ADP vs BambooHR: Pricing Comparison (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
| # | Plan | ADP monthly | ADP annual | BambooHR monthly | BambooHR annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RUN Powered by ADP - Essential / Core | 79 | 79 | 10 | 10 |
| 2 | RUN Powered by ADP - Enhanced / Pro | 129 | 129 | 17 | 17 |
| 3 | RUN Powered by ADP - Complete / Elite | 179 | 179 | 25 | 25 |
| 4 | Workforce Now / (≤25 employees: flat rate from $250/mo) | custom | custom | — | — |
What each is best for
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).
At a glance
| ADP | BambooHR | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | — |
| Entry price | $79/mo | $10/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Per Seat |
| Last verified | August 12, 2026 | July 29, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified August 12, 2026. Tracked daily.
