WorkMotion Expert Review [2026]: Features & EOR Alternatives

Founded in 2020 in Berlin by Carsten Lebtig, Felix Steffens, and Karim Zaghloul, originally under the name PeopleFlow. Today, WorkMotion is a global Employer of Record (EOR) provider built with a strong focus on the German-speaking market. The company primarily serves clients from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and EU-based clients. To date, they’ve raised approximately US$ 64m during three funding rounds. 

WorkMotion operates through a hybrid EOR model by combining its own legal entities across much of Europe with third-party partners in other regions throughout the world. This structure allows it to balance local compliance with broader coverage.

In 2021, WorkMotion’s internal project WorkFlex, a tool designed to manage compliant work travel and business trips, spun out as an independent company and has been operating quickly successfully.

It’s fair to say that WorkMotion’s EOR service, called WorkGlobal, is the core service provided by the German global EOR. Other services include WorkDirect, a unique service in which WorkMotion registers the client in the country of hiring instead of becoming the EOR as well as services such as contractor hiring, immigration and benefits. We’ve looked at every solution in details and have analysed how WorkMotion differentiates themselves nowadays.

Refundable Security Deposit

As you might be aware, charging deposits prior to an EOR engagement is a standard practice in the industry. It’s aimed at protecting the EOR’s employment-related liabilities when putting the selected individual on their local payroll.

However, WorkMotion has a very unique and specific approach to handling deposits. In fact, prior to deciding the exact deposit amount, any client is subject to a credit check (just like Pebl and G-P) in order to create a client rating based on this. Upon completion, the client is assigned to a certain risk category in which their deposit is decided.

Standard Security Deposit

A one-time deposit equal to the employee’s total employment will be charged if the company is not classified in the credit check as a Grade 1 to 5 company.

If you happen to land in the grade 8 to 9 bucket, you are also required to fund an additional month of deposit worth one salary.

Deposit for Accrued Severance

This is fairly unique in the industry and only a handful of EORs take a deposit to accrue severance. WorkMotion takes a monthly deposit of 6.5% of the employee’s monthly salary to accrue potential severance claims. While this is not required for the first two credit check buckets, it is required if a company falls into the grades 8 or 9.

Invoicing

WorkMotion operates a two invoice billing process every month:

• Payroll funding invoice: Issued on the 1st of the month. This invoice covers the upcoming payroll cycle and includes all fixed compensation and statutory contributions.
• Settlement invoice: Sent either at the end of the month or during the first week of the following month. This invoice reconciles any adjustments from the original payroll funding invoice, e.g. such as bonuses, expense payouts or late payroll changes.

It’s worth mentioning that this system can add a layer of complexity when hiring across multiple countries, since it means receiving and processing two separate invoices every month. In contrast, other EORs such as Deel nowadays offer one single invoice at the very end of the month.

In addition, WorkMotion applies two different payroll cut-off dates depending on whether it operates through its own legal entity or through a third-party in-country partner:

• Owned entities: Payroll changes due by the 15th of the month
• Third-party partner countries: Payroll changes due by the 10th of the month

Overall, it’s fair to say that WorkMotion’s setup can make EOR invoicing slightly more demanding for companies hiring across multiple countries, as deadlines vary depending on their setup in the relevant country.