Compare/Head to head

ADP RUN vs ADP Workforce Now

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

ADP RUN

Sales-quoted

Small-business payroll and HR from ADP, in Essential, Enhanced, Complete, and HR Pro packages. Sales-quoted.

Where ADP RUN fits

  • US small businesses that want ADP to file taxes
  • Owners who run payroll on a phone
  • Shops that also want hiring and benefits add-ons
  • Teams connecting payroll to Clover POS

ADP Workforce Now

Sales-quoted

Mid-market HCM for payroll, HR, time, and benefits. Pricing is sales-quoted.

Where ADP Workforce Now fits

  • 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
  • Companies willing to run an implementation project

At a glance

DetailADP RUNADP Workforce Now
Starting priceSales-quotedSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
MCP server–No✓Yes
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underHRIS, PayrollBenefits administration, HR compliance, HRIS, Payroll, Time & attendance

Where they pull apart

ADP RUN

Stands out: ADP Assist flags payroll errors and answers questions using your company's own payroll data.

Watch out: 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.

Not the right fit for

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

ADP Workforce Now

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.

Not the right fit for

  • Five-person shops that want a published $29 payroll plan
  • Buyers who need same-day self-serve checkout

Pros and cons

ADP RUN

  • Tax filing across all 50 states
  • ADP Assist flags payroll errors
  • Four packages from payroll to HR
  • No public package dollars
  • Promo months are not a trial
  • Wrong fit past small-business scale

ADP Workforce Now

  • Payroll, HR, time, and benefits together
  • ADP tax filing network
  • Built for mid-market, not only enterprise
  • No public per-employee prices
  • Implementation is a project
  • Not a lightweight ATS

What each one costs

ADP RUN

Sales-quoted

Sales-quoted. Essential, Enhanced, Complete, and HR Pro are named packages with a Get Pricing CTA, and ADP says a per payroll processing fee is most common. ADP often runs free months offers for new clients, which are signup discounts on a signed order, not a trial. Dollars depend on headcount, pay frequency, and add-ons. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

ADP Workforce Now

Sales-quoted

Sales-quoted. No public rate card on the vendor site. Modules cover payroll, HR, time, talent, and benefits. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Can you try ADP RUN or ADP Workforce Now for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.
Does ADP RUN or ADP Workforce Now have an MCP server?
ADP Workforce Now ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All ADP RUN alternatives All ADP Workforce Now alternatives Every HRIS tool

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