ADP
Wave
| Feature | ADP | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $79/mo | Free / from $16/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | small-businesses, mid-market-companies, enterprises, multi-state-employers | freelancers, solopreneurs, micro-businesses, side-hustlers |
| Founded | 1949 | 2010 |
| Payroll Processing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tax Filing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Benefits Administration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time Attendance | ✓ | ✗ |
| Hr Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Talent Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Compliance | ✓ | ✗ |
| Accounting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Invoicing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Receipt Scanning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bank Connections | ✗ | ✓ |
| Financial Reports | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payroll Addon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payments Addon | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ ADP Pros
- Industry leader with 70+ years of payroll expertise
- Scalable from 1 employee to 100,000+
- Automatic tax filing and compliance updates
- Comprehensive benefits and retirement administration
✗ ADP Cons
- Pricing requires custom quote (not transparent)
- Interface feels dated compared to modern HR tools
- Customer service quality varies by region
✓ Wave Pros
- Core accounting and invoicing completely free
- Unlimited income and expense tracking
- Receipt scanning with OCR included
- Simple enough for non-accountants
✗ Wave Cons
- Payroll and payments are paid add-ons
- No inventory or project tracking
- Limited integrations compared to competitors
The Verdict
ADP is built for small businesses and mid market companies, with a focus on payroll-processing and tax-filing. Wave targets freelancers and solopreneurs and leads with accounting and invoicing.
On pricing, Wave is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $16/mo compared to $79/mo for ADP. That $63/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Wave has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. ADP requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.