SFDIFY
An employer of record (EOR) is a company that becomes the legal employer of your worker in a country where you have no entity of your own, and handles "payroll, benefits, contracts and compliance, while you manage the day-to-day work" [1]. Among the EOR services compared here, published starting prices run from $459 per person per month (Multiplier Core, billed annually) [2] to USD 699 per employee per month (Oyster) [3], with Deel and Remote both listing $599 [4, 5]. Rippling does not publish an EOR price [6].
Hiring one person in another country raises a question most small companies have never had to answer: who actually employs them? You can open a local company, register for payroll taxes and hire a local accountant, or you can pay a provider whose company already exists there. This guide explains what an employer of record does, using only the providers' own EOR pages, then compares six EOR services on published price and stated country coverage.
If you are still deciding between an EOR and a US PEO (co-employment for your own US entity), start with our PEO vs EOR guide. This article assumes you need to hire outside your home country.
What is an employer of record, and what does it do?
Who the legal employer is. The EOR is. Oyster describes an EOR as "an entity that legally employs workers on behalf of another business" that "takes full responsibility for all aspects of employment, including compliance, payroll, taxes, and benefits" [7]. Deel's FAQ puts it in practical terms: the employee "will technically be on Deel's payroll," but still works for the company using the EOR [8]. Multiplier adds that the EOR "assumes legal liability for compliance, tax filings, and statutory obligations in each country" [9].
What you still do. You choose the person, set their work and manage their performance. Multiplier says "Your company remains responsible for managing the employee's daily work and performance" [9].
What the EOR handles. Across the vendor pages, the list is consistent: employment contracts, onboarding, payroll and tax withholding, statutory and optional benefits, and terminations. Rippling lists EOR services as "onboarding international employees, managing employment contracts, running payroll, managing taxes, providing benefits, and ensuring compliance with local labor laws" [10]. Termination is the step that varies most by country; Remote says that as the legal employer it "leads the process" and pays out final wages and severance through payroll [1].
When to use one instead of opening an entity. The main reason is time. Rippling says a company can hire without setting up a local entity, "which can take 6–12 months" [10]. Remote lists the usual triggers: "entering a new market without an entity, onboarding employees after an acquisition, correcting worker misclassification, or hiring for temporary or project-based work" [1].
When an entity makes more sense. If you plan a large, long-term team in one country, the monthly EOR fee adds up, and owning the entity can win. Before you sign, ask any provider how it moves employees to your own entity later, and whether that requires new contracts.
How we chose
We compared six EOR services a US company is likely to shortlist: Deel, Remote, Oyster, Papaya Global, Rippling and Multiplier. For each, we read the provider's homepage, EOR page and pricing page on November 8, 2026, and recorded the published starting price per employee, the stated country coverage, and fine print that changes the real cost (annual terms, deposits, add-ons). We did not test any of these services hands-on. Prices are list "starting" figures; your quote will depend on the country, headcount and benefits. Providers are listed from the lowest published starting price to the highest, with Rippling last because it does not publish one. Deel is an affiliate partner; that did not affect its position or what we say about it.
Employer of record services at a glance
| Product | Best for | Starting price (EOR) | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiplier | Lowest published list price | $459 per person/month, billed annually [2] | Owned entities in "160+ countries" [9] |
| Papaya Global | Larger companies needing finance-grade payroll data | From $499 per employee/month [11] | "Hire in 180+ countries" [11] |
| Deel | Month-to-month EOR with broad coverage | $599 per EOR employee/month [4] | "Full legal employment in 130+ countries" [4] |
| Remote | Owned-entity EOR with no setup fees | $599 per employee/month, annual contracts [5] | "Hire in 90+ countries" [5] |
| Oyster | Teams that want an all-inclusive fee and added liability cover | USD 699 per employee/month [3] | "Compliant employment in 120+ countries" [3] |
| Rippling | Companies already running HR and payroll on Rippling | Not published; plans from $8 per employee/month plus base fee [6] | EOR in 115 countries [10] |
Multiplier — lowest published list price
Multiplier is the only provider here that publishes tiered EOR plans [2].
Verified features: Multiplier says it "operates through owned legal entities in 160+ countries" and that onboarding "takes 72 hours or less in most countries once documents are submitted" [9].
Pricing: Core is $459 and Growth is $519 per person per month, both "billed annually," plus "Compliance mandated add-ons" and an "Implementation fee as applicable" [2]. Enterprise is custom priced [2].
Strengths: The lowest published starting price in this comparison and the second-widest stated coverage.
Limitations: The headline prices are annual-billing figures with add-ons and possible implementation fees on top [2]. The page labels yearly billing "save 8%," so paying monthly costs more than the headline figure [2].
Best fit: Cost-sensitive teams ready to commit to annual billing.
Papaya Global — enterprise EOR with a termination guarantee
Papaya Global markets its EOR as "Enterprise scale EOR" tied into payroll, payments and finance reporting [12].
Verified features: The pricing page lists "Hire in 180+ countries," "Immigration services," and "Liability coverage" for EOR [11]. On termination, Papaya claims it is "the only EOR that guarantees termination liability," with legal defense costs and financial exposure "capped," subject to terms and conditions [12]. That is the vendor's own claim.
Pricing: EOR is listed "starting from" $499 per employee per month, with a "Get a Quote" step [11].
Strengths: The widest stated country coverage here, a lower starting price than Deel, Remote and Oyster.
Limitations: The page is written for enterprises, and pricing runs through a quote, so a small team may find less self-serve detail than at Remote or Oyster.
Best fit: Mid-size and larger companies that need EOR data to flow into finance systems.
Deel — month-to-month EOR with wide coverage
Deel sells EOR alongside contractor management, a US PEO and global payroll, with all of them priced on one page [4].
Verified features: Deel lists "Full legal employment in 130+ countries globally" for its EOR [4].
Pricing: EOR starts at $599 per EOR employee per month [4]. Deel says the fee covers onboarding and local compliance, "Payroll processing and tax filings," benefits administration, and "Ongoing HR and legal support" [4]. It also says it "offers flexible month-to-month pricing with no long-term commitments required" [4].
Strengths: No annual lock-in at list price, which suits a first hire or a market test. Contractors, EOR employees and US PEO staff can sit with one vendor.
Limitations: At $599, Deel lists above Papaya Global's $499 and Multiplier's $459 starting prices [11, 2], and its stated EOR country count is lower than those two providers claim.
Best fit: Companies hiring their first few people abroad that want to avoid an annual contract. For a broader platform comparison, see Deel vs Rippling.
Remote — owned entities and no setup fees
Remote positions its EOR on employing people through its own entities, listing "100% owned entities, no third parties" [1].
Verified features: Remote's pricing page lists "Hire in 90+ countries without a local entity" [5]. Its EOR page cites "an average three-day onboarding time" [1].
Pricing: EOR starts at $599 per employee per month, "for annual contracts" [5]. Remote says "There are no setup or onboarding fees," but notes it "may require a refundable reserve payment" in certain cases [5].
Strengths: Clear fee rules and owned entities rather than local partners.
Limitations: The $599 list price is tied to annual contracts [5], and 90+ countries is the smallest stated coverage among the providers with a published number here.
Best fit: Companies hiring in mainstream markets that value owned entities and are comfortable with an annual term.
Oyster — all-inclusive fee, highest list price
Oyster publishes one flat EOR price per employee and spells out what that fee includes [3].
Verified features: Oyster lists "Compliant employment in 120+ countries" [3]. Its EOR page cites "expansive liability insurance coverage exceeding $8,000,000 USD" [7].
Pricing: EOR costs USD 699 per employee per month, with "Annual discounts available" [3]. Oyster says it "does not add extra charges for essentials like setup and onboarding, talking to HR experts, or processing terminations," but it "requires a refundable deposit for EOR Team Members" [3].
Strengths: Terminations and HR expert access are included in the subscription rather than billed separately [3].
Limitations: USD 699 is the highest published starting price in this comparison, and a refundable deposit ties up cash at the start of each engagement [3].
Best fit: Teams that prefer one inclusive monthly fee and want the stated liability coverage.
Rippling — EOR inside your existing HR system
Rippling sells EOR as one product within a wider platform whose pricing page also lists payroll, IT and finance products [6].
Verified features: Rippling says it handles legal, compliance and payroll work "in 115 countries" [10]. It says its EOR "combines EOR, payroll, HRIS, and benefits in one system," so EOR employees sit in the same org chart and reports as the rest of your team [10].
Pricing: Rippling does not list an EOR price. Its pricing page says plans "start at $8 per employee per month, with a monthly base fee," and points buyers to a custom quote [6].
Strengths: If your US team already runs on Rippling, international hires do not need a second system.
Limitations: No published EOR price, so you cannot compare cost without a sales call [6]. Its stated coverage is narrower than Papaya Global's or Multiplier's.
Best fit: Existing Rippling customers adding a handful of international employees.
How to choose an EOR service
- List your countries first. Coverage claims range from "90+" to "180+" countries [5, 11]. Check each provider's country page for the specific country you need, not the headline number.
- Compare the same billing terms. Remote's $599 is for annual contracts [5] and Multiplier's prices are billed annually [2], while Deel lists month-to-month pricing [4]. A short market test favors monthly terms.
- Ask about deposits and add-ons. Oyster requires a refundable deposit [3], Remote may require a refundable reserve [5], and Multiplier adds compliance-mandated add-ons [2].
- Check how terminations work. Ask who leads the process, how severance is calculated and what is included in the fee.
- Think about your systems. If your HR and payroll already run in one tool, an EOR that plugs into it saves double entry. If you need EOR data in a custom CRM or internal dashboard, a custom CRM build can connect to any provider that offers an API.
FAQ
What is an EOR?
An EOR, or employer of record, is a company that becomes the legal employer for your team in a country where you don't have your own entity, handling payroll, benefits, contracts and compliance while you manage the day-to-day work [1].
What do employer of record services include?
Typical EOR services include onboarding, employment contracts, payroll, taxes, benefits and compliance with local labor laws [10]. Deel says its EOR fee covers onboarding and local compliance, payroll processing and tax filings, benefits administration and ongoing HR and legal support [4].
Who is the legal employer when you use an EOR?
The EOR is. Oyster describes an EOR as an entity that legally employs workers on behalf of another business [7], while your company remains responsible for the employee's daily work and performance [9].
How much do EOR services cost?
Published starting prices in this comparison are $459 per person per month billed annually at Multiplier [2], $499 at Papaya Global [11], $599 at Deel [4] and Remote [5], and USD 699 at Oyster [3]. Rippling quotes EOR pricing on request [6].
How long does it take to hire through a global employer of record?
Remote cites an average three-day onboarding time [1], and Multiplier says 72 hours or less in most countries once documents are submitted [9]. Setting up your own entity can take 6–12 months, according to Rippling [10].
Our recommendation
If the lowest list price matters most and you can commit to annual billing, start with Multiplier [2] or Papaya Global [11]. For a first international hire without a long-term commitment, Deel's month-to-month pricing is the easier test [4]. Remote suits teams that want owned entities and clear fee rules, Oyster suits teams that want an all-inclusive fee, and Rippling makes the most sense when your US HR already runs there. Get two or three quotes for your specific country before you sign.
Sources
- Employer of Record (EOR) Services & Platform | Remote — checked 2026-11-08
- Transparent EOR & Payroll Pricing — Core, Growth & Enterprise Plans | Multiplier — checked 2026-11-08
- Oyster Pricing | Transparent, Compliant Global Hiring — checked 2026-11-08
- Pricing | Transparent & Fair Pricing | HRIS Costs | Deel — checked 2026-11-08
- Global workforce platform pricing & plans | Remote — checked 2026-11-08
- Rippling pricing — checked 2026-11-08
- Employer of Record (EOR) Services | Oyster — checked 2026-11-08
- Hire Employees Globally | Employer of Record (EOR) | Deel — checked 2026-11-08
- What is an Employer of Record? | Multiplier — checked 2026-11-08
- Employer of Record Services to Hire and Pay Global Teams | Rippling — checked 2026-11-08
- Pricing | Papaya Global — checked 2026-11-08
- Employer Of Record (EOR) Services For Compliant Global Hiring | Papaya Global — checked 2026-11-08
