About 19; min
Deel and Remote solve the same painful problem: hiring employees and contractors in countries where you don’t have a legal entity. Both act as your Employer of Record (EOR), handling payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance in 150+ countries. But the pricing models are different enough to save or cost you thousands per employee per year.
Quick Pricing Comparison
| Service | Deel | Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Contractor management | $49/contractor/mo | $29/contractor/mo |
| EOR (employee hiring) | $599/employee/mo | $599/employee/mo |
| Global payroll | $29/employee/mo | $29/employee/mo |
| HR platform only | Free (Deel HR) | Free (basic) |
EOR and payroll pricing are identical. The difference is in contractor management: Deel charges $49/contractor vs Remote’s $29/contractor. For companies hiring mostly contractors, Remote saves $240/contractor/year.
Deel Pricing Breakdown
Deel’s free HR platform is a smart acquisition tool — get companies on the free product, then convert them to paid contractor or EOR services as they hire internationally. The free tier includes org charts, PTO tracking, and document management that would cost $5–$10/user on other HR platforms.
Deel’s Strengths
- Speed: Deel onboards new hires in as few as 3 days in many countries. Remote typically takes 5–7 days
- Country coverage: EOR in 100+ countries, contractors in 150+. Slightly broader than Remote in some regions
- Advance payments: Contractors can get paid early via Deel Advance (fee applies). Useful for contractors in countries with slow banking
- Deel Card: Virtual and physical payment cards for contractors and employees. Spend in local currency without conversion fees
- Immigration support: Visa sponsorship and immigration services in select countries. Remote recently added this too
- Equity management: Stock option administration for international employees. Remote doesn’t offer this
Remote Pricing Breakdown
Remote matches Deel on EOR pricing ($599) but undercuts on contractor management ($29 vs $49). Remote also owns its legal entities directly in each country rather than using third-party partners, which they argue provides better compliance control and data security.
Remote’s Strengths
- Contractor pricing: $29/contractor saves $240/year per contractor compared to Deel
- Owned entities: Remote directly employs workers through their own legal entities. Deel uses a mix of owned entities and third-party partners. Owned entities mean more control over data and compliance
- Transparent pricing: No hidden fees. The $599 EOR price includes benefits administration in most countries. Deel sometimes charges extra for certain benefits add-ons
- Contractor-to-employee conversion: Remote can convert contractors to full employees in the same country without disrupting their engagement. Useful as you formalize relationships
- IP protection: Included in all plans, with country-specific IP assignment agreements. Important for tech companies hiring developers abroad
Cost Comparison
10 international contractors
| Provider | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Deel | $490 | $5,880 |
| Remote | $290 | $3,480 |
| Savings with Remote | $200 | $2,400 |
5 EOR employees + 15 contractors
| Provider | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Deel | $3,730 ($2,995 EOR + $735 contractors) | $44,760 |
| Remote | $3,430 ($2,995 EOR + $435 contractors) | $41,160 |
| Savings with Remote | $300 | $3,600 |
20 EOR employees + 30 contractors
| Provider | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Deel | $13,450 | $161,400 |
| Remote | $12,850 | $154,200 |
| Savings with Remote | $600 | $7,200 |
The savings come entirely from contractor pricing. EOR costs are identical. The more contractors you have relative to employees, the bigger the savings with Remote.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Deel | Remote |
|---|---|---|
| EOR countries | 100+ | 75+ |
| Contractor countries | 150+ | 170+ |
| Entity ownership | Mixed (owned + partners) | All owned |
| Onboarding speed | 3–5 days | 5–7 days |
| Payment methods | Bank, Wise, PayPal, crypto, Deel Card | Bank, Wise |
| Advance payments | Yes (Deel Advance) | No |
| Equity management | Yes | No |
| Immigration/visa | Yes (select countries) | Yes (select countries) |
| Free HR platform | Yes (full-featured) | Yes (basic) |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | BambooHR, Greenhouse, QuickBooks, etc. | BambooHR, Greenhouse, Workday, etc. |
| Mobile app | Yes (employee + admin) | Yes (employee + admin) |
| Customer support | 24/7 chat + phone | 24/5 chat + email |
Other Alternatives
| Tool | EOR Price | Contractor Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oyster HR | $599/employee/mo | $29/contractor/mo | Mid-market companies with strong UX focus |
| Papaya Global | $650/employee/mo | $30/contractor/mo | Enterprise payroll with analytics |
| Rippling | $600+/employee/mo | $0 (included in HRIS) | Companies wanting HR + IT + finance unified |
| Multiplier | $400/employee/mo | $40/contractor/mo | Budget EOR (fewer countries) |
Multiplier at $400/employee/month is the budget option — 33% cheaper than Deel and Remote for EOR. The trade-off: fewer supported countries (50+ vs 100+) and a younger platform with less established compliance track records.
Who Should Pick What
Pick Deel If:
- You need the broadest EOR country coverage (100+ vs Remote’s 75+)
- Fast onboarding matters (3-day onboarding in many countries)
- You offer equity compensation to international employees
- Contractors need flexible payment options (crypto, Deel Card, early payments)
- 24/7 customer support is important for your globally distributed team
Pick Remote If:
- You hire more contractors than employees (save $240/contractor/year)
- Owned legal entities and data control matter for your compliance posture
- Transparent, no-surprise pricing is a priority
- You plan to convert contractors to employees over time (smooth transition process)
- You want the broader contractor coverage (170+ countries)
Best for contractor-heavy teams: Remote — $29/contractor saves $240/year per person vs Deel’s $49. At 20 contractors, that’s $4,800/year.
Best for speed and breadth: Deel — more EOR countries, faster onboarding, and more payment options. The better choice for companies hiring employees across many regions simultaneously.
Best for data-conscious companies: Remote — owned entities in every country means your employee data stays in their controlled infrastructure, not third-party partners.
Best budget EOR: Multiplier at $400/employee — 33% savings if your target countries are covered.
Bottom line: Both charge $599/employee for EOR. The contractor price ($29 vs $49) is the deciding factor for most companies.
FAQ
What’s the difference between EOR and contractor?
EOR makes the worker a full employee with benefits, tax withholding, and labor law protections. You pay more but avoid misclassification risk. Contractor is simpler and cheaper but the worker has no employment benefits, and you risk legal issues if the relationship looks like employment.
Can I switch from Deel to Remote mid-contract?
Yes, but it requires re-onboarding employees in the new platform. For EOR employees, this means a new employment contract in the same entity or transitioning to the new provider’s entity. Budget 2–4 weeks for a smooth transition.
Do either handle US payroll?
Both can process US payroll, but they’re designed for international hiring. For US-only payroll, Gusto or Rippling are cheaper and more feature-rich. Deel and Remote make sense when you have at least some international team members.
Are contractor payments via Deel/Remote tax-deductible?
Yes. Both platforms generate proper invoices and tax documentation (1099s for US contractors, equivalent forms for other countries). Your accountant can deduct contractor payments as business expenses.
