Compare/Alternatives

ADP RUN alternatives

4 tools our write-ups put next to ADP RUN, with starting price, free tier, MCP and API side by side.

ADP RUN from Sales-quotedAPI

Closest alternatives

The short answer

Gusto : Small-business payroll with a clearer public rate card. From $49/mo
SurePayroll : Payroll from $29/mo plus a per-worker fee. From $29/mo + $7/worker
Patriot Payroll : Lower printed payroll rate with a 30-day trial. From $17/mo + $4/worker
ADP Workforce Now : ADP's mid-market HCM when RUN is too small. From Sales-quoted

Why people look past ADP RUN

Package dollars are a quote. Free months offers are signup discounts on a signed order, not a product trial, and the terms change from time to time.

What we noted

No public package dollars
Promo months are not a trial
Wrong fit past small-business scale

Not the right fit for

Buyers who need a public per-employee rate
Mid-market teams that need Workforce Now

Worth keeping in mind: ADP Assist flags payroll errors and answers questions using your company's own payroll data.

ADP RUN alternatives compared

Tool	Free tier	From	MCP	API	Head to head
ADP RUN (the one you are on)	–No	Sales-quoted	–No	✓Yes
Gusto Small-business payroll with a clearer public rate card.	–No	$49/mo	✓Yes	✓Yes	Head to head
SurePayroll Payroll from $29/mo plus a per-worker fee.	–No	$29/mo + $7/worker	–No	–No	Head to head
Patriot Payroll Lower printed payroll rate with a 30-day trial.	–No	$17/mo + $4/worker	–No	–No	Head to head
ADP Workforce Now ADP's mid-market HCM when RUN is too small.	–No	Sales-quoted	✓Yes	✓Yes	Head to head

What each one does differently

Gusto

$49/mo MCP API

Why it comes up: Small-business payroll with a clearer public rate card.

Stands out: Payroll sitting next to HR for US small companies, with a first-party MCP.

Watch out: It is US-only, so it is not a route to hiring people in other countries.

Best for

US small companies running payroll in-house
HR teams that want benefits next to pay
Desks that want MCP on payroll data

4.6 on Capterra from 4,225 reviews

Read the Gusto write-up ADP RUN vs Gusto

SurePayroll

$29/mo + $7/worker

Why it comes up: Payroll from $29/mo plus a per-worker fee.

Stands out: A $29 base with tax filing in the product, plus a $9.99/mo add-on for extra states.

Watch out: Free months are a promo, not a numbered trial. Multi-state payroll is $9.99/mo extra. Nanny plan is $39/mo.

Best for

US small employers that want full-service taxes
Single-state teams starting at $29 plus $7 per worker
Households paying a nanny on the $39 plan

Read the SurePayroll write-up ADP RUN vs SurePayroll

Patriot Payroll

$17/mo + $4/worker 30 day free trial

Why it comes up: Lower printed payroll rate with a 30-day trial.

Stands out: The lowest printed full-service-adjacent US payroll base: $17 plus $4, or Full Service at $37 plus $5.

Watch out: 50 percent off for three months is a promo, not the ongoing rate. Full Service is $37 plus $5 per worker if you want the vendor to handle more tax work.

Best for

US micro-businesses that want the $17 Basic rate
Owners willing to do more payroll work to save
Teams that will take 30 days free before paying

Read the Patriot Payroll write-up ADP RUN vs Patriot Payroll

ADP Workforce Now

Sales-quoted MCP API

Why it comes up: ADP's mid-market HCM when RUN is too small.

Stands out: One ADP suite for payroll, talent, time, and benefits aimed at companies that have outgrown starter payroll.

Watch out: There is no public per employee menu. Implementation and modules are scoped in a sales cycle, and API and MCP access need the separately billed API Central add on.

Best for

US mid-market employers consolidating payroll and HR
Teams that already bank with ADP payroll tax filing
HR leaders who want time and benefits in the same suite

Read the ADP Workforce Now write-up ADP RUN vs ADP Workforce Now

Common questions

What is the best ADP RUN alternative?

It depends on what sent you looking. We compare 4 alternatives to ADP RUN: Gusto, SurePayroll, Patriot Payroll and ADP Workforce Now. Each one's "Why it comes up" line says what it does differently, and the table above shows all 4 on price, free tier, MCP and API.

What is the cheapest ADP RUN alternative?

Of the published starting prices here, Patriot Payroll is lowest at $17/mo + $4/worker. Starting price is the entry plan, not the seat count you will end up on, so read the plan table on each listing.

Which ADP RUN alternatives have an MCP server?

Gusto and ADP Workforce Now ship a first party MCP server, so you can drive them from Claude or ChatGPT without building against the API yourself.

Keep looking

Back to the ADP RUN write-up Every HRIS tool we list Search the whole directory

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?