# Remote Alternatives and Competitors: 6 EOR Options Compared > Machine-readable page from Employ Borderless (https://employborderless.com/), an independent advisory platform for global hiring solutions. > Canonical page: https://employborderless.com/review/remote-alternatives/ > Methodology: how providers are researched, tested and scored is documented at https://employborderless.com/methodology/. > Disclosure: Employ Borderless is free to use. We may earn a referral fee from some providers; this never affects a score or ranking position (https://employborderless.com/disclosure/). > Last updated: 2026-10-15 We independently research and review the top alternatives so you don't have to. **Top pick: RemoFirst.** Of the 6 providers ranked, RemoFirst places first with an overall score of 4.7 out of 5. Best for: a handful of hires where price decides it. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/remofirst/ Remote is the employer of record we recommend when legal control matters most. It employs people through its own legal entities, and its employer of record service starts from $699 per employee per month, or $599 with annual billing. If you need the provider itself to be the legal employer, that is what you pay for. Our Remote review names three situations where another provider fits better: price is the deciding factor, you're making a handful of hires in low-risk markets, or you want payroll, HR tools and reporting in one stack. Each of those points to a different provider. Below, we compare the three alternatives our review points to, say which situation each one fits, and add three more providers we review. ## The ranking | # | Provider | Score | Pricing | Best for | |---:|---|---:|---:|---| | 1 | RemoFirst | 4.7 out of 5 | $199/mo | a handful of hires where price decides it | | 2 | Multiplier | 4.5 out of 5 | $459/mo | a lower monthly fee for a growing team | | 3 | Deel | 4.5 out of 5 | $599/mo | payroll, HR tools and reporting in one place | | 4 | Hire with Columbus | 4.5 out of 5 | $179/mo | teams hiring five or more people who want low, predictable pricing | | 5 | Oyster | 4.3 out of 5 | $699/mo | growing companies that want guided onboarding and compliance support | | 6 | Pebl (formerly Velocity Global) | 4.5 out of 5 | $399/mo | mid-to-large companies where compliance risk matters more than cost | ### 1. RemoFirst RemoFirst was founded in 2021 by Nurasyl Serik and Volodymyr Fedoriv, is headquartered in San Francisco, has raised $39 million and employs between 201 and 500 people. It sells two things: employer of record services for hiring employees abroad without a local entity, and contractor management for paying freelancers compliantly. Your contract is with RemoFirst. In most countries the legal employer of your hire is an in-country partner that RemoFirst manages; we have confirmed that model in 34 countries and have no owned entities on file. RemoFirst issues the employment contract, runs payroll, files taxes and statutory contributions and administers benefits. You manage the work. For a first hire abroad that replaces the three to six months it takes to set up your own entity. Beyond EOR and contractors it offers RemoHealth, one health insurance program across countries, RemoTech equipment provisioning, and visa and work-permit support in 85+ countries. Third-party rating average: 4.5 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/remofirst/ ### 2. Multiplier Multiplier is an Employer of Record (EOR) and a global employment platform. Companies use it to hire and manage international team members without establishing local entities. Sagar Khatri, Amritpal Singh, and Vamsi Krishna founded the company in 2020. It's headquartered in New York, United States, and has secured over $77 million in funding since launch. How Multiplier works Multiplier manages employment operations across 171 countries. The core services they offer are: - Compliance management: Multiplier manages local employment laws and requirements. - Payroll processing: International payments run through the system. - Benefits administration: Companies can provide employee benefits without setting up local programs. - Contractor management: Businesses can manage both full employees and contractors in one place. Most companies can start hiring internationally within days instead of waiting months for entity setup. Who Multiplier is for Multiplier is a great fit for small to medium-sized businesses and startups entering global markets. Benefit for clients: You can hire in 171 countries through one platform without setting up local entities. Helpful reads: Best Employer of Record (EOR) for startups Third-party rating average: 4.8 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/multiplier/ ### 3. Deel Deel is an Employer of Record (EOR) and a global payroll platform. Companies use it to hire, pay, and manage international contractors and full-time employees without setting up local entities. Alex Bouaziz, Shuo Wang, and Ofer Simon founded the company in 2019. Deel is headquartered in San Francisco and has raised more than $980 million in seven funding rounds. The platform is now valued at $17.3 billion. How Deel works Deel supports hiring and payroll across 153 countries. Companies typically use the platform for the following services: - Employer of Record (EOR): Deel becomes the legal employer in the target country while you manage the day-to-day work - Contractor management: Allow clients to hire, manage, and pay independent contractors in multiple countries through a single platform. - Contractor of Record (COR): Deel takes on the liability, manages all HR/admin, and handles the risk for you. - Global payroll: Clients submit payroll data and approve it in one dashboard, and Deel handles taxes, deductions, and currency conversions automatically. Note: The main difference between contractor management and Contractor of Record services is who bears the legal risk and responsibility: you (with a standard Deel contractor service) or Deel (with COR). Onboarding In most cases, contracts are generated automatically based on the country, reviewed right on the platform, and approved in a few steps. What this means for you: you can hire in established markets within days. They’re also likely to find better contract standardization, clear compliance guidance, and faster onboarding compared to smaller regional providers. Third-party rating average: 4.8 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/deel/ ### 4. Hire with Columbus Hire with Columbus is an Employer of Record (EOR) service that enables companies to hire and pay international employees without establishing local legal entities. Operating as a high-volume discount provider, Columbus has positioned itself on price by buying capacity in bulk. When you use Hire with Columbus, they technically employ workers through their partner entities in 193 countries. Columbus manages the legal employment paperwork, local tax compliance, payroll processing, and benefits administration, while you handle day-to-day work management. This arrangement saves the 3-6 months and $15,000-$50,000 typically required for foreign entity establishment. The platform serves two primary functions: - Full EOR services for companies hiring employees internationally - Contractor management for businesses working with global freelancers What distinguishes Columbus is their pricing model, at $179 per employee per month, they offer a 10% discount on standard market rates through volume aggregation. This approach makes enterprise-level EOR services accessible to smaller businesses that previously couldn't afford international expansion. Hire with Columbus operates through strategic partnerships with established EOR providers, negotiating bulk rates based on aggregate client volumes. That is how the price is lower without the service being thinner, and compliance still runs through the partner in each country. Third-party rating average: 5.0 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/hire-with-columbus/ ### 5. Oyster Oyster HR is an Employer of Record (EOR) and a global employment platform that allows companies to hire and manage international workers in 132+ countries without setting up local legal entities. Founded in 2020, the company focuses on supporting distributed teams. Oyster’s services include international employment contracts, payroll processing, benefits administration, and ongoing local compliance in each country where it operates. Focus on employee experience Oyster places more emphasis on the employee experience than traditional EOR providers. Alongside core employment services, the platform includes Oyster Academy for professional development, as well as tools designed to support onboarding and cross-cultural collaboration. What this means for you: Oyster acts as more than a compliance partner. The platform is designed to help companies build and maintain engaged global teams, not just employ them on paper. Typical customers Oyster primarily serves mid-market and enterprise companies with 50 or more employees, but I've also seen a few startups in their customer base. The limiting factor here is the higher rate for Employer of Record (EOR) services. The platform attracts companies that value consistency, employee satisfaction, and long-term retention, even when that means paying more than low-cost EOR alternatives. Third-party rating average: 4.5 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/oyster/ ### 6. Pebl (formerly Velocity Global) Pebl is an AI-powered Employer of Record platform that rebranded from Velocity Global in September 2025. Founded in 2014 by Ben Wright, the company (as Velocity Global) was an early mover in the EOR category and now operates across 175 countries through a mix of owned entities and trusted local partners. When you hire through Pebl, it becomes the legal employer for your international team, handling contracts, payroll, taxes, benefits and compliance while you manage the day-to-day work. Its AI assistant, Alfie, automates compliance checks, gives instant cost estimates, and guides you through local regulatory requirements, which can bring time-to-hire down to as little as 24 hours. The platform covers several core services: - EOR for companies without a local entity - Global payroll for existing operations - Immigration and visa support - Benefits administration worldwide What sets Pebl apart is a decade of compliance expertise, backed by 200+ in-house legal and tax specialists and support in 50+ languages. That makes it a fit for mid-to-large companies hiring across multiple countries where compliance risk matters more than headline cost. Pebl lists EOR pricing at $399 per month per employee. Third-party rating average: 4.5 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/pebl/ ## Selection criteria We compared each alternative against the three situations our Remote review flags: a lower monthly fee, a small number of hires in straightforward markets, and one stack for payroll, HR and reporting. We also say what each alternative gives up against Remote's owned entities. Prices are the providers' published starting prices for employer of record services, checked in October 2026. ## Frequently asked questions ### What are the best Remote alternatives? It depends on why you're leaving. RemoFirst starts from $199 per employee per month for a handful of hires where price decides it. Multiplier starts from $459 with annual billing and suits growing teams. Deel puts payroll, HR tools and reporting in one place, with the widest product stack we have reviewed. ### Is there a cheaper alternative to Remote? Yes. RemoFirst lists its employer of record service starting from $199 per employee per month, Multiplier from $459 with annual billing, and Deel from $599, compared with Remote's $699 or $599 with annual billing. These are published starting prices, and your cost depends on the country you hire in. ### What do you give up when you leave Remote? Mostly the owned entity. In the countries we have verified, Remote's own company is the legal employer. The alternatives here mostly employ through local partners, so ask each one which company will employ your hire, and get the answer in writing. ### How do I choose between Remote alternatives? Start with the reason you're leaving: price, a small number of hires, or one stack for payroll and HR. Then book calls with two providers in the same week and ask both who will employ your hire, the all-in cost, the deposit and the exchange rate.