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Most buyers should pick Heartland Payroll.
Choose Heartland Payroll if you want a published entry price and a more clearly described payroll-and-HR bundle: Essentials starts at $89 per month for 1–5 employees. Choose RUN Powered by ADP if ADP is your preference and you’re willing to request a quote; ADP lists four RUN plans for businesses with 1–49 employees, but does not publish monthly or annual prices or RUN-specific feature details. Neither product lists a free plan.
01Side by side
| Heartland Payroll | RUN Powered by ADP | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Essentials starts at $89 per month. | Monthly and annual prices not published. |
| Free plan | No free plan listed. | No free plan listed. |
| Best for | Small businesses wanting described payroll and HR tools. | Small businesses considering ADP’s payroll and HR lineup. |
| Core strength | Payroll, tax, time, hiring, and HR tools. | RUN-specific capabilities are not described. |
| Learning curve | Not published. | Not published. |
| Integrations/data | Integration and data details not published. | Integration and data details not published. |
| Team/seat costs | $89/month for 1–5 employees; higher tiers custom-priced. | Plans cover 1–49 employees; prices not published. |
| Support | Live HR support listed. | RUN support details not published. |
Heartland Payroll Choose Heartland Payroll if
- Choose Heartland Payroll if you want a published $89/month starting price.
- Choose Heartland Payroll for a described payroll, tax, time, and HR bundle.
- Choose Heartland Payroll if live HR support matters.
RUN Powered by ADP Choose RUN Powered by ADP if
- Choose RUN if you prefer ADP and will request a quote.
- Choose RUN if ADP’s broader small-business lineup fits your needs.
- Choose RUN if you want to compare four named payroll plans.
02Pricing compared
Heartland has the clearer starting price: the pricing information lists Essentials at $89 per month for businesses with 1–5 employees. Advanced and Complete are custom-priced, and annual pricing is not published. Heartland Time is an add-on with no published price.
RUN Powered by ADP lists four plans for businesses with 1–49 employees: Essential Payroll, Enhanced Payroll, Complete Payroll & HR Plus, and HR Pro Payroll & HR. ADP does not publish monthly or annual prices, and prices for listed add-ons—including time and attendance, retirement, workers’ compensation, and health insurance—are also not published. Its “3 Months Free” promotion is not a published free trial. Neither product lists a free plan. Before switching, request a written quote that spells out add-ons and any overage costs.
03Features and depth
Heartland’s described bundle covers more than payroll processing. Its features include multi-state payroll, direct deposit, printed checks, pay cards, and year-end tax forms. It also says it calculates, withholds, remits, and electronically files federal, state, and local payroll taxes. Time tools cover hours, schedules, estimated overtime, labor, and PTO; hiring, onboarding, employee self-service, and HR resources are also described.
ADP’s site positions RUN within a broader small-business lineup that includes payroll, HR, time and attendance, retirement, health benefits, and workers’ compensation. But the published product information does not spell out which features come with each RUN plan, or identify RUN-specific capabilities. That makes a direct feature-by-feature comparison difficult: ADP lists four plan names, but not their included features or usage limits. Heartland is the more clearly described bundle on the information available; confirm the exact inclusions with either vendor before choosing.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Neither product’s published information gives enough detail to compare setup steps, training, or day-to-day workflow. The available review scores rate Heartland’s ease of use at 7/10 and RUN at 5/10, but those scores alone do not establish how either product will fit your team.
For a switch, ask both vendors to walk through your payroll calendar, tax responsibilities, employee setup, and any data migration. With RUN, get plan-specific feature details in writing; its listed plan names do not show what is included. Heartland’s described tools make its bundle easier to assess before a sales conversation, but its Advanced and Complete pricing still requires a quote.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper, Heartland Payroll or RUN Powered by ADP?
Heartland publishes an Essentials starting price of $89 per month for 1–5 employees. ADP does not publish RUN plan prices, so we can’t establish which costs less overall. Compare written quotes that include required add-ons, overage costs, and the employee count your business needs.
Does RUN Powered by ADP have a free trial?
A free trial is not listed. ADP advertises a “3 Months Free” promotion, but the published pricing information distinguishes that from a published free trial. Ask ADP to confirm the promotion’s eligibility, duration, and any conditions before treating it as a discount.
Which product is better for a small business?
Heartland may suit a small business that wants a published entry price and a more clearly described payroll-and-HR bundle. RUN may suit a business that prefers ADP, but its prices and plan-specific features are not published on the vendor's site. Get a quote before deciding.
Does Heartland or RUN include more HR features?
Heartland describes HR tools including an HR library, handbook builder, templates, credential tracking, and live HR support. ADP lists HR solutions but does not specify which are included with RUN. That makes Heartland’s stated HR coverage clearer, not necessarily broader in every plan.