ADP vs Sage HR — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Sage HR starts at $5.5/mo. ADP uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
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.
Sage HR (formerly CakeHR) is Sage's cloud HR platform for SMBs. Core HR ~$5.50/employee/mo; add-on modules (Leave, Performance, Timesheets, Shift Scheduling, Recruitment, Expenses) priced separately per employee. 30-day free trial. UK-headquartered.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | ADP monthly | ADP annual | Sage HR monthly | Sage HR annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid | — / + Expenses | — | — | $1.5 | $1.5 |
| Mid tier 1 | — / + Performance | — | — | $3 | $3 |
| Mid tier 2 | — / + Shift Scheduling | — | — | $3 | $3 |
| Mid tier 3 | — / + Timesheets | — | — | $3 | $3 |
| Mid tier 4 | — / Core HR + Leave Management | — | — | $5.5 | $5.5 |
| Mid tier 5 | — / + HR Advice Essentials | — | — | $100 | $100 |
| Pro / power | — / + Recruitment | — | — | $200 | $200 |
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.
Sage HR is worth it if… Sage HR is ideal for UK/EU small-to-mid businesses (5-200 employees) that want modular HR without US-heavy pricing tiers.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose ADP over Sage HR if…
Choose ADP if…
- You're comfortable with ADP's a free entry tier 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 Sage HR if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $5.5/mo).
- You match the profile Sage HR is built for: ideal for UK/EU small-to-mid businesses (5-200 employees) that want modular HR without US-heavy pricing tiers.
- You need a general-purpose hr & people option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| ADP | Sage HR | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | No |
| Entry price | Custom pricing | $5.5/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Per Seat |
| Verification | Pricing under review | Pricing under review |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 28, 2026. Tracked daily.