Head to head
RUN Powered by ADP vs QuickBooks Online
Both platforms are scored with the same methodology and the same category rubric. Nothing on this page is influenced by advertising.
51/100 | 70/100Higher score | |
|---|---|---|
| Category rank | #5 | #1 |
| Confidence | High confidence | High confidence |
| External Reputation | 89 | 80 |
| AI Authority | 24 | 73 |
| Web Authority | 25 | 57 |
| Expert Assessment | 56 | 62 |
| TOP10 User Score | — | — |
| Pricing | Not published — third-party outlets (tech.co Jan 2026, business.com May 2026) report Essential from $79/month + $4 per employee, unconfirmed by ADP · free tier: None published | USD $38/month (Simple Start, 1 user; promo $3.80/mo for 3 months) · free tier: 30-day free trial, offered as an alternative to a 90%-off-for-three-months promotion |
| Pricing model | Subscription (custom quote; base fee plus per-employee, per third-party reports) | Subscription |
| Best for | US small businesses of roughly 5–49 employees that prioritise reliable multi-state tax filing and 24/7 phone support over price transparency, and expect to add HR services later. | US small businesses of roughly 3-25 people that already need double-entry accounting — inventory, job costing, sales tax, an external accountant — and want invoicing to live in the same ledger. |
| Avoid if | You need a published price to budget or compare, employ only 1–4 people, need a true HRIS with effective-dated records and deep HR reporting, or expect to outgrow the small-business tier soon given reported migration friction. | You are a freelancer or solo operator who only sends invoices, you need batch invoice sending without paying $340/mo, or you require a firm all-in monthly cost including card-processing fees. |
| Markets | SMB (1–49 employees) | SMB, Accountants |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
A higher TOP SCORE means more of the evidence favours that platform on this methodology — it is not a recommendation, and it does not account for your specific requirements. Advertisers are never declared the winner of a comparison.