Employing international talent has become not just a possibility but a competitive advantage. With the rise of remote work, businesses are increasingly turning to digital platforms to manage international payroll, compliance, and benefits for their global workforce. Two popular platforms in this space are Deel and Remote, both of which offer solutions for hiring and paying international employees. This article compares the features and costs of Deel vs Remote, helping businesses determine which might be the best fit for their needs.
Deel – streamlined compliance and payments
Deel is a platform designed to simplify the hiring and payment process for international teams. It provides a range of solutions for businesses that want to hire both contractors and full-time employees across multiple countries.
Key features
- Global compliance: Deel ensures that your company remains compliant with local employment laws, tax regulations, and contract requirements in over 150 countries. They offer templates for contracts, ensuring everything is legally sound.
- Multiple payment methods: Deel supports over 120 currencies and offers various payment options such as bank transfers, PayPal, Payoneer, and cryptocurrency. This flexibility can be a game-changer for employees in regions where traditional banking methods are limited.
- Contractor and employee management: Businesses can easily hire both contractors and full-time employees via Deel. For contractors, Deel facilitates contract creation, time tracking, and invoicing. For full-time employees, Deel becomes the employer of record (EOR), managing all aspects of payroll, taxes, and benefits.
- Local benefits and pension schemes: Deel allows businesses to provide local benefits, pensions, and other statutory entitlements for their employees, ensuring you stay compliant with local laws.
Costs
Deel’s pricing structure depends on the type of hire and the services used:
- Contractor management: Fees start at $49 (£38) per contractor per month.
- Employer of record (EOR): Full-time employee management starts at $599 (£470) per employee per month.
- Custom pricing: For large teams or bespoke service requirements, Deel offers custom pricing models.
Remote – complete global HR solution
Remote is another popular platform, offering a suite of services to support businesses in hiring and paying international employees. Remote positions itself as a comprehensive HR solution, handling the complexities of payroll, compliance, and benefits on a global scale.
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Key features
- Employer of record (EOR): Like Deel, Remote acts as the employer of record in over 170 countries. This means that Remote legally employs workers in various regions on behalf of your company, managing local taxes, labour laws, and payroll compliance.
- Equity and stock options: Remote provides a unique service that supports international equity management, making it easier for companies to offer stock options to global employees. This is a valuable benefit for startups or businesses that incentivise with equity.
- Full HR support: Remote goes beyond payroll and compliance, offering full HR management, including onboarding, employee contracts, and termination processes.
- Security and compliance: Remote prides itself on its high security standards and ensures that your company remains compliant with data privacy laws, such as GDPR.
Costs
Remote offers transparent pricing, with straightforward packages:
- Employer of record (EOR): Remote’s EOR service starts at $599 (£470) per employee per month.
- Contractor management: Contractor fees start at $29 (£23) per contractor per month, making Remote slightly more affordable for contractor-based work than Deel.
Feature comparison – Deel vs Remote
| Category | Deel | Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Employer of Record (EOR) | $599 (£470) per employee per month | $599 (£470) per employee per month |
| Contractor Management | $49 (£38) per contractor per month | $29 (£23) per contractor per month |
| Countries Supported | 150+ | 170+ |
| Payment Methods | Bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer, cryptocurrency | Bank transfer only |
| Payment Processing Time | 1–3 business days | 3–5 business days |
| Currencies Supported | 120+ currencies | Major currencies only |
| Equity and Stock Option Management | Not available | Available |
| Onboarding Support | Limited | Full onboarding support |
| Termination Support | Basic | Full termination process management |
| Contract Templates | Available for both employees and contractors | Available for both employees and contractors |
| Custom Contract Clauses | Yes | Yes |
| Local Benefits Administration | Available, includes pensions and healthcare options | Available, includes pensions and healthcare options |
| Local Taxes and Payroll Compliance | Full management in 150+ countries | Full management in 170+ countries |
| HR Services | Basic HR services such as time tracking, contract generation, and invoicing | Comprehensive HR services covering employee lifecycle (onboarding, payroll, termination) |
| Time Tracking | Integrated time tracking for contractors | Time tracking via third-party integration |
| Invoice Management | Automatic invoicing for contractors | Limited invoicing for contractors |
| Integrations | QuickBooks, Xero, and other payroll tools | Integrates with major HR and payroll systems |
| Customer Support | 24/7 live chat, email support | Dedicated account manager, email support, and live chat |
| Data Privacy Compliance | GDPR, SOC 2 certified | GDPR, SOC 2, and ISO 27001 certified |
| Security Features | Two-factor authentication, data encryption | Advanced security including encryption and regular audits |
| Mobile App | Yes, for both iOS and Android | No mobile app available |
| Pricing for Large Teams | Custom pricing available | Custom pricing available |
| Platform Usability | User-friendly interface with a focus on contractor management | Comprehensive dashboard for managing full HR services |
| Documentation and Knowledge Base | Extensive documentation and user guides | Comprehensive guides and HR knowledge resources |
| Best Suited For | Companies needing flexible payment options and contractor management | Companies seeking a full-service HR solution with equity management options |
Key differences
- Cost: Remote is more cost-effective for contractor management at $29 (£23) per month compared to Deel’s $49 (£38). Both platforms charge the same for full-time employee management under the EOR model.
- Payment methods: Deel offers a broader range of payment methods, including PayPal, Payoneer, and cryptocurrency, which can be advantageous for paying contractors in regions with limited banking options.
- Equity management: Remote offers a built-in solution for managing international employee equity, making it ideal for companies that offer stock options, especially startups. Deel does not provide this service.
- HR services: Remote provides more comprehensive HR support throughout the employee lifecycle, from onboarding to termination. Deel is more focused on contractor management and basic employee services.
- Security and compliance: Both platforms comply with GDPR and are SOC 2 certified, but Remote takes it a step further with ISO 27001 certification, ensuring the highest standards for information security.
- Mobile access: Deel offers a mobile app for on-the-go management, while Remote does not currently offer a mobile app. This could be a consideration for businesses that need flexibility in managing payroll and HR tasks.
Comparing key company statistics
When evaluating Deel and Remote, it’s important to consider not only their features and costs but also their scale, growth, and market presence. These factors can provide valuable insights into the stability and support you can expect from each platform.
| Statistic | Deel | Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Year founded | 2018 | 2019 |
| Number of countries supported | 150+ | 170+ |
| Number of currencies supported | 120+ | Major currencies |
| Total employees | 2,000+ | 1,500+ |
| Funding raised | $677 million (as of 2024) | $150 million (as of 2024) |
| Valuation | $12 billion (as of 2024) | $1 billion (as of 2024) |
| Global offices | 15+ worldwide | 10+ worldwide |
| Clients served | 15,000+ | 5,000+ |
| Platform users | 100,000+ contractors and employees | 75,000+ contractors and employees |
| Growth rate | Rapid growth, especially in the contractor space | Fast growth with focus on HR services and EOR |
| Customer satisfaction | High, especially for payment flexibility | High, especially for equity and HR services |
Analysis
- Global reach: Remote supports more countries than Deel, making it a better fit for businesses with extremely diverse global needs.
- Valuation and funding: Deel’s significantly higher valuation and funding indicate its aggressive growth, particularly in contractor management, while Remote is expanding steadily, focusing on comprehensive HR services.
- User base: Deel has a larger client and user base, particularly attractive for companies with a heavy contractor workforce. Remote’s focus is more on full-time employees, reflected in its smaller but more HR-focused user base.
Costs – which offers better value?
When comparing costs, Remote is slightly more affordable for businesses that primarily work with contractors, charging $29 (£23) per contractor compared to Deel’s $49 (£38) fee. However, both platforms are priced similarly for full-time employees, with each charging $599 (£470) per employee for their employer of record service.
Deel’s wide range of payment methods offers more flexibility for employees in different regions. In contrast, Remote’s focus on equity management makes it an attractive choice for companies looking to offer stock options to global workers.
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Conclusion – which platform is best?
When deciding between Deel vs Remote, the best choice depends on your company’s specific needs:
- Choose Deel if your business requires flexibility in payment methods or you want to manage both contractors and full-time employees with ease. Its support for local benefits and pensions also makes it a strong option for companies with more complex employee needs.
- Choose Remote if your business values a full-service HR solution, particularly if equity management and stock options are important. Remote’s lower fees for contractor management also make it an attractive choice for businesses primarily working with freelancers or contractors.
Both Deel vs Remote offer excellent solutions for paying international employees, but their key differences will make one platform more suitable depending on your specific business requirements. Understanding these features and cost structures will help you make an informed decision.
Deel vs Remote FAQ
Remote offers built-in support for managing equity and stock options internationally, making it ideal for companies with equity-based compensation plans. Deel does not offer equity management features, so businesses with stock option programmes may find Remote more suitable for their needs.
Neither Deel nor Remote charges upfront setup fees. Their pricing models are based on monthly per-employee or per-contractor fees. This makes both platforms accessible for businesses of various sizes, without requiring an initial financial commitment for setup.
Deel integrates easily with freelance marketplaces like Upwork, allowing businesses to manage payments and contracts for freelancers. Remote is more focused on full-time employees and does not have specific freelance marketplace integrations, making Deel a better option for contractor-heavy businesses.
Deel supports payments in cryptocurrency, making it a flexible option for contractors who prefer digital currencies. Remote, on the other hand, does not currently support cryptocurrency payments and focuses on traditional bank transfer methods for paying employees and contractors.
Both Deel and Remote help businesses manage local tax compliance for contractors. However, Remote offers more comprehensive support for full-time employee taxes and payroll, whereas Deel places more emphasis on contractor payments, including tax compliance for freelance workers.
Both Deel and Remote provide customisable contract templates. However, Deel allows for more flexibility in tailoring contracts to specific contractor needs, including the option to add custom clauses. Remote also offers flexibility but is more standardised for full-time employee contracts.
Remote has more advanced multi-country onboarding features, providing full support from documentation to compliance across 170+ countries. Deel also supports multi-country onboarding but is more contractor-focused, while Remote offers more comprehensive onboarding solutions for full-time employees.
Yes, both Deel and Remote allow businesses to set different pay cycles depending on local regulations or company preferences. This flexibility ensures that businesses can comply with country-specific payroll timelines while managing payments to employees and contractors effectively.
Both Deel and Remote offer custom pricing and dedicated account managers for large enterprise clients. However, Remote’s full HR suite, including payroll, compliance, and equity management, may make it more attractive for larger organisations with diverse employee needs.
Remote supports multiple languages for documents and contracts, making it easier for businesses to cater to non-English-speaking employees. Deel primarily offers English templates but allows users to customise documents, giving flexibility to adapt them to local languages when necessary.