Updated on 4 June 2024 On this page Quick Summary: ADP Plans in Comparison ADP Payroll Plans The iHCM Essential Edition The iHCM Standard Edition The iHCM Advanced Edition ADP Celergo, Global, and GlobalView Payroll ADP’s Outsourced Payroll Services ADP Alternatives Verdict FAQs Expand A capable and reliable small business payroll provider will remove much of the stress of filing payroll and taxes every month, but it’s important to consider all of the costs you’re likely to incur before signing a contract.ADP is one such option. It offers payroll subscriptions and outsourced options for small, midsize, and large businesses, including multinational plans for large companies with global operations.In this guide, we break down each of ADP’s payroll plans, explore its payroll, HR features, and pricing, and determine the ideal user for each plan. Quick Summary: ADP Plans in ComparisonADP Payroll software can be broken down into two main categories:ADP iHCM: Designed for small to midsize businesses.ADP Celergo, Global, and GlobalView: Designed for midsize, large, and multinational businesses.ADP iHCMADP Celergo,Global, and GlobalViewPlans/FeaturesEssential EditionStandard EditionAdvanced EditionPayroll featuresDirect deposit, new hire documentation, P60, P45, and P11D preparation, automated RTI filing, and tax filing optionsDirect deposit, new hire documentation, P60, P45, and P11D preparation, automated RTI filing, tax filing options, cheque signing, expense tracking, and unemployment managementDirect deposit, new hire documentation, P60, P45, and P11D preparation, automated RTI filing, tax filing options, cheque signing, expense tracking, unemployment management, custom payroll analytics, performance management tools, and a recruitment and careers portalEverything in ADP iHCM, plus multicurrency payroll, multicountry tax filing, and multinational payroll law tools, all-in-one dedicated softwareHR featuresADP employee and employer portals and payroll reporting functionsADP employee and employer portals, payroll reporting functions, new hire onboarding, and background checksADP employee and employer portals, payroll reporting functions, new hire onboarding, background checks, HR helpdesk, HR and administration training, HR forms, and employee handbook wizardEverything in ADP iHCM, plus global HR tools for employees and contractors living and working in various countriesMarketing featuresGoogle Ads integrationGoogle Ads integrationGoogle Ads integrationGoogle Ads integration, dedicated marketing tools, access to ADP’s team of professional advisors, and legal assistance featuresPricingBespoke—contact ADP for a quoteBespoke—contact ADP for a quoteBespoke—contact ADP for a quoteBespoke—contact ADP for a quoteIdeal customerStartups and small businesses with basic payroll, tax, and compliance needsGrowing businesses needing additional payroll features, basic HR features, and robust compliance supportEstablished businesses seeking comprehensive payroll, HR, and talent acquisition solutionsLarge multinational businesses with complex multicountry and multicurrency payroll and HR needs ADP Payroll PlansADP’s iHCM is designed for small to midsize businesses and includes three payroll tiers—Essential Edition, Standard Edition, and Advanced Edition. Each plan varies in features, scope, and cost. Pricing is bespoke and determined by the number of employees, tax reporting needs, worker classifications, HR needs, and compliance features required.ADP’s Celergo, Global, and GlobalView plans are designed for larger multinational companies with HR, payroll, and compliance responsibilities in multiple countries, languages, and currencies.Below, we break down each plan’s features, drawbacks, and what type of business would benefit most from them. The iHCM Essential EditionPrice: Bespoke—contact ADP for a quote.Features: Direct deposit, new hire documentation, P60, P45, and P11D preparation, automated RTI filing, tax filing options, plus HR features such as employee and employer portals and payroll reporting functions.Ideal customer: Startups and small businesses with basic payroll, tax, and compliance needs.What Is the Essential Edition?The Essential Edition is ADP’s most basic and accessible payroll package, making it ideal for new businesses or those with a consistent number of employees. There are enough features to get you started running payroll, such as remitting information to HMRC, preparing payroll and income tax information, managing basic HR functions, and more.Who Is the Essential Edition Right for?The Essential Edition is perfect for startups and small businesses with relatively simple HR and payroll situations and those with steady or slow-growing workforces.What Features Does the Essential Edition Include?ADP’s Essential Edition covers core payroll functions like direct deposit, new hire documentation, unlimited payroll runs, payroll tax preparation, and automatic RTI (Real-Time Information) remittance, ensuring you always meet tax deadlines.The Essential Edition also includes a built-in payroll portal containing employee information, such as name, phone number, email address, and physical address. This information is kept secure and encrypted, and employees can use their own unique credentials to access and update their information anywhere, anytime.What Are the Drawbacks of the Essential Edition?Being a basic payroll plan, the Essential Edition lacks higher-tier features like HR support, payroll compliance, and legal assistance. Many business owners will find the Essential Edition adequate for their needs, but those seeking marketing tools and unemployment management may benefit from ADP’s higher pricing structures.ADP has several different payroll solutions for businesses of varying sizes The iHCM Standard EditionPrice: Bespoke—contact ADP for a quote.Features: Everything in the Essential Edition, plus cheque signing, expense tracking, unemployment management, new hire onboarding, and background checks.Ideal customer: Growing businesses needing additional payroll functions, basic HR features, and robust compliance support.What Is the Standard Edition?The Standard Edition is ADP’s mid-range payroll and HR software offering. It provides useful tools for running payroll, remitting payroll and tax information to HMRC, and includes some HR functions and support.Who Is the Standard Edition Right for?The Standard Edition is ideal for scaling businesses with changing hiring and employment needs, those with growing workforces, and those who employ various types/categories of workers (such as employees and independent contractors).What Features Does the Standard Edition Include?The Standard Edition builds upon the features in the Essential Edition, offering value add-ons like new hire onboarding, cheque signing, unemployment management, and background checks to provide peace of mind when hiring new employees.What Are the Drawbacks of the Standard Edition?This plan is possibly too advanced for startups and small businesses that would benefit from the simpler features offered in the Essential Edition, and too basic for enterprises with complex HR needs that would benefit from features such as HR training, HR forms, and the HR employee handbook wizard included in ADP’s highest tier. The iHCM Advanced EditionPrice: Bespoke—contact ADP for a quote.Features: Everything in the Standard Edition, plus custom payroll analytics, performance management tools, a recruitment and careers portal, an HR helpdesk, HR and administration training, HR forms, and an employee handbook wizard.Ideal customer: Established businesses seeking comprehensive payroll, HR, and talent acquisition solutions.What Is the Advanced Edition?The Advanced Edition is the most feature-rich payroll plan under the iHCM umbrella. It’s designed for established businesses seeking full-service payroll, HR, and compliance software.Who Is the Advanced Edition Right for?This plan is ideal for businesses that have outgrown basic payroll needs and require additional support with managing HR responsibilities, recruiting employees and managing applicants, tracking key payroll analytics, and staying compliant with complicated payroll regulations. Midsize to large businesses with more complex employment situations will benefit from this plan’s extensive features.What Features Does the Advanced Edition Include?ADP’s Advanced Edition builds upon the Standard Edition plan and adds features like custom payroll analytics, performance management tools, and a recruitment and careers portal. These functions allow employers to understand their workforce better and simplify performance management, hiring, promotions, and more.The Advanced Edition also includes enhanced HR support features like HR helpdesk, HR training, HR forms, and ADP’s HR employee handbook wizard. These features give HR teams educational and training resources and access to ADP’s team of HR experts for guidance.What Are the Drawbacks of the Advanced Edition?The Advanced Edition is the most feature-rich payroll offering under the iHCM umbrella. As a result, this plan may be unnecessarily complex for small and scaling businesses. ADP Celergo, Global, and GlobalView PayrollPrice: Bespoke—contact ADP for a quote.Features: Everything in the iHCM plans, plus multicurrency payroll, multicountry tax filing, multinational compliance tools, and global HR tools for employees and contractors living and working in various countries.Ideal customer: Midsize to large companies, specifically those with global operations seeking integrated payroll, HR, and compliance features for multiple countries and currencies in a single solution.What Are the Celergo, Global, and GlobalView Plans?ADP’s Celergo and Global payroll plans are its most premium offerings, catering to midsize and large businesses with significant workforces and complex multinational payroll and HR needs. They include everything in the iHCM plans and add even more advanced HR and payroll features.Who Are the Celergo, Global, and GlobalView Plans Right for?The global plans are ideal for midsize to large companies seeking advanced payroll, HR, and compliance features for workers in multiple countries.What Features Do the Celergo, Global, and GlobalView Plans Include?These plans build upon the features in the iHCM plans by adding global functionality like multinational payroll features, multiple currency integrations, compliance with multicountry tax and payroll laws, and robust multinational HR tools.What Are the Drawbacks of the Celergo, Global, and GlobalView Plans?ADP’s global plans are designed for midsize to large multinational employers, and the bespoke costs will likely reflect that. These plans may be too complex for smaller companies seeking a simpler international payroll solution. ADP’s Outsourced Payroll ServicesIn addition to the payroll plans mentioned above, ADP provides outsourced payroll and HR services. ADP will process payroll for you, keep you compliant, and give you 24/7 access to its expert call centre. All of these functions are completely managed by ADP, giving you the freedom to focus on your business goals.ADP’s outsourced payroll also comes with a variety of robust HR features, such as employee, recruitment, and career portals, onboarding assistance, and 24/7 support from ADP’s HR professionals. Furthermore, ADP’s HR services ensure your hiring and management processes comply with complex employment laws.As with its payroll software plans, ADP’s outsourced payroll pricing is bespoke, so businesses must contact the company for a quote. ADP AlternativesADP is one of the most well-known and highly respected payroll software providers on the market, serving a wide variety of clients, both large and small. However, several other payroll providers also offer basic and advanced plans, each with its own payroll services, features, and interfaces.Moorepay Payroll Moorepay Pricing Bespoke Try Moorepay Quick overview Moorepay is an accessible, user-friendly, feature-rich payroll provider that is a great option for small to midsize employers operating in the UK. It offers core payroll functions like payroll processing, tax filing, direct deposit, P60, P45, and P11D preparation, automatic RTI submissions, tax and legal compliance, and basic HR functions like employee portals, employee onboarding, and more.Similarly to ADP, Moorepay’s pricing is bespoke, so businesses must contact Moorepay to request a custom quote based on their situation. Moorepay only operates within the UK, which means that expansion beyond the UK’s borders will necessitate either changing or adding payroll providers. Read more + Read less - 12 Cloud Payroll 12 Cloud Pricing From £5/month Compare quotes Quick overview 12 Cloud Payroll is a cost-effective and user-friendly payroll provider boasting a transparent pricing structure, making it ideal for employers seeking a capable payroll solution with a varied feature set. It goes beyond basic payroll functions by offering benefits administration, automatic legislation updates, online access, and mobile payslips.12 Cloud Payroll is one of the most budget-friendly payroll options on the market, charging £5 to £15 per month for employers with fewer than 10 employees, and £25 to £200 per month for employers with 10 employees or more. Read more + Read less - MHR Payroll MHR Pricing Bespoke Compare quotes Quick overview MHR is a feature-rich payroll solution that includes functions such as custom reporting, integration of payroll data across accounting and project management systems, and 24/7 customer service via phone and live chat. MHR is great for UK businesses seeking basic payroll, reporting, and HR features in user-friendly software.MHR’s cost is fully bespoke, so interested businesses will have to contact MHR to request a custom quote based on their business’ size, number of employees, and required features. Read more + Read less - Verdict ADP offers fully outsourced services and a variety of payroll plans with bespoke pricing to suit businesses of all sizes. The iHCM Essential, Standard, and Advanced Editions are catered toward small and midsize companies seeking capable payroll and HR solutions, whereas the Celergo, Global, and GlobalView plans are designed for large, multinational clients with complex payroll needs.To find out more and streamline your payroll and HR processes while keeping your business compliant, discover the top seven payroll companies in the UK and London in 2024. FAQs How much does it cost to run payroll per employee? Most payroll providers charge a small monthly fee to run payroll per employee. This fee is usually in the range of £2 to £6 per employee, per month. Is ADP the best for payroll? There’s no best payroll option since your unique payroll and HR needs will determine what’s best for your business. ADP offers feature-rich payroll plans for various business sizes, but other competitors also offer capable payroll and HR plans, such as Moorepay, 12 Cloud, and MHR.