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Best Employer of Record (EOR) Service – Compare Top 10+ [2026]

Updated 13 January 2026 16-minutes read

By Courtney Pocock

Verified review

Table of Contents

Quick Verdict
Why Trust Us
In-Depth EOR Review
How We Rank
Best EOR By Use Case
Key Factors to Consider
Final Verdict
FAQ

Best Global Employer of Record (EOR) Services Compared

After testing over a hundred Employer of Record (EOR) providers, we ranked the best EOR services that actually deliver – not the loudest marketers. This Best EOR expert guide combines a Global EOR Score (pricing, coverage, terms, support, platform) with a local Country EOR Score (entity, compliance, immigration, local service delivery) to help you pick the right EOR provider fast.

There is no single best Employer of Record for every company. The right choice depends on where you hire, your budget, and how much local support you need. Our goal is simple: help you decide which EOR is actually best for your situation, not just list as many providers as possible.

Note that if you’re hiring in a specific country, we recommend reviewing our country-specific EOR guides, where local execution is weighted more heavily than global capabilities.

Compare real-time prices of 100+ EORs, online & within seconds. Whether it’s a global EOR or a local hidden gem, we’ll let you run quick quote online, and let you decide which EOR is the right good fit.

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Best 10 Employer of Record Services – Quick Overview

Our rankings are based on a proprietary scoring model combining a Global EOR Score (pricing, coverage, platform, terms, support) with country-level performance data such as entity ownership, compliance, and local delivery. Providers cannot pay to influence rankings.

Global EOR

$704

Ø price p.m.

4.6/5

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4.5/5

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4.3/5

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4.3/5

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4.2/5

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4.2/5

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3.4/5

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4.1/5

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4.1/5

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4.1/5

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4.1/5

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4.0/5

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4.0/5

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4.0/5

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4.0/5

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3.9/5

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3.9/5

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3.8/5

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3.7/5

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3.5/5

Global Score

Website

Why You Can Trust Our Comparison

100% Independent

Employsome is not owned by or affiliated to any EOR provider. We compare multiple EORs and show both their strengths and weaknesses.

Data-Based Scoring

Each provider is rated using our Global EOR Score and Country EOR Score models that combine pricing, transparency, contract terms, software, and on-the-ground performance.

Verified EOR Data

We verify local entities, registrations and licenses (such as the AÜG in Germany) through public registries and provider documentation.

Best Employer of Record (EOR) Services – In-Depth Review

Remote

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Founded in 2019, Remote has quickly established itself as one of the “big three” alongside Deel and Papaya Global. With a strong focus on Europe, Remote has developed into a global EOR player. Today, Remote is available in over 150 countries operating through a wholly-owned legal entity infrastructure.

Global

$704

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

No deposit
No setup fee

Advantages:

Global country coverage
Enterprise-grade software

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.6/5): Strong global EOR coverage, mostly through Remote-owned legal entities. Wide range of add-on services offered beyond EOR such as global payroll services, contractor payments, equity add-ons, HRIS, benefits, U.S. PEO and more.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (4.1/5): Fees are higher compared to other global EORs. Also, a “hidden” currency exchange fee of up to 8% applies. However, Remote does not apply an EOR security deposit. OK, overall.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.6/5): No minimum contract commitment which allows for flexible EOR hiring. Further, payroll cut-off on the 11th of the month and payment terms of 10 days.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.8/5): Remote’s EOR solution is designed to be mostly self-service for customers hiring < 10 staff. No dedicated account manager is assigned and support is run through their offshore-team.

✓ Platform & Integrations (4.7/5): Remote’s platform is amongst the best of the industry with a large amount of features and integrations available. It’s suitable for enterprise customers.

4.6/5

Pros

Global coverage with owned legal entities. Strong coverage globally through Remote legal entities, avoiding subcontracting to third-parties.
Enterprise-grade software product. Core EOR workflows are fully automated, allowing for self-service when required. Lots of integrations and add-on features available.

Cons

Premium pricing. More expensive than some local/regional providers since you’re paying for the software platform & global reach.
Less human touch. Remote is built to serve primarily high-growth tech companies. If one is looking for localised, human support, Remote might not be the right solution.

Remote is best for high-growth, technology companies looking to hire across multiple markets at once and that want a hands-off EOR solution with user-friendly software product at its core.

Deel

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Deel is one of the world’s leading EOR providers and remains a top choice for hiring in almost every single country. With its enterprise-grade software platform, a wholly-owned legal entity infrastructure in almost every country they’re serving, it’s fair to say that Deel is the industry’s leading EOR player to-date and a good choice to select, regardless of company size.

Global

Most Popular

$199

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

No deposit
No Setup Fee

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.1/5)

EOR coverage across ~85 countries, focused on compliant employment contracts, payroll processing, and statutory benefits. Strong cross-border payments infrastructure backed by Payoneer. Coverage breadth is solid, but service depth and add-ons vary by country.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (4.4/5)

Very competitive EOR pricing starting at USD 199 to USD 249/month per employee/month. Pricing is largely fixed and predictable, with no setup or offboarding fees. No hidden fees only additional cost is an FX markup at normal market level.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.0/5)

Minimum contract commitment of 6–12 months with one-month termination notice. Straightforward contract structure with no hidden fees beyond FX. Less flexible than month-to-month EORs, but still reasonable for SMBs and scaleups.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.0/5)

Dedicated account management with reliable day-to-day support. Support is only available during weekdays via email, phone, or live chat. Typical onboarding timelines are around one week. Support is only available during weekdays via email, phone, or live chat. More complex cases may depend on local partner responsiveness, which can impact resolution speed.

✓ Platform & Integrations (4.2/5)

Clean, modern platform with efficient onboarding and payroll workflows. Strong usability for standard EOR needs, but limited advanced HRIS functionality, enterprise integrations, and complex automation compared to top-tier enterprise platforms.

4.1/5

Pros

Broad global coverage at competitive pricing: Skuad supports hiring across 85 countries with relatively low monthly EOR fees starting at $199 /employee/ month.
Fast onboarding and straightforward execution: Well suited for startups and scaleups that value speed, simplicity, and predictable delivery over heavy customization.

Cons

Partner-led delivery model: Relies on in-country partners rather than owned entities, which can lead to variations in service depth and consistency by country.
Limited enterprise-grade features: Platform, integrations, and advanced reporting are less mature than software-first EORs like Deel or Rippling.

Skuad is best for startups and SMBs that want to hire internationally fast and cost-effectively without heavy enterprise complexity. It suits budget-conscious, tech-first teams that prioritize speed, simple onboarding, and a clean platform over white-glove service. Skuad is a strong fit for small to mid-sized hiring plans and straightforward use cases, rather than highly complex or bespoke global employment setups.

Safeguard Global

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Safeguard Global is a top player in the global payroll space, well-known for delivering dependable managed services. While it started out focusing mainly on gross-to-net payroll, it has since expanded its offerings to include EOR services and contractor management solutions. Safeguard has operations in nearly 85 countries, and it helps businesses stay compliant with local tax and labor regulations. It has a team of over 1,000 employees dedicated to supporting clients.

Global

$460

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.4/5)

Coverage across 100+ countries via partner entities. Supports full EOR scope: compliant employment contracts, payroll, statutory filings, terminations, and HR advisory. Proven experience with large, multi-country enterprise rollouts. Partner-led delivery means execution quality varies by country.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (3.7/5)

No public pricing. Fees provided after sales scoping. Pricing varies by country and partner. FX fees and local employer burden not always disclosed upfront, impacting cost predictability for procurement-led buyers.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.5/5)

Jurisdiction-specific, enterprise-grade contract templates. Clearly defined payroll cut-offs and payment timelines. Payroll pre-funding required in some countries. Additional administrative steps apply in ICP-heavy jurisdictions.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.2/5)

Dedicated client success managers for enterprise accounts. Strong experience handling complex, multi-entity, and regulated environments. No unified 24/7 global support model; responsiveness depends on local partner execution.

✓ Platform & Integrations (3.9/5)

Provides payroll reporting, time tracking, and document management. Not a full HRIS and not automation-first. Limited integrations compared to SaaS-led EORs like Deel, Rippling, or Oyster.

4.1/5

Pros

Enterprise-Grade Compliance & Payroll Accuracy: 15+ years of global payroll experience with strong governance and low error tolerance.
Strong Advisory & Consulting Support: Access to regional experts for labor law, tax, compliance, and entity setup.

Cons

Higher Pricing & Limited Transparency: No public pricing, variable partner costs, and FX fees not always clear upfront.
Basic HR Feature Set: Leave, expense management, and automation are noticeably less advanced than leading competitors. No integrations.

Safeguard Global is best for mid-market and enterprise companies managing large, multi-country workforces with complex compliance requirements.

It suits organisations that prioritise deep local expertise, advisory-led support, and risk mitigation over speed, low pricing, or self-serve tooling.

Safeguard Global is a strong fit for large hiring teams operating in regulated or high-complexity markets where consistency and governance matter most.

Justworks

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Justworks is a U.S.-headquartered PEO and EOR provider best known for helping SMBs manage HR, payroll, and compliance in the United States. It started as a PEO in the US and has since expanded into EOR services in 17 countries, including Australia. As of today, Justworks is only available to U.S. and Canada based businesses and its focus within those two regoins remains SMBs.

Justworks runs its EOR offering through owned legal entities only, rather than relying on in-country partners. Their EOR coverage stems from ViaWorks, an EOR provider that Justworks has acquired back in 2022. With a Global EOR Rating of 4.1/5, we believe that Justworks is a solid choice for SMBs that value U.S. expertise, reliability, and a compliance-led expansion model.

Global

$604

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

Advantages:

End-to-end global workforce system
Strong U.S. focus
Owned legal entities only

✓ Global Coverage & Services (3.5/5)

Very strong U.S. coverage and expertise, but limited international depth. The global EOR offering currently operates in a relatively small number of countries (17 to be precise) and remains more or less secondary to the Justworks’ core U.S. PEO and payroll business.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (4.0/5)

Transparent base EOR pricing starting at USD 599 per employee per month across all supported countries, plus a USD 5 monthly bank wire fee. A refundable security deposit equal to one (1) month of total cost of employment is required. FX markups of up to 5% apply in most cases, as invoices are issued in USD by default and currency conversion is handled by the provider.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.0/5)

Straightforward, standardized contracts with predictable payroll and invoicing cycles. Well suited for typical employment setups, but less flexible for complex or highly customized global arrangements.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.5/5)

Strong focus on the UK, Canada and LATAM as those are key hiring markets for U.S. SMEs. Responsive support teams, particularly strong in payroll and HR issue resolution within core markets. International support quality can vary outside primary regions e.g. in other European markets.

✓ Platform & Integrations (4.5/5)

A mature and well-regarded HR platform with robust payroll, benefits, and compliance tooling. Global EOR workflows are still basic and are still evolving compared to their domestic capabilities.

4.1/5

Pros

Compliance-first approach: Compliance over speed by operating solely through an owned entity coverage rather than through partners.
All-in global HR platform for U.S. SMEs: The only other provider to allow for end-to-end hiring in a single platform for US-based companies able other than Deel and Rippling.

Cons

Limited global coverage & experience: Justworks is only offering 17 markets to-date which can be limiting and might required engaging alternatives when hiring elsewhere. Lack of experience in EOR given that focus has been on PEO local services.
Premium price: Justworks’ EOR offering is premium-priced and only be really attractive for companies that are already using Justworks for their US-based payroll and PEO needs.

Justworks may be a good fit if you are:

A U.S.-based small or mid-sized company, particularly if you already use Justworks for domestic payroll or PEO services.
A U.S. company looking for a single platform that combines EOR services with HRIS, PEO, payroll, and benefits administration.
An organization with a significant U.S. workforce that wants to extend existing HR and payroll infrastructure to a limited number of international hires.

TopSource

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TopSource is a service-led global EOR and payroll provider supporting international hiring across ~50 countries, primarily via trusted in-country partners rather than owned entities. It follows a compliance-first, advisory-driven model, offering EOR, global payroll, HR administration, and immigration coordination for companies expanding into new markets. TopSource’s core strength is deep local labor law expertise and hands-on execution, making it well suited for complex or regulated hiring scenarios. It is less suited for teams seeking a software-first, self-serve platform or highly automated scaling.

Global

$753

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.3/5)

Service-led global EOR and payroll provider with 20+ years of experience and active coverage across ~50 countries, with strongest execution in India and the UK. Delivers full EOR scope including compliant contracts, payroll, statutory filings, onboarding, terminations, and ongoing HR administration. Also supports immigration and global mobility. Not a software-first EOR; service depth varies by country.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (4.0/5)

Pricing is clear once scoped, with typical EOR fees around €450–€600 per employee/month depending on country. Setup fees are defined and sometimes waived. No public pricing; quote-based model reduces upfront comparability but improves accuracy for complex or multi-country hires.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.3/5)

Uses standard, locally compliant employment contracts. Clear invoicing once agreed. Payroll pre-funding and security deposits may apply in certain jurisdictions. Well suited for long-term and enterprise hiring, less flexible for short-term pilots.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.5/5)

High-touch, consultant-led support with direct access to HR, payroll, and compliance specialists. Strong for complex cases and international rollouts. No product-led 24/7 support; experience depends on assigned delivery team.

✓ Platform & Integrations (3.6/5)

Functional systems for payroll inputs, documentation, and reporting. Platform supports service delivery but is not automation-first and offers limited native integrations compared to SaaS-led EORs.

4.1/5

Pros

Dedicated Account Manager: Having a single account manager means you’re able to access personalized help whenever you need it.
Strong compliance expertise: Deep local labor law knowledge across ~50 countries, well suited for regulated and complex hiring scenarios.

Cons

Mixed entity /partner model: While TopSource has own entities in some countries, they use a local partner for some core markets.
Limited tech & automation: No software-first HRIS or advanced integrations compared to SaaS-led EORs.

TopSource is best for mid-market and enterprise companies hiring internationally that prioritise compliance, local labour-law expertise, and high-touch, service-led support over automation. It is especially well suited for complex, regulated, or large-scale hiring programs where reliability, regional expertise, and hands-on execution matter more than speed or self-serve tooling.

Native Teams

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Native Teams is an agile, founder-friendly Employer of Record built for modern remote-first hiring. It cuts through unnecessary complexity with straightforward pricing and simple onboarding, making it easy for small teams and startups to expand internationally without setting up local entities. Native Teams doesn’t chase enterprise bells and whistles; instead, it focuses on speed, clarity, and flexibility, helping companies get compliant employment contracts, payroll, and benefits in place quickly across multiple countries.

Global

$325

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

Advantages:

Low-cost EOR services

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.0/5): Broad EOR coverage across multiple regions with particular strength in emerging markets. Supports both employee and contractor engagements, with solid payroll and cross-border payment capabilities, though service depth varies by country.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (3.6/5): Pricing published and marketed online isn’t the one that you might end up paying. Pricing is not straightforward and can be quite confusing as Native Teams operates with a tiered pricing of the below:

Tier 1: Up to $1,170 total employment cost – $116
Tier 2: From $1,170 to $4,680 total employment cost – $233
Tier 3: Over $4,680 total employment cost – $350

Above pricing seems random as well as its based on EUR prices, hence might be confusing for US-customers when comparing with other EORs.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.5/5): No minimum commitment, simple onboarding and exit mechanics, but no credit card payments and limited supported payment currencies (primarily EUR, USD, GBP).

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.0/5): Dedicated account manager available, but WhatsApp support is limited to sales, documentation is relatively thin, and guidance for complex edge cases is limited.

✓ Platform & Integrations (4.1/5): Covers core HRIS functionality, but lacks zero-touch onboarding, native HRIS/ATS/ERP integrations, and advanced automation compared to tech-first competitors.

4.0/5

Pros

Low price: Native Teams is the lowest-priced EOR provider on this list. However, the low price is for base services, so it can potentially go up if you need add-on services.
Fast, tech-first onboarding: Simple workflows and a lightweight platform enable quick hires for straightforward EOR use cases.

Cons

Limited suitability for complex cases: Not ideal for advanced setups like equity plans, complex benefits, or highly regulated roles.
Less enterprise support: Service depth and customization are more limited compared to white-glove, enterprise-focused EOR providers.

Native Teams is best for startups and small teams that are budget-conscious and want a fast, tech-first way to hire internationally without unnecessary complexity. It’s a strong fit for companies prioritizing speed, simple use cases, and straightforward compliance over heavy customization or enterprise-grade processes. Native Teams works particularly well for teams hiring small numbers of employees in specific regions and looking for a practical, no-friction EOR rather than a premium, service-led provider.

RemoFirst

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RemoFirst is a “challenger” EOR that started only in 2021. They operate only through a network of local in-country partners, which means that they do not run EOR operations through an owned legal entity infrastructure. RemoFirst offers EOR services for a fraction of the price, starting from as little as $199 per month, per employee.

Global

$405

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

Advantages:

Low cost provider
Extensive global coverage

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.0/5): Broad global reach across 100+ countries delivered exclusively through a partner network rather than owned entities. Besides Papaya Global, no other EOR is operating like this. Based on our research, local partners selected by RemoFirst are strong (e.g. ThisWorks for Europe).

✓ Pricing & Transparency (4.5/5): One of the most transparent and affordable EOR pricing models on the market, with no setup or termination fees. However, pricing for mature markets such as Canada, UK, Germany or Spain are significantly higher (min. $399). Overall cost predictability remains a key strength.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.0/5): Flexible contracts with no long-term commitments, fair payroll cut-off timelines, and support for multiple invoice and payout currencies (keep mind that an FX markup may apply in this case).

✓ Customer Experience & Support (3.6/5): Startup- and SMB-friendly support model with dedicated account managers. Day-to-day support handled via ticketing system which is responsive, but complex cases and peak periods may see slower resolution since they rely on local partners’ response times.

✓ Platform & Integrations (4.0/5): Modern, intuitive platform withautomated payroll workflows. However, advanced reporting, integrations to enterprise HCMs, and customization for complex organizational structures are more limited than with larger, enterprise-grade EORs.

4.0/5

Pros

Good price for value: Pricing is transparent and affordable and service delivery is excellent for a partner-based EOR.
Global coverage: RemoFirst has partners across all regions globally. In particular, they’re strong across Central Asia (given that’s where their founders are from) and Europe.

Cons

Partner network only: RemoFirst doesn’t own any legal entities and functions as an aggregator only. While in many cases this isn’t a disadvantage, they simply don’t have the full control over the end-to-end hiring and payroll process and rely on their local partner.
Pricing higher than $199: While RemoFirst provides an overall transparent pricing without any hidden fees, their marketing claim of $199 is only applicable to a handful of countries. Keep that in mind.

We believe RemoFirst is a suitable provider for startups, fast-growing scale-ups and SMEs looking for an affordable global EOR without cutting back on technology and/or service and support. They’re providing a very well-rounded overall EOR package and have established themselves as a true contender to the big five: Deel, Remote, Papaya Global, Rippling, Oyster HR.

Rippling

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San Francisco based Rippling started out as a U.S.-focused HRIS/payroll/PEO platform. In 2022, Rippling has launched its EOR services offering and tapped into new territory. Today, Rippling operates through a hybrid EOR model, running their operations through both their owned infrastructure and local third-party partners. Their strong HR software has been a core advantage for Rippling when competing globally for EOR business.

Global

$645

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

Full Price Breakdown

Advantages:

Strong for U.S. based businesses
Enterprise-grade software

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.0/5): Growing EOR coverage paired with a very broad service ecosystem spanning U.S. PEO, HRIS, global payroll, benefits (focus on the U.S.), and spend management. Strong variety in solutions, though depth and consistency still vary by country as global coverage continues to expand.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (3.0/5): Modular pricing model offers flexibility, but EOR pricing lacks upfront clarity. Sales cycle was also very challenging to navigate through.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.0/5): Flexible, open-ended contracts without any minimum commitment.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.0/5): Experienced local EOR advisors and user-friendly payroll cycles in supported regions. Again, support quality can vary by country and is more product-led than white-glove for more complex hiring cases.

✓ Platform & Integrations (5.0/5): Together with Deel, best-in-class unified platform combining HR, IT, and finance with advanced automation and many integrations. Platform depth may exceed the needs of smaller or less complex teams and more tailored towards enterprises.

4.0/5

Pros

Leading software: Market leading technology with strong HRIS and PEO offering for U.S. businesses.
Global coverage: Despite Rippling’s “young age in EOR”, it has quickly built a global entity coverage across most relevant EOR markets.

Cons

Pricing transparency: Lack of transparendy and difficult sales cycle, especially when discussing more complex hiring cases. FX markup not disclosed by sales, but up to 8% according to current customers.
Higher overall cost: Premium pricing compared to EOR competitors.

Rippling is best for U.S. based companies that want a technology-first EOR with a global coverage and that, ideally, want to consolidate their HRIS and local U.S. payroll under Rippling.

Atlas HXM

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Atlas HXM is a true direct Employer of Record, operating through its own legal in most countries. Unlike many competitors that rely on layers of in-country partners, Atlas runs employment in-house, which means clear accountability – one throat to choke when something goes wrong. Atlas also leans heavily on real human support rather than chatbots, which matters when you’re dealing with unfamiliar labor laws, edge-case terminations, or complex payroll issues in new markets. While Atlas is more expensive than platforms like Deel or Remote, its fully owned-entity model reduces operational risk and eliminates the communication back and forth that often happens when issues pass through multiple subcontractors.

Global

$655

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.4/5)

Atlas HXM operates through directly owned entities in 160+ countries, offering full EOR, contractor management, mobility, relocation, and strong coverage in regulated and high-risk markets. Particularly strong for companies that need control, compliance depth, and global consistency.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (3.3/5)

Flat-rate, all-inclusive pricing with no third-party markups, but positioned at the premium end (starting around ~$595/month). Pricing details require consultation, and costs can be prohibitive for startups or budget-focused teams.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.0/5):

Flexible, scalable contracts with no rigid long-term lock-ins and a single agreement covering all countries. Initial setup and country-specific deposits can add complexity, especially for first-time global hires.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.4/5):

White-glove, relationship-led support with dedicated HR consultants and strong satisfaction scores. Widely recognized by analysts, though some users report occasional response delays and platform-related friction.

✓ Platform & Product Experience (3.8/5):

Enterprise-grade HXM platform covering the full employee lifecycle, advanced analytics, mobile apps, and learning tools. Feature-rich but comes with a steeper learning curve and less flexibility for lighter, self-serve use cases.

4.0/5

Pros

Extensive global reach with direct entities: Atlas operates through owned legal entities in 140+ countries, which strengthens compliance control, reduces partner dependency, and supports consistent service delivery worldwide.
Strong compliance and governance framework: Atlas offers zero-penalty compliance guarantees, proactive monitoring, and deep statutory expertise across jurisdictions.

Cons

Premium pricing: Flat-rate fees start at a higher tier (≈ $595+/month) and require consultation, which can be cost-prohibitive for startups or budget-sensitive hiring needs.
Support and documentation vary by market: Some users report inconsistent support response times in certain regions, and publicly available documentation is limited.

Atlas HXM is best for mid-market and enterprise companies hiring at scale across multiple countries that prioritise compliance certainty and risk control over price. It’s a strong fit for organisations dealing with complex employment setups, regulated markets, relocations, and visa sponsorship, where owned entities and strict governance matter. Atlas is less suited for budget-conscious startups, but ideal for larger teams that want white-glove, service-led support with enterprise-grade systems.

Papaya Global

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Papaya Global is an enterprise-focused global EOR, global payroll and payments platform from Israel built for organizations managing complex, multi-country workforces. The platform combines EOR services with one of the most advanced global payroll engines on the market, enabling centralized oversight across entities, currencies, and jurisdictions.

Papaya operates its EOR offering only through a partner-based model, while differentiating itself through consolidated reporting and audit-ready workflows. While not a budget option or a lightweight solution for first-time international hires, Papaya Global excels where global payroll complexity, compliance is rigid, and enterprise-grade reporting are required.

Global

$557

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

Advantages:

Strong global payroll engine
Global coverage through partners

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.0/5)

Global payroll platform (Papaya’s core business) combining EOR, contractor management, and global payroll in a single system. Coverage is broad, but only delivered through local partners rather than owned entities.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (3.5/5)

Pricing is available via sales-led quotes. Costs are on the higher end of the market and may include FX fees, partner costs, and security deposits depending on country.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (3.8/5)

Standardized global contracts with secure pre-funding requirements. Payment workflows are reliable but less flexible than product-led EORs.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (3.8/5)

Dedicated account management model with strong payroll expertise. Support quality can vary by country due to partner dependency.

✓ Platform & Integrations (4.6/5)

One of the strongest global payroll engines in the market, with deep reporting, compliance tooling, and enterprise-grade integrations.

3.9/5

Pros

Global workforce consolidation: One platform for global payroll, EOR, contractors, and HRIS.
Strong software platform: Papaya’s platform is intuitive, so it doesn’t take long to learn and adapt.

Cons

Third-party vendors: Unfortunately, getting local support can be challenging because Papaya subcontracts to local partners to deliver its EOR services on Papaya’s behalf.
Premium prices: Papaya Global charges fairly high rates for its EOR services.

Papaya Global is best suited for mid-sized to large/enterprise organizations managing complex, multi-payroll at scale. It’s a strong fit for companies operating across many jurisdictions that need centralized governance, consolidated reporting, strong audit trails, and enterprise-grade compliance. Public companies, regulated businesses, and organizations with multiple entities, currencies, and employment models (EOR + payroll + contractor) benefit most from Papaya’s system.

However, we suggest to keep in mind that multi-country EOR operations using a partner-only model will almost always run into difficulties. Looking at Papaya’s ratings on TrustPilot and G2, this has also been the case for a handful companies in the past.

Agility EOR

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Agility is a Europe-focused Employer of Record designed for companies that need solid compliance and execution without unnecessary complexity. While it isn’t positioned as a global generalist like Deel or Remote, Agility has deep experience in European markets and delivers dependable, hands-on support for core EOR services across multiple jurisdictions. Built around regional expertise rather than flashy automation, Agility excels in compliance guidance, in-country HR support, and predictable service delivery making it a strong choice for teams expanding within Europe who value risk mitigation and local know-how.

Global

$725

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

Flexible Termination

✓ Global Coverage & Services (3.8/5)

Strong coverage across Europe with in-country HR advisory for compliance, terminations, and audits. Visa and work permit support included. Country-specific benefits administration available. Coverage breadth is moderate outside core regions. Limited contractor-first or equity-related services. No equity management, global equity tools, or contractor-management functionality.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (4.0/5)

Clear, quote-based pricing with consistent structure across markets. Setup fee disclosed upfront (GBP 500 / USD 670). No FX markup, VAT, or hidden payroll processing fees. No early termination or offboarding fees. No public pricing calculator. Custom quotes add friction for fast-scaling teams. Pricing above average of other providers.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.0/5)

No minimum commitment required. Clearly defined payroll cut-off (7th of month). Legally vetted, localized contracts per country. Long notice period (90 days). Limited payment methods (bank wire only, GBP-focused). Deposits of one month gross salary + employer taxes apply.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.5/5)

Dedicated account manager included. Strong experience handling complex employment cases. WhatsApp and phone support available. Responsive first response times (≤12 hours). No live chat. No compliance alerts or AI-driven support. Support model is manual and region-dependent.

✓ Platform & Integrations (3.2/5)

Functional portal for payroll, contracts, and documents. Not a modern HRIS platform. No advanced automation (time-off, cost analytics, WFM, API). No deep integrations (e.g., ATS, ERP, HRIS). UI and UX less polished than competitors.

3.9/5

Pros

Dedicated account manager: At Agility, you have a single point of contact you can reach out to whenever there’s a problem.
High-touch service: Throughout the employment lifecycle, you can enjoy having a high level of service and support.

Cons

Third-party vendors: Instead of running local operations on its own, Agility EOR uses a third party in the Netherlands.
Limited technology: The software and technology options at Agility are incredibly basic.

Agility EOR is best for mid-market and enterprise companies that prioritize compliance, regional expertise, and service reliability over low-cost, self-serve tooling. It’s a strong fit for teams hiring across Europe that need hands-on support, strict compliance handling, and the ability to manage more complex employment setups at scale. Agility is less suited for budget-driven startups, but ideal for larger hiring volumes and regulated environments where execution quality matters most.

G-P

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As one of the EOR industry’s earliest pioneers, G-P is one of the most established EOR service providers, with strong infrastructure across the global and local onsite support and legal teams in over 100 countries. Their EOR service is considered white-glove/premium and comes with a hefty price-tag. They offer comprehensive compliance in a range of areas such as payroll, employment contracts, benefits, and expenses.

Global

$940

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Full Breakdown

Advantages:

White-glove services (with premium price-tag)
Enterprise-grade software

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.5/5)

Extensive global EOR footprint spanning 125+ countries, supporting compliant employment contracts, payroll execution, statutory filings, terminations, and benefits administration. The service offering extends beyond core EOR to include contractor management, global payroll coordination, immigration and visa support, insurance and pension schemes, background screening, equipment provisioning, and equity or stock option administration.

✓ Pricing & Transparency (3.0/5)

Positioned as a premium, white-glove EOR service targeting enterprises. The base EOR fee starts at USD 705 per employee per month, but once the mandatory one-time onboarding fee of USD 2,820 is annualised, the effective first-year cost rises to roughly USD 940 per employee per month, making it significantly more expensive than most competitors. Refundable security deposits of 1–2.5 months of total employment cost typically apply (subject to credit checks), and FX markups are estimated at around 3%. Additional fees are material and should be reviewed upfront, including an out-of-cycle payroll fee of USD 250 (high by market standards) and a USD 1,000 offboarding fee, charged regardless of whether termination is client-initiated or due to employee resignation. Pricing remains fully sales-led, with no public or self-serve country-level breakdowns.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (3.0/5)

Contract structures are enterprise-oriented and relatively rigid, often involving longer minimum commitments of up to 12 months. Invoicing is typically issued mid-month with net-7 payment terms. Offboarding fees apply, and overall contract flexibility is limited in favour of standardised, compliance-first terms.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.5/5)

Strong enterprise-grade support model built around dedicated account management and a consultative delivery approach. Clients benefit from fast-response live chat, phone support, structured onboarding and offboarding assistance, proactive compliance alerts, and AI-supported guidance. Particularly well-regarded for depth of expertise across HR, legal, and regulatory matters.

✓ Platform & Integrations (4.0/5)

Robust, enterprise-ready platform supporting payroll, employment documentation, time-off management, expenses, reporting, and compliance workflows. Includes built-in AI assistance and holds key security certifications such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Integrates with leading HRIS and HCM systems, offering reliability and scale, though with less automation depth than newer, tech-first competitors.

3.8/5

Pros

Enterprise-ready: Robust compliance frameworks and scalable processes suited for large, complex organizations.
Own entities in most markets: G-P mainly operates through its own legal entity, enabling direct employment without third-party intermediaries and offering stronger SLA control.

Cons

Technology limitations: Platform functionality is improving but lacks the depth of newer, more automation-focused EOR systems.
Very high service fees: Pricing sits above many mid-market EOR providers.

Best for large, U.S. and Europe based enterprise companies looking for a high-touch, high compliance-focused solution and AI features willing to pay premium fees for peace of mind.

WorkMotion

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Founded in 2020, WorkMotion is a Germany-based global Employer of Record. Its advanced platform allows for automated contract generation, payroll execution, compliance management, and onboarding workflows with a mix of owned legal entities and trusted local partners. WorkMotion positions itself as a compliance-first EOR with a strong focus on companies based out in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, given its strong German-speaking roots. It offers a transparent pricing and strong regional-European execution.

Global

$694

Ø Fee per Employee per Month, First Year

View Price Breakdown

No Setup Fee
Compliance-Focus

✓ Global Coverage & Services (4.0/5)

Strong European EOR coverage with compliant employment contracts, payroll, statutory filings, terminations, and benefits administration. Immigration and recruitment add-ons are available in selected markets. Coverage outside Europe is more limited, and service depth varies between owned-entity and partner countries.

✗ Pricing & Transparency (2.8/5)

Base EOR pricing starts at $694 per employee/month with $0 setup and bank wire fees. However, pricing includes mandatory deposits (one-time 2× total employment cost) and an ongoing 6.5% of gross salary severance accrual. FX markup is not clearly disclosed, and additional costs apply for offboarding ($465 / €399) and client-initiated terminations.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (3.5/5)

Minimum commitment of 3 months with a 30-day notice period. Invoices are issued on the 1st of the month and payable within 10 days. Supports payments in EUR, USD, GBP, and CHF via bank transfer. Payroll cut-off differs by model (15th for owned entities, 10th for partner countries). Late payment interest applies.

✓ Customer Experience & Support (4.0/5)

Dedicated account manager included, with ~24-hour first response time and phone support. Strong, compliance-first advisory approach. Onboarding and termination support included. No live chat, WhatsApp support, AI assistance, or automated compliance alerts. Support quality can vary slightly by country.

✓ Platform & Integrations (4.0/5)

Clean, functional HRIS covering onboarding, contracts, payroll, time-off, expenses, and reporting. Integrates with Personio, HiBob, BambooHR, and Workday. Self-service help center available. No mobile app, and automation, analytics, and customization are more limited than top-tier, tech-first EOR platforms.

3.7/5

Pros

Strong European & DACH Coverage: Excellent owned-entity footprint across Europe, with particular strength in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the wider EU.
Compliance-First Approach: Very conservative, risk-aware handling of contracts, terminations, and employment structures, especially in regulated markets like Germany.
Solid, Integrated Platform: Functional HRIS covering payroll, time-off, expenses, reporting, and integrations with tools like Personio, HiBob, and BambooHR.

Cons

Weak Pricing Transparency & High Deposits: Mandatory security deposits, severance accruals (up to 6.5%), and FX markups make total cost harder to predict.
Limited Coverage Outside Europe: Non-European markets rely more heavily on partners and offer less depth compared to global-first EORs.
Conservative & Complex Invoicing Model: Two-invoice structure, varying payroll cut-offs, and strict funding timelines add operational overhead.

WorkMotion is best for startups and SMBs that want a compliance-first EOR with strong European and DACH coverage.

It suits budget-conscious, tech-leaning teams that value structured processes and legal certainty over speed or flashy automation.

WorkMotion works particularly well for small hiring teams managing complex European employment cases, especially in Germany, Spain, and other regulated EU markets.

Leap29

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Leap29 operates through a service-led delivery model, with particular strength in technical and project-driven sectors such as engineering, energy, and manufacturing. Its offering includes immigration support, benefits administration, and optional recruitment services, enabling companies to combine talent acquisition and compliant employment under a single provider. Overall, Leap29 positions itself as a hands-on partner for organisations that require local labour-law expertise, operational execution, and compliant workforce management without the need to establish local legal entities.

Global

$399

Ø fee per employee per month, first year

View Full Breakdown

✓ Pricing & Transparency (2.8/5)

No pricing is published publicly, and FX markups, deposits, and onboarding costs are not disclosed upfront. Partner-led pricing results in inconsistent costs across countries.

✓ Payment & Contract Terms (4.0/5)

Flexible contract structures with no mandatory long-term commitments. Notice periods are reasonable and predictable, though payment terms and mechanics vary by local partner. No credit card payment options and earlier payroll cut-offs than SaaS-first EOR providers.

✓ Service Quality & Support (4.2/5)

High-touch, personalized support with fast first-response times and strong compliance guidance. Well suited for clients that value human support over automation. No 24/7 coverage, live chat, or WhatsApp support, and documentation depth is limited due to the lack of a platform.

✗ Platform & Product Experience (2.5/5)

No HRIS or proprietary platform. No integrations, automation, dashboards, analytics, or self-service workflows. Operations rely heavily on email, spreadsheets, and manual coordination.

✓ Add-On Services (3.6/5)

Recruitment and talent sourcing, contractor vetting, and immigration coordination via partners are available. However, there is no global payroll consolidation, no equipment, equity, or benefits modules, and service consistency varies significantly by country.

3.5/5

Pros

High-touch support: UK-based HR specialists that provide direct guidance on complicated compliance or operational matters.
Compliant Hiring & HR Execution: Assists with labor-law compliance, onboarding, benefits coordination, and workforce mobility across multiple regions.
Integrated Talent Acquisition: Recruitment support can be bundled with EOR, reducing fragmentation between hiring and employment management.

Cons

Partner-Based Coverage Variability: In many markets Leap29 operates through local partners rather than wholly owned entities, which can lead to inconsistency in service quality or onboarding timelines.
Not as Tech-First as SaaS-Led Competitors

Platform capabilities (automation, self-service, integrations) are less advanced compared to tech-first EORs like Deel or Rippling.
Narrower Geographic Strength: Strongest in Europe and project-heavy segments but less differentiated in the Americas, APAC, or globally comprehensive coverage compared to larger global EOR leaders.

We believe Leap29 is best for companies hiring technical or project-based talent that value high-touch, service-led support over automation. It is particularly strong in engineering, energy, and manufacturing use cases, as well as scenarios requiring immigration, mobility, or combined recruitment + EOR support. If you’re looking for a software-first, self-serve platform comparable to Deel or Rippling, Leap29 is not designed to compete in that segment.

How We Score & Rank Best EOR Services

Our ranking model combines two independent assessments – the Global EOR Score and the Country EOR Score. This way, providers are evaluated not only on their overall capabilities, but also on how they actually perform in the countries where you plan to hire.

We review EORs independently and are constantly adding new providers to our platform, not because they pay us, but because the more options we include, the easier it is for visitors to find the right match. Some links on our site are affiliate links, but they never determine how we score or rank a provider. Rankings are based solely on our methodology and data. You can read more in our Editorial Guidelines.

Global EOR Score – Overall provider quality

This score reflects how strong a provider is globally, across the areas that matter most once you’re actually using an EOR:

Global Coverage & Services. Coverage of the EOR and operational model (owned legal entities vs. local third-party vendors) as well as added services offered such as global payroll, contractor management, recruitment, visa/immigration and further services that help you scale.
Pricing & Transparency. How clearly the full cost structure is disclosed (base fees, FX mark-ups, security deposits, add-ons, offboarding costs, etc.).
Payment & Contract Terms. Minimum commitments, notice periods, security deposits, payment terms and how easy it is to exit or switch.
Customer Experience & Support. Responsiveness, quality of issue resolution, and depth of EOR expertise behind the account team.
Platform & Integrations. Usability of the platform, self-service for employees and managers, integrations and security.

Each category is rated from 1–5 stars. The total Global EOR Score is the average of these ratings.

Note that this is the only score used to rank providers in this Global EOR guide.

Country EOR Score – On-the-ground performance

This score shows how an EOR performs in a specific country, independent of how its marketing itself:

Entity Ownership. We look at the EOR’s overall operational model: owned entites, hybrid or through in-country partners only.
Onboarding Speed. How quickly employees can be fully onboarded and paid compliantly.
Local HR & Payroll Support. Whether there is a local team and HR support in the local language, or everything is handled offshore.
Visa & Work Permit Support. Can the EOR support with immigration and work permit sponsoring, if required?
In-Country Compliance. We asses whether an EOR has fulfilled proper licensing requirements.
Local Add-Ons. Benefits, HR support and other services tailored to that country’s labour market.

Again, each category is rated from 1–5 stars. The Country EOR Score is the average of the five categories and the specific score for that market.

Note that the Country EOR Scores are not used to rank providers in this Global EOR guide, but are essential for our other country-specific comparisons such as for Canada, the United Kingdom, India, the Philippines and more.

How The Final Rankings Work

Global EOR ranking (this article): Providers are ranked only by their Global EOR Score.

Country EOR rankings: Providers are ranked using a weighted model that combines:

Global EOR Score (40%), and
the relevant Country EOR Score (60%).

As we vet additional countries and verify more local data, provider scores are updated to reflect real-world performance, not website claims or marketing spend.

Providers cannot buy a better position. Affiliate relationships and sponsored placements are always disclosed and never influence scoring or rankings.

Best EOR By Use Case

Choosing the best EOR depends on various factors: your hiring goals, budget and the regions/countries you’re expanding into so we’ve highlighted the best ones for the most common real-world use cases.

Best Global EOR Overall → Remote

Companies looking for EOR services want compliance, quick onboarding, predictable pricing, flexible terms (possible to let people go or add new ones on the fly) and a modern product experience. That’s exactly what Remote does 11/10. With flat, transparent fees, an intuitive platform and strong support (chat + WhatsApp) for both contractors and employees, Remote offers everything companies of all sizes need in an EOR.

Best Low Budget EOR → RemoFirst

With many EORs (still) charging $600–$1,000+ per employee per month, RemoFirst entered the market promising to make EOR affordable. To the surprise of many industry experts (including us at Employsome), they’ve actually managed to deliver on that promise while maintaining strong customer satisfaction scores. If your priority is keeping costs reasonable without taking a haircut on service or software, RemoFirst is one of the strongest options available.

Best EOR for Tech & Scaleups → Deel

From our experience, fast-growing tech companies want a single system for EOR employees (EOR), contractors and, oftentimes, payroll when they happen to have their own entity. Having built the industry’s leading contractor payments product in addition to having acquired several native payroll engines, on top of their already successful product, it’s fair to say that Deel provides a fast, scalable and fairly-priced infrastructure for global hiring.

Best EOR for Enterprises → G-P

G-P is one of the earliest and most established global EOR players. We believe that they remain to be the strongest fit for any kind of enterprise companies that need global consistency, governance and, most importantly, 100% compliance. Their enterprise support model, security and legal infrastructure are tailored for hiring larger size teams of 100+ employees across jurisdictions. For large organizations with strict internal controls, hands down, G-P provides the most mature enterprise-grade EOR solution in the market today.

Best EOR for Hiring in 10+ Countries → Remote

Once you begin hiring in more than 10+ countries, the operational complexity increases dramatically. Typically, that’s when EORs that you’ve been quite satisfied with so far in only a handful of countries are beginning to crack. Remote handles this exceptionally well thanks to HR experts onsite in almost every country their servicing, automation around contract drafting (you can basically onboard by yourself), consolidated invoicing and one of the cleanest UX/UI experiences for payroll in the market. At this scale, companies also receive a dedicated account manager critical for onboarding, payroll outsourcing and day-to-day support.

Best EOR for Visa & Work Permits → Pebl

Pebl (formerly know as Velocity Global) is one of the strongest EORs for companies looking to hire employees that require support with an immigration component. With a large dedicated global mobility team and 10+ years of experience in the market as an early market leader, we’re confident in recommending Pebl as one of the most suitable EORs when it comes to work permits, relocations or visa.

Honorable mention: Deel, through its acquisition of Legalpad in 2022, has built out a very strong global mobility and immigration function. However, it’s more targeted at U.S. firms hiring and relocating staff abroad.

Best EOR for Hiring Executives → G-P

Ranking G-P as the best EOR when hiring executives goes hand-in-hand with our recommendation “Best of Enterprises”. We’ve selected G-P as they provide a premium white-glove EOR service and operate only through their own legal entity infrastructure, which is what we’d always recommend as a non-negotiable when onboarding key executive roles.

Best EOR with U.S. PEO Services → Justworks

With their acquisition of global EOR ViaWorks in 2023, they made a strategic move towards adding EOR as part of their services offering, beyond it’s predominately focused U.S. services. Today, Justworks providers solid EOR solutions through their own legal entities across 30+ countries, along with one of the strongest tech-PEO solutions for SMEs. If you’re using Justworks for your U.S. PEO, you might not need to add another EOR vendor and simply have your workforce consolidate under Justworks.

Honorable mention: VensureHR. As one of the largest PEO firms in the U.S. in terms of PEO agreement volume, Vensure has launched VensureGlobal and expanded its offering with a global EOR solution. While they run services through one of their acquired EORs, they function more as a broker rather than a direct global PEO. Still worth checking them out.

Best EOR for Crypto & Web3 Companies → Rise

Rise is one of the first global EORs built specifically for Crypto and Web3 teams. For example, payroll can be split between fiat and crypto based on employee preference, giving crypto companies a compliant path to compensate global teams while still using digital assets. Payout in crypto along with their owned EOR infrastructure makes Rise uniquely positioned compared to traditional EORs that either don’t want to handle crypto payments or are more careful with taking on Web3 customers.

Best EOR for Recruitment Agencies → TopSource

TopSource has been around since the early days of the EOR industry and, today, is considered a go-to provider for staffing leasing firms and recruitment agencies. Their entire service model is built around third-party workforce management rather than internal employee hiring.

Honorable mention: UK-based Workwell, which has expanded its EOR offering significantly for agencies.

Best EOR for Hiring in Europe → OysterHR

Oyster HR is a solid choice for European companies hiring across Europe thanks to its strong Europe focus with most of the countries covered with owned legal entities, an easy-to-use software product and focus on compliance. We believe Oyster HR is ideal for companies building distributed teams across multiple EU markets.

Best EOR for Hiring in LATAM → South

South (or HireInSouth), a fairly new EOR, focuses heavily on Latin America, offering strong local expertise, fast onboarding, and pricing tailored to regional expectations. For companies hiring engineers, customer support teams or back-office roles in LATAM, South provides region-specific advantages that large global EORs often overlook.

Honourable mention: Serviap Global (recently acquired by Hightekers) which is a non-tech EOR from Mexico that has predominantly served larger EORs as in-country implementation partner.

Best EOR for Hiring in APAC → Multiplier

With its Singapore HQ and most of its team based out in Asia, Multiplier is the leader in APAC thanks to its operational strength in the region, including some of the most relevant emerging markets like India and the Philippines. They’re running almost all of their EOR services through a wholly-owned entity infrastructure which puts them ahead of some others.

Honourable mention: Employment Hero. The HRIS super-app from Australia has built a strong EOR solution across Asia and worth looking into, in particular for businesses from Australia and New Zealand.

Best EOR for Companies from DACH Region → WorkMotion

WorkMotion is a strong choice for companies from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. With a deep understanding of how German-speaking customers value compliance, a strong German-language support and a foreign-employer registration solution (WorkFlex) that goes beyond the standard EOR, WorkMotion is particularly well-suited for the “Mittelstand” and companies expanding within the European Union.

Honourable mention: For DACH-based companies looking to expand beyond Europe, we believe Deel is the way to go.

Best EOR for Hiring in Africa → Playroll

Playroll has a uniquely strong operational presence across Africa, with their founders being South African and them having large team/office in South Africa as well as expanding capabilities across the continent. Their local entity network, strong payroll knowledge and market understanding make them a rock-solid partner for companies expanding into Africa.

Honourable mention: GoGlobal, which has one of the strongest owned entity coverage across Africa amongst all global EORs. Worth checking them out if you’re hiring in more remote countries such as Mali, Zambia or Senegal.

Best EOR for Chinese Companies Going Global → IntelliPro

A very unique category that we’ve also wanted to include as a use case scenario. With the EOR solution having gained a lot of traction in China during the past 24 months, we’ve picked IntelliPro as the most suitable and best EOR for Chinese companies to go overseas (aka “Chu Hai 出海”). The Chinese global EOR knows its local customer base in-and-out and has successfully delivered EOR projects for China companies in over 40+ markets – using their own entity infrastructure.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best EOR

Choosing the best EOR isn’t just about comparing prices. Different providers excel in different areas depending on their technology, experience and on-the-ground operations. To make it easier for you to get a glimpse of how EORs operated, we summarise the most important criteria companies should understand before selecting a provider based on what we’ve experienced having worked with over 100 EORs ourselves.

Tech vs. No-Tech EOR Providers

Some EORs are technology-first (like Deel and Remote),while others operate with minimal software and focus on manual service delivery.

For who tech-first EORs are a better fit:

You want self-service onboarding
You manage distributed teams without any additional HR teams (e.g. ideal for founders wanting hands-off)
You value automation and clean productised workflows
You use systems such as HRIS, HCM or ATS and want integrations

For who service-first EORs are better (or EORs with no or only basic software):

You’re a first-time EOR user (like, ever)
You need hands-on HR management
You’re hiring in markets with complex local legislation
You prefer human-led support over product-led onboarding

We believe that no model is objectively “better”. It really depends entirely on your / your company’s preference.

Coverage: Global EOR, Regional EOR or Local EOR

Coverage varies dramatically between providers. We always suggest to choose based on your hiring plans and actual requirements and not based on brand recognition.

Local EORs (e.g. PEOItaly or Bridgewater Talent Integration)

Best for companies hiring in 1–2 countries
Deep local expertise
Usually lower pricing

Regional EORs (e.g. ThisWorks for Europe, AYP Group for APAC)

Strong market familiarity
Better support and compliance in those regions
Often own their infrastructure locally

Global EORs (e.g. RemoFirst, G-P)

Ideal for multi-country scaling (10+ markets)
Standardized workflows and documentation
Consolidated invoicing

EOR Pricing & Hidden Fees

EORs usually highlight only two items of their pricing: the setup fee and the monthly EOR fee. But anyone who has actually worked with an Employer of Record knows that the real cost structure is far more complex. Beyond the base price, there are multiple operational, administrative and financial fees that can significantly increase the total cost of employment.

To help you avoid surprises, we’ve compiled a complete checklist of common fees that may appear when working with an Employer of Record.

Bank Wire Fees. Charges for sending payments to the EOR, typically $5–$50 per invoice.

Expense Processing Fee. Most often a percentage-based fee for processing employee expense reimbursements.

Variable Payroll Processing Fees. Applied when running bonuses, commissions, or other variable pay items; often charged as a percentage of the payout.

Benefits Administration Fees. Admin costs for managing health insurance or local benefits programs (usually $15–$50 per employee per month).

Out-of-Cycle Payroll Fees. Fees for running payroll outside the regular monthly or bi-weekly cycle, past the EOR’s confirmed cut-off date.

Contract Amendment Fees. Applied when adjusting employment terms such as salary, role, or benefits. Usually, EORs do not charge for this.

Late Payment Fees. Charged when invoices are not paid on time. Some EOR’s late payment fees can be quite significant, hence worth knowing upfront.

Offboarding Fees. Costs associated with terminating an employee or for stopping the engagement, including an offboarding due to an employee’s resignation.

Early Termination Fees. If your EOR contract has minimum terms, some providers charge a penalty.

Currency Conversion (FX) Fees with EORs

In addition, to the fees mentioned above, in almost all of the cases, global EORs charge (hidden) Currency Conversion (FX) Fees. It’s fair to say that FX markups are one of the largest hidden revenue streams for some global EORs.

If you are invoiced in one currency, usually in USD or EUR, but payroll is executed in another, the EOR typically applies an FX spread. Some apply markups as high as 3–10%, which can dramatically increase your payroll cost.

Furthermore, if your EOR forces you to pay in a specific currency, compare their FX rate to a trusted benchmark (e.g., use the Wise Currency Converter). If the spread is excessive, challenge it. Most providers are willing to lower the markup to keep your account.

To showcase how this can impact your EOR invoice, we’ve created an example: Let’s assume your total monthly payroll costs for one employee in Canada is CAD 10,000. The EOR is invoicing you in USD.

(1) Using the base exchange rate of 1 CAD = 0.7584 USD
10,000 CAD × 0.7584 = 7,584 USD
(2) Using a 5% marked-up rate applied by the EOR of 1 CAD = 0.79632 USD
10,000 CAD × 0.79632 = 7,963 USD
(3) Your hidden cost difference due to the marked up rate.
7,963 USD − 7,584 USD = 379 USD per month (!!)

💡Employsome Tip: Double Check FX Markups!

FX markups can quietly turn a “cheap” EOR into an expensive one. If payroll runs in a different currency than your invoice, some EORs add hidden FX spreads of 3–10%. Always verify FX rates and negotiate most providers will reduce the spread if you ask.

Switching EOR Providers (and Why You Should Consider)

If you’re paying more than $500 per month for a local national employee (e.g., a Canadian in Canada or a German in Germany), you are almost certainly overpaying. The global EOR market is highly competitive and most providers are offering substantial transfer credits (up to $3,000) and more favourable monthly rates to win over your business.

Switching EOR providers is far more common than many companies realize and most EORs will actively support the process. Transfers typically follow one of two approaches:

1. Resign-and-Rehire Process
The employee resigns from the current EOR and signs a new employment contract with the incoming EOR. To make this smooth and attractive, the new EOR should recognize the employee’s seniority within the contract so no tenure or accrued rights are lost.

2. Mutual Transfer Agreement
Often executed as a Tripartite Transfer Agreement, this document is signed by:

the employee,
the “old” EOR, and
the “new” EOR.

It outlines which employment conditions will transfer, typically including seniority, accrued leave and other entitlements. This method ensures the employment isn’t disrupted.

💡 Employsome Tip: Switch EORs & Save $$$!

The competitiveness of the EOR industry puts you in a strong negotiating position. If you already use an EOR, request quotes from multiple providers and share them with your current one. In nearly every case, they will offer a significant discount to retain your account.

And if you’re seriously considering switching, compare multiple EORs and ask them to match or beat each other’s pricing.

Permanent Establishment (PE) Risk with an EOR

It’s safe to say that an EOR does not eliminate permanent establishment risk whatsoever. However, it does reduce it significantly. By hiring through an EOR, a company avoids registering a local entity, thus the foreign business is generally not directly “visible” to authorities from a corporate tax perspective. This lowers the likelihood of triggering PE-related tax obligations.

However, PE risk does not disappear entirely. We’d recommend thinking twice when hiring the following roles, particularly in Central Europe:

Revenue-generating employees (e.g., sales roles closing deals locally), or
Senior or executive-level staff who negotiate and/or sign contracts on behalf of the company.

In these situations, authorities may determine that your foreign company is “carrying on business” in the country, regardless of the EOR arrangement. If that happens, tax obligations or reporting requirements could be triggered.

Security Deposits – What They Are & How to Get Them Back

If you’ve worked with an EOR before, you’ve likely encountered the concept of a refundable security deposit. Nearly all EOR providers require a deposit before putting an employee on their payroll. A few notable exceptions of EORs not requiring one are Remote and Borderless AI, amongst others.

Reasoning is straightforward: Once an employee signs an employment contract through the EOR, the provider assumes a range of employment-related liabilities (varying by country). The deposit serves as “protection” against unexpected costs such as severance, notice payouts or statutory obligations, in case the company fails to make such payments.

In practice, the deposit usually ranges from one to three months of gross salary and in some cases may also include employer taxes.

💡 Employsome Tip: Don’t Forget Your Deposit!

Don’t forget to claim for the deposit to be refunded when the engagement ends. We’ve heard from several companies that EOR providers often refund deposits only when reminded. This is especially common when the original stakeholder who set up the EOR relationship has since left the company.

Consequently, if you’re offboarding an employee, always check whether your company paid a deposit at the start and make sure it gets returned to you in full.

Owned Entities vs. In-Country Partners

Today, most global EOR providers operate through their own legal entities. This means that they set up subsidiaries in each country and manage key operational functions such as onboarding, salary payments and offboarding internally. It’s commonly referred to as a “Direct EOR”.

However, there’s a common misconception that EORs with owned entities also run payroll in-house. In reality though, that’s rarely the case. Even large global EORs often subcontract payroll to local payroll vendors, who then handle day-to-day processing and statutory filings. The scale and complexity of running global payroll, especially on a global scale, makes full in-house payroll operations very challenging. Only a few EORs, such as Deel, run parts of payroll fully internally.

The second operational model is the in-country partner model, also referred to as “Indirect EOR”. Instead of incorporating their own entities, EORs rely on local third-party providers to act as the legal employer. The EOR functions more or less as the client-facing layer, managing the relationship, technology and support, while the local partner handles all employment-related responsibilities as well as payroll payments on the ground.

From our experience, this model can work well but also has some key risks. With multiple layers involved, there is greater potential for slower response times. Further, the EOR cannot fully guaranteed that compliance is fully guaranteed simply because they do not have full visibility into the local third-party’s actions (e.g. salaries paid on time, taxes filed and paid correctly). However, it must not necessarily be worse. Providers such as Papaya Global or RemoFirst have scaled effectively with this approach.

If the global EOR selects strong, reliable partners and focuses its efforts on high-quality service delivery and automation, the partner model can perform just as well as the owned-entity model – sometimes even better.

Final Verdict on Best EOR Services

Having reviewed, our key takeaway for best EOR services and recommendations are:

Best Global EOR Overall: Remote – We’ve selected Remote as our overall best EOR simply because they’re doing everything (very) well. From compliance, software, customer satisfaction and pricing transparency. The best EOR on the market. Point.
Best Low Budget EOR: RemoFirst – Despite having “only” been around for a couple of years, RemoFirst has developed into a major industry contender and has been delivering a solid & affordable EOR solution through its in-country partners.
Best EOR for Tech & Scaleups: Deel – Fast growing companies value speed and easy-of-use over (almost) everything. And Deel has been able to deliver on all of that spot on.
Best EOR for Enterprises: G-P – As one of the industry’s first global EORs, G-P has focused on building an EOR product that’s catering enterprises and their unique requirements.
Best EOR for Hiring in 10+ Countries: Remote – Automated contracts, a single-point of contact and a best-in-class EOR invoicing and payroll UI/UX is why we’ve chosen Remote as the best EOR when hiring in 10+ countries.
Best EOR for Visa & Work Permits: Pebl (Velocity Global) – Having built one of the strongest legal and immigration infrastructure in the EOR space, Pebl is a solid choice when looking for visa and immigration support.
Best EOR for Hiring Executives: G-P – This goes hand in hand with their enterprise-ready status. We believe G-P is best suited when hiring executives through an EOR. That’s white-glove service when you need it most.
Best EOR with U.S. PEO Services: Justworks – Originally operating in the U.S. only, Justworks has gone global over the past years and has implemented a rock-solid EOR solution that can compete head on with other top solutions in the market.

Please note that all of our best EOR recommendations have been created looking at actual EOR service delivery, compliance strength and customer experience, not marketing claims or paid placements.

Frequently Asked Questions on Best EOR

There is no single “best” Employer of Record for every company, as the right choice depends on your own factors such as where you’re hiring, your team size, budget, and if you need a local EOR team on the ground. That said, based on our independent analysis of global coverage, pricing transparency, platform quality, and actual EOR service delivery, Remote currently ranks as Employsome’s best overall Employer of Record for 2026.

Because EOR performance can vary significantly by country and use case, we recommend using our independent EOR comparison tool to compare providers by region, pricing, features, and compliance depth, and identify the best EOR for your specific hiring needs.

There are three categories of Employer of Record providers:

Global EORs: Cover 50+ countries, offer unified platforms
Regional EORs: Specialize in one continent or economic zone (e.g., EU, APAC)
Local EORs: Deep local knowledge and service in a single country

Your best fit depends on your expansion plans and compliance needs.

Owned entities mean the provider fully controls operations in-country, offering more consistency and transparency. In-country partners (outsourced model) rely on third-party vendors, which can be more flexible but sometimes less integrated.

Payroll cut-off dates are the deadlines by which salary changes, bonuses, and reimbursements must be submitted to ensure timely payment.

Some providers have stricter deadlines requiring confirmation early in the month, while others offer more flexibility. It’s crucial to check if an EOR’s cut-off aligns with your internal processes to avoid payroll hiccups.

Written by

Courtney Pocock

Courtney Pocock is a Copywriter & EOR/PEO Researcher at Employsome with 15+ years of experience writing for the HR, corporate, and financial sectors. She has a strong interest in global business expansion and Employer of Record / PEO topics, focusing on news that matters to business owners and decision-makers. Courtney covers industry updates, regulatory changes, and practical guides to help leaders navigate international hiring with confidence.

Our content is created for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide any legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice. Please obtain separate advice from industry-specific professionals who may better understand your business’s needs. Read our Editorial Guidelines for further information on how our content is created.