Payroll · Context-specific fit
Roll by ADP Review
Chat-based, mobile-first payroll from ADP — run payroll by text in minutes
Quick verdict
Roll by ADP is best for Owner-operators and small trades shops that want dead-simple, mobile, ADP-backed payroll with flat pricing and unlimited runs. Pricing: $39/month flat (unlimited payroll runs) plus $5 per employee. First three months free for new customers. Simple, predictable pricing with no long-term contract.. Mobile-first design means a weaker web experience, it is payroll-focused rather than full HR, and it is a newer product. But the chat-based speed, flat unlimited-run pricing, and ADP tax backing are standout strengths..
About Roll by ADP
Roll by ADP is ADP's answer to the modern, mobile-first small-business payroll wave: a chat-driven app where you run payroll by typing a command ("run payroll") the way you would text a colleague. Launched in 2021 and backed by ADP's payroll-tax infrastructure, it strips the complexity out of ADP's enterprise heritage and aims it at owner-operators and small trades shops who want to pay their crew from a phone in a few minutes.
The pricing is refreshingly simple: a flat $39/month for unlimited payroll runs plus $5 per employee, with the first three months free for new customers and no long-term contract. Unlimited runs is a genuine plus for trades that pay weekly or run off-cycle bonuses — you are not nickel-and-dimed per payroll. Reviewers consistently praise how fast and easy it is, with owners reporting they run payroll in about five minutes, and the app earns high marks in app stores for simplicity and accuracy.
The trade-offs reviewers raise are a somewhat dated web experience (it is built mobile-first, so the desktop side can feel secondary) and the usual ADP-ecosystem notes about support and pricing opacity on broader ADP products (less so on Roll, which is transparently priced). It is also payroll-and-basic-tax-focused rather than a full HR/scheduling suite.
For a small trades business that wants dead-simple, mobile, ADP-backed payroll with predictable flat pricing and unlimited runs, Roll by ADP is one of the most frictionless options available — especially for owners who would rather text a command than navigate a dashboard. Shops wanting bundled HR/benefits should compare Gusto; those wanting scheduling and time tracking should compare Homebase.
How it works
You set up your business and employees in the Roll app (guided by an AI assistant), then run payroll by typing a natural-language command like "run payroll." Roll calculates pay and taxes and, backed by ADP, files and pays payroll taxes automatically. Direct deposit, new-hire reporting, and employee self-service are included. Pricing is a flat $39/month for unlimited payroll runs plus $5 per employee, with the first three months free. It is mobile-first, so most owners run everything from their phone; a web experience exists but is secondary.
Pros & cons
What works
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Chat-based, run payroll in minutes
You run payroll by typing a command like a text message. Owners report finishing in about five minutes — arguably the lowest-friction payroll experience for a busy contractor.
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Flat price with unlimited runs
$39/month flat plus $5/employee includes unlimited payroll runs, so trades paying weekly or running off-cycle bonuses are not charged per run.
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ADP tax infrastructure
Backed by ADP, Roll files and pays payroll taxes on enterprise-grade infrastructure while keeping a simple small-business experience and price.
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First three months free
New customers get three months free and there is no long-term contract, so it is low-risk to try as your payroll solution.
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Mobile-first simplicity
Built for the phone, it is ideal for owner-operators who manage the business from the field rather than a back-office desktop.
What doesn't
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Dated web experience
Roll is mobile-first, so the desktop/web side can feel secondary or dated. Owners who prefer working on a computer may find it less polished than the app.
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Payroll-focused, not full HR
It handles payroll and basic tax/compliance well but lacks the deeper HR, benefits, scheduling, and time-tracking of all-in-one platforms.
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Newer product
Launched in 2021, Roll is younger than incumbents; while ADP-backed, some workflows are still maturing relative to long-established payroll suites.
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Support and ADP-ecosystem notes
Some reviews cite the broader ADP support/pricing-opacity reputation. Roll itself is transparently priced, but set expectations on support responsiveness.
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$39 base may not be cheapest for tiny shops
For a one- or two-employee shop, a lower-base option (SurePayroll, Wave) might cost less, though Roll's unlimited runs can offset that for frequent payrolls.
Pricing
$39/month flat (unlimited payroll runs) plus $5 per employee. First three months free for new customers. Simple, predictable pricing with no long-term contract.
Starting base: $39/mo + $5/employee
Affiliate disclosure: No public publisher affiliate program confirmed — outreach required (ADP product)..
Integrations
Frequently asked
How much does Roll by ADP cost?
A flat $39/month for unlimited payroll runs plus $5 per employee, with the first three months free for new customers and no long-term contract. The unlimited runs are valuable for trades that pay weekly or run off-cycle.
How does Roll by ADP work?
It is a chat-based, mobile-first app — you run payroll by typing a natural-language command like "run payroll," and Roll (backed by ADP) calculates pay and files/pays payroll taxes automatically. Owners report running payroll in about five minutes.
Is Roll by ADP good for small contractors?
Yes, especially owner-operators who manage the business from a phone and value simplicity and unlimited payroll runs. The trade-offs are a weaker desktop experience and a payroll focus without deep HR or scheduling.
Roll by ADP vs Gusto or Homebase?
Roll wins on mobile simplicity and flat unlimited-run pricing. Gusto offers more full-featured HR, benefits, and a richer web product; Homebase adds scheduling and time tracking for hourly crews. Choose Roll for frictionless mobile payroll, the others for broader HR/workforce features.
Other payroll services
Gusto
Tier SThe modern SMB payroll favorite — best affiliate economics in the entire WrenchStack universe ($300-$1,000+ per signup via PartnerStack)
OnPay
Tier SLean SMB payroll with flat pricing — favorite of small trades shops who don't need Gusto's bolt-ons
Patriot Payroll
Tier SUltra-affordable payroll for 1-3 employee shops — cheapest tax-filing payroll in the market
Hourly.io
Tier SPayroll + pay-as-you-go workers comp combined — the only payroll service with WC built in, structurally relevant for trades
QuickBooks Payroll
Tier APayroll embedded in QuickBooks Online — convenient for QBO users, mediocre as standalone product
Square Payroll
Tier APayroll embedded in Square ecosystem — convenient for Square-POS users, narrow fit outside that context