ADP Workforce Now vs Payroll4Free

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Our analysts compared ADP Workforce Now vs Payroll4Free based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Payroll Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Payroll4Free Software Tool

Product Basics

ADP Workforce Now is a cloud and on-premise platform for businesses seeking a one-stop shop for everything HR, including remote, in-office or hybrid teams. It operates as a professional employer organization (PEO), offering tools to tackle complex and time-consuming HR tasks.

It includes payroll management, time and attendance, talent management and benefits administration. Tools like payroll automation, data syncing and error detection help HR managers overcome common challenges like payroll inaccuracies and time-consuming manual processing.

It's ideal for teams that want to boost efficiency and save time on core HR tasks while navigating compliance regulations. Its key features include applicant tracking and recruiting, compensation management, document management, employee onboarding, employee self-service and payroll management.

It’s embedded with protective layers such as physical security, intelligent detection, fraud defense and other mechanisms for enhanced security and data privacy.

According to recent user reviews, users generally find it intuitive and reasonably easy to navigate. In contrast, some users report long customer support wait times.

Monthly pricing starts at $110. Pricing also depends on features, modules or packages selected, such as bundling payroll and HR. A free trial is also available. 

Pros
  • Custom reporting
  • Easy clocking in and out
  • Detailed, accessible paystubs
Cons
  • Customer support variations
  • Learning curve during implementation
  • Occasional slowness
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Payroll4Free offers online payroll services and professional support to small businesses. It is easy-to-use, secure and was built to handle both simple and complex payroll requirements. It tackles all payroll matters for businesses, including direct deposits, employee and contractor payments and tax form calculations.

Its basic features are available free of charge for small businesses with less than 25 employees. It helps businesses pay employees via paper check, direct deposit or a combination of both. Companies can use it to make payments to contractors and file year-end taxes. It also calculates federal, state and local taxes and grants access to filled out tax forms.

It offers an employee portal that helps staff members edit or access their personal information from anywhere. It can be used to generate reports that offer insight into a company’s taxes, earnings, benefits and more.
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$110 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$35 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
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Email
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24/7 Live Support
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Product Insights

  • Streamline Processes: Automate critical processes like onboarding, record-keeping and employee status changes. Track and report about certifications, licenses and compliance data.
  • Improve Employee Experience: Empower employees with access to their pay, benefits and time information. Employees can also request time off, view work schedules and download pay statements without HR/admin intervention.
  • View Real-Time Insights: View key metrics like labor costs, overtime, actual vs. scheduled hours, turnover rate and other KPIs using data analysis tools.
  • Integrate Seamlessly: Integrate with different systems like Workday, Litmos, ZipRecruiter, TSheets, QuickBooks, Slack, Microsoft Teams and more.
  • Manage Information Anywhere: Get 24/7 mobile access to time and attendance features, benefits data, and pay details with an app for iOS and Android platforms.
  • Enhance Data Security: ADP's security training and awareness program includes annual interactive training covering key topics and policies like phishing, malware and incident response. There are classroom sessions, webinars and visual aids.
  • Ensure Compliance: With built-in safeguards like error detection and data syncing, the platform aids compliance with labor laws and regulations.
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  • Quick Setup: Businesses opting for Payroll4Free can get it up and running quickly and easily. It comes with a guided, step-by-step account set-up tool for prompt installation. 
  • Easy-to-Use: It is easy to navigate and requires minimal training to get the hang of its offerings. Its interface has a menu bar at the top of the screen and a number of tiles to perform payroll-related functions. Hitting a relevant tile takes users to a grid-style data-entry screen. Administrators can add employees, log their working hours and process payroll on this grid screen. All employee details are visible on the grid screen, and businesses have the option to pay them via checks or direct deposits. 
  • Integrations: Payroll4Free allows its users to export their payroll data to third-party accounting programs like Quickbooks, banks, benefit companies and more. It lets users import employee working hours from a time clock file. 
  • Affordable: It offers free payroll services to businesses with less than 25 employees who are on a tight budget. It simplifies payroll for new companies, and it can also be used by companies with more than 25 employees for a minimal subscription fee. 
  • Friendly Assistance:  It offers additional support from experienced payroll and tax professionals, who can be contacted for payroll-related advice in tricky scenarios. 
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  • Payroll: Access employee pay data on a dashboard. Automate deductions for benefits and other compensation.
    • Manage tax filings and access historical pay summaries.
    • Prorate pay during a cycle or apply it to previous runs.
    • Identify payroll errors via warning notifications.
  • Time & Attendance: Offers tracking and scheduling capabilities with digital time clocking, visual schedules and clocks with finger scan functionality.
    • Facilitate absence management with absence analysis, leave tracking and more.
    • Secured Time Tracking: Reduce time theft (like buddy punching) with finger scanning, facial recognition and geofencing.
    • Time Tracking Options: Employees can clock in and out using their mobile device, kiosk app, web timesheet, tablet or smart time clock. The time kiosk application enables pin codes or facial recognition for an added layer of security.
    • Scheduling: Assign shifts and let employees swap as needed, reducing productivity bottlenecks. Configure scheduling work rules like max hours/days.
    • Scheduling by Skill: Ensure efficiency by matching specific employees to jobs based on their skills, licenses and certifications. Use skills-based scheduling to assign employees with the required language and training provisions.
    • Dashboards: View absences, schedules, hours worked and overtime. See timecard statuses to help wrap up time details without delaying payroll.
    • Time and Attendance Compliance: ADP’s compliance on-demand option gives clients access to a team of consultants for guidance on key practices. Access a content library with info on federal, state and local laws, and regulations.
  • Talent Management:
    • Recruiting and Hiring: Automatically create job descriptions and job postings. Offers screening, compliance mandates by location, hiring-practice guidance, credential verification and background check tools.
    • Management and Growth: View employee performance, deliver learning programs and offer leadership skill improvement tools. Reduce talent gaps and plan ahead with succession management.
  • Benefits Administration:
    • With ADP AE Snapshot™, managers can access employee metrics on enrollment preferences and decisions.
    • Access ranks of different plans, compare options, calculate and evaluate various scenarios, and configure plan selections with PlanFit.
    • Enroll and manage benefits through the mobile app.
    • Use eligibility, enrollment activity and plan summary reports.
  • ADP® DataCloud: Reference reliable industry data and compare company trends and data to information from similar organizations. Predict turnover and discover contributing factors using big data through Turnover Probability Explorer.
  • ADP® StandOut: Personalize digital coaching content and use 15-minute strength assessments. Offers:
    • Real-time team engagement, custom and performance pulse surveys.
    • Light-touch check-ins with employees.
    • Coaching intelligence and insights.
  • Learning Management: Allow employees to self-enroll for courses. Custom build or upload training content. Provides:
    • 41 pre-packaged compliance and development courses.
    • Course tracking dashboards.
    • Publishing and tracking of instructor-led training.
    • Online demos
  • HR Assist: Features include:
    • Federal and state compliance reporting, along with regulatory expertise and guidance.
    • Job description templates and wizards.
    • Employee handbook assistance.
    • HR doc library and toolkits with guides, forms, documents and policies.
    • ADP TotalSource®: Offers support for benefits, payroll, hiring and compliance across all 50 states. Has features like full-time recruiters, applicant tracking, ZipRecruiter integration, mobile-friendly career sites, background checks and onboarding.
  • Workforce Management: Effectively plan projects and assign tasks, even on the go. Managers can remotely view time off, hours worked and timecards. There’s also overtime and absence analytics and reporting for helpful insights.
  • Digital Record Keeping: Store confidential company data securely in the cloud. Upload data in batches to save time. Search and audit information.
  • Onboarding: Facilitate a fully integrated onboarding experience for new hires. Capabilities include:
    • Digital onboarding
    • Digital I-9 processing.
    • Identification of employee payment preferences.
    • Onboarding completion reminders.
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  • Pay Employees and Contractors: Payroll4Free lets businesses make payments to contractors and pay salaries to their employees. It gives users the option to clear contractor payments from the new employee setup screen. Businesses can choose to process a 1099 form end at the end of the year for newly hired contractors rather than using a W-2. 
  • Tax Forms and Calculations: It takes care of all tax preparations and filings for businesses. It computes all federal, state and local taxes for its users and provides access to completed tax forms. It also makes all requisite deposits and tax filings, including W-2, at the end of the year. 
  • Paper Checks or Direct Deposits: It facilitates payments to employees and contractors through paper checks or direct deposits. Businesses can also choose to make payments using a combination of both methods according to their convenience. 
  • Employee Portal: Payroll4Free comes with an employee portal that gives staff members access to their personal information online, using any device. Employees have access to previous and current salary slips and year-end tax forms like W-2s. Employees can also edit their personal information, review leave statuses and manage their vacation time and requests. 
  • Track Employee Time-Offs: It gives businesses numerous options to track employee vacations, sick leave and PTO. It calculates the total number of working hours per employee based on their time spent with the company. This data can then be used to compute remuneration and overtime payments, if any. 
  • Detailed Reporting: Payroll4Free offers detailed reporting options to keep businesses updated on their payroll information. It provides detailed reports on earnings, benefits, taxes, accrued time off and a payroll journal. These reports offer deep insights into a company’s performance and help users make smart business decisions. 
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Product Ranking

#13

among all
Payroll Software

#45

among all
Payroll Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

86
47
56
73
100
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0
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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

ADP Workforce Now
Payroll4Free
+ Add Product + Add Product
Benefits Management Dashboard And Reporting Expense Management Mobile Capabilities Payroll And Tax Management Platform Capabilities Security And Compliance Time And Attendance Management 56 100 50 78 99 94 100 65 73 40 0 0 71 41 60 20 0 25 50 75 100
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92%
8%
67%
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33%
100%
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70%
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30%
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97%
3%
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66%
3%
31%
89%
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11%
44%
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56%
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40%
13%
88%
-1%
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87%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

86%
0%
14%
21%
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79%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 10989 reviews
Fair User Sentiment 9 reviews
85%
of users recommend this product

ADP Workforce Now has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 85% when considering 10989 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

64%
of users recommend this product

Payroll4Free has a 'fair' User Satisfaction Rating of 64% when considering 9 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (19)
n/a
4.1 (3109)
n/a
4.4 (5734)
3.2 (9)
4.4 (358)
n/a
4.0 (1769)
n/a

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated ADP Workforce Now and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Payroll and Tax Management.

Payroll and Tax Management Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Users generally have positive feedback about ADP's time tracking, highlighting its ease of use for clocking in and out, viewing time cards, and requesting time off.
Users highlight quick access to paystubs from current and past jobs. They appreciate having all paystub information in one place and find it easy to download. There are also detailed breakdowns of earnings and deductions.
60% of users appreciate reporting capabilities, particularly the custom reports feature, finding it helpful for generating tailored insights.
64% of users find the system intuitive and user-friendly, praising easy navigation and accessibility of features.
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Easy to Use: Users praise Payroll4Free for its intuitive design and ease of use, making payroll processing straightforward even for those without prior experience.
Affordable Pricing: Many users appreciate the cost-effectiveness of Payroll4Free, especially smaller businesses or startups with limited budgets.
Reliable Customer Support: Users highlight the responsive and helpful customer support provided by Payroll4Free, ensuring any issues or questions are addressed promptly.
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While some users appreciate backend support, such as assistance with 401k information, 73% of users express frustration with customer service, citing long wait times.
47% of users experienced a learning curve with features during implementation. Some users mention poor implementation support, leading to a confusing onboarding experience for employees.
40% of users express reports have room for improvement, noting the reporting functionality can be complex and not intuitive enough, with limitations in filter prompts.
36% of users note difficulties with integration between features and occasional slowness and feel that certain aspects are scattered.
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Limited Customer Support: Users have reported difficulties reaching customer support and receiving timely assistance when encountering issues.
Occasional System Glitches: Some users have experienced occasional system errors or glitches that disrupt their payroll processing.
Basic Feature Set: Payroll4Free is generally considered suitable for businesses with straightforward payroll needs, as it may lack some advanced features found in other payroll software.
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ADP Workforce Now is a popular PEO and HR solution for businesses that need a comprehensive HCM for payroll, time and attendance, benefits administration, reporting, and compliance assistance. It’s ideal for small teams, mid-sized organizations and larger businesses looking to improve their time tracking, ensure payroll accuracy and go paperless with document management.Standout features include automated time tracking, collaborative scheduling, talent acquisition, configurable work rules, employee self service and data syncing.Time and attendance features support productivity by ensuring proper staffing, tracking time via desktop or app, and providing time clocks or ADP® Kiosk access. Additionally, it supports online schedule management, time-off requests and approvals.It also facilitates benefits administration, SmartCompliance, financial wellness support, and performance and compensation management, fostering a positive employee experience.Additionally, ADP Workforce Now has AI capabilities that can automate repetitive tasks, analyze workforce data for insights, find tax forms, access company policies, and submit PTO requests through mobile devices or myADP. AI-driven analytics aid decision-making across key HR functions like recruiting, compliance and time management.Users commend ADP's time tracking for its efficiency and user-friendly interface. However, some users report drawbacks, including customer service issues and a learning curve during implementation.As a PEO, ADP offers assistance with workers' compensation, claims management and tax support in all 50 states.Overall, ADP Workforce Now is an inclusive HR solution that provides essential features for payroll, time tracking, and HR management while also offering custom reports, automation and AI capabilities to all business sizes.

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Is Payroll4Free truly free, or is there a hidden cost? User reviews from the past year suggest Payroll4Free delivers on its promise of a free and easy-to-use payroll solution, particularly for small businesses with 25 or fewer employees. Users praise its intuitive interface, highlighting the guided account setup wizard and straightforward navigation. They appreciate the software's ability to handle both employee and contractor payments, simplifying the payment process. The automatic tax calculations are a major plus, easing the burden of payroll tax compliance. Some users even compared their manual calculations to Payroll4Free's reports, finding them to be spot-on. However, the "free" aspect comes with caveats. The software is ad-supported, which some users find intrusive. While the free version allows for 12 pay runs per year, exceeding this limit requires an upgrade. Additional fees apply for features like direct deposit, contractor payments, and multi-state employee payments. Users also point out limitations in functionality, noting that Payroll4Free is best suited for basic payroll needs. Larger companies or those requiring advanced features like robust reporting, automation, and analytics might find Payroll4Free lacking. Alternatives like OnPay, with its base price of $40 per month plus $6 per employee, offer more comprehensive features. In conclusion, Payroll4Free is a viable option for startups and small businesses with limited budgets and straightforward payroll requirements. Its ease of use, free basic features, and accurate tax calculations make it an attractive choice for those seeking a no-frills payroll solution. However, businesses with more complex needs or a larger workforce might find themselves outgrowing Payroll4Free's capabilities and needing to consider paid alternatives.

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