Which one is cheaper?

One or both use custom pricing, so it depends on your specific needs.

Can I use either one for free?

Zoho People has a free plan. ADP doesn't — you'll need to pay from day one.

Different approach here. ADP uses custom pricing, while Zoho People 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. Zoho People: This is aggressive low-cost positioning — Zoho is undercutting BambooHR, Rippling, and Gusto by a wide margin, betting that price-sensitive SMBs and Zoho-ecosystem users will trade some polish for a fraction of the cost.

ADP vs Zoho People 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	Zoho People
Starts at	Custom	$1/mo
Number of plans	4	5
Free plan	—
Free trial	—
Pricing model	custom	per-seat

ADP

Official page

Essential Payroll

Custom

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

Custom

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

Custom

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

Custom

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®

Zoho People

Official page

FREE

$0/mo

Employee database management
Time-off management (Leave)
Time off and vacation planning
Document management

ESSENTIAL HR

$1/mo

Onboarding and offboarding
Employee database management
Document management
Time-off management (Leave)
HR reports
Zia AI bot

PROFESSIONAL

Popular

$2/mo

Attendance management
Timesheets
Roster management

PREMIUM

$3/mo

Performance management
Compensation management
Employee engagement
Advanced HR analytics

ENTERPRISE

$4/mo

HR help desk
Learning management system
Sandbox

ADP vs Zoho People 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?: Zoho People has a free plan. ADP doesn't — you'll need to pay from day one.
How do they charge?: Different approach here. ADP uses custom pricing, while Zoho People 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. Zoho People: This is aggressive low-cost positioning — Zoho is undercutting BambooHR, Rippling, and Gusto by a wide margin, betting that price-sensitive SMBs and Zoho-ecosystem users will trade some polish for a fraction of the cost.

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