If you are looking for HR software to manage your business, then you must have come across two popular names: ADP and Workday. But which one of them is better?
It can be quite hard to keep track of your employees and their life cycle in your organization. But thanks to useful HR management tools, all the processes, right from recruitment to retirement, can be taken care of.
In this guide, let us explore how ADP and Workday compare with each other and see which one of the two is better for your business.
ADP Overview
ADP is a cloud-based payroll software service that was founded in 1949 and has served over a million customers to date.
The platform offers a variety of payroll and HR services, including compliance, tax, time and attendance tools, talent management tools, insurance and retirement services, HR BPO, etc.
ADP caters to plenty of industries, including retail, manufacturing, hospitality, construction, and more. Additionally, it also offers employee background checks, and we all know how important is employee screening.
For businesses of different sizes, ADP has three different kinds of plans, including:
- ADP RUN – Suitable for HR and payroll for small businesses
- ADP Workforce Now – Suitable for HR and payroll for small to medium-sized businesses
- ADP Vantage – Best for HCM and payroll for enterprise clients
Although ADP has three different types of plans, it is most ideal for mid-sized and large-sized businesses.
Workday Overview
Workday is another leading cloud-based human capital management and financial management software that allows businesses to manage everything right from recruiting, onboarding, training, payroll, and whatnot.
In addition. This software can be used to streamline payroll with other features such as career pathing, employee feedback, benefits, and other employee management tools.
This cloud-based software is suited for businesses with more than 200 employees, and it does not offer a free trial.
ADP Vs Workday: Comparison
Now that we have given you an overview of ADP and Workday, let us now look at the differences between these two platforms:
ADP Vs Workday Features Comparison
| Features | ADP Workforce Now | Workday HCM |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom | Custom |
| Free trial | Up to 3 months | None |
| Unlimited payroll runs | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic tax filing | Yes | No |
| Global payroll | Add-on feature | Third-party provider |
| Benefits administration | Yes | Yes |
| Ideal customer company size | Small and midsize | Midsize and large |
Additional Features:
ADP
- Tax reporting (W-2s and 1099)
- Automated direct deposit
- Employee health benefits (available in 50 states)
- 24/7 customer support
- HR tools
- Mobile app
- New hire reporting
Workday
- Solid HR management tools
- Full control over payroll
- Talent oversight
- Employee engagement tools
- Detailed analytics
- Recruitment and onboarding
As you can see, both platforms are quite useful and offer different features for different purposes, so we leave it to you to decide which one of the two you think is most suited for your business.
Ease Of Use
ADP
ADP has a sorted and robust interface. The how-to guides on this platform help you get the hang of all the features with ease.
Although ADP has plenty of features, they are not that complicated or difficult to operate and understand.
Workday
Workday has so many features and functionality that sometimes it gets difficult to put them to use. This platform has the tendency to complicate even simple tasks.
For example, many customer reviews mention that Workday has so many features that smaller businesses that do not need such exhaustive functionality get confused while carrying out simple tasks such as employee onboarding or timesheet approvals.
Since ADP is much easier to use, it is clearly the winner in this regard.
Winner: ADP
Price & Plans
ADP Price & Plans
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Essential | $59 per month plus $4 per employee, per month |
| Enhanced | Custom pricing |
| Complete | Custom pricing |
| HR Pro | Custom pricing |
| Set up fee | Extra fee |
Workday Price & Plans
Workday has a custom pricing for each business. So, in order to find the cost of using Workday, you will have to fill out a form on Workday’s website.
A sales agent will then get in touch with you to offer you information about the pricing.
Neither of the software discloses its price, except for ADP’s essential plan. ADP offers three kinds of plans for businesses of different sizes. Whereas, Workday offers a customized plan based on different businesses.
So you can talk to the team of both platforms, and we leave it to you to decide which one of the two you like most.
Integrations
ADP
So ADP integrates with plenty of third-party software, allowing you to integrate and work on your existing software and systems.
Some of the software ADP integrates with include ClockShark, Quickbooks, GoodHire, Slack, Oracle, etc.
Workday
Workday also offers similar integration to that of ADP and integrates with over 170 solutions across different functions.
Additionally, Workday also offers various integration classifications based on how advanced the integration is.
We like Workday a bit more than ADP because, unlike ADP, Workday’s integration classification helps businesses understand which software integration will work best for them.
Winner: Workday
Pros & cons
The Pros & Cons of ADP
Pros
- Automatic tax filing
- Expansive customizability
- Extensive integrations
- Free for up to three months
- Several payroll plans
- 24/7 customer support
- Also suitable for small businesses
Cons
- No transparent pricing
- Charges per pay run
- Tedious implementation process
- Charges additional fees for add-ons
The Pros & Cons of Workday
Pros
- Expansive customizability
- Strong performance management functionality
- 24/7 customer support
- Large-scale human capital management tools
- Extensive third party integration capabilities
- Intuitive data visualization
Cons
- No transparent pricing
- No automatic tax filing
- Long training & adjustment time to the platform
- Complex features
Customer Support
ADP
ADP has plenty of support options and is available 24/7 to solve your queries. You can choose its live chat option to find solutions to common problems.
But in order to get support from dedicated support representatives, you need a higher plan.
Workday
Workday assigns a dedicated customer success manager for onboarding new clients. They also offer community support and 24/7 online expert support.
Those who need more personalized support can, as such, rely on the dedicated customer success manager, and those looking for solutions to basic problems can refer to online resources.
Since ADP requires paying more for better support, we like Workday more in terms of customer service.
Winner: Workday
ADP Vs Workday: Winner?
Both ADP and Workday are equally good options for HR, HCM, and payroll.
However, ADP is more suitable for mid-size businesses, while Workday is ideal for large enterprises owning to the complex features and functionality it offers.
So it is up to you to decide which one of these you like most based on your business size.
For small-size businesses, Gusto or Paycheck could be a great platform, and our comparison between ADP Vs Gusto and ADP Vs Paycheck proves this.
We hope this article on ADP vs. Workday was useful for you.
FAQs
Does Workday & ADP has mobile apps?
Yes, both ADP and Workday offer mobile apps for both iOS and Android devices, which allow employees to log in to their accounts right on their phones.
How can my employees access ADP or Workday?
ADP offers free setup for employee access. This allows employees to view their account statements for up to three years.
Similarly, Workday offers a platform called Workday Everywhere, using which employees can access different dashboards easily.
Shefali Jain is a Content Writer & Editor at USWorkforce.org
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes. In her time at the organization, she has written and edited content on a range of topics, including employment law, human resources, and business management.