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Payroll software review

RUN Powered by ADP

ADP's payroll for businesses with 1 to 49 employees, sold in four packages priced by quote, with tax filing, 24/7 support and a published guarantee to pay penalties caused by its own filing errors.

By ADPParent company: ADP, Inc.

RTC SCORE

4.8

#18 of 22 with enough data

Not enough verified data yet

We've verified 8 of 12 key facts for this payroll provider. Until we reach 80%, this page shows what we have, with sources, and it isn't a full review.

Our verdict

Strong on tax filing and support, with a published penalty guarantee, but nothing is priced in public and restaurant tip tools are thin. Ask for a written quote that lists per-payroll and year-end fees.

What we like

  • Publishes that it pays the fines and penalties caused by its own tax filing errors.
  • Files federal, state and local payroll taxes in all 50 states, including employees who work in more than one state.
  • Payroll support by phone or chat 24/7 in every package.
  • Workers' comp with pay-as-you-go payments and health insurance from ADP's own agency.

What to watch

  • No published prices: every package is by quote, and each payroll run adds a processing fee.
  • W-2 and 1099 forms cost extra, and time tracking is an add-on.
  • It doesn't document the tip credit, minimum wage make-up or the FICA tip credit (Form 8846).
  • Tips only arrive from a POS through SpotOn's connector.

How the score breaks down

RTC Score4.8out of 10

Methodology v0.1.0

Data completeness66%

We could verify 66% of the scoring data

Strongest points
Who files payroll taxes, Initial term, Live support hours a week
Weakest point
Published pricing

Score by criterion

  • 12-month payroll cost (reference restaurant)Weight 19%No data
  • Who files payroll taxesWeight 7%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • POS integrationsWeight 6%2.9 out of 10
  • Published pricingWeight 5%Weakest0.0 out of 10
  • Tip credit and minimum wage make-upWeight 5%No data
  • Tips imported from POS systemsWeight 5%1.4 out of 10
  • 2026 W-2 ready for No Tax on TipsWeight 5%0.0 out of 10
  • Initial termWeight 5%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • Live support hours a weekWeight 5%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • Payroll in all 50 statesWeight 4%10.0 out of 10
  • Time trackingWeight 4%5.0 out of 10
  • FICA tip credit (Form 8846)Weight 3%No data
  • Tip pooling and tip-outsWeight 3%5.0 out of 10
  • Early termination feeWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Unlimited pay runsWeight 3%0.0 out of 10
  • Fastest direct deposit includedWeight 3%No data
  • Tax penalty guaranteeWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Year-end W-2 and 1099 formsWeight 2%5.0 out of 10
  • Accounting integrationsWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Notice to avoid renewalWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Garnishments and new-hire reportingWeight 2%5.0 out of 10
  • Declared cash tipsWeight 2%No data
  • State and local minimum wages built inWeight 2%No data
  • Dedicated specialistWeight 2%0.0 out of 10
  • Paying 1099 contractorsWeight 1%10.0 out of 10
  • Early pay for employeesWeight 1%No data

Current promotion

  • Discount

    Not publishedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)The value depends on your quote: it covers standard payroll processing for three months.
    Conditions
    Three months of standard payroll processing free, credited on the invoices of months 4, 5 and 6. Only for new ADP clients with 1 to 49 employees in the continental US who pay fees by direct debit, sign the order and start payroll by October 22, 2026, and keep the same package, frequency and discount for three straight months. It doesn't cover off-cycle, delivery or courier fees, pass-through costs or non-payroll services, and it can't be combined with other offers.
    Valid until

Counts in the RTC Score only if our reference restaurant qualifies.

The switching or signing incentive is one of the criteria with the most weight in the RTC Score. We count a promotion only while it's current, with a fixed published amount and conditions our reference restaurant meets. "Up to" amounts, buyouts of your current contract and unpublished amounts don't count. The cost calculator subtracts one only when your numbers qualify.

Check it with your numbers

All the data, with sources

Each value links to its source. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't disclose it; "Unconfirmed" means we looked and couldn't confirm it. Data points we have for fewer than four vendors are left out until we can compare them.

Pricing
Data pointValue
Base feeQuote onlySource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Every RUN package is priced by quote.
Per employeeQuote onlySource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Every RUN package is priced by quote.
Who counts as an employeeEach person on each pay runSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP says the price depends on how often you run payroll and how many people you pay.
Per contractor (1099)Quote onlySource: ADP (opens in a new tab)A contractor bundle has a monthly base price plus a fee per contractor, by quote.
Published pricingQuote onlySource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Setup feeUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP doesn't publish whether there is a setup fee.
Year-end forms feeNot publishedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)W-2 and 1099 forms carry an additional fee that ADP doesn't publish.
Each extra stateNot publishedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Multi-state payroll comes in every package; whether it changes the quote isn't published.
Other feesW-2 and 1099 forms cost extra. Off-cycle payrolls, courier and delivery fees are billed apart. Each payroll has a processing fee, so extra pay runs cost more.Source: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Taxes and forms
Data pointValue
Who files payroll taxesThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Payroll in all 50 statesYesSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Year-end W-2 and 1099 formsPrepared and filed for an extra chargeSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Paying 1099 contractorsAlso a contractor-only planSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Tax penalty guaranteePays penalties caused by its own errorsSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Garnishments and new-hire reportingFor an extra feeSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)New-hire reporting comes in every package; the garnishment payment service starts at the Enhanced package.
Paying your team
Data pointValue
Pay schedulesUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP only says it generally recommends weekly or every-two-weeks pay periods.
Unlimited pay runsNoSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Fastest direct deposit includedUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP includes direct deposit but doesn't publish how fast it arrives.
Early pay for employees (earned wage access)UnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Not documented for RUN. Wisely, which ADP lists, is a pay card, not early pay.
Tips
Data pointValue
Imports tips from these POS systemsSpotOnSource: ADP Marketplace (opens in a new tab)Through SpotOn's own connector, listed on ADP's marketplace, which sends cash, card and declared tips. ADP's page about Clover doesn't mention tips. Paid third-party connectors (for example Flexspring, for Toast, Shift4 POS, Lightspeed and others) are not counted.
Tip pooling and tip-outsThrough an integrationSource: ADP Marketplace (opens in a new tab)Done in SpotOn Teamwork before the data reaches RUN.
Tip credit and minimum wage make-upUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Not documented: RUN's product, package and FAQ pages don't mention it, and adp.com has no restaurant or tip pages (checked October 1, 2026).
FICA tip credit (Form 8846)UnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Not documented: RUN's product, package and FAQ pages don't mention it, and adp.com has no restaurant or tip pages (checked October 1, 2026).
Declared cash tipsUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Not documented in RUN itself; SpotOn's connector sends declared tips.
2026 W-2 for No Tax on Tips (code TP and tipped occupation code)Not confirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP's page for employees only says employers must report the occupation code from 2026; it doesn't commit the product.
2026 W-2 for qualified overtime (code TT)Not confirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)The same page covers qualified overtime for employees, without saying how RUN's 2026 W-2 reports it.
Service charges paid as wagesUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Not documented: RUN's product, package and FAQ pages don't mention it, and adp.com has no restaurant or tip pages (checked October 1, 2026).
State and local minimum wages built inUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Not documented: RUN's product, package and FAQ pages don't mention it, and adp.com has no restaurant or tip pages (checked October 1, 2026).
Integrations and time tracking
Data pointValue
POS integrations (hours or sales data)Clover, SpotOnSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)SpotOn documents its own connector to RUN.
Time trackingPaid add-on or higher planSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)An add-on for every package.
SchedulingPaid add-on or higher planSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Part of the Time and Attendance add-on.
Accounting integrationsQuickBooks Online, Xero, OthersSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP says QuickBooks without naming the edition.
Payroll engineThe vendor itselfSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Benefits and insurance
Data pointValue
Health benefitsOffered and connected to payrollSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Sold through ADP's own insurance agency, as an add-on.
Workers' compensationPay-as-you-go connected to payrollSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Contract and exit
Data pointValue
Initial termMonth to monthSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Month to month.
Automatic renewalMonth to monthSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)No renewal term.
Notice to avoid renewal0 daysSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP publishes no notice period.
Early termination feeNoneSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Early termination clauseNo early termination fee published. To keep the 3-free-months promotion you must process payroll for three straight months.Source: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Right to raise pricesUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)RUN's client agreement is not public, so we couldn't check how prices can change.
Your records when you leaveUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP doesn't publish what access you keep to your records after you leave.
Support
Data pointValue
Support 24/7YesSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Live support hours a week168Source: ADP (opens in a new tab)
Dedicated specialistNoSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)A dedicated HR team only from the Complete package; the Essential package has 24/7 payroll support, not an assigned specialist.
Language
Data pointValue
Employee app in SpanishPartlySource: ADP (opens in a new tab)Depends on how the company sets it up; ADP doesn't say whether onboarding is in Spanish.
Owner's dashboard in SpanishUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP doesn't say whether the RUN dashboard for the owner is in Spanish.
Pay stubs in SpanishUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP doesn't say whether pay statements are in Spanish.
Support in SpanishUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)ADP doesn't publish a Spanish support line for RUN.
Contract or terms in SpanishUnconfirmedSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)We only found terms in English.
Website in Spanish for the USNoSource: ADP (opens in a new tab)The RUN pages have no Spanish version or language selector; adp.com/es-us returns a not-found page.

More about RUN Powered by ADP

How we score