Employer of Record (EOR) platforms like Deel, Remote, Oyster, Multiplier, and Pebl (formerly Velocity Global) each charge $299 to $699 per employee per month — a 2x price gap for what looks like the same service. The right choice depends on how many people you're hiring, where they're located, and whether you need payroll compliance or just contractor payments. This guide breaks down each platform's pricing, what's included, and where the real cost differences show up.
What Does an EOR Platform Actually Cost?
An Employer of Record (EOR) acts as the legal employer for your international hires. You direct the work; the platform handles payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance in the employee's country.
EOR pricing typically comes in two forms:
- A flat monthly fee per employee (most common)
- A percentage of the employee's salary (rarer, usually at enterprise scale)
Most platforms also charge separately for contractors, global payroll (if you already have entities), and add-ons like benefits, immigration support, or background checks. Average cost per hire in North America can exceed $4,000 before you even factor in ongoing platform fees, which is why many companies are shifting to EOR as a leaner model.
Verified EOR Pricing: Deel vs Remote vs Oyster vs Multiplier vs Pebl
Here is a verified comparison of each platform's published pricing as of July 2026.
| Platform | EOR Fee (per employee/month) | Contractor Fee (per month) | Payroll Fee | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deel | From $599 | From $49 | From $29 | 150+ |
| Remote | $699 | $29 | $29 | 90+ |
| Oyster | $699 | $29 | Custom | 120+ |
| Multiplier | From $400 | From $40 | Custom | 150+ |
| Pebl (Velocity Global) | $399 | Custom | Custom | 185+ |
Notes on what's verified:
- Remote's EOR price of $699/month is published on their pricing page. No setup fees. No deposit required by default.
- Oyster's EOR price of $699/month is published on their pricing page. A refundable deposit is required to initiate engagement.
- Multiplier's EOR starts at $400/month per their pricing page. The final rate is country-specific.
- Pebl's EOR starts at $399/month per their pricing page. This is a flat rate regardless of employee salary level.
- Deel's EOR starts at $599/month based on Remote's published comparison data. Deel's own pricing page returns a 403 error and requires a sales call for exact rates.
If you're hiring in high-cost EOR countries (France, Germany, Australia), all platforms will add mandatory employer contributions on top of these fees. Those are statutory costs, not platform markups.
Where the Real Differences Show Up
Hidden Fees and Deposits
Remote charges no mandatory deposit and no setup fees. Oyster requires a refundable deposit to start. Deel has been publicly criticized for mandatory salary deposits (up to 2 months of salary) held in reserve per employee, plus accruals and off-cycle payroll fees. Remote's comparison page details this explicitly.
Multiplier and Pebl both advertise zero hidden fees or onboarding charges, but Multiplier's global payroll pricing requires a custom quote.
Country Coverage and Owned Entities
Remote owns 100% of its legal entities and never uses third-party aggregators. Pebl (rated #1 for compliance on G2 per their pricing page) covers 185+ countries backed by Baker McKenzie, the top global employment law firm. Deel and Oyster both use a mix of owned and third-party entities in certain markets.
For companies hiring in Africa or Southeast Asia specifically, this matters. A third-party entity chain adds a compliance layer that can surface problems during audits. Conexo hires talent from over 50 countries, including Madagascar, the Philippines, India, Morocco, Kenya, and South America, and works with EOR partners that maintain direct legal presence in those regions.
Contractor vs. EOR: Which Do You Actually Need?
Not everyone needs EOR. If your international hire is genuinely a contractor (project-based, uses their own tools, has multiple clients), a contractor management plan at $29 to $49 per month works fine.
EOR is for full-time employees. If you want someone working exclusively for you, on your schedule, following your internal policies, they should be employed, not contracted. Misclassifying an employee as a contractor can trigger retroactive taxes, fines, and labor audits in most countries.
According to Pebl's compliance guidance, setting up a local entity in a new country typically costs five to six figures and takes several months. EOR at $400 to $700 per month is significantly cheaper for teams under about 20 people in a single country.
Cost Comparison: 5 Employees in Three Scenarios
Scenario A: 5 full-time employees via EOR, one country
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pebl | $1,995 | $23,940 |
| Multiplier | ~$2,000 | ~$24,000 |
| Deel | ~$2,995 | ~$35,940 |
| Remote | $3,495 | $41,940 |
| Oyster | $3,495 | $41,940 |
At this scale, Pebl and Multiplier run about $18,000 less per year than Remote or Oyster for the same five employees.
Scenario B: 5 contractors, ongoing engagements
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Remote | $145 | $1,740 |
| Oyster | $145 | $1,740 |
| Multiplier | ~$200 | ~$2,400 |
| Deel | ~$245 | ~$2,940 |
Remote and Oyster are clearly cheaper for contractor management at $29 per contractor.
Scenario C: 10 employees across multiple countries with payroll support
For multinational teams, pricing diverges significantly. Remote's $29/employee/month payroll add-on is one of the most competitive published rates. Multiplier and Pebl require custom quotes for global payroll, which typically runs $30 to $50 per employee per month based on published industry ranges.
A Lower-Cost Alternative: Dedicated Staffing with Built-In Compliance
EOR platforms solve one problem: letting you hire legally without a local entity. They don't solve the pipeline problem. You still need to find the right person.
Conexo takes a different approach. Rather than acting as a software platform you self-serve, Conexo recruits international talent from 50+ countries (including Madagascar, Philippines, India, Morocco, Kenya, and across South America) and handles payroll and compliance as part of a managed service. The result is a combined hiring-and-employment model that typically costs 60 to 80% less than equivalent local salaries, with a 12-month replacement guarantee if the hire doesn't work out.
For companies hiring three or more people internationally, this model often costs less than a pure EOR platform while delivering a dedicated recruiter who sources off-market talent rather than a self-serve dashboard.
If you're comparing offshore staffing versus EOR, the remote hiring platform cost comparison at Conexo breaks down the two models in detail.
How to Choose Between These Platforms
Choose Multiplier or Pebl if cost-per-employee is the primary concern and you're hiring in many countries. Both start at $399 to $400, have no hidden setup fees, and cover 150+ countries.
Choose Remote or Oyster if you prioritize owned-entity compliance infrastructure and transparent pricing at a slightly higher base rate. Remote's $699 published rate includes no mandatory deposits or accruals, and their contractor plan at $29 is the cheapest published rate in this comparison.
Choose Deel if you need a broader HR platform (equity, immigration, payroll, benefits in one UI) and your per-employee volume justifies the higher starting cost. Note that Deel's actual costs after deposits and accruals can be substantially higher than the base subscription price.
Skip all of them and use a staffing model if you're also trying to source the talent. EOR platforms assume you've already found the person. A recruitment-plus-employment provider like Conexo handles both ends of the process.
FAQ
What is the cheapest EOR platform in 2026?
Pebl (formerly Velocity Global) has the lowest published EOR rate at $399 per employee per month as of July 2026. Multiplier starts at $400. Both advertise no setup or onboarding fees. Remote and Oyster both publish $699, while Deel starts at $599 but adds mandatory deposits in many markets.
How does Deel pricing actually work?
Deel doesn't publish a flat rate on their website and requires a sales call for EOR pricing. Based on Remote's published comparison, Deel's EOR starts at $599 per employee per month. Deel also requires cash deposits of up to two months of salary per employee and charges severance accruals and off-cycle payroll fees, which can significantly increase the total cost of ownership.
What's the difference between EOR and contractor management?
EOR (Employer of Record) makes your international worker a legal employee in their country. The platform becomes the legal employer and handles payroll, taxes, and statutory benefits. Contractor management is for independent contractors: the platform generates contracts and handles payments, but no employment relationship exists. Contractor plans cost $29 to $49 per month. EOR plans cost $400 to $699 per month.
Do EOR platforms work for hiring in Africa or South America?
Yes, but coverage varies. Pebl covers 185+ countries including multiple African markets. Multiplier and Deel both cover 150+ countries. Remote covers 90+ countries, focusing on owned-entity markets. For African hiring specifically, Conexo's guide to hiring in Africa covers costs and compliance requirements by country.
Is Oyster HR cheaper than Remote?
Their published EOR rates are identical at $699 per employee per month. The difference is in deposits and add-ons. Oyster requires a refundable deposit to initiate engagement. Remote does not require deposits by default. Oyster's contractor plan ($29/month) matches Remote's. For US PEO, Oyster charges $114 per employee per month versus Remote's starting at $99.
When does it make more sense to hire through a staffing agency instead of an EOR?
When you haven't found the person yet. EOR platforms are software: they handle compliance for a hire you've already made. A staffing or recruitment agency like Conexo sources candidates, vets them, and handles employment all in one. For companies hiring internationally for the first time, or scaling a team by 5+ people, the combined model is often faster and cheaper. The offshore staffing cost guide shows the math for different regions.
What does "employer of record" mean in plain terms?
It means a third party legally employs your worker on your behalf. You tell the worker what to do day-to-day. The EOR pays their salary, files their taxes, provides mandated benefits, and holds the legal employment relationship. This lets you hire internationally without registering a legal entity in the worker's country, which can take months and cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Sources & References
- Remote Pricing Page — EOR at $699/month, contractor at $29/month, payroll at $29/month
- Oyster Pricing Page — EOR at $699/month, contractor at $29/month
- Multiplier Pricing Page — EOR from $400/month, contractor from $40/month
- Pebl (Velocity Global) Pricing Page — EOR at $399/month, 185+ countries
- Remote vs Deel Comparison — Deel EOR from $599/month, contractor from $49/month; deposit and accrual details
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