RUN Powered by ADP® vs. Dayforce Powerpay

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
RUN Powered by ADP®
Score 9.0 out of 10
Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
The RUN Powered by ADP® cloud-based solution is used to pay employees. It also includes HR and hiring tools, as well as benefits, helping small businesses grow and manage their teams.N/A
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.2 out of 10
N/A
Dayforce Powerpay allows small businesses to pay and manage employees. It is used to simplify and automate payroll processes with automatic payroll calculations and remittances to the CRA and RQ, and streamlines payroll with connected time and attendance tracking to help ensure people are paid accurately.N/A
Pricing
RUN Powered by ADP®Dayforce Powerpay
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
RUN Powered by ADP®Dayforce Powerpay
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
RUN Powered by ADP®Dayforce Powerpay
Considered Both Products
RUN Powered by ADP®
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
I was not the decision maker but I have not had many issues. I have looked elsewhere and this is just a great service, it is hard to make any switch.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
We decided to go with RUN Powered by ADP® as they seemed to be the most price conscious with the most up-to-date compliance in the field. Often the competitors cost more for individual services or wanted us to buy a much larger bundle of products than we needed.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
Based on our experience, RUN Powered by ADP® was selected by our small business because our owner was seeking a robust, all-in-one payroll and HR solution that scales with our growth. It allowed us to move away from manual spreadsheets and our less sophisticated payroll …
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
We needed to move from a 100% manual process. So, we chose RUN Powered by ADP® because there are additional add-ons that we may utilize in the future.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
Overall, RUN Powered by ADP® has contributed to smoother operations, fewer errors, and more predictable payroll cycles, which supports our broader goals of efficiency and compliance. I switched from another provider for three reasons: 1. Cost, 2. Less aggressive add-on sales …
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
I have none of ADP and their stellar reputation with different companies for years and have utilized their services as an employee and now as a business owner.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
We were not able to keep a PEO for business purposes and had to change. Since we were with ADP totalSource, sales offered RUN Powered by ADP® but we probably would have been better off with a whole different product/brand. RUN Powered by ADP® associates promised ease and smooth …
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
DP has been our first payroll processing company. We selected RUN Powered by ADP® based on conveniences and pricing.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
We switched from Quickbooks Online Payroll to ADP. The interface and look of QBO was better than ADP, but the service and understanding of how errors affect our staff and our firm with regard to tax implications is FAR greater with ADP. QBO took over 8 months and more than 3 …
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
I moved from Paychex to ADP due to 1: an excellent sales rep. 2: Lower cost
3: easier platform 4: more knowledgeable customer service 5: better mobile app
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
I selected RUN Powered by ADP® based on recommendations from other nonprofit executives. RUN made the process relatively easy. We are new to having to run payroll, so did not move from (and cannot compare RUN to) any other platform.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
We have a great relationship with ADP for other clients. It was kind of a no brainer to switch to them. Big difference with customer support and ease of use.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
The last product we had, my boss/husband was calling in the payroll amounts. When I took over I knew that was not going to work. I needed to see and quickly enter the information and just be able to push a button to get the payroll processed. There is no waiting for a call back …
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
Management selected RUN Powered by ADP before my employment but I am thrilled with the product, it's flexibility and ease. I feel like ADP has though of every question for something I need or want and has it in place.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
I selected it because it was easy to use, has a trusted brand name, and came with good customer service.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
This is the software my firm decided to use, I did not have a say on what was selected, but it seems like the most up to date software on the market right now.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
RUN Powered by ADP® allows more control over the payroll, easy to adjust time settings, and much better phone support.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
RUN Powered by ADP® is stronger than QuickBooks Online for payroll and HR because it offers advanced HR tools (job postings, compliance support, employee handbooks), friendly, extended hours live support, and integration with numerous platforms. QuickBooks focuses mainly on …
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
Gusto is more expensive when you have more employees.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
We had a different payroll provider that was also our CPA firm. It was a nightmare. They were not easy to work with. It cost more money than ADP. there were incorrect payroll calculations. Some employees didn't get the right pay. I love ADP's customer service.
Chose RUN Powered by ADP®
Switched because ADP reached out to me, and they had a better pricing option, along with the integrated PTO tracking. I had MUCH higher hopes for the "flawless" transition, which has demanded way too much of my time to discover and fix the issues (which is still ongoing). So I …
Dayforce Powerpay
Chose Dayforce Powerpay
Being able to remit payroll directly to CRA reduces the number of steps in payroll processing. It also means that there is no way for us to forget a remittance. This is important to us because it's all-in-one software. I did like that QB would have the entry directly there so …
Chose Dayforce Powerpay
Even though Quickbooks was cheaper, I would have to do more work, much more information added into the system and while I would pay less per pay run, there was a lot more work for me to do. I prefer to pay a little extra and spend my time making money instead of the headache of …
Chose Dayforce Powerpay
Wagepoint has made errors in the past. ADP has terrible customer service. QuickBooks Online is convenient however the Dayforce Powerpay pricing is better for larger payrolls. Payworks has no "run as is" option.
Chose Dayforce Powerpay
I selected Powerpay (Ceridian at it was then) for the ease of use. I like that I have the choice of phoning my payroll in or doing it online myself. I used Ceridian a long time ago when I worked part time for a law firm. The Powerpay system is easy to use, it is logical and you …
Chose Dayforce Powerpay
Have not used any other payroll software in my experience.
Chose Dayforce Powerpay
Having used both Ceridian Powerpay and DayforceHCM, I find that Ceridian Powerpay is the better solution for the average user. DayforceHCM provides a more fully-featured solution for an organization, but utilizing those features will depend on your organizational needs. …
Features
RUN Powered by ADP®Dayforce Powerpay
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
RUN Powered by ADP®
8.3
Ratings
0% above category average
Dayforce Powerpay
8.9
Ratings
7% above category average
Pay calculation9.40 Ratings9.10 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors8.70 Ratings9.20 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment9.10 Ratings8.70 Ratings
Benefit plan administration7.70 Ratings8.70 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.60 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management8.70 Ratings8.80 Ratings
Reimbursement management5.10 Ratings8.90 Ratings
Best Alternatives
RUN Powered by ADP®Dayforce Powerpay
Small Businesses
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.2 out of 10
OnPay
OnPay
Score 8.7 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.1 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.1 out of 10
Enterprises
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.1 out of 10
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
RUN Powered by ADP®Dayforce Powerpay
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(0 ratings)
8.9
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.3
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.1
(0 ratings)
8.6
(0 ratings)
Availability
9.5
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
9.7
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.5
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
In-Person Training
7.6
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.1
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Configurability
7.3
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
10.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
8.4
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
9.8
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
9.8
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
RUN Powered by ADP®Dayforce Powerpay
Likelihood to Recommend
Great for small businesses that don't need much guidance and have a good handle on their operations. Once implementation is over the personalized service is not the same. Calling the 800 numbers is a gamble and hold times have been long. The service during implementation is fantastic. We like being able to streamline all our service through one vendor
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I like Dayforce's timesheet inputs. I like that there is both the rapid entry and the timesheet tabs. It's easy and quick, and it makes a lot of sense. I wish Dayforce would pay out RSP payments, rather than log them only. It would eliminate a step for us and make things faster. But it's only once per year, so not a huge issue.
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Pros
  • Payroll runs are consistent, timely, and error‑free, even when handling multiple pay rates, deductions, or changes. Direct deposits process smoothly and predictably.
  • RUN Powered by ADP® manages federal, state, and local tax withholding, filings, and payments without requiring manual oversight. This significantly reduces compliance risk and administrative workload.
  • Common actions—running payroll, adding new employees, updating pay rates—are straightforward and guided, which helps prevent mistakes.
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  • Ceridian Powerpay simplifies the payroll process, very little manual work involved during each payroll run.
  • Ceridian Powerpay is mostly an intuitive interface with easy to understand workflows to allow for multiple users to be able to use the system if required.
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Cons
  • When processing bonuses, it would be nice to have a NET pay selection, in addition to the GROSS pay selection.
  • I receive WAY too many emails asking me to purchase additional services, including some that we already have through ADP.
  • I receive(d) daily requests for our Section 125 Compliance documentation, which I sent over four times to each different individual who requested them. ADP "mentioned" they'd charge us $350 for this compliance plan, even though we have it and proved it by submitting the "required submission" of the policy multiple times. It's very frustrating, and it causes me to worry about (A), the validity of the request and (B) ADP's recordkeeping, since they can't keep up with the document I've sent multiple times.
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  • Adjustment - Reversal sometimes gives an error
  • Emergency Contact Comments field - would be nice if it would accept more characters in this field
  • A warning that 'no ROE will be created' popup when EI or other related fields are marked Exempt
  • Rate history on an employee's page would be nice
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Likelihood to Renew
The only reason there is contemplation of switching would be because the project management site we use, BQE, is now offering GUSTO built into the website at a lower monthly cost. We are waiting to see how it runs before making any decisions though as it's just left beta.
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Powerpay exceeds my expectations: it's easy to use and does not 'eat' my time by wondering what the end result will be. I can see what each employee's pay statement will look like before I submit the payroll for processing. Monthly processing fees are not exorbitant and the service from support it top notch, quick and awesome when you need it! What's not to like? It's a terrific company to have on your side!
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Usability
I have been using this system for years and they have actually made it easier and easier. The system is always making great upgrades that don't necessarily require any additional information or training. I love when I log in and see a new feature or button that I get to use to make my life easier!
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Dayforce
Powerpay has a great interface that makes it easy to navigate, easy to remit
payroll, and easy to report after the fact. It has made overseeing and executing our payroll easier for me as an administrator, and our staff find their portal easy to navigate as well. The only thing that I find less desirable is that you need to start a payroll in order to make any adjustments to employees' information.
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Reliability and Availability
We've had very little issue with RUN availability, only a couple times there were outages when least expected which occurred on our actual payroll due date
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I have never experienced application errors or unplanned outages. I do know that I could phone Dayforce Powerpay and give them hours and other deductions and they would do the payroll and I could either have them deliver the completed payroll by courier (there are small extra charges for this) or I could download the completed payroll on pay day. I have also been able to complete payroll our payroll at home instead of at the office. Dayforce is very accessible by phone or online.
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Performance
ADP Run loads a bit slowly at times, once I put in my credentials. However, that said, I think my perception of the time it takes is impacted by our "instant gratification" expectation of being able to get into everything quickly.
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Pages online load in seconds. Click and it's instantly there! I have never had pages not loading properly or taking time to load. Payroll reports also downloads quickly. We do not interface Dayforce Powerpay with anything else
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Support Rating
I appreciated having that issue finally take care of. it was extremely disheartening to see the issue had not been resolved. I also had my employees looking to me and thinking I was not trying to resolve the issue so it reflected poorly on my character. I do not know if i was because of a miscommunication, but nonetheless I was happy it was taken care of
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Regardless the issue, the Customer Support team is offering outstanding services! When I am calling, the wait time is reasonable, and the team members will ensure you receive the right support in a timely manner, with politeness and kindness. If you reach out the team that it's a guarantee that your issue will be solved!
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In-Person Training
they helped up with the 1st payroll after that we were fine - it is very user friendly- they wanted to be sure everything had imported correctly.
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No answers on this topic
Online Training
very easy to learn i think it took maybe one payroll to have it down and we were up and running
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I have used Powerpay before (at a previous employer) but a few years had elapsed. I had a quick online training session (less that 30 minutes) to recover basic knowledge and I was away. I still from time to time have to do something that i am not quite sure of and pick up the phone! Every one that works at Ceridian - now Dayforce - have been able to answer my question and tell me where to go in the program, click on what and do what I need to do. The support is out-of-this-world good!
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Implementation Rating
The customer service team handled it very nicely. We had a rep that came to our office and helped with everything. It was a very easy process.
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I initiated the implementation. I answered all the questions I was asked, prepared the documentation and sent it off and it was done! Quickly, efficiently and done well!
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Alternatives Considered
We decided to go with RUN Powered by ADP® as they seemed to be the most price conscious with the most up-to-date compliance in the field. Often the competitors cost more for individual services or wanted us to buy a much larger bundle of products than we needed.
Read full review
Even though Quickbooks was cheaper, I would have to do more work, much more information added into the system and while I would pay less per pay run, there was a lot more work for me to do. I prefer to pay a little extra and spend my time making money instead of the headache of trying to submit everything. It may work well for those who use that program with everything else on a daily basis, but I don't and also did not want to learn a new system when I have something that works really well!
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Scalability
Every summer, we hire three new college interns who have to be entered into the system. They can enter their information themselves, which takes a load off me. The onboarding is quite straightforward, and today's college kids are techy enough to be able to understand it.
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We have a small staff of less than 20 employees. We moved our payroll from a previous provided because of terrible and expensive service. Dayforce is much, much easier to use and costs about 30% less than the previous provider. Dayforce Powerpay also seem to have people that speaks clearly and are efficient in everything they do so that less time is wasted by phone calls that has you on hold for 3 hours!
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Return on Investment
  • It has simplified the payroll process allowing more time to be dedicated elsewhere.
  • We have been able to consolidate our health benefits, HR support, payroll and 401k all onto one provider, making support easy.
  • We found the health deduction calculations and process to be easy-to understand, especially in comparison to our health provider.
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  • The return on investment has been substantial for our company. Having a payroll system that calculates everything for you, processes important documents, and only takes minimal time and effort allows us to focus more time on running the business and generating revenue.
  • Instead of having a user spend half a day (or potentially a full day) processing payroll, it only takes a couple hours (obviously depending on how many employees need to be processed).
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ScreenShots

RUN Powered by ADP® Screenshots

Screenshot of the RUN Dashboard with the business' key info front-and-centerScreenshot of the payroll interfaceScreenshot of access to payroll reports and liability amountsScreenshot of the RUN Powered by ADP mobile app, used to process payroll on the goScreenshot of the ADP mobile app, where employees can access their historical payroll statements and year-end tax documents