ADP vs When I Work Pricing (2026)
How do these two stack up on price? Here's what each one costs, what you get, and where the value sits.
| ADP | When I Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | Custom | $2/mo |
| Number of plans | 4 | 2 |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | |
| Pricing model | custom | per-seat |
Essential Payroll
- Payroll: Computer, Mobile App, Phone Call
- Direct Deposit
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Robust Reporting
- General Ledger Interface
- New-Hire Reporting
- W-2 & 1099 Forms
- Tax Filing
- Payroll Delivery
- Multi-company Management
- Multi-jurisdiction Payroll
- Wisely® Direct Debit Card
- Bill Pay and Client Invoicing
- ADP® Employee Access
- New Hire Onboarding
- Employee Discounts
- Background Checks
- HR Tracking
Enhanced Payroll
Popular- Payroll: Computer, Mobile App, Phone Call
- Direct Deposit
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Robust Reporting
- General Ledger Interface
- New-Hire Reporting
- W-2 & 1099 Forms
- Tax Filing
- Payroll Delivery
- Multi-company Management
- Multi-jurisdiction Payroll
- Wisely® Direct Debit Card
- Bill Pay and Client Invoicing
- Check Signing: Security
- State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) Management
- Garnishment Payment Service
- Job Costing
- Labor Law Poster Compliance
- ADP® Employee Access
- New Hire Onboarding
- Employee Discounts
- Background Checks
- HR Tracking
- ZipRecruiter®
- Electronic Form I-9
Complete Payroll & HR Plus
- Payroll: Computer, Mobile App, Phone Call
- Direct Deposit
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Robust Reporting
- General Ledger Interface
- New-Hire Reporting
- W-2 & 1099 Forms
- Tax Filing
- Payroll Delivery
- Multi-company Management
- Multi-jurisdiction Payroll
- Wisely® Direct Debit Card
- Bill Pay and Client Invoicing
- Check Signing: Security
- State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) Management
- Garnishment Payment Service
- Job Costing
- Labor Law Poster Compliance
- ADP® Employee Access
- New Hire Onboarding
- Employee Discounts
- Background Checks
- HR Tracking
- ZipRecruiter®
- Electronic Form I-9
- HR HelpDesk
- Employee Handbook Wizard
- Salary Benchmarks
- HR Forms and Documents
- HR Training and Toolkits
HR Pro Payroll & HR
- Payroll: Computer, Mobile App, Phone Call
- Direct Deposit
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Robust Reporting
- General Ledger Interface
- New-Hire Reporting
- W-2 & 1099 Forms
- Tax Filing
- Payroll Delivery
- Multi-company Management
- Multi-jurisdiction Payroll
- Wisely® Direct Debit Card
- Bill Pay and Client Invoicing
- Check Signing: Security
- State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) Management
- Garnishment Payment Service
- Job Costing
- Labor Law Poster Compliance
- ADP® Employee Access
- New Hire Onboarding
- Employee Discounts
- Background Checks
- HR Tracking
- ZipRecruiter®
- Electronic Form I-9
- HR HelpDesk
- Employee Handbook Wizard
- Salary Benchmarks
- HR Forms and Documents
- HR Training and Toolkits
- Applicant Tracking System, powered by CareerPlug
- Learning Management System
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
- Legal Assistance from Upnetic Legal Services, powered by Legal Club®
Single location or schedule
- Employee Scheduling
- Time Tracking & Attendance
- Team Messaging
- Create schedules in minutes with Auto Scheduling
- Manage time-off requests and staff availability with ease
- Track attendance using the built-in time clock
- Message your team instantly without using personal numbers
- View standard labor reports and forecasts
- Integrate with payroll and point-of-sale (POS) systems
Multiple locations or schedules
- Employee Scheduling
- Time Tracking & Attendance
- Team Messaging
- Unlimited job sites, schedules, and locations
- Labor sharing between departments and locations
- Custom reporting and role permissions
- Multiple time zone management and shift coverage views
- Advanced privacy and data controls
ADP vs When I Work FAQ
- Which one is cheaper?
- One or both use custom pricing, so it depends on your specific needs.
- Can I use either one for free?
- Neither has a free plan. But When I Work offers a free trial.
- How do they charge?
- Different approach here. ADP uses custom pricing, while When I Work goes with per-seat. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.
- Which one is a better deal?
- Depends on what you need. ADP: ADP plays premium-by-reputation in a market full of transparent, self-serve competitors like Gusto and OnPay — they're betting that brand trust and enterprise-grade compliance muscle justify making you call a sales rep instead of seeing a price. This positioning wins risk-averse buyers and larger SMBs who want a name they can defend to their board, not price-sensitive startups comparison-shopping online. When I Work: At $2.50–$5.00/user/mo, When I Work is firmly in the budget-to-mid tier for workforce scheduling tools — undercutting platforms like Deputy or 7shifts at higher seat counts while targeting SMBs that don't need the full HR suite of something like Workforce.com. They're going after cost-conscious operators who want scheduling without enterprise complexity.
Still deciding? See the best ADP alternatives or the best When I Work alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.
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