Hiring employees in other countries can open up access to talented candidates, but it also means dealing with different employment laws, payroll requirements, taxes, benefits, and HR processes.
For businesses that don’t want to invest the time and money to open local entities and learn the legal ins and outs in every country where they hire, an Employer of Record (EOR) can often be the right fit.
The EOR becomes the legal employer of workers in countries where the company doesn't have its own entity and handles responsibilities such as employment contracts, payroll, taxes, statutory benefits, and local employment requirements.
RemoFirst, Deel, and Oyster all provide EOR services for companies hiring across borders. However, their pricing, geographic coverage, additional services, and overall approach differ considerably.
Here's how RemoFirst, Deel, and Oyster compare.
RemoFirst vs. Deel vs. Oyster at a Glance
Pricing and services vary by country, so employers should confirm exact costs and availability for each location before choosing a provider.
RemoFirst
RemoFirst is an AI-native global employment platform that helps companies hire employees in 185+ countries without establishing local legal entities.
EOR services start at USD 199 per employee per month and include localized employment contracts, payroll and tax administration, statutory benefits, onboarding and offboarding support, and guidance on local employment requirements.
RemoFirst also provides:
- Contractor management and payments in 150+ countries
- Global payroll
- Global and local health insurance through RemoHealth
- Visa and work permit support in 110+ countries
- Background checks through RemoCheck
- Equipment procurement and shipping through RemoTech
- Expense management
- 24/7 customer support and a dedicated account manager
RemoFirst uses a network of vetted local partners to support employment across its global footprint. These partners have an average of more than 20 years of local payroll experience and have collectively processed more than USD 30 billion in payroll.
The company doesn't require annual contracts or a minimum number of employees.
RemoFirst is particularly well suited to startups, SMBs, and other companies that want broad EOR coverage and hands-on support without paying the higher monthly fees charged by many other global employment platforms.
Check out RemoFirst’s G2 reviews to learn more about what our customers have to say.
Deel
Deel offers EOR services in 130+ countries, along with contractor management, global payroll, immigration services, U.S. PEO services, HR software, and IT and equipment management.
EOR pricing is USD 599 per employee per month. Deel also operates a large network of owned entities and has built a broad suite of workforce management products around its original global hiring services.
Its EOR offering includes payroll, taxes, localized contracts, benefits, onboarding, reporting, and access to HR, legal, and tax expertise.
Contractor management is USD 49 per contractor per month. Deel also offers Contractor of Record services starting at USD 325 per contractor per month for companies that want Deel to take on additional responsibility for contractor classification.
The breadth of Deel's product suite can make it a good fit for larger companies that want to consolidate EOR, payroll, HR, IT, and other workforce functions with one provider.
For a more detailed breakdown, check out RemoFirst vs. Deel or take a look at Deel’s G2 profile.
Oyster
Oyster provides EOR services in 120+ countries and supports contractor hiring and payments in an additional number of markets.
EOR services cost USD 699 per employee per month and cover localized employment contracts, payroll, taxes, benefits, onboarding and offboarding, expenses, time off, and other employment administration.
Oyster also offers:
- Contractor management for USD 29 per contractor per month
- Global payroll
- Global and country-specific benefits
- Visa sponsorship in 60+ countries
- Salary insights
- HR advisory services through Oyster People Services
Oyster places a strong emphasis on the employee experience and access to HR expertise. Its People Services offering, for example, gives employers access to HR advisory support for USD 300 per hour.
That combination may appeal to companies that prioritize employee experience and hands-on HR guidance and are comfortable with Oyster's higher starting EOR price.
For more information on how RemoFirst compares to Oyster, take a look at the RemoFirst vs. Oyster page and browse Oyster’s G2 profile to see user feedback.
How RemoFirst, Deel, and Oyster Compare
All three providers can handle the basic responsibilities of employing workers through an EOR. The bigger differences show up in price, geographic coverage, support, and services beyond EOR.
EOR Pricing
Price is one of the clearest differences between the three providers.
RemoFirst starts at USD 199 per employee per month, compared with USD 599 for Deel and USD 699 for Oyster.
For 10 employees, the starting monthly EOR fees would be:
- RemoFirst: USD 1,990
- Deel: USD 5,990
- Oyster: USD 6,990
That's a difference of USD 4,000 per month between RemoFirst and Deel and USD 5,000 per month between RemoFirst and Oyster before accounting for employee salaries, statutory employer costs, benefits, and other country-specific expenses.
RemoFirst also doesn't charge setup, onboarding, or termination fees.
Global Coverage
Country coverage matters because an EOR can only hire employees in locations where it has the infrastructure to employ them legally.
RemoFirst supports EOR hiring in 185+ countries, compared with 130+ countries for Deel and 120+ for Oyster.
However, providers don’t always calculate their country coverage the same way. Some companies advertise the total number of countries supported across all of their services rather than the number where EOR employment is available.
Employers planning to hire across several markets should confirm EOR availability specifically rather than relying on a provider's overall global coverage.
Contractor Management
All three platforms also support independent contractors, which can help companies managing a mix of employees and contractors.
RemoFirst offers a free contractor management tier that includes onboarding, identity verification, contract generation and management, document storage, and expense reimbursement. Its Premium Contractor service costs USD 25 per contractor per month and enables payment processing.
Deel charges USD 49 per contractor per month for contractor management and payments. It also offers Contractor of Record services starting at USD 325 per month for companies that want additional protection against contractor misclassification.
Oyster charges USD 29 per contractor per month following a 30-day free period.
The right model depends on how much support an employer needs. Companies that primarily need contracts, documentation, and payments may not need the more expensive Contractor of Record service.
Benefits and Health Insurance
An EOR is responsible for making sure employees receive the statutory benefits required in their country, but providers can also offer supplemental benefits.
RemoFirst provides access to global and local health insurance through RemoHealth, with coverage options that can include medical, dental, and vision care.
Deel offers global and localized benefits, including healthcare, dental, vision, mental health, fertility, pensions, and other country-specific programs.
Oyster provides global and country-specific benefits packages that can include healthcare, pensions, and allowances.
Plans, costs, and availability depend on where the employee lives, so employers should compare benefits at the country level rather than assuming every worker will have access to the same package.
Visas and Work Permits
EOR and immigration services solve different problems. An EOR gives a company a legal way to employ someone in a country, while immigration services help workers obtain the authorization they need to live and work there.
RemoFirst provides visa and work permit support in 110+ countries. Deel also offers immigration services in 70+ markets, while Oyster provides visa sponsorship in 60+ countries.
Immigration coverage can be especially important for companies that relocate employees or hire candidates who don't already have authorization to work in their intended country.
Customer Support
Support becomes particularly important when an employer is dealing with a payroll question, benefits issue, contract change, or time-sensitive employee request in another country.
RemoFirst provides every client with a dedicated account manager alongside 24/7 customer support, help articles, and online chat.
Deel provides 24/7 customer support and offers multiple ways for customers to get assistance.
Oyster provides customer support along with access to in-house HR expertise. Companies that need additional HR guidance can also purchase Oyster People Services.
For employers comparing providers, it's worth looking beyond whether a company advertises 24/7 support. Dedicated account management, response times, escalation processes, and access to local expertise can have a much bigger effect on the day-to-day experience.
Which EOR Is Best: RemoFirst, Deel, or Oyster?
No single EOR is right for every company.
Deel has developed an extensive HR and workforce technology ecosystem. Companies that want EOR services alongside HR software, IT management, global payroll, U.S. PEO services, and other workforce tools may find value in having those services under one provider.
Oyster combines EOR services with a strong emphasis on employee experience, benefits, and HR advisory support. That may make it a good fit for companies willing to pay a higher monthly EOR fee for those capabilities.
RemoFirst is a strong choice for companies that want extensive global coverage without the higher EOR fees charged by Deel and Oyster. Its USD 199 starting price, 185+ country footprint, dedicated account management, and additional services such as contractor management, global payroll, health insurance, background checks, equipment, and immigration support make it particularly well suited to cost-conscious companies building distributed teams.
Hire Globally for Less With RemoFirst
Global hiring doesn't have to come with a USD 600+ EOR fee for every employee.
RemoFirst helps companies hire employees in 185+ countries, with EOR services starting at USD 199 per employee per month. Employers get support with contracts, payroll, taxes, statutory benefits, and local employment requirements, along with a dedicated account manager and 24/7 customer support.
Companies can also manage contractors, run global payroll, provide health insurance, arrange equipment, conduct background checks, and access visa and work permit support through RemoFirst.
Ready to compare your global employment costs? Book a demo with RemoFirst.
