Guide overview

Which EOR is the cheapest?

Lowest fee: USD 199 per employee per month, from RemotePeople Select where the hire is eligible. Yearly saving: USD 4,800 per employee against a USD 599 fee. Before you choose on price: check the country fee, the deposit, the commitment, currency conversion and charges on top.

Compare EOR pricesCheck the extra costs

Which employer of record is the cheapest?

RemotePeople Select has the lowest fee of the providers we tested: USD 199 per employee per month, in eligible countries and salary ranges. RemoFirst advertises the same USD 199. Above that there is a gap: the next price is Pebl at USD 399, and most global providers start between USD 499 and USD 599.

Cheapest employer of record fees we tested, November 2026Starting EOR fees per employee per month for 12 plans from the 11 providers we tested, from USD 199 at RemotePeople Select to USD 699 at Oyster.EOR fee per employee per month (USD)RemotePeople Select$199eligible countries and salary rangesRemoFirst$199Trustpilot warning; varies by countryPebl$39912-month commitmentMultiplier$459billed annually; $499 billed monthlyRemotePeople Global$499Papaya Global$499Rippling$499plus platform from $8Borderless AI$579$399 offer to 31 Dec 2026Deel$599plus Employer Liability CostG-P$599Remote$599annual contract; $699 billed monthlyOyster$699Starting fees checked 11 November 2026. Salary, employer taxes and benefits are extra.

A starting fee is the lowest price a provider advertises, and your country quote can be higher. Every figure here is a service fee. Salary, employer taxes and benefits are charged on top, and they are the same whichever provider you choose. Our EOR cost guide covers those layers country by country.

Provider Fee from, per employee per month Deposit Commitment Our rating
RemotePeople Select from USD 199 in eligible countries and salary ranges; Global from USD 499 1 month’s gross salary, returned within 5 days of the final payment Set in the country proposal ★ 4.9
RemoFirst
⚠ Trustpilot warning: rating suspended for a breach of its guidelines; fake reviews removed (8 Nov 2026) 		USD 199, varies by country About 1 month’s gross salary plus employer costs No minimum term ★ 0.5
Pebl USD 399 Required per hire, amount set per quote 12 months; offboarding needs 90 days’ notice ★ 4.2
Multiplier USD 459 billed annually; USD 499 billed monthly 1 month or more of gross salary plus contributions Annual billing ★ 4.1
Papaya Global USD 499 1 to 2 months’ gross salary Set in the country quote ★ 4.1
Rippling USD 499, plus the Rippling platform from USD 8 Set per quote Seats fixed for the term; renews unless you give 30 days’ notice ★ 4.5
Borderless AI USD 579; USD 399 on fees billed to 31 December 2026 outside Canada 1.5 months by ACH, 3 months by other methods Canada offer needs a 12-month contract ★ 4.0
Deel USD 599, plus a mandatory Employer Liability Cost 1 to 1.5 months’ gross salary Month to month ★ 4.7
G-P USD 599 1 to 2.5 months’ gross salary plus employer costs No minimum term ★ 4.2
Remote USD 599 on an annual contract; USD 699 billed monthly 1 month’s gross salary plus employer costs Annual or monthly; fees aren’t prorated ★ 3.8
Oyster USD 699 About 1 month’s gross salary plus employer costs and fees Monthly; annual seats are prepaid and not refunded ★ 4.5

We tested every provider in this table: a paid client account, real country quotes and a hire run through payroll.

What is the cheapest EOR we tested?

RemotePeople Select, at USD 199 per employee per month, is the cheapest plan we tested and our pick for a low-cost EOR. It carries the same 4.9 rating as RemotePeople’s Global plan and includes a named account manager. The limit is eligibility: Select is sold in selected countries and for qualifying salary ranges. If your hire falls outside them, the price is the Global plan’s USD 499, so ask for the Select eligibility check in writing before you budget USD 199.

RemoFirst advertises the same USD 199 with no minimum term. We rate it 0.5 out of 5 because Trustpilot suspended its rating and removed fake reviews, and its fee varies by country. Our RemoFirst review has the detail.

If Select doesn’t cover your hire, Pebl is the next cheapest at USD 399, in exchange for a 12-month commitment. Multiplier follows at USD 459 on annual billing.

How much does a cheap EOR save?

USD 400 a month per employee, or USD 4,800 a year, is the gap between a USD 199 fee and the USD 599 that Deel, G-P and Remote charge. For ten employees that is USD 48,000 a year. Against Oyster’s USD 699 the gap is USD 6,000 a year per employee.

USD 199 to USD 699

EOR fee per employee per month across the 11 providers we tested.

USD 4,800 a year

Saved per employee by paying USD 199 a month, not USD 599.

3% to 10%

Share of the monthly cost of a hire that goes to the EOR fee.

The saving is real, but it is a small share of the total. Take a hire with a USD 5,000 monthly salary, USD 900 of employer costs and USD 250 of benefits.

EOR fee as a share of the monthly cost of one hireOn an example hire with a USD 5,000 salary, USD 900 of employer costs and USD 250 of benefits, a USD 199 fee is 3.1% of the USD 6,349 monthly cost and a USD 599 fee is 8.9% of USD 6,749.Where the money goes each monthSalary $5,000Employer costs $900Benefits $250EOR feeWith a $199 fee: $6,349 a monthfee is 3.1% of the costWith a $599 fee: $6,749 a monthfee is 8.9% of the costDifference: $400 a month, or $4,800 a year, per employeeExample hire, not a quote.

The fee is 3.1% of the monthly cost at USD 199 and 8.9% at USD 599. Salary and employer costs don’t change with the provider. That is why a payroll error or a slow deposit refund can wipe out a year of fee savings on one hire. Choose on the fee only after the points in the next section check out.

What makes a cheap EOR expensive?

Five things turn a low headline fee into a higher cost. Ask each provider about all five and get the answers in the quote.

1
The country price. A “from” price is the lowest on the rate card. RemoFirst’s USD 199 varies by country, and Pebl’s month-to-month estimate for a UK hire was USD 599 against the USD 399 headline. Ask for the fee in your hiring country.
2
The deposit. Nearly every provider holds a deposit before the hire starts, and its size has nothing to do with the fee. On a USD 5,000 gross salary it runs from USD 5,000 to USD 19,437. Our EOR security deposit guide lists refund terms.
3
The commitment. Pebl’s USD 399 needs a 12-month commitment, and offboarding takes at least 90 days’ notice while the fee continues: at least USD 1,197 after you decide to end the hire. Deel bills month to month, and G-P and RemoFirst set no minimum term.
4
Currency conversion. No provider we tested publishes a conversion percentage. A 1% spread on USD 5,900 of salary and employer costs is USD 59 a month; 3% is USD 177, close to the whole USD 199 fee. See how to check EOR FX markup.
5
Charges on top. Deel adds a mandatory Employer Liability Cost that varies by country. Rippling adds its platform subscription from USD 8 per employee plus a monthly base fee. Multiplier prices compliance add-ons separately. The hidden EOR fees guide lists what to ask.
EOR deposit due before a hire starts, by providerDeposit on an example hire with a USD 5,000 gross monthly salary and USD 900 of employer costs: from USD 5,000 at RemotePeople to between USD 9,719 and USD 19,437 at Borderless AI.Deposit due before day one on a $5,000 gross salarySolid bar: lowest deposit. Lighter bar: up to the highest.RemotePeople$5,0001 month’s gross salaryDeel$5,000 to $7,5001 to 1.5 months’ gross salaryPapaya Global$5,000 to $10,0001 to 2 months’ gross salaryRemote$5,9001 month’s gross salary plus employer costsRemoFirst$5,900about 1 month’s gross salary plus employer costsMultiplier$5,900 or more1 month or more of gross salary plus contributionsOyster$6,599about 1 month’s gross salary plus employer costs and feesG-P$5,900 to $14,7501 to 2.5 months’ gross salary plus employer costsBorderless AI$9,719 to $19,4371.5 months by ACH, 3 months by other methodsExample hire: $5,000 gross salary, $900 employer costs. Pebl and Rippling set the deposit per quote.

The chart shows the deposit before the first payroll for one example hire. Deel replaces the deposit with monthly prepayment if you choose Early Invoicing.

Which cheap EOR fits your situation?

Your situation Lowest-cost option we tested Why
One or two hires in a Select-eligible country RemotePeople Select, USD 199 Lowest fee we tested; deposit of 1 month’s gross salary, back within 5 days of the final payment
A short project you may end within a year Deel, USD 599 Month to month with no minimum term, so you don’t pay for unused months
A hire you are sure will last 12 months or more Pebl, USD 399, or Multiplier, USD 459 The commitment buys the lower price; check the notice terms first
Hires in several countries where Select doesn’t apply RemotePeople Global, Papaya Global or Rippling, USD 499 The lowest fee once Select, Pebl’s 12-month price and Multiplier’s annual price are ruled out
Five or more hires at once A negotiated quote Volume and annual billing both move the price
Nine or more employees in one country Your own entity At a USD 599 fee an entity is cheaper from nine employees in our Germany model

How do you pay less with any EOR?

Bill annually

Multiplier charges USD 459 a month on annual billing against USD 499 monthly, a saving of USD 480 a year per employee. Remote charges USD 599 on an annual contract against USD 699 monthly, a saving of USD 1,200. Take the annual price only if the hire will last the year: Remote doesn’t prorate fees and Oyster’s prepaid annual seats aren’t refunded.

Ask for the discount in the quote

Providers discount the service fee for volume, for annual prepayment and through brokers. Through our free matching service you can get up to 30% off eligible EOR service fees. On a USD 499 fee, 30% would be USD 149.70 a month. The discount applies to the service fee only, and the provider’s written quote has to confirm the plan, countries and duration.

Reduce the cash held

RemotePeople waives the deposit on its EOR Plus offer for teams of five or more paying annually, when the waiver is written into the proposal. Deel’s Early Invoicing swaps the deposit for monthly prepayment. Neither changes the fee, but both free up a month or more of salary per hire.

Compare quotes on the same hire

Send each provider the same country, salary, start date and contract length, then compare the full first-year cost. Our guide to comparing EOR pricing and quotes has the questions, and the EOR cost calculator adds employer costs by country.

When is your own entity cheaper than a cheap EOR?

The lower the fee, the longer an EOR stays cheaper than opening a company. In our Germany model an entity costs less than the EOR from nine employees at a USD 599 fee, from 15 at USD 449 and from 26 at USD 349. At USD 199 the entity was not cheaper at any headcount we modelled, up to 30 employees.

Headcount at which your own entity becomes cheaper than an EOR, by EOR feeIn our Germany model an entity becomes cheaper than an EOR at 9 employees with a USD 599 fee, 15 with USD 449 and 26 with USD 349. At USD 199 the entity is not cheaper at 5, 15 or 30 employees.The lower the EOR fee, the later your own entity pays offFirst headcount at which a German entity costs less than the EOR$599 a month9 employees$449 a month15 employees$349 a month26 employees$199 a monthnot cheaper at 5, 15 or 30 employees0102030employeesGermany model, steady-state annual costs.

The full model is in EOR vs entity setup.

How we checked these prices

The fees, deposits and contract terms come from our tests of the 11 providers in our ranking: a paid client account, real country quotes and a hire run through payroll for each, fact-checked by a second editor and confirmed with the provider. This guide sorts those providers by price; the ranking itself weighs service, compliance and support as well. The example hire (USD 5,000 salary, USD 900 employer costs, USD 250 benefits) is illustrative and is not a quote. Our methodology explains how we rate providers, and how we make money explains referral fees.

Cheapest employer of record FAQs

What is the cheapest employer of record?

Among the 11 providers we tested, RemotePeople Select is the cheapest, from USD 199 per employee per month in eligible countries and salary ranges. RemoFirst advertises the same USD 199, and Pebl is next at USD 399.

How much does a cheap EOR cost per year?

At USD 199 a month the service fee is USD 2,388 a year per employee. At USD 399 it is USD 4,788, at USD 599 it is USD 7,188 and at USD 699 it is USD 8,388. Salary, employer taxes and benefits are extra.

Is a USD 199 EOR safe to use?

The price alone doesn’t tell you. Check who the legal employer is in your country, the deposit and its refund date, the notice terms and whether the fee applies to your country. RemotePeople Select (rated 4.9) and RemoFirst (rated 0.5 after a Trustpilot warning) both cost USD 199 and scored very differently in our tests.

What is the cheapest EOR for startups?

For one or two hires, RemotePeople Select at USD 199 where the hire is eligible, with a deposit of one month’s gross salary. If you may end the hire within months, a month-to-month plan such as Deel at USD 599 can cost less overall than a cheaper plan with a 12-month commitment.

Does the cheapest EOR fee include salary and taxes?

No. The fee pays the provider for employing the person, running payroll and filing taxes. Salary, employer social contributions and benefits are billed on top and are the same with any provider.

Is Deel or RemoFirst cheaper?

RemoFirst, on the fee: from USD 199 against Deel’s USD 599 plus an Employer Liability Cost. Deel takes a deposit of 1 to 1.5 months’ gross salary; RemoFirst takes about one month’s gross salary plus employer costs. We rate Deel 4.7 and RemoFirst 0.5.

Can you negotiate EOR fees?

Yes. Volume, annual billing and broker offers all lower the service fee. Get the discount, the plan and the countries it covers written into the quote.

Which cheap EOR has no minimum contract?

RemoFirst (from USD 199) advertises no minimum term. Among higher-priced providers, Deel bills month to month and G-P sets no minimum term for an EOR hire.

Sources and price-check dates

The sources behind this guide. Dates show when we last checked a page. Prices and terms change, so confirm them in your quote.

Prices, deposits and models

4 sources

  1. TheBestEOR test records

    Ranking table for the 11 tested providers

    Fees, deposits and contract terms, updated 11 November 2026.

  2. TheBestEOR guide

    EOR security deposit guide

    Deposit and refund terms, checked 5 November 2026.

  3. TheBestEOR guide

    EOR vs entity setup

    Germany break-even model by EOR fee.

  4. TheBestEOR guide

    How much does an employer of record cost in 2026?

    The example hire and employer costs by country.

If you spot a changed price or a conflicting source, send it through the contact page and we’ll review it.

This guide is for general information only and does not provide legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice. For advice about your business, consult a qualified professional familiar with the rules where you hire. Read our research methodology to learn how we assess sources.