Best Remote.com competitors and alternatives: Complete comparison guide for 2025
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In this article
Remote.com (also known as Remote) rode the post-COVID work-from-home boom with a compelling value proposition: hire anyone, anywhere. Since 2019, they've built a global employment platform with no third-party legal entities and charge flat fees. But by 2025, cracks are showing. Many companies find Remote’s non-inclusive pricing hard to justify when competitors offer stronger integrations, more HR functionality, better customer support, and deeper regional expertise. This guide breaks down where Remote and its 13 competitors succeed and fall short, so you can find the right fit for your EOR services, global payroll, and workforce management requirements.
What is Remote and why look for alternatives?
Remote lets companies hire, pay, and manage employees globally without setting up local entities. Key services include:
Employer of Record (EOR): Remote becomes the legal employer, handling contracts, payroll, employee benefits administration, and compliance.
Global payroll: Processes multi-country payroll with tax compliance and currency support for existing entities.
Contractor management: Pays freelancers and international contractors in 200+ countries.
HRIS: Benefits, compliance, and employee lifecycle management.
Why look for a Remote alternative
Companies often start with Remote because of its direct entity ownership model. But as you scale, Remote's functionalities may fail to align with your specific needs.
A few reasons we gathered from current and past Remote users:
Incomplete HR functionality
HR functionality is an afterthought with Remote. Employees can upload onboarding and offboarding documents, log hours, and request PTO, but without any compliance guardrails.
Customer support gaps
When issues like onboarding glitches, payroll errors, or verification bugs hit, delays can be costly.
Remote claims to operate a wholly-owned EOR model, but often lacks in-country HR advisors, leaving local compliance questions or urgent payroll fixes to drag through generic support channels.
Coverage and expertise issues
Remote's country coverage gaps become apparent when companies expand into markets where they lack local depth. Multiple users reported that Remote struggled with local laws, and one even had their contracts prepared by foreigners unfamiliar with their native language.
“Very slow to figure out any issues. If you face a payroll or taxation issue with Remote, expect 2-3 weeks until you get any insight into what caused the issue and how it can be solved.” Ex Remote Customer
Integration limits
We counted. Remote connects with just 17 apps. Competitors like Rippling (with 600+ native integrations) make it easier to sync real-time employee data across a host of platforms.
When your platforms don't sync directly, you're stuck with manual data entry, siloed dashboards, and workflow inefficiencies that compound at scale.
Top Remote competitors and alternatives with feature comparison
1. Rippling
Rippling is a global EOR and payroll service solution that integrates HR, IT, and finance into a single platform. This all-in-one approach means no more employee data silos. Payroll, benefits, device management, and onboarding are seamlessly connected. Rippling’s HCM platform offers full functionality, which means you can confidently consolidate your domestic and global workforce onto a single platform.
G2 Rating: 4.8/5 stars (#1 software solution for Core HR and Workforce Management)
Capterra Rating: 4.9/5 stars
Key features:
Unified platform: HR, IT, Finance, and Payroll in one system
EOR services: Available in 50+ countries
Advanced integrations: 600+ pre-built integrations
IT management: Device and app provisioning included
Workflow automation: Advanced workflow builder for complex processes
Granular reporting: Plan for international hiring without manually pulling workforce data
Full HCM functionality: Everything you need from headcount planning, recruiting, applicant tracking, performance management, scheduling, and more
Pros:
Competitive pricing that balances the breadth of features
Automated, employee-level compliance tracking across 100+ countries
Onboard global employees in minutes, pay locally in days
Superior customer support with local experts
Cons:
Because it’s a unified solution (HR, IT, Finance, Payroll), Rippling's platform can initially feel overwhelming, but onboarding support is available.
Rippling | Remote.com | |
---|---|---|
Platform specialization | Unified platform (HR, payroll, IT, benefits, spend, device management) | HR + EOR only |
Workflow automation | Custom workflows across HR, IT, and payroll | Limited |
Coverage | 185+ countries (with more on the way) | 200+ countries for contractors, 90+ for EOR |
Off-cycle payroll | Unlimited off-cycle pay runs at no extra cost | Available in some countries; cost varies; cutoffs apply |
Pricing | HR modules: From $8 PEPM EOR: Quote-based | EOR: $699 PEPM (paid monthly) Payroll: $29 PEPM Contractor: $29-99 PEPM Contractor of Record: From $325 PEPM Professional Employer of Record (PEO): From $199 PEPM |
Integrations | 600+ pre-built integrations, including SSO, user provisioning, native integrations with ATS and HRIS systems | 17 integrations, including Greenhouse and Zapier |
2. Oyster HR
Oyster is an EOR and payroll provider with coverage in 180+ countries.
G2 Rating: 4.3/5 stars
Capterra Rating: 4.6/5 stars
Key features:
Global coverage: EOR services in 180+ countries
Benefits management: Localized benefit packages
Contractor conversion: Easy transition workers from contractor to full-time employee
Pros:
International freelancer support
Misclassification risk protection
Strong focus on employee experience and retention
Cons:
Limited local depth; reliance on third-party vendors in some regions
Smaller integration ecosystem compared to Rippling; may force manual HR or finance workflows
Very basic HR functionality: no applicant tracking, learning management, performance management, or time management
3. Papaya Global
Papaya Global is a workforce payments platform that provides end-to-end payroll and EOR services in 160+ countries.
G2 Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Capterra Rating: 4.4/5 stars
Key features:
Payments API: Manage payroll payments in your existing tech stack
Multi-country payroll: Support for 160+ countries and 130+ currencies
Contingent workforce: Specialized contractor and freelancer management
Pros:
AI-powered workforce intelligence and BI reporting
Optimized payment rail for transparent local payments
Cons:
Setup and additional service fees can accumulate
Not SMB-friendly; designed for companies with >101 employees
Dependencies on third parties for global payroll and EOR delivery
4. Globalization Partners
Globalization Partners (G-P) is a pioneer in the EOR industry, offering traditional global employment services across 180+ countries.
G2 Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Capterra Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Key features:
Traditional EOR: Full-service employment with dedicated account management
Benefits administration: Comprehensive benefits management
Compliance advisory: Regulatory guidance and market entry support
Pros:
Industry pioneer with over a decade of experience
AI-powered compliance and document generation
Cons:
May require extensive onboarding
Platform feels outdated compared to modern alternatives
Very basic HR functionality: no applicant tracking, learning management, performance management, or time management
5. Velocity Global (now Pebl)
Velocity Global is a mid-market EOR that provides benefits, visa support, and a white-glove concierge service for global workforce management.
G2 Rating: 4.6/5 stars
Capterra Rating: No reviews
Key features:
Extensive coverage: Services in 185+ countries
Immigration support: Visa and work permit assistance
Benefits administration: International and localized benefits packages
Pros:
International relocation support
Responsive customer support across time zones
Quick setup and implementation
Cons:
Platform may feel basic compared to full-featured Remote alternatives
Reliance on third-party entities in some regions
Higher costs compared to marketplace alternatives
6. Deel
Deel supports EOR, contractor management, and payroll services in 150+ countries.
G2 Rating: 4.8/5 stars
Capterra Rating: 4.8/5 stars
Key features:
Global coverage: 150+ countries for EOR, 170+ for contractors
Legal expertise: 200+ specialized employment law experts
Flexible pricing: Multiple plans from contractors to full EOR
Pros:
Free HRIS for small businesses and startups under 200 employees
Work visa and permit support
Cons:
Can be expensive for smaller teams needing full EOR services
Additional fees for misclassification protection, off-cycle pay runs, and end-of-year reports
YTD payroll reports must be manually requested
7. Multiplier
Multiplier offers EOR services in 150+ countries across APAC, Europe, and the Americas.
G2 Rating: 4.7/5 stars
Capterra Rating: 4.6/5 stars
Key features:
Asia expertise: Strong presence and local knowledge in APAC markets
Multi-currency payments: Multi-currency and crypto payout options
Local experts: 100+ in-house legal and tax experts
Pros:
Quick onboarding and contract preparation
No EOR setup or cancellation fees
Cons:
No direct contact with the in-house legal team
Reported payment and support delays
Weak coverage in other non-APAC regions
8. Omnipresent
Omnipresent offers multiple employment models (EOR, PEO, VEO) across 160+ countries.
G2 Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Capterra Rating: 5.0/5 stars (from only one review)
Key features:
Global payroll: Multi-country payroll processing
Emerging market focus: Strong presence in developing economies
Benefits: Country-appropriate benefits packages
Pros:
Good value for coverage offered
In-country legal and HR specialists
Cons:
Frequent service delays due to slow responses and complicated processes
Not as many features as other established Remote competitors
Very basic HR functionality: no applicant tracking, learning management, performance management, or time management
9. Plane
Plane is a modern employer of record platform that helps U.S.-based startups hire and pay local and international talent.
G2 Rating: 4.6/5 stars
Capterra Rating: No reviews
Key features:
Multi-country platform: Single system for W2 employees, international employees, and global contractors
Contractor payments: Support for contractor management in 240+ countries with automated exchange rates
EOR services: Available in 100+ countries for full-time employees
Pros:
Real-time support assistance via Slack or live chat
Streamlined employee onboarding with a dedicated manager
Cons:
Reported payroll processing delays
Limited customization options
Very basic HR functionality: no applicant tracking, learning management, performance management, or time management
10. Asanify
Asanify is an emerging EOR platform with specialization in Asia and MENA markets, offering global employment solutions with localized expertise.
G2 Rating: 4.9/5 stars
Capterra Rating: 4.7/5 stars
Key features:
Regional coverage: 50+ countries (strong in India/Asia)
Visa support: Immigration assistance for key markets
ESOP support: Equity structuring and management
Pros:
Local support teams
Regional expertise in underserved markets
Cons:
Limited global coverage compared to major providers
Newer platform with fewer established integrations
11. Wisemonk
Wisemonk is an HR solution specializing in hiring and managing remote Indian talent. Wisemonk's services include payroll, benefits, offer management, and HR compliance for the Indian market.
G2 Rating: 4.7/5 stars
Capterra Rating: 5.0/5 stars (from only one review)
Key features:
Country specialization: Deep expertise in the Indian tech market
Talent sourcing: Built-in recruitment and talent matching
Compliance management: Indian labor laws and tax compliance
Pros:
India-based support team
Competitive pricing for India-focused operations
Cons:
Not suitable for multi-country operations
Lacks integrations with major international HR systems
12. RemoFirst
RemoFirst is a growing EOR platform offering international employment services in 185+ countries.
G2 Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Capterra Rating: 5.0/5 stars (from only two reviews)
Key features:
Global EOR coverage: Support for 185+ countries
Benefits administration: Localized benefits packages and access to health insurance from $55 PEPM
Support: 24/5 customer service support with dedicated account managers
Immigration services: Visas and work Permits in 85+ countries
Pros:
Quick employee onboarding process
Free background checks for contractors
No minimum contract terms or number of employees
Cons:
Newer platform with less market presence
Fewer integration options compared to Remote.com competitors
13. Justworks
Justworks is a U.S.-focused HR, payroll, and benefits platform with limited international EOR capabilities through partnerships.
G2 Rating: 4.6/5 stars
Capterra Rating: 4.6/5 stars
Key features:
U.S. PEO: Primary focus on U.S. co-employment
Payroll, benefits, and compliance: Strong payroll management, benefits, nd regulatory compliance for U.S.-based companies.
Support: 24/7 customer support with dedicated account managers
Pros:
Benefits are included in PEO pricing
Simple, user-friendly platform
Cons:
U.S-centric and not suitable for significant international expansion
Limited workflow configuration
“We recently switched from Justworks and I have to say, Rippling is much easier to navigate and offers more functionality than JW. In particular, I love the feature of SSO and sharing passwords for subscriptions we have across the company. Additionally, the breakdown of benefits and how that is displayed as well as accessing related documents is much more intuitive. Thank you!” Ex Justworks Customer
Software | Pricing | Coverage | Key Limitation |
---|---|---|---|
Remote | EOR: $699 PEPM (paid monthly) Payroll: $29 PEPM Contractors: $29-99/month per contractor Contractor of Record: From $325/month per contractor Professional Employer of Record (PEO): From $199 PEPM | 200+ countries for contractors, 90+ for EOR | Lack of native integration options with core platforms may create data silos |
Rippling | HR modules: From $8 PEPM EOR: Quote-based | 185+ countries (with more on the way) | 2-3 weeks implementation time (but with onboarding support) |
Oyster HR | EOR: $699 PEPM Contractors: $29/month per contractor Global payroll: $29 PEPM | 120+ countries for EOR, 180+ for contractors | Limited local depth; reliance on third-party vendors in some regions |
Papaya Global | EOR: Custom pricing (typically $400-800 PEPM) Payroll: Quote-based | 160+ countries for contractors and EOR | Pricing is not startup-friendly |
Globalization Partners (G-P) | Quote-based pricing | 180+ countries | Unintuitive platform compared to other Remote alternatives |
Velocity Global (now Pebl) | EOR: $599 PEPM | 185+ countries | Limited third-party integrations |
Deel | EOR: $599 PEPM Contractors: $49/month per contractor Payroll: From $29 PEPM (Global), Quote-based (U.S.) Contractor of Record: From $325/month per contractor | 150+ countries for EOR, 130+ for contractors | High currency conversion fees |
Multiplier | EOR: From $400 PEPM Contractors: From $40/month per contractor Global payroll: Quote-based | 150+ countries | Weak coverage in non-APAC regions |
Omnipresent | EOR: From £499 PEPM Contractors: From £29/month per contractor | 160+ countries | Less established than other Remote competitors |
Plane | EOR: $499 PEPM Contractors: $39/month per contractor U.S. payroll: $19 PEPM | 100+ countries for EOR, 240+ countries for contractors | Reported payroll processing delays |
Asanify | EOR: From $199 PEPM (varies across different countries) Contractors: $10/month per contractor | 200+ countries for contractors (strong in India/Asia) | Weak outside of core Asian markets |
Wisemonk | EOR: From $99 PEPM Contractors: From $19/month per contractor | India only | No expertise outside the Indian market |
RemoFirst | EOR: From $199 PEPM Contractors: Free tier for contractor management; $25/month per contractor to process payment RemoHealth: From $55 PEPM | 185+ countries for EOR | Less established track record |
Justworks | $79 PEPM
| U.S. only | Not suitable for global expansion |
How to choose the best Remote alternative
Assess your global hiring and payroll needs
If you’re building a global workforce, choose a payroll management software with broad coverage. If you’re focused on one region, a provider with deeper local know-how usually wins and might even be more cost-effective.
If you're managing both full-time employees and contractors, prioritize alternatives like Rippling that win at distributed workforce management.
Evaluate pricing transparency and total costs
Ask for an itemized quote that includes:
Multi-currency conversion fees
Add-on service costs
Implementation and setup fees
Country-specific benefits packages
Add these up so you’re comparing real monthly totals, not just base rates.
Compare customer support quality and responsiveness
Prioritize providers offering:
Dedicated account managers vs. ticket-based support systems
Local compliance expertise vs. generic support
Timely availability across your time zones
Live chat and phone support options
Review platform integration capabilities
You want native connectors or a solid API to sync your HRIS or accounting data. Zapier (on which Remote.com hinges most of its integrations) is fine for light automation, not for core HR workflows.
Analyze payroll processing reliability
Confirm pay timelines and “what if payroll fails” plans. Regional reliability matters, so ask for proof that they have processed payroll in your active markets.
Also, check if the company runs its local entities or uses third-party partners. This could impact process efficiency and IP security.
Consider implementation speed and ease
Do they promise a plug-and-play setup, or is there a learning curve? Do you need to hire immediately, or can you wait longer for additional features to be implemented?
Make sure you know what to expect before you commit.
Evaluate compliance expertise by region
Regional specialists often outperform global providers in complex markets. Verify each provider's track record in your target markets and their ability to handle local regulatory changes.
Why Rippling is the leading Remote alternative
Rippling is the only platform that unifies HR, IT, and Finance in one system. We help you hire, pay, and manage your employees and contractors across countries — all from a single, unified dashboard.
Where Remote struggles with weak integrations, limited support, a narrow EOR service, and pricing surprises, Rippling delivers an all-in-one software solution built for scale.
Think about what that means for your business. Instead of logging into a separate system to onboard a new hire, assign them a laptop, and get them paid, Rippling lets you do all of that with a single click. Every change — from a new hire to a promotion — automatically syncs across payroll, benefits, devices, and apps with 600+ native integrations, far beyond Remote’s limited connectivity.
Here's more:
Clear pricing: Rippling offers competitive pricing without the unexpected fees that frustrate Remote customers.
Reliable global payroll: Processing is faster and more consistent, avoiding the delays reported in markets like Brazil, India, and Southeast Asia with Remote.
Robust HCM features: Compared to Remote, Rippling has more complete and pre-configured HR functionalities with fully customized reporting.
Stronger support: Rippling provides best-in-class customer service, live support performance stats, and higher-touch options for larger accounts, compared to Remote's ticket-only model.
Advanced compliance: Rippling automates compliance across 100+ countries with local expertise, so you stay ahead of regulatory changes.
Streamlined onboarding and offboarding automation: Your employees are set up — or offboarded — with the right tools, payroll, and benefits.
Unified workforce and device management: Rippling also manages company devices and access, giving IT and HR a single view of your entire workforce, no matter where they are.
Enterprise-grade security: Rippling's built-in protections keep global employee and payroll data secure at scale.
Before we started using Rippling Global Payroll, we faced significant challenges in paying our international employees. Payments were either made in cash or via wire transfers to various bank accounts, which often took a long time to process. After thoroughly discussing the issue and researching potential solutions, we identified Rippling Global Payroll as the best option. Rippling was the only company capable of handling payroll in The Gambia, so we signed up and now use Rippling for our entire HR process, from onboarding new recruits to managing payroll.
Ebi Jambang
Executive VP Strategic Partner Operations at Teranga Hospitality Group
FAQs about Remote competitors
Which Remote competitor offers the most reliable payroll processing?
Rippling offers the most reliable alternative by running payroll natively inside its all-in-one platform. Because Rippling Payroll, HR, and IT share a single employee record, payments flow without the handoffs that slow down aggregator models. This unified approach means fewer errors, faster processing, and lower costs compared to relying on multiple third-party vendors with gaps like device/app provisioning, mobile device management (MDM), and document workflows.
Which competitors provide better customer support than Remote?
While Remote.com and other competitors don’t publish hard data on support quality, Rippling does. We share real-time stats on response and resolution times through our Support Status page, so you can see exactly how we perform.
Who offers faster employee onboarding than Remote?
At Rippling, we use automated workflows and user provisioning to make sure employee accounts, devices, software access, and tasks are all set up before Day One. And it only takes your employees and contractors 90 seconds to get onboarded.
What should I consider when switching from Remote?
Focus on these six areas:
- Data migration: How will you transfer employee records, payroll history, and compliance files?
- Contract timing: Remote won’t refund or prorate unused management fees if you cancel mid-cycle.
- Coverage gaps: Confirm your new provider supports every country you’re hiring in.
- Cost structure: Some Remote competitors require custom quotes, which can stall budgeting.
- Compliance continuity: Check that the provider can ensure uninterrupted compliance during transition.
- Integrations: Make sure your HR tech stack will integrate seamlessly after you switch.
Which Remote alternative is best for growing companies?
The right fit comes down to what matters more to you: cost, coverage, integrations, or speed. Rippling is the top choice if you want to unify HR, payroll, IT, and benefits, and manage hundreds of employees across countries without piling on separate tools.
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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The Rippling Team
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