Remofirst vs Papaya Global: Best EOR in 2026 Compared
Compare features, pricing, and capabilities side-by-side. I've analyzed both EOR providers to help you make the right decision for your global hiring needs.
Robbin Schuchmann
Co-founder, Employ Borderless
RemoFirst vs Papaya Global: quick comparison
Short on time? Here are the key differences between RemoFirst and Papaya Global at a glance.
 | | |
|---|---|---|
| EOR pricing | $199/per employee/month | $599/per employee/month |
| Contractor pricing | $25/per employee/month | $30/per employee/month |
| Overall rating | 9.0/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Countries | 185+ | 15+ |
| Visit site | Visit site |
EOR pricing
$199/per employee/month
Contractor pricing
$25/per employee/month
Overall rating
9.0/10
Countries
185+
EOR pricing
$599/per employee/month
Contractor pricing
$30/per employee/month
Overall rating
8.8/10
Countries
15+
Let me be honest: choosing between RemoFirst and Papaya Global for global hiring is trickier than most comparison articles make it seem. You’ll find plenty of country coverage comparisons and feature lists, but what really matters is understanding how each platform handles fundamentally different business sophistication levels – like when you need straightforward $199 per employee pricing with basic EOR services versus paying $599 for enterprise-grade workforce analytics with AI-powered automation, dealing with simple transparent pricing versus partner-network complexity with multi-currency capabilities across 14 funding currencies, or figuring out if Papaya Global’s advanced HR analytics and specialized industry expertise justify spending 3x more per employee monthly.
I’ve been helping companies navigate global expansion for the past few years, and I keep seeing the same thing: businesses compare these two because both offer comprehensive EOR services, then realize six months later that RemoFirst’s simplicity couldn’t handle their complex payroll analytics needs or that Papaya’s enterprise features were overkill for basic hiring. RemoFirst built its reputation on making global hiring accessible at $199 per employee with straightforward, transparent service, while Papaya Global positioned itself around enterprise workforce management with advanced analytics, AI automation, and specialized expertise for industries like maritime, oil and gas, and iGaming. Both approaches have merit, but they serve radically different operational complexity requirements.
The real decision comes down to your analytical sophistication needs: RemoFirst works best when you need affordable, straightforward EOR services at $199 per employee with transparent pricing and simple workforce management for basic international hiring, while Papaya Global delivers better results for large enterprises requiring advanced workforce analytics at $599 per employee including AI-powered automation, multi-currency capabilities, and sophisticated compliance tools for complex global operations. However, your budget constraints, need for workforce intelligence versus basic employment services, and whether you require specialized industry expertise will determine which trade-offs actually matter for your situation.
My goal is to help you understand how these platforms actually perform in practice, so you can decide if RemoFirst’s $199 transparent pricing and straightforward approach suit your startup or SMB needs, or if Papaya Global’s $599 enterprise platform with advanced analytics and AI automation better serves large enterprises requiring sophisticated workforce management and industry-specific expertise.
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What is RemoFirst?
RemoFirst is an Employer of Record (EOR) service that lets companies hire and pay international employees without setting up local legal entities. Founded in 2021 by Nurasyl Serik and Volodymyr Fedoriv, this San Francisco company has attracted smaller businesses and startups with $39 million in funding.
When you use RemoFirst, they technically "hire" through their local entities in 180+ countries. RemoFirst handles the legal employment paperwork, local tax compliance, payroll processing, and benefits administration, while you manage the day-to-day work. This setup saves the 3-6 months and $15,000-$50,000 usually needed to set up foreign entities.
The platform serves two main purposes:
- Full EOR services for companies hiring employees internationally
- Contractor management for businesses working with global freelancers
| Founded | 2020 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco |
| CEO | Nurasyl Serik |
| Employees | 10001+ |
| Total funding | $0.0B |
What is Papaya Global?
Papaya Global is a global workforce platform that helps companies manage payroll, payments, and employment across multiple countries.
Founded in 2016 by Eynat Guez, Ruben Drong, and Ofer Herman, Papaya Global later raised roughly $440 million, including a $250 million Series D in 2021.
On the product side, Papaya covers:
- Global payroll: Runs payroll and workforce payments in more than 160 countries
- Employer of Record: Allows companies to hire employees in countries where they don’t have a legal entity
- Contractor management: Supports compliant onboarding and payments for international contractors
- Compliance support: Handles local tax rules, labor laws, and reporting requirements
- Benefits administration: Offers benefits for employees (including health coverage) that are aligned with each country
- Integrations: Connects with tools like Workday, NetSuite, and other HRIS and ERP systems
Note: HRIS (Human Resources Information System) manages employee data, payroll, benefits, and HR functions. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) integrates core business processes, including finance, accounting, supply chain, and human resources, into one platform.
| Founded | 2016 |
| Headquarters | New York |
| CEO | Eynat Guez |
| Employees | 501-1000 |
| Total funding | $0.4B |
What are the key features of RemoFirst vs Papaya Global?
When you're choosing between EOR providers, it comes down to what each one actually does for you. Some focus on payroll processing, others specialize in compliance management, and some offer better employee benefits. Here's what sets these two apart.
RemoFirst key features
RemoFirst acts as the legal employer in 180+ countries, handling all paperwork and compliance so companies don't need to set up foreign entities. They create compliant employment contracts, register employees with local authorities, and follow local labor laws. RemoFirst uses consistent pricing across all supported countries.
RemoFirst calculates and processes payroll in 100+ currencies, handling tax withholdings, social contributions, and mandatory deductions based on local requirements. The system supports monthly, bi-weekly, and weekly payment cycles, with monthly being standard for most countries.
For $25 per contractor monthly, RemoFirst provides compliant contractor agreements, handles invoicing, and manages payments in local currencies. The contractor dashboard is separate from the employee section but follows a similar workflow.
RemoFirst's RemoHealth program offers standardized health plans across all countries, with options to add dental and vision coverage. The platform also supports equipment provisioning, allowing companies to purchase and ship laptops and other tools to remote team members.
The platform automatically handles tax filings, statutory requirements, and employment law compliance across all countries. This includes managing paid time off policies, parental leave, termination requirements, and other country-specific regulations.
Employees can request time off through the platform, with automatic calculations based on local entitlements. Managers receive notifications and can approve/deny requests directly in the system. The calendar view makes it easy to see team availability.
Papaya Global key features
The platform centers on payroll calculations, deductions, and filings. HR tools complement it, not the other way around.
Clients approve payroll and release salary, tax, and third-party payments in the same system.
The system applies local tax rules, contributions, and statutory requirements directly inside payroll workflows.
Companies manage EOR employees, local payroll, and contractors without switching platforms.
Reports focus on payroll activity, costs, and changes across countries, not people analytics.
The platform generates and maintains country-specific employment contracts as part of EOR workflows.
What benefits do RemoFirst and Papaya Global offer?
Features are one thing, but how do they actually help your business? Think faster onboarding, fewer compliance headaches, and smoother payroll runs. Here are the real benefits you'll get from each provider.
RemoFirst benefits
Major cost savings
Companies save 60-75% on international employment costs versus premium EOR providers. A 10-person international team costs $1,990 monthly with RemoFirst versus $5,990 with other providers—saving nearly $48,000 annually.
Avoided expansion costs
Companies skip the $15,000-$50,000 usually spent establishing each foreign entity, plus ongoing compliance costs of $20,000-$40,000 annually per country.
Faster market entry
Rather than spending 3-6 months setting up legal entities, companies can hire talent in new countries within a week. This rapid deployment helps businesses respond quickly to market opportunities.
Reduced compliance risk
Companies avoid potential penalties and legal issues through continuous monitoring of changing regulations across all countries. Employment law violations cost $10,000-$100,000 per incident, not including business disruption.
Simplified global payroll
By automating payroll calculations and tax withholdings across multiple currencies, RemoFirst eliminates one of the most complex parts of international employment. Companies save about 15-20 hours per pay period of manual calculation work.
Business flexibility
The pay-as-you-go model with no minimum commitments lets businesses scale their international workforce up or down as needed. This flexibility works well for project-based businesses, seasonal operations, or companies testing new markets.
Benefits administration
Companies can offer complete health benefits to employees worldwide through a single platform, improving recruitment appeal without the complexity of navigating multiple local providers.
Papaya Global benefits
Fewer vendors to manage
Clients can replace multiple local payroll providers with one system, using the same approval and reporting flows across countries.
Less manual compliance checking
Local tax rates, social contributions, and statutory requirements live inside payroll workflows instead of being tracked through external tools.
Less reconciliation between payroll and banking
Payroll approval, salary payouts, tax remittances, and third-party payments happen on the same platform.
Works once payroll gets complex
Papaya is a great fit for companies whose payroll spans many countries or includes mixed worker models.
Clear payroll visibility for finance teams
Reports track payroll activity, costs, and changes across countries from cycle to cycle.
How do RemoFirst and Papaya Global compare on pricing?
Let's talk money. EOR pricing can be tricky - some providers quote low monthly fees but charge extra for setup, onboarding, or additional services. Here's what each provider charges for their main services.
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Employer of record | $199/per employee/month | $599/per employee/month |
| Contractor management | $25/per employee/month | $30/per employee/month |
Not sure which is right for you?
Tell me about your team and I'll give you a free, unbiased recommendation.
What are the pros and cons of RemoFirst vs Papaya Global?
No EOR provider is perfect - they all have their sweet spots and pain points. Getting honest about what works and what doesn't will save you from unpleasant surprises down the road. Here's the real talk on both providers.
RemoFirst
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Lowest EOR pricing available
RemoFirst charges just $199 per employee monthly, making it 60-75% cheaper than Deel ($599) and Remote ($599), saving companies up to $48,000 annually for a 10-person international team.
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Fast employee onboarding
RemoFirst completes employee setup within 5-7 business days across all countries, while establishing your own entities takes 3-6 months. Most employees are fully onboarded within a week according to user reports.
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Complete compliance handling
The platform manages all local employment regulations, tax filings, and statutory requirements in every country, eliminating compliance risks that cost companies $10,000+ in penalties per violation.
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Affordable contractor management
Beyond EOR services, RemoFirst handles contractor payments for just $25 monthly per contractor, undercutting Deel ($49) by 50% and most other providers.
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No surprise costs
Unlike many competitors who charge different rates by country or add unexpected fees, RemoFirst maintains flat global pricing with no setup fees, deposits, or minimum commitments.
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Global benefits program
Companies can provide employees standardized health insurance across all countries through RemoHealth, boosting recruitment appeal without navigating multiple local providers.
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Simple interface
The platform uses clean, minimal design that requires little training for HR staff, with most users navigating core functions within their first session.
- −
Basic reporting tools
RemoFirst's analytics lack the depth found in enterprise options like Rippling, offering only fundamental workforce data without custom dashboards or visualization options. Companies need separate tools for detailed workforce analytics.
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Few integration options
The platform supports fewer third-party integrations than older competitors, creating manual work when connecting with popular HRIS, accounting, and payroll systems. Users report difficulties connecting with some project management software.
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New platform limitations
As an EOR provider founded in 2021, RemoFirst is still developing features that older competitors already offer, including multi-country payroll consolidation and tax planning tools.
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Limited country customization
The platform offers few localization options for employment contracts and policies, creating challenges for companies with specialized regional requirements or those operating in highly regulated industries.
Papaya Global
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Core payroll focus
The platform was built around the payroll engine, not as an HR tool with payroll as a secondary add-on. The result: fewer calculation errors and more reliable tax compliance.
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Payments built in
Payroll approval and payment execution happen in the same system. That means less back-and-forth between payroll software and banking tools for reconciliations.
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Over 160 countries covered
Broad enough to consolidate payroll across all major markets in a single system.
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Detailed logs
Changes, approvals, and payments are tracked across the full payroll process.
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Multiple worker models
EOR employees, locally employed staff, and contractors are managed in the same system.
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Setup takes time
Multi-country rollouts require planning, testing cycles, and clear payroll ownership on the client side.
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Not HR-led
The platform is oriented toward payroll and finance users rather than employee-facing HR workflows.
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Partner-based EOR
Employer of Record services rely on local partners in most countries. That can affect consistency by region.
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Quote-based pricing
Pricing is custom and modular, so clients don't know the full cost before speaking with Papaya's sales team.
What do customers say about RemoFirst vs Papaya Global?
Don't just take my word for it. Here's what actual users say about working with these providers on major review platforms.
| | |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | 4.6 251 reviews | 4.5 35 reviews |
| Trustpilot | 4.2 64 reviews | 4.5 49 reviews |
| Capterra | 5.0 2 reviews | 4.4 33 reviews |
| Glassdoor | 4.4 33 reviews | — |
Ratings sourced directly from each platform. Last updated February 2026.
Customer support: RemoFirst vs Papaya Global
When things go wrong (and they will), you want to know someone's got your back. Great support can make the difference between a minor hiccup and a major disaster. Here's how these providers handle support.
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Support availability | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Dedicated account manager | No | No |
| Self-service resources | No | No |
| Community forum | No | No |
How do RemoFirst and Papaya Global compare on our ratings?
I've scored both providers across 10 categories based on hands-on testing, user feedback, and independent research. Here's how they stack up.
Features
Country coverage
Pricing
User experience
Customer support
Integrations
Mobile app
Analytics & reporting
Security
Compliance
Third-party ratings average
Complete comparison table
Every detail that matters when choosing an EOR provider. Compare pricing, features, country coverage, and support options in one easy-to-scan table.
| Feature | RemoFirst | Papaya Global |
|---|---|---|
| EOR pricing | From $199/mo | From $599/mo |
| Countries | 185+ | 15+ |
| Overall rating | 9.0/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Mobile app | ||
| API available | ||
| Webhook support | ||
| Dedicated account manager | ||
| Self-service resources | ||
| Community forum |
Which provider should you choose?
Different companies have different needs. Your team size, budget, and where you're hiring all play a role in which provider will work best for you. Here's how to pick the right fit.
Choose RemoFirst if:
Choose RemoFirst if you prioritize affordability and simplicity over enterprise-grade analytics and industry specialization. Its budget-focused approach makes it particularly attractive for:
- Startups and SMBs (5-200 employees) needing the industry’s lowest EOR pricing at $199 per employee monthly with transparent, predictable costs
- Companies requiring straightforward employment services without complex workforce analytics, AI automation, or sophisticated reporting dashboards
- Organizations comfortable with 24/5 support and basic features rather than 24/7 WhatsApp support with specialized industry expertise
- Businesses with standard hiring needs across major markets where 185+ country coverage and simple compliance tools meet operational requirements
- Cost-focused companies hiring contractors at $25 per month where every dollar saved directly impacts growth trajectory and runway extension
RemoFirst’s industry-leading affordability and transparent pricing make it well-suited for companies with straightforward employment needs who prioritize cost efficiency over analytical sophistication. The platform’s simple approach enables budget-conscious organizations to expand globally at the absolute lowest cost without paying for enterprise features and industry specialization they don’t need. If your primary goal is basic EOR services with predictable costs and rapid onboarding, RemoFirst provides transparent solutions at $199 per employee across 185+ countries.
Choose Papaya Global if:
Choose Papaya Global if you need enterprise-grade workforce analytics and specialized industry expertise and can justify 3x higher pricing for sophisticated capabilities. Its enterprise approach makes it particularly attractive for:
- Large enterprises (500-5,000+ employees) requiring advanced workforce analytics with AI-powered automation for data-driven strategic workforce planning
- Organizations in specialized industries like maritime, oil and gas, shipping, or iGaming where Papaya’s industry-specific expertise provides significant competitive advantages
- Companies needing complex multi-currency capabilities across 14 funding currencies with sophisticated payroll processing for diverse global operations
- Businesses requiring 24/7 WhatsApp support with Papaya 360 white-glove service and dedicated mobile app (iOS/Android) for comprehensive employee self-service
- Enterprises with existing complex payroll systems needing integration capabilities and advanced compliance tools for heavily regulated international markets
Papaya Global’s advanced analytics platform and industry specialization make it particularly attractive for enterprises managing complex global operations. The platform’s AI-powered automation and sophisticated workforce intelligence provide value for organizations where data-driven workforce planning and specialized expertise justify spending $599 per employee. If your primary goal is enterprise-grade workforce management with advanced analytics and industry-specific capabilities across 160+ countries, Papaya Global provides comprehensive solutions starting at $599 per employee monthly.
When to consider alternatives
Sometimes neither option is quite right. Maybe you need rock-bottom pricing, enterprise-level features, or coverage in a specific country these providers don't serve well. Here are some other EOR providers worth checking out.
Remote
Companies who want strong protection of intellectual property (IP) and legal risk coverage when hiring internationally
Read review
Deel
Growing companies scaling internationally with a mix of contractors and full-time employees
Read review
Hire With Columbus
Budget-conscious companies needing affordable EOR services across many countries, especially those hiring 5+ international employees where cost savings compound significantly
Read reviewNot sure which is right for you? Get a free, personalized recommendation based on your team and budget.
Frequently asked questions
Remofirst supports hiring in over 180 countries, while Papaya Global operates in over 160 countries. Both offer extensive global coverage, but Remofirst has a slight edge in the number of countries served.
Papaya Global offers more extensive integration options, particularly with HR and finance tools. Remofirst has more limited integrations but focuses on essential HR system connections.
Remofirst typically offers more affordable pricing, starting at $199 per employee monthly for EOR services. Papaya Global’s pricing for EOR starts at $599, catering to larger enterprises with more complex needs.
Remofirst is generally more suitable for startups and small businesses due to its competitive pricing and focus on essential services. Papaya Global is often better suited for larger companies with more complex requirements.
Papaya Global offers more advanced analytics and reporting tools, providing in-depth insights into workforce management. Remofirst provides basic reporting capabilities sufficient for smaller businesses but may lack the advanced features offered by Papaya Global.
Still not sure?
Get a free, personalized recommendation based on your team size, budget, and hiring countries.