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Switch from ADP

Switching from ADP RUN to Gusto

By Payroll Dad · Last verified Oct 2026We earn a referral reward if you sign up through our link. How we make money · How we evaluate

$100 Visa gift card from Gusto when you switch or sign up through our link (by Jan 31, 2027)

The fine print, in plain words: sign up for Gusto payroll through our link by Jan 31, 2027 and run at least one paid payroll. Gusto sends the card within 30 days of your first paid payroll invoice, and your account has to be open when it goes out. The gift card comes from Gusto, not from us, and we don’t add a bonus of our own. Read Gusto’s terms.

Get the $100 gift card on Gusto’s website →

ADP is the big name. Gusto puts its prices on a web page. Here's what moves, what doesn't, and why January makes it easy.

Dad’s short answer

Want a published price and month-to-month billing? Gusto is the easier fit. Rely on ADP’s 24/7 support? Stay.

  • ADP RUN is quote-only. Gusto lists Simple at $49/mo + $6 per person.51
  • ADP wins on 24/7 support and bigger HR packages.5
  • The move is mostly uploads. Gusto's importer takes ADP Run reports during onboarding.4
ProviderBest forStarting price
GustoMost small teams that want payroll taxes filed for them, in one state (Simple) or several (Plus)Simple $49/mo + $6/person; Plus $80/mo + $12/person1
Patriot SoftwareThe lowest full-service price for teams of 2 or moreFull Service $37/mo + $5/worker; Basic $17 + $4 if you file taxes yourself6
QuickBooks PayrollPeople already doing their books in QuickBooksFrom $88/mo + $6.50/employee, bundled with Simple Start accounting7
Square PayrollShops and restaurants already on Square POS$35/mo + $6/person; contractor-only $6/person8
OnPayTeams in several states that want one flat rate$49/mo + $6/person, multi-state included9
ADP RUN youOwners who want 24/7 support and a big HR menuQuote only5

Starting list prices from each company’s pricing page, verified Oct 31, 2026. Add-ons and promos not included. Confirm on their site.

Start on Gusto’s website →

Goes through our referral page first. We earn a reward if you sign up; your price doesn’t change.

Who this is for

You run payroll on ADP today. Gusto fits you if:

  • You want prices you can read without a sales call.1
  • No long-term contract: Gusto is month-to-month.1
  • Unlimited payroll runs, off-cycle included, on every plan.2
  • Moving is easier from ADP than from most: Gusto's importer takes ADP Run reports.4

Why Gusto, compared with ADP

Dad story

Picture a dental office with 8 people.

The owner asks ADP what payroll costs.

The answer is a form.5

At Gusto, the answer is on the page. Simple: $49 plus $6 a person. 8 people: $97.1

Neither one is wrong.

One of them just involves a phone call.

Some people love a phone call. Those people aren't running a dental office.

(Made-up business. Real prices, checked Oct 31, 2026.)

List prices from each company's own site, read on Oct 31, 2026. Promos and quotes vary.

ADP RUNGusto
Published pricingNot published. You request a quote. ADP was advertising “up to 6 months free” for new payroll sign-ups (terms on its page).5 See current pricing.Simple $49/mo + $6/mo per person. Plus $80/mo + $12/mo per person. Premium $180/mo + $22/mo per person.1 Month-to-month, cancel anytime.1
What's includedFour packages: Essential Payroll, Enhanced Payroll, Complete Payroll & HR+, HR Pro Payroll & HR. RUN deducts and files federal, state and local payroll taxes and e-files W-2s and 1099s.5Unlimited payroll runs, including off-cycle. Automatic federal, state and local payroll tax filings, including W-2s, 1099s, Form 940 and Form 941.2
Contractor paymentsRUN now puts bill pay, invoicing and contractor payments on the same platform.5US contractors cost your plan's per-person rate, and only in months you pay them.1 The contractor-only plan closed to new customers on Oct 1, 2026.3
State tax filingsFederal, state and local filings, with automatic updates covering all 50 states. Enhanced adds a State Unemployment Insurance service.5Simple covers one state. Plus and Premium cover multiple states.2 Registering in a new state is an add-on; price varies by state.1
Switching into GustoYou export two reports from RUN (employee data and payroll history) and upload them to Gusto during onboarding.Gusto's payroll transfer automation accepts reports from QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, ADP Run and Paychex during onboarding.4

What it costs for your team

Change the numbers, or type in your last ADP bill. Dad does the multiplication.

Your numbers

✓ Prices checked Oct 31, 2026

List prices from each company’s own pricing page. Promos, add-ons and taxes not included. Quote-only providers show “quote only.” How we calculate

Start on Gusto’s website →

Goes through our referral page first. We earn a reward if you sign up; your price doesn’t change.

Where ADP is genuinely better

  • 24/7 support. ADP advertises 24/7 support from payroll experts.5 Gusto's basic support is a 24/7 help center plus phone and chat during business hours.2
  • Deep HR packages and a bigger HR bench as you grow (HR Pro).5
  • Clover POS integration, so payroll can run next to your point of sale.5
  • Scale. ADP says over 900,000 small businesses use RUN.5
  • A free-months promo can make year one cheaper. Read the terms.

Your ADP-to-Gusto checklist

Do these in order. Grab a coffee. It's mostly downloading PDFs. Want to tick them off? Use the interactive switching checklist; it remembers your progress.

  1. Company tax IDs. Your EIN, legal name exactly as the IRS has it, and whether you file Form 941 (quarterly) or 944. Pull your federal deposit schedule while you're in there.
  2. State account numbers. State withholding account number, state unemployment (SUI) account number and current rate, and any local tax IDs. ADP has these on file. Copy them before you cancel.
  3. Year-to-date payroll. A YTD payroll register for every employee paid this year, including people who quit. Gross pay, taxable wages, withholding, deductions, check dates.
  4. Prior quarter 941s and tax payments. Copies of every Form 941 and state quarterly return filed this year, plus proof of tax deposits. Gusto asks for YTD reports and documentation of this year's tax payments.21
  5. Employee W-4s and direct deposit. Each person's federal W-4 (and state form), pay rate, pay schedule, deductions, garnishments, PTO balances, and bank details.
  6. Contractors. Names, W-9s, and what you've paid each one this year, so 1099s come out right.
  7. Ask for the two reports Gusto's importer wants. One for employee data, one for payroll history. If you're uploading several quarters, it needs a separate report for each. The upload only works during onboarding.4
  8. Agree who files what. Only one provider can file a quarterly return for a given quarter. If both file, the second one gets rejected.21 Get ADP to confirm in writing which quarters it will file.
  9. Run one payroll in Gusto, then cancel. Download every report and tax form from ADP first. Once you lose access, those PDFs get hard to find.

Why the end of the year is the easiest time to switch

Gusto handles quarterly returns starting with the quarter of your first Gusto check date.21 So the cleanest plan is a first Gusto payday in January 2027.

  • ADP finishes 2026: the Q4 Form 941 and your 2026 W-2s. W-2s are due to employees and the SSA by February 1, 2027.22 Get ADP to confirm in writing that it's filing them.
  • Gusto starts 2027 with a clean slate. With a first check date in Q1, Gusto's list is just the pay stubs from the current quarter.23 Start in January and that's close to nothing.
  • Any other quarter works too. You'll just be entering more history.

If you sign up through our link by Jan 31, 2027 and run a paid payroll, Gusto's referral terms say you get a $100 Visa gift card. We get a referral reward too.24

FAQ: ADP to Gusto

Can Gusto import my ADP RUN payroll data?

Yes. Gusto's payroll transfer automation accepts ADP Run reports during onboarding: one employee data report and one payroll history report.4 It doesn't set up deductions or other pay items. You do those separately.

How much does ADP RUN cost compared with Gusto?

ADP doesn't publish RUN prices; you request a quote. Gusto lists Simple at $49/month + $6/person. Get the ADP quote in writing and compare the total for your headcount.

Does ADP charge a fee to leave?

That depends on your ADP agreement. Read your contract or ask your ADP rep before you set a switch date.

What's the best date to switch from ADP?

Make your first Gusto payday January 2027. ADP files your Q4 2026 return and 2026 W-2s. Gusto starts the new year and the new quarter.

Sources, checked Oct 31, 2026

Every number on this page comes from one of these pages. Prices change; if a vendor updates its page, theirs wins.

  1. Gusto: Pricing
  2. Gusto Help Center: Understanding Gusto plans
  3. Gusto Help Center: Add and pay US contractors
  4. Gusto Help Center: Payroll transfer automation
  5. ADP: RUN Powered by ADP
  6. Patriot Software: Pricing
  7. QuickBooks: Payroll pricing
  8. Square: Payroll pricing
  9. OnPay: Costs and pricing
  10. Paychex: Compare payroll packages
  11. Rippling: Pricing
  12. Wave: Payroll
  13. Paycor: Plans & pricing for businesses under 50 employees
  14. Paylocity: Pricing
  15. Paycom: Pricing
  16. Justworks: Pricing
  17. SurePayroll by Paychex: Pricing
  18. Auris (formerly Heartland Payroll): Payroll
  19. Toast: Pricing
  20. Gusto Help Center: Contact Gusto Support
  21. Gusto Help Center: Payroll tax responsibilities when switching to Gusto
  22. IRS: General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3 (2026)
  23. Gusto Help Center: Enter previous payrolls during account setup
  24. Gusto: Referral Rewards Terms