worker, free data migration.
Your bookkeeping already runs on QuickBooksQuickBooks PayrollPayroll and accounting in one subscription.
You want payroll, HR and devices in one placeRipplingPlatform from $8 per employee per month, payroll on quote.
Your team clocks in on a Square point of saleSquare PayrollTimecards and tips flow straight into payroll.
You want the lowest full-service pricePatriot Payroll$37 a month plus $5 per worker, filings included.
You pay employees in several countriesStay with ADPInternational payroll is where ADP has the fewest real rivals.
ADP alternatives, one by one
For each service: why switch to it, who it fits, its limit, how to move your data, and its price. Two names you'll see elsewhere aren't ranked here. Gusto is a popular choice, but we couldn't read its current plans on an official page this year, so we don't quote prices for it; check its pricing page directly. Paychex doesn't publish a price either, so it solves nothing for someone leaving ADP over pricing. For the full field, see our best payroll software guide.
OnPay: full service with free migration
Easiest switchWhy switch to OnPay. The switch is where most of the pain sits, and OnPay takes it on: "Free data migration's on us," with no implementation or integration fees. One plan, one price, so there are no tiers to decode.
Who it's for. Small businesses that want federal, state and local tax filings handled, W-2s and 1099s produced, and employees in several states without paying more for it. Multi-state payroll is included.
Who it's not for. Companies that want payroll, HR and IT devices in one platform: Rippling covers more ground.
Its limit. It's a single plan. If you only need payroll for two contractors, you pay the same base fee as a team of twenty.
How to switch. Ask OnPay to handle the data migration, and give them your ADP payroll registers, year-to-date totals and tax account numbers. Check the migrated totals for three employees with different pay setups before you run the first live payroll.
Its price. $49 a month plus $6 per worker, with tax filings, W-2s and 1099s included.
- Price
- $49/mo + $6/worker
- Migration
- free
- Best for
- multi-state small teams
- Limit
- one plan only
QuickBooks Payroll: when your books already live in QuickBooks
Best with accountingWhy switch to QuickBooks Payroll. If your accountant already works in QuickBooks Online, payroll in the same place means wages post straight into your books. No more reconciling ADP reports by hand. Intuit says it will "calculate, file, and pay your payroll taxes for you."
Who it's for. Small businesses that run their bookkeeping on QuickBooks and want one bill and one login.
Who it's not for. Businesses that use other accounting software: the bundles include a QuickBooks accounting plan, so you'd pay for something you don't need.
Its limit. The prices look high next to OnPay or Patriot because the accounting plan is in them. Compare against what you pay today for ADP plus your accounting software, not ADP alone. Intuit often runs introductory discounts: ask for the regular price before you sign.
How to switch. Connect payroll to your existing QuickBooks file, enter year-to-date totals per employee, and check that wage and tax accounts map to your chart of accounts before the first run.
Its price. Payroll plus Simple Start: $88 a month plus $6.50 per employee. Plus Essentials: $125 plus $6.50. Premium plus Plus: $203 plus $10.
- Price
- from $88/mo + $6.50/employee
- Includes
- QuickBooks accounting
- Best for
- QuickBooks users
- Limit
- pricey without the books
Rippling: payroll inside an HR and IT platform
Best for growing teamsWhy switch to Rippling. If you left ADP because you were stitching together payroll, HR and IT tools, Rippling puts them in one platform. Employee data lives in one place and feeds everything else.
Who it's for. Growing companies that onboard people often and want payroll, HR and device management connected. It's the closest match on this page to ADP Workforce Now in breadth.
Who it's not for. A small business that just wants paychecks out on time. You'd pay for modules you don't use, which is one of the reasons people leave ADP.
Its limit. Rippling publishes a platform starting price, but payroll is "Contact us for a custom quote," and the monthly base fee isn't listed. You're back to a quote, as with ADP.
How to switch. Ask the sales team for a written migration plan covering year-to-date totals, tax accounts and the cutover date, and for the full quote with the base fee, before you give notice to ADP.
Its price. Plans start at $8 per employee per month plus a monthly base fee; payroll on custom quote.
- Price
- from $8/employee/mo + base fee
- Payroll
- custom quote
- Best for
- HR plus IT in one place
- Limit
- no public payroll price
Square Payroll: for teams that clock in on Square
Best for shops and restaurantsWhy switch to Square Payroll. If your business already takes payments on Square, timecards and tips from Square POS import into payroll. Fewer manual entries, fewer mistakes on tipped wages.
Who it's for. Shops, cafés and restaurants that already run on Square. Square says it calculates, withholds and files all federal payroll taxes for you, with federal and state filings in the full-service plan.
Who it's not for. Businesses that don't use Square for payments. You lose the main advantage, and other services on this page offer more payroll features for a similar price.
Its limit. The contractor-only plan, at $6 per person, doesn't include tax filings. Make sure you pick full service if you have employees.
How to switch. Turn on payroll in the Payroll section of your Square Dashboard, add employees with their year-to-date totals from ADP, and check that timecards from the POS match your last ADP run.
Its price. Full service: $35 a month plus $6 per person paid. Contractor-only: $6 per person.
- Price
- $35/mo + $6/person
- Tax filing
- full-service plan only
- Best for
- Square POS users
- Limit
- little reason without Square
Patriot Payroll: the lowest full-service price
Cheapest full serviceWhy switch to Patriot. On price alone, Patriot is hard to beat: full service starts at $37 a month plus $5 per worker, with federal, state and local deposits and filings handled.
Who it's for. Small businesses in one state that want payroll done right and nothing more. The Basic plan, at $17 a month plus $4 per worker, suits owners who prefer to file taxes themselves.
Who it's not for. Teams spread across many states: each additional state costs $12 a month. It's also not the place for a broad HR suite.
Its limit. Basic doesn't file taxes for you. Coming from ADP, where filings were included, that's a step back unless you choose Full Service.
How to switch. Switch at the start of a quarter if you can, so Patriot files a full quarter. Bring your ADP payroll registers and year-to-date totals per worker.
Its price. Full Service: $37 a month plus $5 per worker, $12 a month per additional state. Basic: $17 a month plus $4 per worker.
- Price
- $37/mo + $5/worker
- Extra state
- $12/mo each
- Best for
- single-state small business
- Limit
- Basic files nothing
ADP and 5 alternatives side by side
Our default pick: OnPay for most small businesses, QuickBooks Payroll if you're already on QuickBooks, Patriot if price comes first.
| Starting price | Tax filing and switch | |
|---|---|---|
| ADP RUNWhere you start | Get pricing (all four tiers) | Included; ask what costs extra |
| OnPayEasiest switch | $49/mo + $6/worker | Federal, state and local; free migration |
| QuickBooks PayrollWith accounting | $88/mo + $6.50/employee | Calculates, files and pays taxes |
| RipplingHR and IT | From $8/employee/mo + base fee | Payroll on custom quote |
| Square PayrollSquare POS | $35/mo + $6/person | Federal and state on full service |
| Patriot PayrollLowest price | $37/mo + $5/worker | Full Service only; $12/mo per extra state |
Monthly prices in US dollars before tax, subject to change and to introductory discounts. Always price your real headcount.
Switching from ADP in eight steps
The order matters. Each step protects one thing: your history, your employees' totals, or your tax filings.
Pick a switch date at the start of a quarter
Weeks aheadJanuary 1 is the cleanest date: no year-to-date totals to carry over. Next best is the first payroll of a quarter, so the new service files a whole quarter of Form 941 and state returns.
Then work backwards. Your switch date sets your notice deadline with ADP. Read your own agreement for the term, the renewal clause and the notice period, and cancel in writing.
- Best
- January 1
- Next best
- quarter start
Get your data out of ADP in writing
Before you cancelAsk ADP, in writing, what it will hand over and in what format: payroll registers, year-to-date totals per employee, quarterly filings and past W-2s. Archives can be slow or costly to recover once access ends.
Open every file before you send the cancellation. An export you can't read on the day your login stops working is history you've lost.
- Get
- registers, YTD, filings
- Trap
- access cut too early
List everything payroll touches
Week 1Employees and contractors, pay rates, deductions, benefits, paid time off balances, direct deposit details, and any integration with your accounting or time tracking.
Don't forget your state tax accounts: the state withholding account number and the state unemployment insurance account number (and its current rate) in every state where you have employees. The new provider needs them to file in your name; without them, state returns stall.
Anything you don't list won't move. One line per item, with its equivalent in the new service, becomes your cutover checklist.
- State accounts
- withholding and unemployment IDs
- Risk if rushed
- missed deduction
Load year-to-date totals exactly
Mid-year onlyIf you switch mid-year, every employee's wages, taxes withheld and deductions since January must be entered to the cent. Year-end W-2s are built from these totals.
An error doesn't always show right away. Reconcile each employee's totals against the last ADP pay stub before you run anything live.
- Check
- employee by employee
- Feeds
- W-2s at year-end
Run one payroll in parallel
First pay periodRun the same pay period in ADP and in the new service, and compare net pay, taxes and deductions line by line. It isn't mandatory, but it's the cheapest insurance you'll find.
If ADP is already closed, compare against the last ADP payroll for a similar period, without bonuses.
- Required
- no
- Recommended
- yes
Agree who files what for the switch quarter
Switch quarterGet it in writing: who files the quarterly return for the quarter you switch in, and who produces the W-2s for the year. Gaps and double filings both happen when nobody owns the question.
Whoever files, you stay responsible as the employer, so keep copies of every filing.
- Owner
- named in writing
- Keep
- copies of every filing
Tell your team and check direct deposit
Before first runEmployees will get new pay stubs and a new login. Tell them a week before the first payroll, and ask them to check their bank details in the new portal.
Watch the first direct deposit closely: a wrong account number is the support ticket you can avoid.
- Notice
- a week ahead
- Check
- bank details
Close ADP and watch your bank account
Following monthsKeep the written confirmation of cancellation and the end-of-service date. Customers report invoices arriving months after they left, so check your statements for a few months.
Archive your ADP exports somewhere you control, not in the old account.
- Keep
- cancellation in writing
- Watch
- bank statements
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
What makes an ADP switch go wrong
The same mistakes come up switch after switch. None of them is technical at the start: they're about timing and checking.
Cancelling before you have your archives
Once access is gone, getting registers and filings back can be slow or paid. Export, open and check first.
Moving employees without their totals
Names and pay rates move easily. Without year-to-date totals, the W-2s at year-end will be wrong.
Trusting a clean import
An import with no error message can still hold wrong numbers. Only a comparison with the last ADP pay stub tells you.
Switching mid-quarter in a hurry
A switch decided in a rush, in the middle of a quarter, splits filings between two providers. Wait for the next quarter if you can.
Comparing base prices only
A $35 or $49 base hides add-ons: extra states, priority support, time tracking. Price your real setup, headcount included.
Forgetting your accountant
New payroll means new reports and new journal entries. Tell your accountant before the first run, not at year-end. If your accountant runs payroll for clients, our guide to payroll software for accountants shows what firms use.
- Term, renewal and notice period read in your ADP agreement
- Written request for your data, format and cost
- Registers, YTD totals and past filings exported and opened
- Switch date set at a quarter start
- Deductions, benefits and PTO balances listed
- YTD totals reconciled employee by employee
- One payroll run in parallel
- Owner of the switch-quarter filings named in writing
- Employees told and bank details checked
- ADP cancellation confirmed in writing
ADP alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to ADP for a small business?
For most small businesses, OnPay: full-service payroll at $49 a month plus $6 per worker, with the price on its website, free data migration and multi-state filing included. Patriot is cheaper if you're in one state. Our guide to small business payroll software ranks more options.
How much does ADP payroll cost?
ADP doesn't publish it: Essential, Enhanced, Complete and HR Pro all say "Get pricing." Your quote depends on headcount and options. Customers report that a competing quote often makes ADP's price move, so collect two before you negotiate or leave.
Is OnPay cheaper than ADP?
Usually, but you can only be sure with ADP's quote in hand, since ADP gives no public price. OnPay costs $49 a month plus $6 per worker with tax filings, W-2s and 1099s included. Compare that total with your ADP invoice for the same headcount. Our payroll software ranking lists other options at similar prices.
Can I switch payroll providers in the middle of the year?
Yes, as long as each employee's year-to-date wages, taxes and deductions are carried over exactly, since the W-2s depend on them. The start of a quarter is the cleanest point mid-year, because one provider then files the whole quarter.
Who files my W-2s if I leave ADP mid-year?
Usually the new provider, using the year-to-date totals you load. Don't assume it: agree in writing who produces the W-2s and the return for the switch quarter, and keep copies of everything ADP filed before you left.
Which ADP alternative is best for restaurants and retail?
Square Payroll if you already take payments on Square, since timecards and tips from the POS feed payroll. Full service costs $35 a month plus $6 per person. Without Square, OnPay or Patriot offer more for a similar price.
Is there an ADP alternative with no setup fee?
Yes. OnPay states no implementation or integration fees and free data migration. Square and Patriot publish their monthly prices; ask them in writing whether any setup fee applies before you sign.
What should I ask ADP before I cancel?
Your notice period and renewal terms, what data it will export and in what format, whether that export costs anything, and the exact end-of-service date. Get each answer in writing, then watch your bank account for a few months after you leave.
Get the next switch guide in your inbox
One tool to leave, one destination, one switch plan. Nothing else.
