Payroll is the one tool you cannot afford to get wrong. Miss a tax deposit or pay someone late and the problem lands on you, not the software. ADP is the name most owners know, but it is built for companies that talk to a sales rep, and its pricing is not posted on its own site. If you want to see a number before you commit, there are payroll tools that show it.
At Ecommerce Paradise, I help people run online stores, and most stores hit payroll the moment they hire a first virtual assistant, a part-time packer or a customer service rep. This guide compares four ADP alternatives on price, plan limits and fit, using each vendor’s own page checked in October 2026. Where a page does not show a number, I write “not shown.” Some links below are affiliate links, so I may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. If you are building a high-ticket dropshipping business, you may not need payroll for a while, but it helps to know your options before the day comes.
See Payroll Pricing You Can Actually Read
Gusto lists Simple at $49 a month plus $6 per person, with unlimited payrolls and tax filings included. Check the plan that fits your headcount.
The Four Best ADP Alternatives at a Glance
Here is how the four compare on starting price, what the base plan covers and who each one fits. Prices are US dollars per month, with a base fee plus a per-person fee, as each page lists them.
| Platform | Starting price | Free trial | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gusto | $49 plus $6 per person | Not shown for plans | Small teams that want simple payroll and HR |
| OnPay | $49 plus $6 per person | Not shown | Owners who pay in several states and want simple pricing |
| QuickBooks Payroll | $44 plus $6.50 per person, promo price | Not shown | Stores already keeping books in QuickBooks |
| Rippling | $8 per person plus a base fee (not shown) | Not shown | Growing teams that want payroll, HR and benefits in one system |
For a small store with a handful of workers, I would start with Gusto. The sections below explain who should pick something else.
What ADP Actually Costs
ADP does not post a price. On its RUN payroll page, every package leads to a “Get pricing” button, so you have to request a quote.
The page lists four packages: Essential, Enhanced, Complete Payroll and HR+, and HR Pro Payroll and HR. Essential covers payroll, taxes and compliance help, and each step up adds things like state unemployment insurance handling, garnishment payments and HR support. The page advertises “up to 6 months FREE” payroll, but the terms are not shown.
An independent Merchant Maverick review, updated May 28, 2026, says ADP does not publish standard pricing online. That fits what I saw, so every ADP figure in this guide is “not shown.”
Why Owners Look for Something Else
The first reason is price visibility. If you cannot see a number, you cannot compare it, and you cannot budget for your first hire.
The second reason is size. A shop with two part-time workers does not need a sales call, a custom contract and a rep. It needs payroll that runs, files the taxes and answers the phone when something breaks.
The third reason is fit with the rest of your stack. If your bookkeeping lives in QuickBooks, a payroll tool from the same company can save you re-keying every pay run.
What to Compare Before You Switch
Start with the pricing model, because every tool here charges a base fee plus a per-person fee. A low base fee looks cheap with two workers and costs more with fifteen.
Next, check which states you pay people in. Some plans limit you to one state, and moving up a tier is the usual price of adding another.
Then look at pay speed. Next-day, same-day and instant deposits are sold as extras on some plans and bundled on others.
Finally, check the support model. Payroll mistakes happen at the worst time, so a phone number matters more than a chatbot.
1. Gusto: Best for Small Teams
Gusto is the payroll tool I recommend first for a store with a small team, because the pricing is clear and the setup is quick. The Gusto pricing page lists three plans: Simple at $49 a month plus $6 per person, Plus at $80 plus $12, and Premium at $180 plus $22.
Simple covers unlimited payrolls, tax filings and payments, basic PTO policies and holiday pay, and payroll in one state. Plus adds time tracking and scheduling, unlimited next-day pay, multi-state payroll and contractor invoice management. Premium adds premium support, HR guidance, business compliance tools, same-day and instant pay, and project-based costing.
The page says Gusto is month-to-month, so you can cancel anytime. A free trial for the main plans is not shown, and neither is a money-back guarantee. Add-ons cost extra, including workers’ compensation starting at $14 a month, same-day pay at $90 per payroll and instant pay at $100 per payroll on plans that do not include them.
I broke the tiers down in my Gusto pricing guide. If you are hiring your first person, my walkthrough on setting up payroll for your first employee covers the order of steps.
Best for: small teams that want clear pricing and fast setup.
2. OnPay: Best for Flat, Simple Pricing
OnPay keeps its pricing short. The OnPay pricing page lists Payroll Essentials at $49 a month plus $6 per person, with HR available at $15 plus $2, and HR with time tracking at $21 plus $4.
The page says every plan includes W-2s, 1099s and year-end filings, unlimited pay runs, federal, state and local tax filings, payroll in as many states as you need, and support by phone, chat and email. It also says there are no implementation or integration fees.
A free trial is not described, though the footer links to a “get one month free” page whose terms are not shown. Bundled plans are listed, but the savings amounts are blank, and benefits show premiums only. Check the details at sign-up.
Best for: owners who pay people in more than one state and want simple pricing.
3. QuickBooks Payroll: Best If You Already Use QuickBooks
QuickBooks Payroll makes sense when your books already live in the same place. The QuickBooks payroll page lists Simple Start at $44 plus $6.50 per person, Essentials at $62.50 plus $6.50, and Plus at $101.50 plus $10, each with 50% off for three months.
Those prices are the promotional rates. The page also shows $88, $125 and $203 without labeling them, and they look like the full base prices, so confirm what you will pay after the three months. Simple Start covers full-service payroll, auto payroll, 1099 e-file and next-day direct deposit, while Essentials adds same-day direct deposit and 3 users.
Plus adds HR tools, benefits administration, project profitability tracking and 5 users. An Elite tier is mentioned, but its price and features are not shown, and background checks start at $29.99 per report. A free trial is not described.
My notes on the QuickBooks free trial and discounts cover what the offers really mean. If you are setting up books for the first time, see how to use QuickBooks as an online store owner.
Best for: store owners who want payroll and bookkeeping under one login.
4. Rippling: Best for Growing Teams
Rippling is the hardest tool here to price. Its pricing page says it starts at $8 per employee per month plus a monthly base fee, but the base fee is not shown.
Pricing is built from the products you pick, and the total depends on those products and your headcount. Payroll plan names and feature lists are not shown, so you have to request a quote. The page also mentions benefits, time and attendance, and expense management as separate products.
A free trial is not shown. There is a demo form, and a startup program that offers eligible US venture-backed startups six months free. Most small stores will not qualify for that.
For a head-to-head look, see my Gusto vs Rippling comparison.
Best for: growing teams that want payroll, HR and benefits in one system.
Keep Payroll and Books in One Place
QuickBooks Payroll lists Simple Start with full-service payroll, 1099 e-file and next-day direct deposit. Compare it with your current setup before your next pay run.
What a Month of Payroll Costs
Base plus per-person pricing hides the real bill, so this table works out one month for 5 and 10 people on each tool’s lowest listed plan. It is my arithmetic from the listed prices, so treat it as an estimate and not a quote.
| Platform and plan | 5 people | 10 people |
|---|---|---|
| ADP RUN | Not shown | Not shown |
| Gusto Simple | $79 | $109 |
| Gusto Plus | $140 | $200 |
| OnPay Payroll Essentials | $79 | $109 |
| QuickBooks Simple Start, promo price | $76.50 | $109 |
| Rippling | $40 plus base fee (not shown) | $80 plus base fee (not shown) |
Two cautions apply. The QuickBooks figure uses the promotional rate, which the page says lasts three months. The Rippling figure leaves out the base fee, so it is not comparable until you get a quote.
The takeaway is that Gusto Simple and OnPay land at the same number on these inputs. The difference comes from what each includes, and that is where the plan details above matter.
When ADP Is Still the Right Call
I would not tell every owner to leave. If you already have an ADP rep, a contract that works and a team that knows the system, switching costs hours you may not get back.
ADP’s packages also reach into HR support, recruiting tools and benefits add-ons, which suits a business with a larger staff. For a store with a handful of workers, though, a tool that lists its price is easier to live with.
What You Still Own After You Pick a Tool
No payroll tool removes your responsibility. The software calculates and files, but you still approve every pay run, so check the totals before you press submit.
You also own the setup. Every employee needs a signed withholding form, correct pay rate, correct state and a working bank account before the first run. A typo in any of those fields becomes a late payment or a wrong tax deposit.
Keep a simple monthly routine. Review the payroll report, match the tax deposits against your bank statement, and confirm that new hires and departures were entered on time. It takes twenty minutes and catches most errors before an agency does.
Finally, keep your records. Store pay stubs, tax forms and signed agreements somewhere you can find them years later, because an audit or a dispute can show up long after the work is done.
How to Choose Between the Alternatives
Begin with your headcount and your states. If everyone is in one state and you have fewer than ten people, Gusto Simple or OnPay will do the job.
Then look at your books. If you already pay for QuickBooks, price its payroll bundle against a separate tool, because one login can save real time every pay run. For invoicing, I also point sellers to FreshBooks.
Next, think about growth. If you expect to hire across states or add HR and benefits, Rippling’s quote may be worth the call.
Last, run a test. Most of these tools let you set up before your first pay run, so load two or three employees and read the tax setup before you commit.
How to Switch Payroll Providers
Switch at the start of a quarter if you can. Payroll tax filings are reported quarterly, and a clean break keeps the paperwork simple.
Collect year-to-date earnings, tax and deduction totals for every employee from the old system. The new provider needs them so that year-end forms like the W-2 come out right.
Run the first pay cycle in parallel if the new tool allows it. Compare the net pay for each person against what the old system would have produced, and fix any mismatch before money moves.
Common Mistakes When Choosing Payroll
The first mistake is choosing on the base fee alone. A cheap base with a high per-person fee costs more as you grow.
The second is skipping the tax basics. Employers have to withhold, deposit and report employment taxes, and the IRS lays out those duties on its employment taxes page, which names Form 941 for the quarterly return.
The third is treating contractors like employees, or the reverse. Get the classification right before you set anyone up.
The fourth is paying for features you will not use. A small team rarely needs the top tier on day one.
Payroll in a High-Ticket Business
Most high-ticket dropshippers start alone and add help slowly, first a virtual assistant, then a customer service rep. Payroll comes when someone becomes an employee, so it is a later problem than your niche and your suppliers.
Get the foundation in order first. Pick a profitable category from my high-ticket niches list. Then line up fulfillment with my guide to finding dropshipping suppliers.
A payroll provider will ask for your business details and an EIN, so set the company up properly. My business formation guide shows the order. For the LLC filing itself, I point people to Bizee.
If you’re brand new, start with my free mini course. When you’re ready to go deeper, the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass covers the full model.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to ADP for a small business?
For most small teams I recommend Gusto, because the plans and prices are listed and setup is quick. You can check the current plans at Gusto’s pricing page.
Is there a cheaper payroll option than ADP?
ADP does not publish its prices, so I cannot compare directly. The tools above list base prices from $44 to $80 a month plus $6 to $12 per person, depending on the plan.
Does ADP publish its pricing?
Not on the RUN page I read. Every package links to a “Get pricing” request, and an independent review updated May 28, 2026 says ADP does not publish standard pricing online.
Which payroll tool works best with QuickBooks?
QuickBooks Payroll is built for it, and the page lists full-service payroll in its Simple Start plan. If you use QuickBooks for books, price the bundle first.
Can I run payroll in more than one state?
OnPay says its payroll works in as many states as you need. Gusto lists multi-state payroll on its Plus plan, while its Simple plan covers one state.
Ready to Hire Without the Paperwork Headache?
Gusto is month-to-month, so you can start on Simple and move up only when your team needs more. Set up your first payroll before your next hire starts.
Want me to build the whole store for you? Check out my done-for-you store service → and skip the setup work entirely. Prefer to build it yourself with a guide? Join my coaching program →.
Related Articles
If you found this useful, these guides go deeper on related topics:
- 9 Best Payroll Software for Small Business in 2026
- 8 Best Gusto Alternatives for Small Business Payroll in 2026
- Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll: Which Payroll Platform Wins in 2026?
- Gusto vs Rippling: Which Payroll Platform Wins in 2026?
- Gusto Review 2026: The Best Payroll and HR Platform for Small Business?
Trevor Fenner is an ecommerce entrepreneur and world traveler from Seattle, Washington, and the founder of Ecommerce Paradise, a platform focused on helping entrepreneurs build and scale profitable high-ticket ecommerce and dropshipping businesses. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Trevor specializes in high-ticket dropshipping strategy, niche and product selection, supplier recruiting and onboarding, Google & Bing Shopping ads, ecommerce SEO, and systems-driven automation and scaling. Through Ecommerce Paradise, he provides free education via in-depth guides like How to Start High-Ticket Dropshipping, advanced training through the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass, and fully done-for-you turnkey ecommerce services for entrepreneurs who want a faster, more hands-off path to growth. Trevor is known for emphasizing sustainable, real-world ecommerce models over hype-driven tactics, helping store owners build scalable, sellable, and location-independent brands.
He maintains homes in Seattle and Bali, spends most of the year overseas, and usually returns to Seattle for about a month each summer.
