CDP Group (China) EOR Expert Review [2026]
CDP is a large payroll firm located in Shanghai, China. As part of it suite of services, it’s offering global EOR services to its Chinese customer base.
Table of Contents
CDP at a Glance: Company Overview
CDP Group is a Shanghai-based HR firm and global Employer of Record provider that’s been operating since 2004. It’s fair to say that they’re one of the most established players in the China HR-tech space and are competing head to head against the likes of BIPO, IntelliPro and FESCO Adecco. Unlike most Western-founded EORs, CDP’s client base is predominately Chinese when it comes to EOR.
What makes CDP different? They’ve built their reputation by servicing mainly large Chinese multinationals expanding abroad (China outbound) as well as servicing foreign companies establishing operations in China (China inbound). Their technology platform specialises in local China payroll management and payments processing.
Focusing solely on global EOR services, we believe that CDP should not be seen as an actual competitor of EOR’s such as Deel or Remote as its EOR service caters mainly to Chinese companies expanding abroad.
Our Personal Experience with CDP Group
We’ll be direct: getting pricing information from CDP Group was challenging. Unlike more transparent providers, CDP required multiple touch-points and detailed information before revealing their fee structure. The sales process felt more traditional and relationship-driven than the self-service models popularized by newer EOR platforms.
Given that we presented ourselves as a non-Chinese firm, the sales representative at CDP mentioned proactively that we might not be a good fit for them.
Key Features & Services of CDP Group
Global Employer of Record (EOR)
CDP covers all EOR “basics” including contract drafting, onboarding, payroll declaration, salary payments and taking care of local compliance.
Standout: CDP’s EOR infrastructure is particularly strong in markets where Western providers often rely on third-party partners: China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Ecuador. This has to do with the fact that they’re catering towards Chinese-based companies which are hiring mainly across APAC.
Global Payroll
CDP provides consolidated, global payroll services with multi-country payroll and payroll vendor consolidation. However, while CDP markets “integrated global payroll,” we know for a fact that this still relies on local payroll partners globally. They act as the orchestration layer, not necessarily running payroll in-house across all markets.
China Payroll & HR Services
That’s CDP Group’s bread and butter. Their one of the largest local payroll and HR services provider in the country. Think of it like as if CDP is the “ADP of China” and cover pretty much everything from payroll services to staffing solutions to talent search.
CDP Pricing: Costs & Hidden Fees
Important: With our outreach not having gotten very far with CDP and them not publishing transparent pricing online, we’ve taken the below pricing based on market research and conversations with other industry experts that have used to work with CDP on EOR. Here’s what we’ve gathered:
$450-$750
Ø per employee per month (first year)$0-$500
per employee, one-time (varies by country)1-2 months of total employment cost
$40-$80
per contractor per monthn/a
n/a
n/a
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How CDP Is Scoring: Our Data-Driven Analysis
Overall, we believe that CDP Group is only a suitable EOR provider for Chinese firms expanding outside of China. However, even for Chinese firms today, there are better alternatives out there such as Deel, Horizons or Intellipro. This mainly is due to the lack of a software platform and very limited amount of owned legal entites in countries where CDP providers EOR services.
2.9 /5.0
✓ Global Payroll Outsourcing: Claims coverage across 100+ countries (exact scope should be verified).
✓ Mobility Advisory: Available primarily for China and select strategic markets.
✓ Benefits Administration: Supports statutory benefits and basic add-ons.
✗ Limited Depth: Premium benefits, equity support, and advanced local services are restricted.
✗ Inconsistent Coverage Claims: Country availability varies across public sources.
3.5 /5.0
✗ Pricing Transparency: No published EOR pricing; all quotes are custom.
✗ FX Clarity: FX markups and payment fees are not disclosed upfront.
✗ Limited Visibility: Country-by-country pricing cannot be verified publicly.
2.5 /5.0
✓ Standard EOR contract: Clear role definitions and compliance responsibilities.
✗ Deposit Uncertainty: Potential deposits or advances not publicly disclosed.
✗ Variable SLAs: Service levels differ by country; must be confirmed in contract.
✓ Enterprise Contracting: Suitable for large companies used to structured legal terms.
3.5 /5.0
✓ Strong China Expertise: Large in-country service teams with deep payroll knowledge.
✓ High-Touch Model: 24/7 support channels for HR, payroll, and statutory issues.
✓ Large Customer Base: Serves 2,000+ enterprises, indicating operational maturity.
✗ Outside-China Variance: Support quality is strongest in China; mixed regionally.
4.0 /5.0
✗ Limited Automation: WorkLife is service-heavy and lacks modern EOR automation.
✗ No Public APIs: No published API or developer integrations.
✗ Basic Reporting: Dashboard and analytics capabilities lag behind competitors.
✗ Manual Workflows: Heavy reliance on service desks for key processes.
1.0 /5.0
How CDP is Performing in China (Their Core Market)
Strong local performance driven by owned China operations, deep payroll and compliance expertise, and on-the-ground HR support. Best suited for compliant China hiring, with limitations around visa sponsorship depth, premium add-ons, and non-China use cases.
3.6 /5.0
China-native operations with long-standing local entity presence. CDP is established in China and markets itself as an HCM SaaS + services pioneer (founded 2004). Strong compliance posture for PRC payroll, tax, and social security. Entity names and licences should still be confirmed during diligence, as with any China EOR.
4.5 /5.0
Onboarding timelines generally align with standard China payroll cycles. CDP advertises digital onboarding via WorkLife and 24/7 payroll channels, but real-world timelines typically range from 3–7 business days depending on seniority and documentation. Reliable, but not especially fast by global standards.
3.5 /5.0
Strong in-market HR, payroll, and legal specialists. CDP emphasizes local delivery through China-based teams and regional SSC-style operations. This is one of CDP’s core strengths, particularly for companies hiring primarily in China.
4.5 /5.0
CDP provides mobility advisory and compliance guidance, but does not stand out for end-to-end foreign national sponsorship. China’s work permit requirements are complex, and premium immigration handling is more limited compared to specialist providers.
2.5 /5.0
Offers standard benefits administration and payroll-related add-ons. However, detailed carrier-level benefit choices and premium immigration or executive services are more limited than with niche China specialists or global enterprise EORs.
3.0 /5.0
Who CDP Is Best For
This visual highlights where this provider performs best across common buyer dimensions, based on Employsome’s independent, data-driven analysis. It reflects typical real-world usage patterns rather than marketing positioning.
Final Verdict: Our Recommendation on CDP
CDP is a strong, compliance-first EOR provider in China, but a limited choice outside of its core market. Based on our analysis, CDP performs best for companies whose primary hiring focus is China and who value local payroll expertise, regulatory alignment, and hands-on service over software automation or global scalability.
Globally, CDP scores below average due to limited pricing transparency, a service-heavy operating model, and a lack of modern platform capabilities. Its EOR offering outside China relies on payroll outsourcing and local partners, with inconsistent coverage and fewer standardized services compared to global EOR platforms. For companies looking to hire across multiple regions with a unified platform, CDP is not a competitive option.
In China, however, CDP’s performance improves materially. Its owned local presence, deep payroll expertise, and alignment with Chinese employment, tax, and social security regulations make it a reliable choice for China-centric hiring. Onboarding timelines are reasonable for the market, and local HR and payroll support are clear strengths, particularly for enterprises familiar with structured service engagements.
Bottom line: CDP is best viewed as a China-first EOR and payroll specialist, not a global EOR platform. We recommend CDP for companies expanding into China that prioritize compliance and local execution, but not for businesses seeking a modern, tech-enabled EOR solution across multiple countries.
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Written by
Dane Cobain is a Copywriter at Employsome and an accomplished author whose work spans fiction, non-fiction, and professional writing. Over the past decade, he has built a strong track record creating straightforward content for the HR, payroll, and corporate sectors. Dane brings a storyteller’s eye to the evolving world of global employment, with a particular focus on Employer of Record and PEO models. His articles explore industry trends and dedicated Best Of Guides when managing an international workforce.
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