Comparison Guide

ADP vs Datacom Datapay – how they compare for AU/NZ payroll

For: Payroll Managers, HR Leaders, Finance Directors|11 min read|Last updated: July 2026

This comparison is published by Affinity. Vendor information is based on publicly available sources. Contact each provider directly for their current capabilities.

Summary

ADP and Datacom Datapay both bring decades of technology heritage to payroll, but from different starting points. ADP is a global payroll and HCM provider covering 140+ countries. Datacom is a New Zealand-headquartered technology company with more than 60 years in IT services, where payroll – delivered through Datapay for enterprise and Smartly for small business – is one part of a much broader portfolio. Alongside them, this page shows how Affinity, a dedicated AU/NZ payroll platform, compares for organisations whose complexity is concentrated in Australia and New Zealand.

How ADP and Datacom differ

ADP and Datacom rarely compete head-to-head, but both appear on shortlists for AU/NZ organisations weighing a global specialist against a regional technology group. ADP's proposition is global consolidation: multi-country platforms (GlobalView and Celergo), a full HCM suite, and 40+ years of established ANZ presence with a Melbourne headquarters, plus the option of cloud software or outsourced managed payroll.

Datacom's proposition is different – payroll depth in New Zealand specifically, backed by a broader IT services business. Datapay serves enterprise NZ payroll with NZPPA-certified consultants, and the company has publicised a five-step Holidays Act remediation process, addressing one of the most complex compliance areas in NZ payroll. Datacom also offers AU payroll through Datapay, including STP Phase 2 and superannuation support, and Smartly for smaller organisations. Because payroll sits within a much larger technology company, buyers may also value proximity to Datacom's broader IT ecosystem.

The core distinction: ADP scales across 140+ countries with Australia and New Zealand as part of that footprint; Datacom is NZ-headquartered with genuine local Holidays Act remediation expertise, offering AU payroll as a secondary but supported capability. Organisations with heavy NZ Holidays Act exposure may weight that experience highly; those needing broad multi-country consolidation will look to ADP.

Feature comparison

A neutral comparison of ADP and Datacom Datapay across payroll and workforce capabilities, with Affinity shown as a separate AU/NZ specialist column. Vendor capabilities should be confirmed directly with each provider.

Native / strong Available / partial Not offered

Capability	ADP	Datacom Datapay	AU/NZ specialistAffinity
AU award & EBA interpretation	Available / partial: Available; depth for complex EBAs to be evaluated	Available / partial: AU payroll via Datapay (STP2, super)	Native / strong: Configurable engine – modern awards, EBAs, shift penalties, allowance stacking
NZ compliance (Holidays Act, KiwiSaver, IRD)	Available / partial: NZ payroll available; confirm Holidays Act depth	Native / strong: Strong NZ; five-step Holidays Act remediation	Native / strong: Purpose-built Holidays Act engine, KiwiSaver, Payday Filing, NZ team
STP Phase 2 & superannuation	Native / strong: Supported	Native / strong: Supported (AU via Datapay)	Native / strong: Full STP Phase 2 & super, Pay Day Super ready
Pre-payslip intelligence	Available / partial: Platform analytics & insights	Available / partial: Payroll Assistant AI + analytics (no pre-payslip anomaly layer)	Native / strong: Payroll IQ – anomaly & variance checking before the payslip runs
Global / multi-country coverage	Native / strong: 140+ countries (GlobalView / Celergo)	Not offered: NZ/AU focus	Not offered: AU/NZ focus – not multi-country
IT & device management	Not offered: Not a core offering	Available / partial: Broader Datacom IT ecosystem (separate services)	Not offered: Not offered – payroll focus
Workforce management	Available / partial: Available across suite	Available / partial: Available	Native / strong: Integrated WFM with real-time labour costing
Delivery / managed payroll	Native / strong: Software + outsourced managed payroll	Native / strong: Datapay software + managed (NZPPA-certified)	Native / strong: SaaS, Supported & Fully Managed on one platform
Named local AU/NZ support	Available / partial: Global support, local ANZ presence	Native / strong: NZPPA-certified NZ consultants	Native / strong: Named AU/NZ contacts who know your configuration

Where ADP fits

ADP is built for organisations that need consolidated payroll across many countries with one established, publicly listed provider. Its global reach, GlobalView and Celergo platforms, and full HCM suite are genuine strengths for multinationals seeking one vendor relationship, with outsourced managed payroll available in AU/NZ for those who want it.

Where Datacom fits

Datacom is well suited to New Zealand organisations that want payroll delivered by a provider with deep local Holidays Act remediation experience and NZPPA-certified consultants, backed by a large and established NZ technology company. Its five-step Holidays Act remediation approach addresses one of the hardest compliance problems in NZ payroll directly, and its AU payroll via Datapay extends that capability across the Tasman for organisations with an existing Datacom relationship.

Where Affinity fits

Where ADP optimises for global breadth and Datacom brings NZ-specific Holidays Act remediation within a broader IT services business, Affinity optimises for AU/NZ payroll depth as its sole focus. For organisations whose complexity spans complex Australian modern awards and EBAs alongside New Zealand Holidays Act obligations, a specialist engine with pre-payslip intelligence, delivery-model flexibility, local data residency, and named local support offers a different proposition to a global platform's one-region presence or a technology group where payroll is one product line among many. Some organisations run a global platform such as ADP for international reach and Affinity for a complex AU/NZ operation.

Frequently asked questions

Is ADP or Datacom Datapay better for Australian payroll?

ADP has a long-established AU presence within a 140+ country global platform, with cloud software and outsourced managed payroll options. Datacom offers AU payroll through Datapay, including STP Phase 2 and superannuation, though its primary strength and heritage is New Zealand. For complex modern awards or EBAs, test either against your specific scenarios – or evaluate an AU/NZ specialist such as Affinity, whose award interpretation engine is purpose-built for that complexity.

Do ADP and Datacom Datapay handle New Zealand payroll?

ADP offers NZ payroll as part of its ANZ operations, though depth of Holidays Act interpretation should be confirmed directly. Datacom is NZ-headquartered and has publicised a five-step Holidays Act remediation process, giving it genuine depth in one of NZ payroll's hardest compliance areas. Affinity runs a purpose-built NZ engine with an NZ-based support team on the same platform as its Australian payroll.

What is the main difference between ADP and Datacom Datapay?

ADP is a global payroll and HCM provider spanning 140+ countries, built for multi-country consolidation. Datacom is a NZ-headquartered technology company with 60+ years in IT services, where payroll (Datapay for enterprise, Smartly for small business) is one part of a broader portfolio, with particular strength in NZ Holidays Act remediation. ADP optimises for global scale; Datacom optimises for NZ-specific payroll depth within a wider technology ecosystem.

How does Affinity compare to ADP and Datacom Datapay?

Affinity is an AU/NZ enterprise payroll specialist. It does not compete on ADP's global multi-country reach or Datacom's broader IT services portfolio; it competes on depth of AU/NZ award and Holidays Act compliance, pre-payslip intelligence, delivery-model flexibility, local data residency, and named local support across both Australia and New Zealand.

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