ADP vs Sage HR: Pricing Comparison (2026)
ADP starts at $79/mo. Sage HR starts at $5.5/mo. Sage HR is $73.5/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.
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
| # | Plan | ADP monthly | ADP annual | Sage HR monthly | Sage HR annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RUN Powered by ADP - Essential / Core HR | 79 | 79 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 2 | RUN Powered by ADP - Enhanced / + Leave Management | 129 | 129 | ~1.50 | ~1.50 |
| 3 | RUN Powered by ADP - Complete / + Performance | 179 | 179 | ~3 | ~3 |
| 4 | Workforce Now / + Recruitment / Timesheets / Shift Scheduling / Expenses | custom | custom | varies | varies |
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.
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.
At a glance
| ADP | Sage HR | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | — |
| Entry price | $79/mo | $5.5/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Per Seat |
| Last verified | August 30, 2026 | August 28, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified August 30, 2026. Tracked daily.