Deel’s Counterclaims Against Rippling: Setting the Record Straight

March 25, 2026

Deel files counterclaims

Since March 2025, Rippling has pursued an aggressive public and legal campaign against Deel built around sensational allegations and misleading narratives designed to damage Deel’s reputation rather than compete fairly in the market.

From the beginning, we have denied these allegations and remained focused on serving our customers, building the best global payroll and HR platform, and continuing our strong growth trajectory. Today, Deel serves more than 40,000 customers across 150+ countries, and has been EBITDA profitable for over three years.

As this litigation has progressed, additional facts and evidence have emerged that paint a much broader picture of Rippling’s conduct.

In April 2026, Deel filed federal counterclaims against Rippling. Our counterclaims reflect what we believe is a longstanding pattern of anti-competitive behavior designed to undermine Deel and other competitors through misinformation and deceptive business practices.

This case is no longer simply about the allegations Rippling initially chose to publicize. It is about holding Rippling accountable for its decision to compete through intimidation, misinformation campaigns, and attempts to manipulate public perception. We believe the evidence we have will demonstrate a profile of behavior that customers, partners, and the industry deserve to fully understand.

Throughout this process, Deel has remained focused on our customers and our products. While others generate headlines, our teams continue to build, innovate, and support businesses around the world navigating the complexities of global work.

We look forward to presenting the facts through the legal process and remain confident in our position.

June 3, 2025

Deel files amendment

Rippling Didn’t Build. It Stole.

Deel has uncovered hard evidence that Rippling didn’t develop its Employer of Record product — it stole it.

For six months, Rippling’s “Competitive Intelligence Manager,” under a fake company name, infiltrated Deel’s platform 58 times. He downloaded troves of proprietary documents — including global contracts, benefits policies, and pricing — and used Deel’s support team to extract even more information. We have unequivocal proof of these allegations including screenshots, logins, interactions with our team etc. All of it directed by Rippling leadership.

When caught, they tried to cover it up. But the digital trail remains.

This isn’t competition. It’s corporate theft. We’ll prove it in court.

Download the complaint we filed today in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware.

April 25, 2025

Deel’s mission is to radically simplify global work and our focus is on building the best payroll and HR platform available, paired with a seamless customer experience, compliance and first rate service. We have evolved over just six years to serve 35,000+ customers in over 150 countries, achieving an $800mn run rate, a $12bn+ valuation and have been profitable for 2.5 years.

The reason for our success is simple: we relentlessly focus on our business and nothing else. To us, industry competition is a data point, and we believe we are peerless in the areas we are best known for.

Another industry player, Rippling, takes a different view.

We have filed a civil lawsuit against Rippling in the Superior Court in Delaware.

Our complaint details a longstanding pattern of behavior that we believe runs counter to the integrity and honesty demanded by customers of HR providers. Rippling has a documented history of attacking competitors and former employees – including Deel – through legal action, frivolous regulatory complaints, and misleading marketing tactics.

On March 17, Rippling filed a lawsuit against Deel in California as its latest maneuver in its campaign to try to impugn Deel’s reputation. Today Deel filed three motions to address this lawsuit:

• Motion to Dismiss on Forum Non Conveniens grounds in favor of Ireland – to have the case resolved in the forum where Rippling previously initiated litigation against its former employee Keith O’Brien, and now named Deel and several of its executives.
• Motion to Dismiss under Rule 12b6 – for Rippling’s failure to state a viable claim against Deel.
• Anti-SLAPP motion – to stem Rippling’s attempt, through litigation, to infringe on Deel’s protected conduct.

We look forward to the truth coming out through the litigation process in Ireland.

We have taken the high road in the past but enough is enough. We won’t tolerate this conduct any longer.

To our customers and partners, we thank you for your partnership even amongst this unnecessary noise generated by a lagging competitor. We will continue to remain laser focused on serving your needs by building the best global payroll and HR products on the market.