Companies of all sizes can simplify their human resources processes by partnering with an HR provider. While the best HR software solutions suit many companies, some businesses want a more hands-on approach and choose to use one of the best PEO services.
Rippling and ADP TotalSource are top-rated HR solutions that can help businesses take a customized approach to handling essential HR needs, like benefits administration, payroll processing, compliance assistance and workforce reporting. We selected details from our complete Rippling HR Software review and our review of ADP TotalSource to help business owners compare these solutions side by side.
Criteria | Rippling | ADP |
---|---|---|
Starting price | $8 per user per month (plus add-on features) | Custom pricing with add-on features |
HR services |
|
|
Payroll and benefits | Domestic and global payroll services | Domestic and global payroll services |
Usability | Intuitive, customizable and user-friendly | Intuitive and user-friendly |
Customer support | Email and web chat (option for phone support with the HR help desk add-on) | Phone, email, web chat and a team of HR experts |
Rippling is best for small and midsize businesses that need a highly customizable and scalable HR and IT solution. It is especially well suited for businesses that are growing rapidly or expanding into new markets. Rippling can help businesses automate their HR processes, streamline workforce management and manage their IT assets more efficiently.
Rippling is also a good choice for businesses that need a global payroll solution. Rippling can support payroll for employees, including complex tax and HR compliance requirements, in several countries.
Here are a few of the attributes that make Rippling an excellent HR solution:
Rippling provides a centralized workforce management platform that allows businesses to access functions related to payroll, HR, employee benefits and IT.
ADP TotalSource is an excellent solution for businesses of all sizes. However, it’s especially well suited to midsize and large businesses. It’s also a good choice for businesses that need a comprehensive HR and payroll solution that can scale as they grow. We like that ADP offers a high level of customer support and can help businesses comply with complex HR and payroll regulations.
ADP also offers various industry-specific solutions for hospitality, healthcare and retail businesses.
Here are some attributes that make ADP a great choice for businesses that want to outsource their HR functions:
ADP is a top-rated HR solution and is considered among the best HR outsourcing services in the industry.
Rippling
Rippling doesn’t provide much pricing information online, primarily because it’s such a highly customizable platform. To get a quote, you must contact a representative to build an HR, finance and IT package based on the features you need. The base workforce management platform, Rippling Unity, starts at $8 per month. However, you’ll likely want to add more features to handle your HR and other operational needs.
Here are some key points about Rippling Unity pricing:
ADP
ADP outlines its payroll and PEO plans online. However, like Rippling, it doesn’t list its prices online. Instead, the company has customizable plans based on a business’s size and needs.
ADP offers two bundles with payroll and HR functions that may appeal to small businesses:
PEO services, compliance functions, benefits, time and attendance features, and other services are also available. Again, to get pricing information, you’ll need to contact the company for a custom quote.
Consider these additional points about ADP’s pricing:
Winner: Tie
We called a tie in this category. ADP and Rippling have similar pricing models. Both offer base plans and a wide range of optional add-ons. Although Rippling lists its starting price per employee online, you’ll likely need several additional features, which means you’ll have to contact a representative to get a custom quote, just as you’ll need to do for ADP. Both PEO services also require employers to have a minimum of five employees.
Check out our review of Zenefits if transparent pricing is important to you. Zenefits clearly outlines the prices of its HR services and add-ons online.
Rippling
ADP
ADP consistently monitors changes to payroll regulations and labor laws, including minimum-wage laws, and alerts businesses to necessary updates.
Winner: Rippling
Both Rippling and ADP offer comprehensive HR services to help businesses manage their HR functions efficiently. However, Rippling’s ability to automate many of these services stood out to us because HR automation streamlines a company’s HR processes. Rippling also offers app and device management services, allowing employers to manage these functions on the same platform as their other, more traditional HR services.
Rippling’s device management feature directly integrates with the rest of its HR functions. Source: Rippling
Rippling
Rippling’s time-tracking data can automatically populate into your payroll. Source: Rippling
ADP
ADP has a helpful feature that can walk employees through the benefits administration process and assist them with choices and applications.
Winner: ADP
Although both Rippling and ADP offer comprehensive domestic and global payroll processing and tax filing, we found ADP’s payroll and benefits slightly more comprehensive. We were impressed with ADP’s optional features, like audit and reconciliation services, multi-jurisdiction payroll, and state unemployment insurance management. We also like that ADP offers robust and affordable employee benefits and a range of tiered payroll plans.
ADP’s plan comparison tool can help employees choose the best benefits options. Source: ADP
Rippling
We found Rippling’s interface and customizable workflows intuitive and straightforward; the platform is easy to use and navigate, and helps to streamline HR processes. We like that the unified system centralizes HR, IT and finance data in one place for efficient management. We were also impressed that Rippling can automate many HR functions.
ADP
ADP’s customizable HR platform helps businesses tailor a solution to their specific needs. We like that the ADP Marketplace facilitates seamless integrations with hundreds of third-party solutions. Additionally, ADP’s iOS and Android mobile apps offer convenient access on the go.
Winner: Rippling
During testing, we were pleased to find that both Rippling and ADP offer intuitive products with clean interfaces. However, we were especially impressed with Rippling’s ability to automate so many HR functions. While this does add some time and effort on the front end to customize the solution, it can ultimately save your HR professionals countless hours by eliminating repetitive HR tasks.
Rippling
Rippling offers standard email and web chat support. Users must pay to add Rippling’s HR Help Desk: HR Support if they want direct access to phone support. Rippling also offers basic online resources, like templates, blogs and a help center.
ADP
We like that ADP’s plans automatically include phone, email and web chat support and that users can access a dedicated HR representative. For further support, ADP users can also connect with HR experts and access online resources.
Winner: ADP
This was another close call, but ADP’s customer support came out on top. We like that ADP is IRS- and ESAC-certified; Rippling is not. ADP also offers phone support, whereas Rippling users must pay extra for that feature.
Choose Rippling if you are …
Choose ADP if you are …
The implementation time will depend on what features you need, how many employees you have, and how many processes you want to customize and automate. However, some users can be up and running with Rippling in just a couple of weeks.
As with any HR software, your implementation time will depend on your company’s size and the features you need. However, ADP’s implementation takes an average of two to four weeks. This is standard in the industry.
Rippling has impressive integration capabilities. The software can integrate with over 500 third-party applications.
ADP has one of the most extensive lists of integrations of the HR solutions we reviewed. It can integrate with more than 550 third-party applications.