Best PEOs for Small Businesses in 2025

Deel is a global payroll and compliance platform that enables companies to hire, pay, and manage contractors and full-time employees worldwide without needing to establish local entities. Founded in 2019 by Alex Bouaziz and Shuo Wang, the company has grown rapidly, raising over $629 million in funding and reaching a valuation of $12 billion.

The platform specializes in removing international hiring barriers through Employer of Record (EOR) services, contractor management, and global payroll solutions. When I tested Deel, I found the onboarding process remarkably straightforward for such a complex legal area, making it particularly suitable for tech companies and startups looking to build distributed teams quickly.

Deel has positioned itself as a category leader by focusing on user experience while handling the complex behind-the-scenes legal compliance work. The company now serves over 15,000 customers ranging from startups to enterprises like Dropbox, Shopify, and Reddit.

Multiplier is an Employer of Record (EOR) and global employment platform that enables businesses to hire and manage international teams without establishing local entities. Founded in 2020 by Sagar Khatri, Amritpal Singh, and Vamsi Krishna, the company has secured over $77 million in funding and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.

The platform specializes in streamlining global employment by handling compliance, payroll, benefits, and contractor management across 150+ countries. When testing Multiplier, I found its rapid onboarding capabilities particularly impressive, making it suitable for businesses needing to establish international teams quickly.

Multiplier primarily serves small to medium-sized businesses and startups entering global markets, with notable strength in the Asia-Pacific region where its localized expertise provides significant advantages for hiring and compliance.

Rippling is an all-in-one workforce management platform that connects HR, IT, and finance functions through a unified employee database. Founded in 2016 by Parker Conrad (former Zenefits CEO) and Prasanna Sankar, the company has raised over $700 million in funding and now supports businesses operating in more than 50 countries.

The platform specializes in automating workflows across traditionally separate business systems, making it particularly valuable for companies struggling with disconnected tools. When I tested Rippling, I found the employee onboarding process remarkably efficient – adding someone to payroll automatically triggered their laptop order, email setup, and software provisioning without manual intervention.

Rippling primarily serves mid-sized tech companies and growing businesses with distributed teams who need sophisticated systems but lack enterprise-level IT departments.

Oyster is an Employer of Record (EOR) platform that enables companies to hire and manage international employees across 180+ countries without establishing local business entities. Founded in 2020, the company has raised over $150 million in funding and specializes in remote-first employment solutions.

Unlike traditional EOR providers focused purely on compliance, Oyster emphasizes the employee experience with features like Oyster Academy for professional development and cultural integration tools. The platform handles employment contracts, payroll processing, benefits administration, and local compliance while providing additional services for building engaged distributed teams.

Oyster primarily serves mid-market to enterprise companies with 50+ employees who prioritize employee satisfaction and long-term retention over minimal-cost hiring solutions.

Papaya Global is a comprehensive global workforce management platform that offers solutions for payroll, payments, and workforce management across multiple countries. Here are the key points to understand about Papaya Global:

• • Global Payroll: Papaya Global provides end-to-end payroll processing and workforce payments for employees in over 160 countries.

• • Employer of Record (EOR) Services: The platform enables companies to hire employees in countries where they don’t have a legal entity, simplifying international expansion.

• • Contractor Management: Papaya Global offers compliant management and payment solutions for global contractors.

• • Unified Platform: It combines payroll, payments, and workforce management in a single system, allowing businesses to manage employees, contractors, and EOR workers efficiently.

• • Compliance Assistance: The platform helps organizations navigate complex international regulations and tax requirements.

• • Benefits Management: Papaya Global provides a unified benefits plan that covers employees worldwide, including both physical and mental health coverage.

• • Fast Implementation: Companies can typically go live with Papaya Global in just a few weeks.

• • Integrations: The platform integrates with leading tools like Workday, Netsuite, and other HCM/HRIS, expense management, time and attendance, and ERP systems.

Founded in 2016, Papaya Global has grown to serve companies expanding globally or hiring international talent. It simplifies global hiring by providing local expertise and support in over 160 countries, automating many aspects of payroll and workforce management to reduce manual work and potential errors.

Atlas HXM is a sophisticated Human Experience Management platform designed to simplify global workforce management. It stands out for its comprehensive approach to international employment, offering a suite of tools that cover the entire employee lifecycle.

Atlas HXM’s core strengths lie in its direct employer-of-record model, comprehensive compliance management, and advanced HR analytics capabilities. The platform is well-suited for medium to large enterprises with complex global workforce needs.

ADP (Automatic Data Processing) is a comprehensive human capital management (HCM) company that provides payroll, HR, benefits, and workforce management solutions to businesses worldwide. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey, ADP has grown to become the largest payroll processing company in the United States, serving over 810,000 clients across more than 140 countries.

When a company uses ADP, they gain access to a full suite of HR and payroll services delivered through cloud-based platforms. ADP handles everything from basic payroll calculations and tax filings to complex HR management, benefits administration, and workforce analytics, while businesses maintain control over their day-to-day employee management.

The platform serves multiple business needs:

• Payroll processing with automated tax calculations and compliance
• HR management including onboarding, performance tracking, and employee records
• Benefits administration with insurance plan management and enrollment
• Time and attendance tracking with mobile clock-in capabilities
• Compliance management with automatic regulatory updates

What makes ADP distinctive is their service-first approach, providing dedicated account representatives and industry specialists to guide businesses through complex HR challenges. Their solutions are highly customizable, allowing organizations to select specific modules and features that match their operational requirements and budget constraints.

ADP operates through several key platforms including RUN (for small businesses), Workforce Now (for mid-market), and Vantage HCM (for enterprise), enabling companies to start with basic payroll and expand into comprehensive HR management as they grow. This scalability has made ADP a long-term partner for many organizations throughout their business lifecycle.