Remote vs Velocity Global: 2024 EOR Comparison

Remote and Velocity Global are two leading platforms in the global employment solutions space, offering distinct advantages as Employer of Record (EOR) providers. However, their strengths and limitations make them better suited to different types of businesses, depending on size, complexity, and specific needs.

Remote is a robust global payroll and hiring platform that ranks among the best EOR providers I’ve used. Thanks to its ability to streamline global HR processes and provide essential legal resources, it is a top choice for companies looking to hire, pay, and manage remote employees easily.

Remote’s user-friendly interface and transparent pricing model make it particularly attractive for startups and small to medium-sized businesses expanding globally. However, its capabilities might not scale adequately for large organizations with complex needs.

On the other hand, Velocity Global’s integrated approach offers a highly versatile platform for managing a global workforce. With its extensive global reach and comprehensive services, including talent acquisition and immigration support, Velocity Global is well-suited for larger enterprises and companies with diverse international hiring needs.

While its extensive customization options and proprietary technology can be powerful assets, they may also be overwhelming for businesses with more straightforward needs. Despite its ease of use and the comprehensive tools it provides, Velocity Global’s pricing could benefit from greater transparency.

In this review, I’ll delve into Remote and Velocity Global’s key features and potential drawbacks, focusing on their EOR services. I’ll also recommend ideal use cases for each platform and suggest alternatives for organizations with specific HR requirements.

By comparing Remote’s strengths and weaknesses with Velocity Global’s, I aim to help you determine which platform best meets your business needs, whether you’re managing a small startup or a large enterprise with complex global operations.

Overview of Remote and Velocity Global

Overview of Remote

Remote is a global HR platform that provides employer-of-record services, contractor management, global payroll, and compliance support. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Francisco, Remote has quickly become popular for companies looking to hire internationally without establishing their own legal entities.

Remote’s core strength is its user-friendly platform that simplifies the complexities of global employment. It offers a straightforward approach to hiring, onboarding, and managing international employees and contractors. The platform’s intuitive interface allows businesses to easily handle payroll, benefits, taxes, and compliance across multiple countries.

One of Remote’s standout features is its transparent pricing model, particularly appealing to startups and SMEs. This transparency allows companies to budget more effectively for their global expansion plans.

Here’s a summary of key features for Remote:

Also, read our in-depth Remote review

Overview of Velocity Global

Velocity Global is a comprehensive global employment solution provider that offers a wide range of services to help companies expand internationally. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Velocity Global has established itself as a leader in the global talent solutions space.

Velocity Global’s platform stands out for its breadth of services, which include employer of record services, global payroll, benefits administration, and compliance management.

What sets Velocity Global apart is its additional offerings such as talent acquisition, immigration support, and access to international coworking spaces.

The company’s proprietary technology platform provides real-time data and analytics, streamlining workforce management across borders. This makes Velocity Global particularly attractive to larger enterprises or companies with complex international hiring needs.

Here’s a summary of key features for Velocity Global:

Remote vs. Velocity Global At a Glance

Before diving into the details, let’s take a quick look at how Remote and Velocity Global compare the most important features and information.

This summary table provides a bird’ s-eye view of the two solutions, including aspects like pricing and key functionalities.

This table provides a quick comparison of the key features offered by Remote and Velocity Global. As we delve deeper into each platform’s offerings, you’ll get a more comprehensive understanding of how these features translate into practical benefits for your business.

Key Features of Remote

Remote offers comprehensive features designed to simplify global hiring and workforce management. Let’s explore some of the key features that make Remote stand out:

Global Payroll and Compliance

Remote’s global payroll feature is one of its core strengths. The platform handles all aspects of payroll processing, ensuring that employees and contractors are paid accurately and on time, regardless of location. This includes managing complex tax calculations, currency conversions, and compliance with local labor laws.

What sets Remote apart is its built-in compliance engine. This feature automatically updates with changes in local regulations, ensuring that your company complies with employment laws in every country where you have employees. This significantly reduces the risk of legal issues and fines associated with non-compliance.

Contractor Management

Remote offers robust contractor management features, making it easy for companies to work with international contractors. The platform streamlines the process of onboarding, managing, and paying contractors across multiple countries.

With Remote, you can easily generate compliant contracts, track time and deliverables, and process payments in the contractor’s local currency. This feature is particularly valuable for companies that rely heavily on international freelancers or gig workers.

Benefits Administration

Remote’s benefits administration feature allows companies to offer competitive, locally-compliant benefits packages to their international employees. The platform provides access to a wide range of benefits options, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off, tailored to each country’s norms and regulations.

What’s impressive about Remote’s benefits administration is its flexibility. Companies can customize benefits packages to align with their corporate culture and employee needs while ensuring compliance with local laws. This feature helps businesses attract and retain top talent in competitive global markets.

IP Protection

Intellectual Property (IP) protection is a crucial concern for many companies hiring internationally. Remote addresses this by offering robust IP protection features built into its contracts and agreements.

Remote ensures all employee and contractor agreements include strong IP assignment clauses tailored to local laws. This means that any work your international team creates is legally owned by your company, providing peace of mind and protecting your valuable intellectual assets.

Self-Service Employee Portal

Remote’s self-service employee portal is a user-friendly feature that empowers international employees to manage their information. Through this portal, employees can access their pay stubs, update personal information, request time off, and view their benefits information.

This self-service capability improves the employee experience and reduces the administrative burden on HR teams. It’s a win-win feature that enhances efficiency and employee satisfaction.

Key Features of Velocity Global

Velocity Global offers a comprehensive suite of features to support businesses’ global expansion efforts. Let’s explore some of the key features that make Velocity Global a standout choice for many companies:

Proprietary Technology Platform

At the heart of Velocity Global’s offering is its proprietary technology platform. This advanced system provides real-time data and analytics, giving businesses unprecedented visibility into their global workforce.

The platform streamlines workforce management across borders, from payroll processing to compliance monitoring. Its user-friendly interface allows HR teams to easily manage complex international operations, while powerful analytics tools provide insights that can inform strategic decision-making.

Talent Acquisition and Recruitment

Unlike many EOR providers, Velocity Global offers comprehensive talent acquisition and recruitment services. This feature is particularly valuable for companies looking to expand into new markets where they may not have established recruitment networks.

Velocity Global’s team of experts can handle the entire recruitment process, from sourcing candidates to final selection. They leverage their global presence and local expertise to find top talent that meets your specific needs, saving you time and resources in the hiring process.

Immigration and Visa Support

Velocity Global’s immigration and visa support services set it apart from many competitors. Navigating the complex world of work visas and immigration laws can be daunting for businesses looking to relocate employees internationally or hire foreign talent.

Velocity Global simplifies this process by providing end-to-end support for visa applications and immigration procedures. Their team of experts stays up-to-date with changing immigration laws across different countries, ensuring a smooth and compliant process for your international hires.

Global Benefits Management

Velocity Global offers comprehensive global benefits management services. This feature allows companies to offer competitive, locally-relevant benefits packages to their international employees, which is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent.

What sets Velocity Global apart is its ability to tailor benefits packages to each country’s norms and regulations while still aligning with the company’s overall compensation strategy. This includes managing health insurance and retirement plans to equity compensation programs.

Access to International Coworking Spaces

Velocity Global’s partnership with global coworking space providers is a unique and valuable feature in an increasingly remote work world. This service gives your employees access to over 10,000 professional workspaces worldwide.

This feature not only provides flexibility for your global workforce but also helps to foster productivity and collaboration. It’s particularly beneficial for companies with distributed teams or those looking to establish a presence in new markets without the overhead of leasing office space.

Pricing and Plans for Remote

Remote offers a transparent pricing model, which is one of its key advantages in the market. Their pricing is straightforward, making it particularly attractive for small to medium-sized businesses and startups looking to expand globally.

Remote’s EOR services are priced at $599 per employee per month. This flat-rate pricing includes all the core services you need to hire and pay international employees, including: compliantly

• Local entity setup and management
• Payroll processing
• Tax filing
• Benefits administration
• Compliance management

For contractor management, Remote charges are $29 per contractor per month. This service includes:

• Compliant contracts
• Payments in local currency
• Tax form collection

Remote also offers a Global Payroll service, but the pricing for this is not publicly disclosed and likely depends on the specific needs of each business.

It’s worth noting that Remote doesn’t require long-term commitments or charge setup fees. This flexibility can be particularly beneficial for companies testing new markets or dealing with fluctuating workforce needs.

While Remote’s pricing is higher than some competitors for individual employees, it can be more cost-effective for companies hiring multiple employees in a single country. The predictable, all-inclusive pricing also makes it easier for businesses to budget for their global expansion plans.

Remote occasionally offers discounts for high-volume hiring or startups, so it’s worth contacting their sales team if you’re planning to hire a large number of international employees.

Pricing and Plans for Velocity Global

Velocity Global takes a different approach to pricing than Remote. They offer customized pricing based on each client’s specific needs, which can be both an advantage and a drawback, depending on your perspective.

Unfortunately, Velocity Global does not publicly disclose its pricing structure. You’ll need to contact their sales team directly to get an accurate quote. This lack of transparency can make it challenging for businesses, especially smaller ones, to quickly assess whether Velocity Global fits within their budget.

However, the custom pricing model allows Velocity Global to tailor its services to each client’s needs. This can lead to more cost-effective solutions for companies with complex requirements or those hiring in multiple countries.

Based on industry standards for professional employer organizations (PEOs), we estimate that Velocity Global’s pricing might fall within 5% to 10% of total payroll costs. So, for example, if your annual international payroll is $1 million, you might expect to pay between $50,000 and $100,000 per year for Velocity Global’s services.

It’s important to note that Velocity Global’s pricing likely includes a broader range of services than Remote. Their comprehensive offering, including talent acquisition, immigration support, and access to global coworking spaces, may justify a higher price point for businesses that need these additional services.

When considering Velocity Global, getting a detailed breakdown of costs and services included in your custom quote is crucial. This will allow you to accurately compare the value proposition with other providers like Remote.

While the lack of upfront pricing can be a drawback, it also means there’s room for negotiation, especially for larger contracts or long-term commitments. Don’t hesitate to discuss your budget constraints and specific needs with Velocity Global’s sales team to see if they can tailor a package that fits your requirements.

Pros and Cons of Remote

Pros and Cons of Velocity Global

Remote vs Velocity Global: Simulated Real-World Scenarios

To better understand how Remote and Velocity Global perform in practical situations, let’s examine three real-world scenarios:

Scenario 1: Small Business Going Global (Winner: Remote)

A small e-commerce business wants to hire its first three international employees, one each in Canada, the UK, and Germany.

Remote: Remote’s transparent, predictable pricing and user-friendly platform make it ideal for this scenario. Small businesses can easily budget for expansion and manage the process through the intuitive remote access interface.

Velocity Global: While Velocity Global could certainly handle this scenario, their comprehensive services might be more than this small business needs. The custom pricing model could also make it harder for the business to budget accurately.

Scenario 2: Compliance in Challenging Markets (Winner: Velocity Global)

A medium-sized manufacturing company must hire employees in several countries with complex labor laws, including Brazil, India, and the UAE.

Remote: While Remote does offer compliance support in these countries, their standardized approach might not be sufficient for navigating the intricate labor laws and cultural nuances of these challenging markets.

Velocity Global: With its extensive global network and local expertise, Velocity Global is better positioned to handle the complexities of these markets. Their comprehensive compliance support and ability to provide on-ground insights would be particularly valuable in this scenario.

When to Consider Other EOR Providers

While Remote and Velocity Global are excellent choices for many businesses, there are situations where other EOR providers might be more suitable. Here are five alternatives to consider based on specific business needs:

Specialized Industry Needs: Papaya Global

Papaya Global might be a better fit for businesses in highly regulated industries or those requiring specialized compliance knowledge. They offer industry-specific solutions and have a strong focus on compliance across various sectors.

Read our in-depth comparison and analysis of Remote vs Papaya Global.

Extensive HR Software Integration: Rippling

If your company heavily relies on integrating various HR software systems, Rippling could be an excellent choice. They offer a comprehensive HR platform with robust integration capabilities across numerous applications.

Read our in-depth comparison and analysis of Remote vs Rippling.

Region-Specific Expansion: Deel

For companies focusing on expansion in specific regions, particularly in emerging markets, Deel might be the way to go. They have a strong presence in many countries and offer localized expertise in various regions.

Read our in-depth comparison and analysis of Deel vs Remote.

Budget-Friendly Option for Startups: Remofirst

Startups or small businesses on a tight budget might find Remofirst more suitable. They offer competitive pricing for basic EOR services, making them an attractive option for companies starting their global expansion.

Read our in-depth comparison and analysis of Remote vs Remofirst.

Advanced Analytics and Reporting: Oyster HR

Oyster HR offers advanced analytics and reporting features for businesses that prioritize data-driven decision-making. Its platform provides in-depth insights into global workforce management.

Read our in-depth comparison and analysis of Remote vs Oyster HR.

Who I Recommend Remote To

Remote is an excellent choice for certain types of businesses. Here’s who I would recommend Remote to:

• Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): Remote’s user-friendly platform and transparent pricing are ideal for SMEs in international hiring. The straightforward approach simplifies a complex process, allowing these businesses to focus on growth rather than administrative hurdles.
• Startups: Remote offers an accessible entry point for startups looking to tap into global talent pools. Predictive pricing helps with budgeting, and the lack of long-term commitments provides the flexibility that startups often need.
• Companies New to International Hiring: If your business is hiring internationally for the first time, Remote’s intuitive interface and built-in compliance features can help you confidently navigate unfamiliar territory.
• Businesses Prioritizing Simplicity: For companies that want a no-frills, straightforward approach to international employment, Remote delivers. Its standardized processes and clear pricing structure remove much of the complexity from global hiring.
• Companies with Distributed Workforces: Remote’s self-service employee portal and robust contractor management features suit businesses embracing remote work across multiple countries well.

Who I Recommend Velocity Global To

Velocity Global caters to different needs and is more suitable for certain types of organizations. Here’s who I would recommend Velocity Global to:

• Large Enterprises: Velocity Global’s comprehensive service offering and ability to handle complex, multi-country operations make it well-suited for large enterprises with diverse global workforce needs.
• Companies with Complex International Hiring Needs: If your business requires a combination of services such as talent acquisition, immigration support, and global payroll management, Velocity Global’s all-in-one solution could be ideal.
• Businesses Expanding Rapidly into Multiple Countries: Velocity Global’s extensive global reach and local expertise in 185+ countries make it an excellent choice for companies planning aggressive international expansion.
• Organizations Requiring Customized Solutions: If your business has unique requirements that don’t fit into standardized packages, Velocity Global’s customizable approach could be beneficial.
• Companies Valuing Advanced Analytics: For businesses that rely heavily on workforce data and insights, Velocity Global’s proprietary technology platform with real-time analytics could be a significant advantage.
• Businesses Needing Flexible Workspace Solutions: If your company values the option of providing employees with access to international coworking spaces, Velocity Global’s partnerships in this area are a unique offering.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In comparing Remote and Velocity Global, it’s clear that both platforms offer robust solutions for international hiring and workforce management, but they cater to different needs and company profiles.

Remote stands out for its user-friendly approach, transparent pricing, and straightforward services. It’s an excellent choice for small to medium-sized businesses, startups, and companies new to international hiring.

Remote’s strength lies in simplifying the complexities of global employment, making it accessible to a wide range of businesses. Its flat-rate pricing model and intuitive interface allow companies to quickly start hiring internationally without getting bogged down in complex processes or unpredictable costs.

Velocity Global, on the other hand, offers a more comprehensive and customizable solution that’s particularly well-suited for larger enterprises or companies with complex international hiring needs. Its proprietary technology platform, extensive global reach, and additional services like talent acquisition and immigration support set it apart.

While its pricing may be less transparent and potentially higher than Remote’s, the breadth and depth of its offerings can provide significant value for companies requiring a full-service global employment solution.

When choosing between Remote and Velocity Global, consider your company’s size, budget, complexity of needs, and growth plans. If you’re a smaller company looking for a straightforward, transparent solution to hire in a few countries, Remote might be your best bet.

However, if you’re a larger organization planning rapid global expansion across multiple countries and requiring a wide range of services, Velocity Global could be the more suitable choice.

Ultimately, the best platform for your business will depend on your specific needs, budget, and global strategy. Both Remote and Velocity Global are strong contenders in the EOR space, each with its own strengths and ideal use cases.

By carefully evaluating your requirements against the features and capabilities of each platform, you can make an informed decision that best supports your global workforce management goals.

Remote vs Velocity Global FAQs