ADP vs BambooHR — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
ADP starts at $79/mo. BambooHR starts at $10/mo. BambooHR is $69/mo cheaper on the entry tier than ADP.
The 75-year-old payroll and HR outsourcing giant serving 1M+ businesses globally. Positioned as the trusted enterprise alternative to newer competitors (Gusto, Rippling, Justworks) for companies that value regulatory rigor + compliance depth over modern UI. Multi-product portfolio: RUN Powered by ADP (SMB, 1-49 employees, published pricing $79-$179/mo + per-employee fees), Workforce Now (mid-market 50-1K employees, custom-quoted), TotalSource (PEO), and Vantage HCM (enterprise 1K+ employees). Also runs Payroll Services and ADP Comprehensive Services as consulting arms. Publicly traded NYSE: ADP, $115B market cap. Real cost varies significantly by employee count + services selected.
HRIS for small-to-mid businesses (5-500 employees), acquired by KKR-backed private equity in 2023. Positioned as the alternative to Workday for teams that don't need enterprise-grade complexity. Distinctive for its non-technical HR generalist UX and its e-signature + onboarding flows. Priced per employee monthly (~$8-$12) with all-in-one plans. Real cost bloat comes from add-ons: Performance, Time Tracking, Payroll (US only).
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | ADP monthly | ADP annual | BambooHR monthly | BambooHR annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid | RUN Powered by ADP - Essential / Core | $79 | $79 | $10 | $10 |
| Mid tier | RUN Powered by ADP - Enhanced / Pro | $129 | $129 | $17 | $17 |
| Pro / power | RUN Powered by ADP - Complete / Elite | $179 | $179 | $25 | $25 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
ADP is worth it if… businesses that need payroll + HR + benefits from a single trusted vendor with 75-year compliance depth — particularly if you're in a regulated industry or have complex multi-state/international operations. RUN Powered by ADP covers 1-49 employees with published pricing ($79 base + per-employee fees for Essential); Workforce Now scales to mid-market with custom quotes; TotalSource offers PEO structure.
BambooHR is worth it if… SMBs (30-500 employees) that need core HR (records + time-off + reporting) plus lightweight performance and hiring modules — without Workday's complexity. Per-employee pricing on Core; Pro adds performance management and advanced analytics.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose ADP over BambooHR if…
Choose ADP if…
- You're comfortable with ADP's from $79/mo entry point.
- You match the profile ADP is built for: businesses that need payroll + HR + benefits from a single trusted vendor with 75-year compliance depth — particularly if you're in a regulated industry or have complex multi-state/international operations.
- You need a general-purpose hr & people option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose BambooHR if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $10/mo).
- You match the profile BambooHR is built for: SMBs (30-500 employees) that need core HR (records + time-off + reporting) plus lightweight performance and hiring modules — without Workday's complexity.
- You need a general-purpose hr & people option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| ADP | BambooHR | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | No |
| Entry price | $79/mo | $10/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Per Seat |
| Verification | Verified August 12, 2026 | Checked September 19, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 19, 2026. Tracked daily.