UKG vs. ADP: HR and payroll comparison in 2025

Choosing the right HR software is essential for businesses of all sizes. It’s important that the platform you choose does more than just tick the general boxes. It should cater to your business's specific needs. From managing payroll to streamlining benefits administration, the right tool can save time, boost efficiency, and keep your team happy. There are a lot of options on the market, though. So, how do you know which platform is the right fit?

In this article, we compare UKG Pro and ADP Workforce Now, two of the most popular HCM tools in 2025. To equip you with the information you need to choose the right solution, we provide a detailed comparison, breaking down their features and highlighting their strengths. We also discuss Rippling, a modern HRIS platform that offers powerful features and automation, as the best choice for HR software. 

UKG vs. ADP: Features overview

Understanding the feature differences in ADP vs UKG is important for HR managers looking to choose the best HR tech. While both platforms offer impressive capabilities, they cater to different needs. Which one is best for your business depends on your business size, specific requirements, and goals. Below, you can find a detailed comparison of ADP and UKG’s key features to help you make an informed decision:

ADP vs. UKG: HR features 

Both UKG Pro and ADP Workforce Now offer a suite of HR tools that can help businesses streamline processes and support their workforce. Both platforms cover essentials like employee management and compliance, though their unique strengths cater to different needs. Here's a closer look at the HR features that set each platform apart:

UKG

Made to meet the demands of large and enterprise-level organizations, UKG Pro focuses on automation, analytics, and workforce optimization.

Robust people analytics tools 

UKG Pro’s people analytics empower HR teams to make informed, data-driven decisions. This HR software offers customizable dashboards that display key workforce metrics, such as turnover trends and retention risks. It also includes predictive analytics to help HR teams address potential issues before they become problems, making it easier to optimize talent management and workforce management strategies.

Learning for employee training 

The platform's learning management system helps businesses invest in employee development. HR teams can assign training modules, monitor employee progress, and provide targeted development opportunities. The platform also integrates with other HR tools, ensuring training data is easily accessible and aligned with broader business goals.

Native workforce scheduling tool

UKG Pro's workforce scheduling tool streamlines the process of assigning shifts, especially for industries with complex scheduling needs like healthcare and retail. Managers can create flexible schedules that account for employee availability, reduce scheduling conflicts, and ensure proper coverage. This feature integrates seamlessly with payroll, helping businesses save time and minimize errors.

Employee experience platform

The platform's Employee Voice tool enables HR managers to gather real-time feedback through surveys and pulse check-ins. This feature improves employee engagement by fostering open communication and helping HR identify and address workforce challenges quickly. HR teams can use the data they collect to boost morale, retain top talent, and build a more connected workplace.

ADP

ADP Workforce Now is well-suited for small and mid-size businesses, offering flexible, scalable tools that help simplify HR management.

Larger list of employee benefits

ADP makes benefits administration easy by providing access to an extensive range of employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, wellness programs, and more. Its partnerships with third-party providers allow businesses to offer highly competitive and customizable benefits packages. This flexibility helps businesses attract and retain talent while maintaining compliance with benefits regulations.

US-based account service team

ADP delivers local, personalized customer support with a US-based team that assists HR managers directly. This feature facilitates fast response times and expert guidance on payroll, benefits administration, or compliance-related issues. For businesses handling complex HR challenges, this level of dedicated support can make day-to-day management significantly easier.

HR assistance with employee handbook creation

The platform simplifies the process of creating employee handbooks by offering tailored templates and expert advice. HR managers can easily customize policies to maintain compliance with local and federal labor laws. This feature reduces the administrative burden for small and mid-sized businesses while helping them maintain compliance and professionalism. 

Talent management suite

ADP’s talent management tools streamline recruiting, onboarding, and performance reviews. The suite includes automated workflows for hiring and onboarding, along with tools for setting and tracking employee performance goals. These features make it easier to attract the right candidates, bring them on board smoothly, and manage their growth within the company.

UKG vs. ADP: Payroll features 

Payroll is a critical function of any HR software. Both UKG Pro and ADP Workforce Now offer comprehensive payroll solutions that streamline processes, make compliance easier, and support global workforce management. Below, we explore how these platforms differ in their payroll capabilities:

UKG

UKG Pro delivers advanced payroll tools tailored to meet the needs of medium to large businesses with complex workforce structures and global operations.

UKG Wallet 

UKG Wallet provides employees with early access to earned wages, helping improve financial wellness and flexibility. This tool integrates with payroll, ensuring accurate real-time tracking without additional administrative effort from HR teams.

160 global payroll countries 

UKG Pro supports payroll processing in 160+ countries, making it an excellent choice for businesses with a global workforce. The platform provides country-specific compliance tools and localized reporting features, reducing the burden on HR managers who handle international payroll.

Customizable dashboards and tools

UKG Pro’s payroll dashboards allow HR teams to track expenses, generate reports, and manage tax filings efficiently. These tools are customizable, giving HR managers the flexibility to focus on metrics that matter most to their business.

ADP

Designed for flexibility and scalability, ADP Workforce Now can be a reliable option for businesses of all sizes. Its payroll tools emphasize automation, compliance, and PEO support.

PEO service

A standout payroll feature of ADP Workforce Now is its optional PEO service. This service allows businesses to outsource core HR tasks like payroll, benefits administration, and compliance. This feature can be ideal for small businesses looking to reduce their administrative workload while maintaining compliance with federal and state regulations.

140 global payroll countries 

ADP supports payroll processing in 140+ countries, offering tools to manage global employee payments and local compliance. Businesses operating in multiple regions can rely on ADP Workforce Now for accurate tax reporting and regulatory adherence across borders.

Pre-built payroll reports 

ADP provides pre-built payroll reports that cover wage summaries, tax filings, and compliance checks. These reports can save time and offer HR managers valuable insights to improve budgeting and forecasting.

ADP vs. UKG: Integrations

Integrations are a significant factor when choosing HR software, as they determine how seamlessly a platform can work with your existing tools and systems. Both UKG Pro and ADP Workforce Now offer good integration options, but their approaches and supported applications vary. Below, we share some of the integrations offered by each platform to help you decide which aligns better with your business needs:

UKG

UKG Pro integrates with a wide range of tools, making it a sound choice for businesses with complex tech stacks or industry-specific requirements.

UKG Pro Integration Hub

The UKG Pro Integration Hub is a centralized platform that connects UKG with hundreds of third-party applications. This tool simplifies integrations, enabling businesses to sync data across HR, payroll, and benefits platforms with ease.

Greenhouse 

UKG integrates seamlessly with Greenhouse, a leading applicant tracking system. This integration allows businesses to streamline recruiting processes, track candidates, and manage hiring workflows directly from UKG’s platform.

Lever

UKG also integrates with Lever, another popular ATS, providing robust tools for talent acquisition and pipeline management. This integration helps HR teams improve collaboration and hire more efficiently.

Industry-specific integrations

UKG supports integrations tailored to industries like healthcare, retail, and manufacturing. Examples include Kronos time-tracking tools and advanced scheduling systems, allowing businesses to meet their unique operational needs.

ADP

ADP Workforce Now excels at providing integrations that enhance efficiency and improve compliance. The platform focuses on connectivity with accounting tools, payroll services, and compliance-focused applications.

QuickBooks and Xero

ADP integrates with popular accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero, enabling businesses to sync payroll data with their financial systems. This can reduce errors, improve reporting, and simplify tax preparation.

ClockShark and Synerion

For businesses requiring advanced time and attendance tracking, ADP integrates with tools like ClockShark and Synerion. These integrations ensure accurate time tracking and make payroll processing smoother.

Globalization Partners and Trusaic 

ADP offers integrations with compliance and global workforce tools like Globalization Partners and Trusaic. These integrations help businesses manage international employees, ensure tax compliance, and navigate local labor laws.

ADP Marketplace

The ADP Marketplace provides access to hundreds of third-party apps and tools, making it easy for businesses to customize their HR ecosystem. From productivity tools to learning management systems, the marketplace ensures that ADP fits into any organization.

UKG vs. ADP: Customer support

Both UKG Pro and ADP Workforce Now offer customer support services to ensure businesses get the help they need. However, their approaches to service delivery and user assistance vary. Below, we explore the customer support options offered by both platforms:

UKG

UKG Pro focuses on personalized support, which can be particularly useful for enterprise-level clients.

Dedicated customer success manager

For enterprise customers, UKG Pro assigns a dedicated customer success manager to provide tailored support. This manager works as an extension of their team, offering proactive advice and ensuring the optimization of their HR system for their business needs.

Multiple support channels

UKG provides customer support through phone, email, and online chat, ensuring that users can reach out via their preferred communication method. Support hours are extensive, and enterprise clients often get priority responses.

High customer retention rate

UKG boasts one of the highest customer retention rates in the industry, reflecting its commitment to providing consistent and reliable support. Many users attribute this to the platform's focus on building long-term relationships and offering expert advice tailored to their needs.

ADP

ADP Workforce Now stands out for its accessibility and resources aimed at simplifying HR and payroll management for businesses of all sizes.

24/7 customer support

ADP offers 24/7 customer service via phone and email, making it easy for businesses to resolve issues at any time of day. This level of availability is useful for businesses operating across different time zones.

Extensive self-service resources

ADP provides a wide range of online resources, including webinars, how-to guides, blogs, and FAQs. These tools help users troubleshoot independently and stay updated on best practices and compliance changes.

Regional support teams

For businesses in the United States, ADP offers regional support teams to provide localized assistance. This ensures that HR managers receive help tailored to their state or regional labor laws, adding an extra layer of compliance-focused support.

Who is UKG for? 

Understanding "What is UKG?" is essential, but it's equally important to know which businesses benefit most from this software. As a comprehensive HCM platform, UKG Pro aims to serve businesses with complex workforce needs. Its advanced automation, analytics, and workforce management tools can make it ideal for organizations that operate at scale and require robust functionality.

UKG Pro can be well-suited to large and enterprise-level businesses. These organizations benefit from UKG’s ability to manage complex workflows, compliance across multiple locations, and highly customizable features. Whether it’s handling global payroll, workforce scheduling, or detailed people analytics, UKG Pro provides tools that streamline operations and optimize HR processes.

Additionally, UKG’s employee-centric features, like its Employee Voice platform, appeal to businesses with a focus on improving engagement and retention. Industries such as healthcare, retail, and manufacturing often turn to UKG for its industry-specific integrations, such as time-tracking and scheduling tools.

If your organization prioritizes advanced automation, predictive analytics, and highly customizable workflows, UKG Pro can be a good choice for managing your workforce efficiently at scale.

Who is ADP for?

ADP WorkforceNow provides flexible, scalable solutions for businesses of all sizes. However, its strongest appeal typically lies with small and midsize businesses (SMBs) looking for an easy-to-use platform that grows alongside their needs.

Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees often choose ADP for its user-friendly interface, customizable packages, and support for payroll, benefits administration, and compliance. ADP’s optional PEO services allow SMBs to outsource key HR functions, which can help them reduce administrative burdens and maintain compliance with labor laws.

Midsize businesses can benefit from ADP’s scalable tools and integration capabilities, which support more advanced functions like global payroll in 140+ countries, performance management, and detailed analytics. These features help HR managers handle growth and expand their operations without overhauling their systems.

The platform’s accessible design, combined with its extensive self-service resources and 24/7 customer support, enables HR teams to manage their workflows efficiently.

If your business prioritizes simplicity, scalability, and dedicated customer support, ADP Workforce Now offers a comprehensive solution.

Rippling: The best HR software

Rippling delivers an all-in-one HR platform built on a single source of truth. By combining payroll, HR, IT, and spend management in one unified system, Rippling can help you increase savings, automate busy work, and make better decisions. This comprehensive approach ensures seamless operations for small, mid-size, and large companies alike.

Rippling simplifies how you pay employees and contractors globally. With Rippling, you can:

• automate payroll across the U.S. and 50+ countries
• maintain compliance with local, state, and federal tax requirements through automatic tax filings
• sync payroll with HR data like hours worked, benefits deductions, and PTO to eliminate manual entry

Rippling’s HCM streamlines workforce management, offering tools to automate workflows and ensure compliance, allowing you to:

• manage everything from payroll and benefits to devices and apps in one platform
• onboard new hires in just 90 seconds, automating processes like sending offer letters, setting up payroll, and provisioning IT devices
• use a customizable, user-friendly platform that adapts to your unique needs

Rippling offers unmatched flexibility, automation, and scalability, making it the best HR software for businesses looking to streamline their workforce operations.

UKG vs. ADP FAQs

How do UKG and ADP handle international payroll?

UKG Pro processes payroll in 160+ countries, offering powerful compliance tools and localized reporting for global workforces. ADP Workforce Now supports payroll in 140+ countries, integrating global tax compliance and employee payments into its platform. Both provide strong tools for managing international payroll, but UKG offers broader country coverage.

Which platform offers better compliance support?

Both platforms provide excellent compliance support but focus on different strengths. UKG Pro emphasizes global compliance with tools tailored to industry-specific regulations and international operations. ADP Workforce Now stands out for its automated tax filings, compliance workflows, and regional support teams, making it particularly effective for US-based businesses.

Which platform is more suitable for small businesses?

ADP Workforce Now can be more suitable for small businesses, offering a user-friendly interface, scalable features, and the option to outsource HR functions through its PEO service. UKG Ready, a product within the UKG ecosystem, also caters to small and midsize businesses with streamlined HR, payroll, and timekeeping tools in one platform.

What are the top three UKG competitors?

UKG’s top competitors include:

1. Rippling: A modern all-in-one HR platform that combines payroll, HR, IT, and spend management into a single system, helping businesses automate workflows and improve efficiency.
2. ADP Workforce Now: A scalable HR solution offering flexibility, user-friendly tools, and global payroll capabilities to support businesses of all sizes with comprehensive HR management.
3. Paycom: An intuitive HCM platform that focuses on employee-driven payroll and provides robust HR tools to streamline processes and enhance workforce engagement.

What's the difference between UKG Pro and UKG Ready?

UKG Pro vs. UKG Ready: UKG Pro is a full-suite HCM platform designed for medium and large businesses, offering advanced payroll, benefits, talent management, and analytics tools. UKG Ready caters to small and midsize businesses, combining HR, payroll, and timekeeping in a streamlined, easy-to-use platform.

This blog is based on information available to Rippling as of January 6, 2025.

Disclaimer: Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.