ADP Workforce Now vs Gusto
ADP Workforce Now and Gusto are both hr & payroll options. ADP Workforce Now lists 7 features across 3 platforms; Gusto lists 8 features across 3 platforms — see the full breakdown below, sourced from each vendor's own site rather than ratings or reviews.
Side-by-side summary
Best for ADP Workforce Now
Small to midsized employers wanting an established payroll provider's tax-compliance infrastructure bundled with HR, time, and talent management in one suite.
Best for Gusto
Small and mid-sized U.S. businesses that want payroll, benefits, and core HR in one platform with published, predictable per-plan pricing.
Feature comparison
Every feature listed here comes directly from each vendor's own official site.
ADP Workforce Now
- Continuous payroll calculation with automated tax compliance across jurisdictions
- Embedded AI features including payroll anomaly detection, turnover trend analysis, and generative AI for job descriptions
- Automated hiring, onboarding, and performance-review workflows with configurable business process automation
- Real-time data sync across payroll, HR, time, and benefits modules
- ADP Marketplace integrations with third-party HR, finance, and productivity tools
- Employee self-service via the ADP Mobile Solutions app: pay statements, leave balances, time-off requests, and timesheets
- Packaged tiers (e.g., Select, Plus) that bundle different combinations of payroll, HR, and talent features
Gusto
- Automated payroll runs with federal, state, and local tax calculation and filing
- Health, dental, vision, life insurance, and 401(k) benefits administration
- Hiring and onboarding tools including custom offer letters, checklists, and digital signatures
- Time tracking that syncs directly with payroll
- Gusto Wallet mobile app: paycheck splitting, savings goals, and on-demand/early pay access for employees
- Gus, an in-app assistant employees and admins can ask payroll, benefits, time-tracking, and HR questions
- Domestic and, on higher plans, global contractor payments
- Compliance alerts and required-training tracking on higher-tier plans
Pros and cons
ADP Workforce Now
- Continuous payroll calculation with automated tax compliance across jurisdictions
- Embedded AI features including payroll anomaly detection, turnover trend analysis, and generative AI for job descriptions
- Automated hiring, onboarding, and performance-review workflows with configurable business process automation
- Real-time data sync across payroll, HR, time, and benefits modules
- ADP Marketplace integrations with third-party HR, finance, and productivity tools
- Employee self-service via the ADP Mobile Solutions app: pay statements, leave balances, time-off requests, and timesheets
- Packaged tiers (e.g., Select, Plus) that bundle different combinations of payroll, HR, and talent features
- No pricing is published on adp.com; every quote requires contacting ADP sales or calling in for a custom price
- SOC 1/SOC 2 reports and ISO 27001/27701 certifications apply only to select ADP products, services, and locations rather than the entire company blanket-wide, so buyers should confirm coverage for the specific product they're evaluating
Gusto
- Automated payroll runs with federal, state, and local tax calculation and filing
- Health, dental, vision, life insurance, and 401(k) benefits administration
- Hiring and onboarding tools including custom offer letters, checklists, and digital signatures
- Time tracking that syncs directly with payroll
- Gusto Wallet mobile app: paycheck splitting, savings goals, and on-demand/early pay access for employees
- Gus, an in-app assistant employees and admins can ask payroll, benefits, time-tracking, and HR questions
- Domestic and, on higher plans, global contractor payments
- Compliance alerts and required-training tracking on higher-tier plans
- Entry-level Simple plan excludes multi-state payroll, next-day direct deposit, and most HR tools, which require upgrading to Plus or Premium
- Add-ons such as tax-advantaged benefits administration, priority support, and expedited payments carry separate charges on top of the base plan
Key differences
- ADP Workforce Now lists Continuous payroll calculation with automated tax compliance across jurisdictions, Embedded AI features including payroll anomaly detection, turnover trend analysis, and generative AI for job descriptions, Automated hiring, onboarding, and performance-review workflows with configurable business process automation, Real-time data sync across payroll, HR, time, and benefits modules, ADP Marketplace integrations with third-party HR, finance, and productivity tools, Employee self-service via the ADP Mobile Solutions app: pay statements, leave balances, time-off requests, and timesheets, Packaged tiers (e.g., Select, Plus) that bundle different combinations of payroll, HR, and talent features that Gusto doesn't list.
- Gusto lists Automated payroll runs with federal, state, and local tax calculation and filing, Health, dental, vision, life insurance, and 401(k) benefits administration, Hiring and onboarding tools including custom offer letters, checklists, and digital signatures, Time tracking that syncs directly with payroll, Gusto Wallet mobile app: paycheck splitting, savings goals, and on-demand/early pay access for employees, Gus, an in-app assistant employees and admins can ask payroll, benefits, time-tracking, and HR questions, Domestic and, on higher plans, global contractor payments, Compliance alerts and required-training tracking on higher-tier plans that ADP Workforce Now doesn't list.
Choose ADP Workforce Now if…
Choose ADP Workforce Now if this fits: Small to midsized employers wanting an established payroll provider's tax-compliance infrastructure bundled with HR, time, and talent management in one suite. Compared with Gusto specifically, ADP Workforce Now also offers Continuous payroll calculation with automated tax compliance across jurisdictions, Embedded AI features including payroll anomaly detection, turnover trend analysis, and generative AI for job descriptions, Automated hiring, onboarding, and performance-review workflows with configurable business process automation, and 4 more features that Gusto doesn't list.
Choose Gusto if…
Choose Gusto if this fits: Small and mid-sized U.S. businesses that want payroll, benefits, and core HR in one platform with published, predictable per-plan pricing. Compared with ADP Workforce Now specifically, Gusto also offers Automated payroll runs with federal, state, and local tax calculation and filing, Health, dental, vision, life insurance, and 401(k) benefits administration, Hiring and onboarding tools including custom offer letters, checklists, and digital signatures, and 5 more features that ADP Workforce Now doesn't list.
Facts on this page are sourced from each vendor's official site (linked below), not from ratings or reviews. Products change — verify anything that matters to your decision directly on the vendor's own site before switching. See our Disclaimer and Sources Policy.
ADP Workforce Now sources
Last verified September 5, 2026
- https://www.adp.com/what-we-offer/products/adp-workforce-now.aspx
- https://www.adp.com/about-adp/data-security.aspx
- https://www.adp.com/what-we-offer/products/adp-mobile-solutions.aspx
Gusto sources
Last verified September 5, 2026
- https://gusto.com/pricing
- https://gusto.com/resources/guides/switch-payroll-providers/rippling-pricing
- https://gusto.com/security
- https://gusto.com/product/mobile
- https://support.gusto.com/article/105983845100000/request-access-to-soc-reports-and-bridge-letters
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