Papaya Global is the best employer of record (EOR) service, thanks to its advanced features for larger businesses, like Payroll OS and integration with JP Morgan, and its dedicated implementation team to streamline onboarding.
According to our in-depth research, though, there are other options out there. Deel is a good fit for smaller businesses thanks to its intuitive interface and quick payment system, while Rippling is a top choice for businesses that need an all-in-one HR/EOR platform.
In this guide, you’ll learn about the top EOR platforms available in 2026, including how much they cost and what they can do.
Key Takeaways
- What is EOR? – An Employer of Record (EOR) platform manages the hiring, payroll, and legal compliance of hiring employees in other countries, removing the need to create local business entities.
- Best for large businesses – Papaya is the best option for larger businesses, with a massive data consolidation tools and advanced integrations.
- Best for small businesses – Deel is our top choice for smaller businesses, thanks to its swift interface that can help you pay employees fast.
- Pricing – EOR platforms can cost between $199 to $1,000 per employee per month. Still, you should always contact providers directly for a custom quote based on the needs of your business
- Choosing – When choosing an EOR, businesses should consider country coverage, features, and how quickly you can onboard new hires
What Is an Employer of Record (EOR)?
An employer of record (EOR) is a platform that acts as a legal employer on behalf of another company so that they can hire employees in other countries without a legal presence in that country.
EOR platforms are used by businesses that want to expand globally while automating the legal and compliance responsibilities that go with that kind of growth.
EOR services are typically available as an add-on to other HR software tools, like payroll and time tracking, but there are some platforms that are exclusively dedicated to Employer of Record functionality.
Check out our EOR explainer guide to learn more
Best Employer of Record (EOR) Platforms Reviewed
We’ve investigated a wide range of HR platforms, including EOR tools, over hours and hours of in-depth research, and we’ve decided that the options listed below are the best, depending on your particular business needs.
- Papaya Global – Best for large businesses
- Deel – Best for small businesses
- Multiplier – Best for customer support
- Rippling – Best for all-in-one HR platform
- Remofirst – Best for businesses on a budget
| Starting price | Starting price (contracting) | Country Coverage | Best for | Key features | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPONSORED PROVIDER | | | |||||
| Papaya | Rippling EOR | ||||||
| Starting price: (Limited Time Offer) | $599/employee/month | Contact for quote | |||||
| $2/contractor/month | Contact for quote | ||||||
| 185+ | 160+ | 90+ (150+ for contracting) | 50+ | 23 | 160+ | ||
| Not yet accessed | Best overall | Around-the-clock support | Bundling with payroll and insurance | Fast onboarding | Keeping costs low | ||
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| Try Pebl | See Review | Try Deel | Try Multiplier | See Review | Try Remofirst |
Pros:
- Impressive country coverage
- Custom notifications
- Feature-rich
Cons:
- Some reviewers cite slow response times from support team
- Navigating the website is a learning curve
- Starts at: $599/employee/mo
- Contractors start at $2/user/mo
- Country coverage: 160+
- Insurance: Third party support
- Custom notifications
- Digital contract management
Papaya offers one of the most feature-rich EOR services on the market. Your business will be able to deliver automated payments in local currencies for more than 160 countries. This is the highest number of countries in which employment is covered by the EOR vendors in this guide (matched only by our second-place pick, Remofirst).
Depending on the package you choose, Papaya’s benefits can include auto payslips, operational support for equity and expenses, third-party insurance, and pension payments.
The software platform is a central location for handling the necessary admin, with reporting tools, integrations (including popular options like BambooHR and NetSuite), and customizable notifications that serve as reminders for issues like invoicing and payment requests.
Papaya’s software allows users to fill in fields when adding each new EOR employee. Source: Papaya
Papaya offers additional services for more EOR needs at an extra cost, including a global health plan and immigration support for visas that employees may need.
Another reason why Papaya stole our top stop was because of its ever-evolving feature set. This year the EOR provider launched a suite of powerful AI features, including automated onboarding, enhanced analytics and reporting, and AI-powered payroll administration. These features automate a variety of tasks, helping to streamline the EOR process for companies.
Papaya’s Pricing
Papaya starts at $599 per employee, per month, putting it in the upper tier of EOR service costs alongside Remote’s $599 starting price and the $699 you’ll pay for most countries under Oyster’s coverage.
Contractors start at just $2 per person, per month, which is incredibly low in comparison to the typical cost of a contractor, which ranges from $20 to $50 per person per month. This cost will vary depending on your needs, although we estimate a package with payroll included starts at about $25 per person, per month. Again, we recommend getting in touch for a free Papaya quote to confirm how much your business would need to pay.
What's New For Papaya?
- AI-powered payroll administration – Papaya recently made payroll management a whole lot easier, with the launch of its AI payroll administrator. The tool streamlines the process by automating tasks like data validation, and international payment. (September, 2024)
- Automated onboarding – Papaya’s new automated onboarding feature lets companies hire and onboard employees in over 160 without the need for a local entity establishment, whilst also using AI alerts to streamline the process. (September, 2024)
2. Deel – Best for Smaller Businesses
- Price: $599/employee/month
Deel is our top HR software tool for small businesses, but it also has an EOR plan. All in all, its efficiency makes it stand out as a great EOR to consider. The service has around-the-clock support in addition to a speedy payment system that handles all the currencies your business is likely to throw at it. As a result, your managers and employees alike should be satisfied with the service – even if it is a little pricey.
Pros:
- Fast payments
- Supports over 20 currencies
- 24/7 support
Cons:
- High starting costs
- Unpredictable support ticket response times
- Starts at: $599/employee/mo
- Contractors: $49/user/mo
- Country coverage: 110+ (150+ contracting)
- 24/7 support
- HR support: Third party
- IP protection
Deel is a great EOR for businesses that want something simple and easy. This is partially due to its 24/7 email and live chat support, which can be accessed through Deel’s desktop software or its mobile app to be guided through any given issue. It also integrates with over 100 tools and apps, meaning that it’s likely to effortlessly work with whatever you want to connect it to.
However, the interface itself might be able to help your business out long before you resort to live assistance. The software will offer information boxes to help walk its users through typical processes, including adding new employees, updating payment methods, or signing contracts.
Deel’s software guides users through setting up each contract. Source: Deel
One other ease-of-use benefit that puts Deel above its competitors: It lets clients fund their accounts with over 20 different types of currencies. This makes Deel a more flexible choice than Remofirst, which supports five currencies, or the seven currencies that Papaya offers.
Deel’s Pricing
Deel’s pricing starts at $599 per employee, per month, which is a higher starting price than any other EOR provider – with the exception of Remote. Contractors are costly as well, starting at $49 per employee, per month. The all-in-one workforce platform does offer 24/7 live chat support alongside an impressive array of EOR perks, so get in touch for a Deel quote for a full list of what you’ll receive for your money.
3. Multiplier – Best for Customer Support
- Price: $300/employee/month
EORs sometimes charge extra for insurance and payroll processing, but Multiplyer bundles them into its base charge for local hiring. While Oyster is best for contracting, Multiplyer is best for a company that wants a full package for hiring employees – including visa paperwork – without worrying about getting buried in extra charges.
Pros:
- Payroll and insurance are bundled with local compliance
- Supports visa paperwork
- Supports employee stock ownership plans
Cons:
- Reviewers cite slow customer service
- 24/5 support, not 24/7
- Limited training resources
- Starts at: $300/employee/mo
- Contractors: $40/user/mo
- Country coverage: 50+
- Payroll: From $20/mo
- Insurance: From $20/mo
- Support: 24/5
Multiplier handles global payroll, payslips, and currency conversions, benefits, insurance, employee stock ownership plans, as well as 24/5 local support for HR and legal concerns. Multiplier also offers “instant” employment contracts to keep the process fast – even if it doesn’t claim to match the 90-second turnover rate offered by Rippling.
The Multiplier dashboard gives users a snapshot of a variety of different metrics or goals. Source: Multiplier
The $400 per employee, per month starting price is a good deal, given that Multiplier bundles local compliance with global payroll and insurance, two core business needs that some EOR vendors usually only offer at a higher price point. Plus, Multiplier throws in support for visa paperwork, which most other EOR vendors won’t offer (Oyster) or will charge extra for (Papaya, Remofirst).
Multiplier’s Pricing
Multiplier’s EOR pricing starts at $400 per employee, per month, which includes instant employment contracts, payroll, payments, payslips, benefits, insurance, and 24/5 local support. Some of these can also be paid for separately, including global payroll administration which starts from $20 per month, and employee insurance which starts at $20 per month.
Contractors can be acquired for a tenth of the cost for employees: $40 per contractor, per month. These prices are typical for the industry, although the exact price will vary depending on the services included.
4. Rippling – Best All-in-One HR Platform
- Price: Custom
Rippling delivers a lightning-fast onboarding process as well as comprehensive HR support. The service has a potential drawback: It supports fewer countries than most top EORs. However, if your company’s expansion needs are still supported, Rippling’s streamlined functionality leaves little to be desired.
Pros:
- Quick onboarding process
- Detailed reporting
- Handles HR, IT, and finance
Cons:
- Limited country coverage
- Insurance and HR cost extra
- Pricing is not public
- Contact for quote
- Supports contractors and employees
- Country coverage: 23
- Insurance: Costs extra
- HR support: Costs extra
- Free demo
One standout benefit of the Rippling EOR service is the promise to set up new hires with onboarding paperwork that can be completed in just 90 seconds. While none of the options on this list are slow to onboard, Rippling constitutes the fastest by far, even beating Remofirst’s same-day onboarding process.
Rippling’s EOR service tracks time off, paid time off (PTO), workers’ compensation, garnishments, and will pay employees in their local currency within minutes (another example of the speedy processing that makes Rippling one of the best HR software options on the market).
Rippling’s software lets users generate EOR reports. Source: Rippling
Rippling’s cloud of HR services also expands to cover more functions that can be used in an EOR context, including localized benefits, global recruit aid, and learning management courses that empower your business to train its employees in global compliance. Opting for Rippling makes sense if you’d prefer a single, unified system to handle EOR, HR, IT, and finance as your business expands into new countries.
Rippling’s Pricing
Rippling is the only top EOR provider in this guide that does not make its global EOR pricing public, either for full-time employees or for part-time contract workers. Instead, you’ll have to get in touch with the features and number of employees or contractors that your business needs to receive a free quote. However, Rippling’s US payroll services start at $8 per person, per month.
5. Remofirst– Best for Businesses on a Budget
- Price: $199 per employee, per month
Cost factors are important to many businesses as they expand into new markets, and Remofirst’s low pricing brings with it a great range of the feature your operation is likely to need. Add-ons might bring the cost up, but as a result of Remofirst’s great value overall, we ranked it second only to Papaya.
Pros:
- Impressive country coverage
- Same-day onboarding
- 24/7 support
Cons:
- Visa and immigration aid costs extra
- Equipment provisioning costs extra
- Software’s editing controls are limited
- Starts at: $199/employee/mo
- Contractors: $25/user/mo
- Country coverage: 160+
- Insurance: Starts at $55/user/mo
- Visa and immigration services
- Equipment provisioning
Remofirst’s low $199 starting cost is a big selling point, but that doesn’t mean that Remofirst won’t offer the features you need. You’ll have access to over 160 countries (one of the larger selections that EORs will offer), as well as a great roster of employee management perks. These include payroll, tax filing, pensions, local compliance, HR guidance for standard needs like onboarding and termination, IP protection, and 24/7 support with live chat and email.
Remofirst’s interface has the flexibility to make life easy for its clients: They can bundle paperwork when needed (for example, they can aggregate all invoices into a single payment), but they can quickly sort information internally (for example, the international payroll can be viewed on an employee-by-employee basis, by country, or by amount paid). The software includes information boxes to add further context to managerial decisions.
Read More: Best Project Management Software
The Remofirst software breaks down international payroll by person, country, and more. Source: Remofirst
Remofirst promises same-day onboarding, in contrast to Papaya and Oyster’s onboarding processes, which may take two days. Some useful perks are available at an additional charge, including visa and immigration aid. This includes visa and work permit sponsorships that can smooth out the process of hiring employees around the globe.
Remofirst’s Pricing
Remofirst’s pricing starts from just $199 per employee, per month, the lowest starting cost of any EOR service in this guide. This includes equity, bonuses, payroll, tax filings, pensions, and around-the-clock support. Contractors are also inexpensive, starting at $19 per person, per month, which is the second lowest starting price for contractors in this guide after Papaya’s $2 starting price.
Remofirst’s dedicated health insurance plan, Remohealth, starts at $55 per person, per month, and provides global coverage for medical, dental, and vision. Equipment provisioning is another add-on, with no set starting price given. Finally, the provider offers another paid add-on for visa and immigration services, although the prices for this service will vary by country, visa category, and employee status, so you’ll have to contact Remofirst for a quote.
What's New For Remofirst?
- RemoHealth Global health insurance – Remofirst launched its own global health insurance system, allowing companies to provide custom, international private medical insurance to employees without relying on external software. (January, 2024)
- Round-the-clock customer support – Remofirst EOR rolled out 24/7 support options this year, including dedicated account managers for each client. This new service helps to provide personalized assistance across time zones, whenever its needed. (March, 2024)
How to Choose an Employer of Record (EOR) Provider
The best Employer of Record (EOR) depends on your particular business needs. While others may provide robust features for large businesses, others are more suitable for smaller entities when it comes to price and speed of hiring.
Below, we’ve provided some important criteria to consider before choosing the EOR for your business.
- Country coverage – Some EOR providers only operate in certain countries, so you’ll want to make sure that your chosen platform has coverage where you need them to.
- HR needs – Whether it’s taxes, benefits, or time tracking, different platforms offer different functionalities for your HR needs, which is why you should always verify before deciding.
- Scalability – If your business is growing fast, you’ll want to be sure that the EOR you choose can hire as fast as you need it to and can manage your entire global staff without issue.
- Security – EOR deals with employee data on a global scale, so be sure your given platform has ISO 27001 certification and SOC 2 Type II compliance to be as secure as possible.
- Integrations – EOR platforms operate better when you can integrate them with other systems, so make sure to check how many other systems are compatible.
Deel provides access to its app library to everyone, so you can check if your other platforms will integrate before you buy. Source: Tech.co testing
How Did We Evaluate Employer of Record (EOR) Services?
We understand how important choosing the right Employer of Record (EOR) software for your team is, and that’s why we go the extra mile when researching and reviewing the top providers.
First, we conduct an initial exploration to find the most relevant and useful platforms on the market. Then, we analyze their potential using a vigorous methodology that focuses on the concerns businesses care about the most, including:
- Features – Both the overall functionality and number of features weighs heavily on how effective these platforms are.
- Entry price – The starting cost for smaller businesses is a good way to gauge whether its accessible across the industry.
- Average cost of plans – Knowing whether it will be expensive to scale in the long run should have a big impact on your decision.
- User experience – Ease of use should always be considered, especially if you haven’t used this kind of software in the past.
- Support options – Businesses need to know how available the provider will be if they require assistance with an issue.
These findings then help determine each software’s overall potential, which businesses they are best suited for and how they size up against the wider competition.
So much more goes into our research process, though. If you’d like to learn more about how we test and review products at Tech.co, you can learn more about our research here.
Verdict: What Is the Best Employer of Record (EOR) Service?
We recommend Papaya’s Employer of Record service for any business that’s expanding into a new country. It can handle compliance and payroll across more than 160 countries, it’s easy to use, and it goes the extra mile with perks like visa aid and equity management.
Many other great EOR vendors will serve you well, but it’s Remofirst that offers the lowest starting cost for employees and contractors, while Deel has a particularly easy interface and stellar 24/7 support.
In the end, your best approach is to contact the best EOR services that meet your needs. Your specific business needs will determine the exact quote that each service will ultimately offer.
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