ADP vs UKG: Pricing Comparison (2026)
ADP starts at $79/mo. UKG starts at $8/mo. UKG is $71/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.
The Workforce Operating Platform formed from the 2020 merger of Kronos and Ultimate Software ($22B combined). Positioned as the workforce-management-first alternative to Workday for shift-heavy industries (retail, healthcare, manufacturing) where time tracking + labor forecasting matter as much as HRIS. Distinctive for combining Kronos's deep time-and-labor engine with Ultimate's people-first HRIS. Priced quote-based (~$8-$15/employee/mo reference) across UKG Ready (SMB-mid), UKG Pro (mid-large), and UKG Pro Enterprise. Private-equity owned by Hellman & Friedman + Blackstone. Serves 80K+ organizations globally.
All plans compared
| # | Plan | ADP monthly | ADP annual | UKG monthly | UKG annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RUN Powered by ADP - Essential / UKG Ready | 79 | 79 | 8 | 8 |
| 2 | RUN Powered by ADP - Enhanced / UKG Pro | 129 | 129 | 15 | 15 |
| 3 | RUN Powered by ADP - Complete / UKG Pro Enterprise | 179 | 179 | custom | custom |
| 4 | Workforce Now | 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.
The Workforce Operating Platform formed from the 2020 merger of Kronos and Ultimate Software ($22B combined). Positioned as the workforce-management-first alternative to Workday for shift-heavy industries (retail, healthcare, manufacturing) where time tracking + labor forecasting matter as much as HRIS. Distinctive for combining Kronos's deep time-and-labor engine with Ultimate's people-first HRIS. Priced quote-based (~$8-$15/employee/mo reference) across UKG Ready (SMB-mid), UKG Pro (mid-large), and UKG Pro Enterprise. Private-equity owned by Hellman & Friedman + Blackstone. Serves 80K+ organizations globally.
At a glance
| ADP | UKG | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | — |
| Entry price | $79/mo | $8/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | — |
| Last verified | August 12, 2026 | August 12, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified August 12, 2026. Tracked daily.