The picks
- Remote.com — Best for most international teams
- Oyster — Best for compliance depth and obscure countries
- Rippling Global — Best if you already use Rippling for US/Canada
- Papaya Global — Enterprise multi-country payroll consolidation
- Multiplier — Strong alternative EOR platform
#1 Pick
Remote.com is the EOR I recommend for most teams hiring internationally. The key differentiator: they own their legal entities in the majority of countries they operate in. No third-party partners adding complexity, uncertainty, or extra costs.
Flat-rate pricing at $599/employee/month (annual) means you know exactly what each international hire costs. No surprises on your invoice when you hire in a country with complex benefits requirements.
Why I picked this
Remote’s owned-entity model matters more than most companies realize. When you use an EOR that relies on third-party partners in each country, you’re adding a layer of complexity. Problems get harder to resolve. Communication gets slower. Costs can vary unpredictably.
Remote handles employment contracts, local compliance, statutory benefits, and payroll directly. Your employee in Germany gets proper employment terms and mandatory benefits. You get one invoice and one point of contact.
The contractor management at $29/contractor/month is solid too. You can pay contractors in 200+ countries, handle local compliance, and manage everyone—employees and contractors—from one dashboard. For teams with a mix of employment types, this keeps things simple.
Remote’s IP protection is built into their standard agreements. Your intellectual property belongs to your company, not ambiguously shared with local entities. This matters if you’re hiring engineers or anyone creating proprietary work.
The tradeoff: Remote is EOR-focused, not a full HR platform. If you need performance management, org charts, or sophisticated HRIS features, you’ll need a separate tool. Remote handles payroll and compliance. That’s it.
Key features for international teams
- Owned entities — Direct employment relationships in most countries, no third-party partners
- Flat-rate pricing — $599/employee/month annual, no hidden fees
- Contractor payments — $29/contractor/month in 200+ countries
- IP protection — Standard agreements protect your intellectual property
- Equity compensation — Can handle stock options for international employees
Skip this if…
- You need a full HRIS platform—Remote is payroll and compliance only
- You’re hiring US-only—this is overkill for domestic teams
- You want everything in one system—Remote doesn’t do HR, IT, or benefits admin beyond statutory requirements
- You’re already deep in Rippling—their global add-on makes more sense
#2 Pick
Oyster is the compliance-first EOR. If you’re hiring in countries with complex labor laws, unusual termination requirements, or where other providers have limited coverage, Oyster is worth the look.
Their 180+ country coverage is among the broadest in the industry. More importantly, they invest heavily in understanding local nuances—statutory leave, mandatory bonuses, termination procedures—so you don’t get surprised.
Why I picked this
Oyster’s compliance depth is what sets them apart. Some EOR providers treat compliance as a checkbox. Oyster treats it as the product. Their country guides are genuinely useful, explaining not just what’s required but why and what happens if you get it wrong.
Setup, onboarding, and termination processing are included in the subscription. No hidden fees when you need to offboard someone. Given how complicated international terminations can be, this is more valuable than it sounds. In some countries, getting termination wrong means months of additional severance.
Oyster also offers a free tier for contractor payments—Oyster Lite. If you’re just paying a few international contractors and don’t need EOR yet, you can start without commitment. When you’re ready to convert contractors to employees, the upgrade path is smooth.
The benefits management is solid. Oyster partners with local providers to offer competitive benefits packages in each country, not just statutory minimums. Your international employees can get health insurance and retirement plans that match local norms.
The tradeoff: Oyster’s US presence is limited. If you have a significant US team, you’ll need a separate solution for them. Oyster is built for international, not domestic US payroll.
Key features for international teams
- 180+ countries — Broadest coverage, including obscure markets
- Compliance depth — Detailed country-specific guidance and expertise
- All-inclusive pricing — Setup, onboarding, termination included
- Oyster Lite — Free contractor payments to start
- Local benefits — Competitive packages beyond statutory minimums
Skip this if…
- You have a large US team—Oyster doesn’t do US payroll
- You want an all-in-one platform—Oyster is EOR-focused, not full HR
- Pricing transparency is critical—custom quotes for larger teams
- You need IT/device management—not part of the offering
#3 Pick
Rippling Global makes the list for a specific scenario: you already use Rippling for your US or Canadian team, and now you need to add international employees. In that case, Rippling’s global offering lets you keep everyone in one system.
If you’re not already a Rippling customer, this probably isn’t where you should start. Remote or Oyster will be simpler for pure international payroll.
Why I picked this
Rippling’s strength is the unified platform. Your US employee in Texas and your new hire in Poland show up in the same dashboard, share the same workflows, and connect to the same systems. No syncing between platforms. No duplicate data entry.
The EOR covers 185+ countries. Rippling handles local employment contracts, compliance, statutory benefits, and payroll. The experience for your international employee is proper local employment, not some awkward contractor arrangement.
For teams already using Rippling’s IT and device management, the global extension is particularly valuable. You can provision laptops, manage app access, and handle offboarding for international employees the same way you do for US ones. When someone in Berlin leaves, Rippling can revoke access and start equipment recovery automatically.
The honest answer: Rippling’s global payroll pricing is not transparent, and the sales process is slow. Expect custom quotes that depend on which countries you’re hiring in and what modules you already use. The total cost will likely exceed standalone EOR providers.
For a detailed look at Rippling’s full HR capabilities, see our HR tools comparison.
Key features for international teams
- Unified platform — US and international employees in one system
- 185+ country EOR — Full employment, not contractor arrangements
- Connected IT management — Device provisioning and access control globally
- Automated workflows — Onboarding and offboarding work the same everywhere
- Existing integrations — Your current Rippling setup extends globally
Skip this if…
- You’re not already using Rippling—start with Remote or Oyster instead
- You need transparent pricing—Rippling requires a sales call
- You only need international payroll—the all-in-one platform is overkill
- Budget is constrained—Rippling’s global add-on isn’t cheap
Honorable mentions
#4
Papaya Global serves a different use case: consolidating payroll across multiple countries where you already have local entities. If you’re running payroll in 10 countries with 10 different local providers, Papaya can unify that into one platform with one dashboard and one payment flow.
Their payroll-only tier at $25/employee/month is significantly cheaper than full EOR, but requires you to have existing entities. The EOR option at $650/employee/month is competitive for companies that need both.
Choose this if: You’re an enterprise with existing entities in multiple countries and want to consolidate payroll operations.
Skip it if: You’re a smaller team just starting international hiring—Remote or Oyster will be simpler.
#5
Multiplier is a solid EOR alternative, particularly if Remote or Oyster pricing doesn’t work for your situation. Their starting price of $400/employee/month is lower than competitors, and they offer free contractor payments.
The platform is newer than Remote or Oyster, which means some rough edges but also means they’re actively building and improving. Coverage spans 150+ countries with owned entities in key markets.
Choose this if: You need lower EOR pricing or want to compare quotes against Remote/Oyster.
Skip it if: You want the most established platform—Remote and Oyster have longer track records.
How to choose
Choose Remote.com if you want the most straightforward international payroll experience. Owned entities, flat pricing, no surprises. The right default for most teams.
Choose Oyster if you’re hiring in countries with complex compliance requirements or where other providers have limited coverage. Also good if you want to start with free contractor payments.
Choose Rippling Global if you already use Rippling for US HR and want to add international employees without switching platforms. Not the starting point for new customers.
Choose Papaya Global if you’re an enterprise consolidating existing multi-country payroll operations. Overkill for teams just starting international hiring.
Choose Multiplier if you want competitive pricing and are comfortable with a newer platform.
For a broader look at HR software that includes payroll, see our guide to HR tools for remote teams. For strategic guidance on international hiring approaches (contractors vs. employees, when to set up entities), see our guide to international payroll.
The decision tree:
- Starting fresh with international hiring? → Remote.com (simple, transparent)
- Hiring in complex/obscure countries? → Oyster (compliance depth)
- Already using Rippling in US? → Rippling Global (unified platform)
- Enterprise with existing entities? → Papaya Global (payroll consolidation)
- Need lower pricing? → Multiplier (budget-friendly EOR)