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HR · head to head

Achievers vs ADP

Achievers logo

Achievers

HR

Recognize and reward employee success

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ADP logo

ADP

Accounting

Always Designing for People

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Achievers pricing is not published and requires a demo; ADP no pricing is published; every quote is custom and driven by employee count and which services are taken
  • They diverge on capability: Achievers covers Peer-to-peer recognition, ADP covers Payroll.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Achievers and ADP actually diverge.

Attributes where Achievers and ADP differ
AttributeAchieversADP
Starting priceOn request$29/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryHRAccounting
Founded20021949

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Achievers

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Manager recognition
  • Points-based rewards
  • Marketplace rewards
  • Pulse surveys
  • Employee connections
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Values alignment

Only in ADP

  • Payroll
  • Tax services
  • HR management
  • Time & attendance
  • Benefits administration
  • QuickBooks
  • Sage
  • Oracle

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Achievers

  • Employee recognitionnot ADP
  • Rewards programnot ADP
  • Engagement measurementnot ADP
  • Culture buildingnot ADP
  • Retention improvementnot ADP

ADP

  • Payroll processing and tax filingnot Achievers
  • HR administration and employee recordsnot Achievers
  • Time and attendance trackingnot Achievers
  • Benefits administrationnot Achievers
  • Talent management on the mid-market and enterprise productsnot Achievers

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Achievers

  • Pricing is not published and requires a demo
  • Aimed at mid-market and enterprise organisations rather than small teams
  • Sold as separate named modules, Recognize, Reward and Celebrate, so a full programme means more than one line on the quote

ADP

  • No pricing is published; every quote is custom and driven by employee count and which services are taken
  • Split into three separate products by company size, RUN for 1 to 49 employees, Workforce Now for 50 and above, and Lyric HCM for enterprise, so growing across a threshold means changing product rather than plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Achievers

On request
  • Recognize$undefined/month
    • Peer-to-peer recognition
    • Manager recognition
    • Points & rewards
  • Listen$undefined/month
    • Engagement surveys
    • Pulse surveys
    • Analytics
  • Connect$undefined/month
    • Employee connections
    • Interest groups
    • Events

ADP

$29/month
  • Essential$79/month
    • Payroll
    • Tax filing
    • Direct deposit
  • Enhanced$139/month
    • HR tools
    • Background checks
    • Job posting

Which should you pick?

Choose Achievers if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want manager recognition.
Achievers review

Choose ADP if

  • You need payroll.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want tax services.
ADP review

Questions people ask

Is Achievers or ADP better?
Neither clearly leads. Achievers starts at On request and ADP at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Achievers or ADP?
Achievers starts at On request and ADP at $29/month.
Does Achievers or ADP run on more platforms?
Achievers runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. ADP runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Achievers best used for?
Achievers is most often used for employee recognition, rewards program, engagement measurement, culture building. Of those, employee recognition and rewards program are not what ADP is typically brought in for.
What can Achievers do that ADP cannot?
Achievers covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Manager recognition, Points-based rewards, Marketplace rewards. ADP covers Payroll, Tax services, HR management, Time & attendance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Achievers: How much does Achievers cost?

Achievers uses custom pricing tailored to team size, priorities, and goals. The company states it provides clear, upfront pricing with no hidden fees, no shipping charges, and no surprise markups, but specific rates are not published and require requesting a quote.

Source
ADP: How is ADP pricing organized?

ADP organizes pricing by business size: Small Business (1-49 employees), Midsized (50-999 employees), and Enterprise (1,000+ employees). Each segment receives customized pricing tailored to specific business needs.

Source
Achievers: Does Achievers charge annual commitment or points?

Achievers explicitly states no annual points commitment is required. Fixed costs and financial reports show where budget goes, indicating predictable monthly or annual billing without variable point-based charges.

Source
ADP: Is there a current promotional offer for ADP payroll?

ADP currently offers 3 months free when signing up for small business payroll (promotion ends 9/24). Contact sales at 800-225-5237 for details and to request pricing based on your employee count.

Source
Achievers: What features are included in Achievers subscription?

Every Achievers subscription includes custom-branded platform, mobile access, AI-powered newsfeed, 24/7 multilingual support, campaign templates, analytics, enterprise integrations, and SSO compatibility. Separate products available for Recognition and Reward Platform and Years of Service tracking.

Source
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