# ADP RUN vs QuickBooks Desktop

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ADP RUN at 80% against QuickBooks Desktop's 5%. ADP RUN also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.9) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ADP RUN holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ADP RUN has 51K ratings behind it against 119, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of ADP RUN's written reviews are positive against 5% of QuickBooks Desktop's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ADP RUN | QuickBooks Desktop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (51K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adp-run/id388928133/reviews)** | [1.9 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quickbooks-desktop/id1518924185/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **51K** | 119 |
| Positive reviews | **79.9% of reviews** | 4.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 92 MB | 206 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ADP, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/363884520) | [Intuit Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/313441566) |

## What reviewers say

### ADP RUN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adp-run/id388928133)

Manage your business's payroll and HR tasks from anywhere. This app offers an intuitive interface for starting payroll, adding employees, and ensuring tax compliance. Access important reports and insurance information on the go.

**Highlights:** Start payroll with a tap, AI-powered error detection, Add new hires and manage staff, Stay compliant with tax requirements, Run, download, and share reports, View insurance policy info

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient for on-the-go payroll
- 👍 Helpful customer support
- 🚀 Efficient payroll processing
- 👍 Seamless app experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Lacking key features on mobile
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to desktop
- 🔍 Difficult to manage multiple companies
- 🔍 Payroll editing issues

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to access certain features
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS devices
- Endless login loop when switching between companies
- Inability to access payroll functions on mobile
- Inconsistent performance across different devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit employee information on mobile
- Access to payroll reports and analytics on mobile
- Support for managing multiple companies on mobile
- Improved navigation and workflow for entering payroll
- Seamless integration between mobile and desktop experiences


### QuickBooks Desktop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quickbooks-desktop/id1518924185)

Streamline expense tracking by capturing receipts and bills directly from your mobile device. Automate entries, attach documents for audit trails, and track business mileage with ease. Designed for existing QuickBooks Desktop users to save time and stay organized.

**Highlights:** Scan receipts and automate expense entries, Upload bills and automate bill entries, Attach documents to transactions, Track business mileage with auto-calculated distance, Organize digital audit trails

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Amazing mobile application
- 🚀 Ease and speed of recording transactions
- 💡 AI and OCR capabilities
- ✅ Automatically codes entries
- 🔗 Links to receipts/invoices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes at logo
- 🐛 Takes hours for receipts to show
- 🐛 Doesn't work with desktop version
- 🐛 Zero help on the road
- 🐛 Broken after working

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes at logo screen
- Receipts take hours to show on desktop
- Doesn't work with desktop version
- Broken after working
- Receipt management doesn't work

**Requested features**

- See sales orders or purchase orders on sign-on
- Ability to see documents (sales orders/purchase orders)
- PDF conversion for scans
- Ability to type expense account description
- Get receipt recognition back


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ADP RUN free?

ADP RUN is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is QuickBooks Desktop free?

QuickBooks Desktop is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ADP RUN or QuickBooks Desktop?

ADP RUN is rated higher. ADP RUN averages 4.9 out of 5 from 51K ratings, while QuickBooks Desktop averages 1.9 from 119 ratings.

### Do ADP RUN or QuickBooks Desktop have ads?

Neither ADP RUN nor QuickBooks Desktop shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ADP RUN or QuickBooks Desktop?

ADP RUN ships an update every 6 weeks, and QuickBooks Desktop every 6 weeks. Most recently, ADP RUN was updated on October 19, 2026 and QuickBooks Desktop on October 18, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*