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Software · head to head

Adyen vs Paychex

Adyen logo

Adyen

Software

The payments platform built for growth

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Paychex logo

Paychex

Software

HR solutions built for your business

From
$29/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Adyen there is a minimum monthly invoice, set by industry and business model and only disclosed through the sales team, so small volumes are not economic; Paychex paychex Flex pricing is not published; it depends on employee count and business needs and requires contacting sales for a custom quote across Select, Pro and Enterprise tiers
  • They diverge on capability: Adyen covers Payment processing, Paychex covers Payroll processing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adyen and Paychex actually diverge.

Attributes where Adyen and Paychex differ
AttributeAdyenPaychex
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Api, PosWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20061971

Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Adyen

  • Payment processing
  • Risk management
  • Unified commerce
  • Issuing
  • Platform payments
  • SAP
  • Salesforce
  • Oracle

Only in Paychex

  • Payroll processing
  • HR services
  • Benefits administration
  • Time & attendance
  • PEO services
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • Sage

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Adyen

  • Card acquiring with interchange plus pricing for larger merchantsnot Paychex
  • Accepting local payment methods across multiple countriesnot Paychex
  • Settling in several currencies through linked bank accountsnot Paychex
  • Unified online and in-person paymentsnot Paychex

Paychex

  • Businesses with 1 to 250+ employees needing payroll, willing to get a custom quote rather than self-serve pricingnot Adyen

Where each one falls short

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

Adyen

  • There is a minimum monthly invoice, set by industry and business model and only disclosed through the sales team, so small volumes are not economic
  • Published fees are indicative rather than a rate card, with real pricing negotiated
  • Interchange++ means the card cost varies per transaction rather than being a single predictable percentage
  • Alternative payment methods carry their own rates on top, such as 3.3 percent plus $0.10 for American Express in North America

Paychex

  • Paychex Flex pricing is not published; it depends on employee count and business needs and requires contacting sales for a custom quote across Select, Pro and Enterprise tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Adyen

$29/month
  • CustomFree
    • Payment processing
    • Risk management
    • Unified commerce

Paychex

$29/month
  • Flex Essentials$39/month
    • Payroll
    • Tax administration
    • Direct deposit
  • Flex Select$59/month
    • HR administration
    • State unemployment insurance
    • New hire reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose Adyen if

  • You need payment processing.
  • You work on Web, Api, Pos.
  • You also want risk management.

Choose Paychex if

  • You need payroll processing.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want hr services.

Questions people ask

Is Adyen or Paychex better?
Neither clearly leads. Adyen starts at $29/month and Paychex at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adyen or Paychex?
Adyen starts at $29/month and Paychex at $29/month.
Does Adyen or Paychex run on more platforms?
Adyen runs on Web, Api, Pos. Paychex runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Adyen best used for?
Adyen is most often used for card acquiring with interchange plus pricing for larger merchants, accepting local payment methods across multiple countries, settling in several currencies through linked bank accounts, unified online and in-person payments. Of those, card acquiring with interchange plus pricing for larger merchants and accepting local payment methods across multiple countries are not what Paychex is typically brought in for.
What can Adyen do that Paychex cannot?
Adyen covers Payment processing, Risk management, Unified commerce, Issuing. Paychex covers Payroll processing, HR services, Benefits administration, Time & attendance. Both handle Web support.

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