Softwr

Accounting · head to head

ADP vs Kudos

ADP logo

ADP

Accounting

Always Designing for People

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kudos logo

Kudos

HR

Employee recognition that drives performance

From
$5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ADP no pricing is published; every quote is custom and driven by employee count and which services are taken; Kudos no pricing published; requires demo request or direct sales contact
  • They diverge on capability: ADP covers Payroll, Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ADP and Kudos actually diverge.

Attributes where ADP and Kudos differ
AttributeADPKudos
Starting price$29/month$5/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryAccountingHR
Founded19492010

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 ADP

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

Only in Kudos

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Manager recognition
  • Social recognition wall
  • Points & rewards
  • Awards & nominations
  • Anniversary celebrations
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Company values alignment

What people use each for

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

ADP

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

Kudos

  • Employee recognitionnot ADP
  • Culture buildingnot ADP
  • Employee engagementnot ADP
  • Retention improvementnot ADP
  • Values reinforcementnot ADP

Where each one falls short

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

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

Kudos

  • No pricing published; requires demo request or direct sales contact

Pricing, plan by plan

ADP

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

Kudos

$5/month
  • Plus$5/month
    • Peer recognition
    • Social recognition wall
    • Points system
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Awards & nominations
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose ADP if

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

Choose Kudos if

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

Questions people ask

Is ADP or Kudos better?
Neither clearly leads. ADP starts at $29/month and Kudos at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ADP or Kudos?
ADP starts at $29/month and Kudos at $5/month.
Does ADP or Kudos run on more platforms?
ADP runs on Web, Ios, Android. Kudos runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
What is ADP best used for?
ADP is most often used for payroll processing and tax filing, hr administration and employee records, time and attendance tracking, benefits administration. Of those, payroll processing and tax filing and hr administration and employee records are not what Kudos is typically brought in for.
What can ADP do that Kudos cannot?
ADP covers Payroll, Tax services, HR management, Time & attendance. Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Manager recognition, Social recognition wall, Points & rewards.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Kudos: How much does Kudos cost?

Kudos does not publish standard pricing on its website. To learn pricing, contact Kudos for a 30-minute demo or reach out directly at +1 (888) 915-8367 or [email protected].

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
Kudos: How can I get Kudos pricing information?

Contact Kudos through their website demo request form or directly at [email protected] to discuss pricing and setup for your organization.

Source
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