Deel vs Justworks: Honest Employer of Record Service Comparison (2025)

General overview

When expanding a global workforce, choosing the right Employer of Record (EOR) service can significantly impact compliance, onboarding, and payroll management.

In 2025, two leading players in this space are Deel and Justworks. Both platforms offer simplified global hiring and compliance for companies without the need to set up local entities, but they have distinct strengths that cater to different business needs.

Justworks positions itself as an EOR built for small businesses. It supports hiring in 100+ countries but relies heavily on third-party partners to deliver its services. It’s focused on making payroll, benefits, and onboarding easy for small businesses to manage.

Deel is known for being the complete global hiring, payroll, and compliance solution. It offers EOR services in over 150 countries through its own entities. It’s backed by in-house infrastructure, AI-powered tools, and a dedicated team of compliance, payroll, and HR experts. It’s ideal for small, medium, and large enterprises seeking a single, unified solution to global expansion and team management.

Let’s dive deeper into how these two Employers of Record stack up across key criteria.

Key features

Justworks:

• EOR coverage in 100+ countries using owned entities and in-country partners
• Localized and automated payroll processing through local partners
• Automated onboarding that takes several days
• Integrated benefits administration tailored to each country
• Additional HR tools, including PEO services, contractor management, and visa and immigration support
• 24/7 multilingual support through phone, email, and live chat

Deel:

• Global EOR coverage in 150+ countries through Deel-owned legal entities
• Automated payroll and benefits using in-house infrastructure
• Automated onboarding that takes minutes with customizable workflows
• Integrated global HRIS at no extra cost
• Real-time compliance monitoring with a proprietary Compliance Hub, AI tools, and an in-house legal team
• End-to-end global HR tools, including contractor management and contractor of record services, visa and immigration support, device lifecycle management via Deel IT, equity consulting, and more
• 120+ native integrations plus open API access
• 24/7 multilingual support across multiple channels

See also: What Are the Pros and Cons of Hiring With an Employer of Record (EOR)?

Pros and cons

Justworks

Pros:

• Beginner-friendly user interface with a shallow learning curve
• Fast response times from the customer support team
• Provides contractor management services and immigration support
• Simple, guided onboarding experience

Cons:

• Relies mostly on in-country partners for EOR services and payroll
• Very limited compliance support
• Few native integrations and no public API access
• Lacks the infrastructure to support complex global teams

Deel

Pros:

• Relies on owned legal entities and in-house payroll infrastructure
• Advanced onboarding automation with guided workflows
• Intuitive, modern interface designed for ease of use at any scale
• Flexible payroll with employee-friendly options like payment methods
• Real-time compliance monitoring
• 24/7 in-house support with fast response times and quick issue resolution
• All-in-one solution for onboarding, paying, and supporting international contractors and employees

Cons:

• The platform’s depth can be intimidating for new users, but dedicated support helps you get up to speed fast
• Pricing may stretch lean budgets, but automation and built-in HR and compliance reduce long-term costs

Cost

Justworks:

Justworks offers a transparent pricing structure. It charges USD 599 per employee, per month for its international EOR service.

This price covers payroll processing, benefits administration, local compliance support, and a dedicated support manager. It also includes onboarding, paid time off management, and document storage.

Deel:

Deel has a transparent EOR pricing model as well that starts at USD 599 per employee, per month.

For this price, you get access to payroll processing, local compliance support, onboarding, benefits administration, contract creation, and HR and legal support.

Deel also offers a built-in global HRIS that provides access to crucial HR services at no extra cost, including:

• Time off management
• Centralized data storage
• Document management
• Workflow automation
• People analytics
• Time tracking
• App provisioning
• Access controls and approvals

This means you don’t have to invest in separate HRIS tools. Plus, you can access other workforce management tools like equity management, visa and immigration support, background checks, and device lifecycle management as add-ons.

It simplifies your tech stack and lowers your total cost of ownership by consolidating essential HR and compliance tools into one platform.

Summary:

Both Deel and Justworks charge a similar base rate for EOR services. However, Deel offers broader coverage using its own entities and provides a wider range of built-in workforce management tools.

With its built-in global HRIS and bundled services, Deel delivers more value by reducing the need for separate systems and lowering overall operational costs.

See also: EOR vs. Entity Costs: What’s More Affordable?

Compliance & legal reliability

Justworks:

Justworks compliance support is limited to basic compliance tasks like payroll tax filings and localized contracts. It does not offer automated tools for ongoing monitoring of legal changes or advanced risk management features.

You may need to invest more effort in monitoring compliance updates or invest in an internal legal team.

Deel:

Deel combines advanced technology with deep legal expertise to minimize compliance risks associated with global hiring.

The platform automates compliance updates to its payroll and HR processes. It complements this with 200+ in-house legal experts who continuously review these updates to ensure proper alignment with local employment laws and regulations.

At the core of Deel’s compliance framework is its proprietary Compliance Hub. This is an always-on compliance monitoring system that tracks regulatory changes worldwide in real time.

It provides you with personalized proactive alerts and insights about changes in labor laws, wage requirements, upcoming visa expirations, and potential risks like worker misclassification.

The Compliance Hub also includes an AI-powered Worker Classifier that plays a critical role in reducing the risk of misclassifying workers. Using localized legal standards and precedent, it evaluates each worker’s status to ensure your hiring decisions meet local laws.

To top it up, Deel AI, the platform’s intelligent assistant, offers instant, personalized compliance guidance based on your workforce data. It serves as an in-house compliance consultant without the need for expensive external legal resources.

Summary:
Justworks has basic compliance support, which is not enough for businesses that need consistent oversight across multiple countries.

Deel integrates human expertise and AI-driven automation for comprehensive compliance management. It offers real-time risk monitoring, localized legal guidance, and proactive tools that reduce legal exposure and keep you ahead of regulatory changes.

See also: Compliance Challenges When Managing a Global Contingent Workforce

Onboarding speed

Justworks:

The Justworks onboarding process takes a few business days, but its timely completion depends on the participant’s responsiveness. Once you invite an employee to the platform, it autogenerates locally compliant contracts and location-specific compliance documents.

Employees can create their profile, submit their details, and provide the required documents. A guided onboarding checklist helps them through the process, including benefits selection and signing contracts.

There’s an Onboarding Status Report you can use to monitor their onboarding progress.

Justworks' onboarding automation is limited to the basics. For example, when you add a new international employee, Justworks automatically sends invitations and forms and triggers email reminders if tasks remain incomplete.

Deel:

Deel onboards EOR employees in minutes. Once you select the country and enter basic worker details, Deel automatically initiates onboarding tasks like generating localized contracts and collecting compliance documents.

Employees receive an invitation to e-sign contracts directly on the platform and upload required documentation through a self-serve dashboard. The system flags any missing items and sends automated reminders to keep things moving fast.

You can monitor progress in real time via the Worker Onboarding Tracker.

After setup, you can build role-specific onboarding workflows using Deel’s Workflow Builder. This tool allows you to trigger tasks such as equipment provisioning, manager check-ins, and onboarding training modules based on department or location.

For a more seamless experience, you can integrate these workflows into Slack using Deel’s onboarding plugin. It allows new hires to complete tasks and access resources within your team’s existing communication channels.

Deel also includes a learning management system through Deel Engage. You can create and assign training courses automatically and track completion to ensure every employee receives full training.

Summary:
Justworks provides basic onboarding automation and guided checklists, but the process can take several days. Deel, on the other hand, completes onboarding in minutes and supports full-scale onboarding beyond initial setup.

Deel supports advanced automation, offers customizable workflows, and has built-in training tools.

See also: Elevate Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Efficiency with Deel

Benefits & payroll management

Justworks:

Justworks processes payroll through in-country partners. It handles payroll tax filings, statutory contributions, and payslips in compliance with local laws.

The platform includes an integrated expense management tool that lets employees submit reimbursement claims for out-of-pocket expenses.

Justworks’ reliance on in-country providers means payroll flexibility is relatively basic. For example, it supports off-cycle payments, allowing you to schedule additional payments outside the regular payroll cycle. But:

• It does not offer on-demand pay
• All payments are made in local fiat currency, with no support for digital currencies
• The standard payment method is direct deposit, with limited flexibility for alternative payment methods

Justworks has payroll reports and analytics that help with financial analysis and forecasting. However, they are basic and lack the depth or customization options found in more advanced EOR platforms.

For benefits, Justworks offers a centralized dashboard where employers can view offerings, manage enrollment timelines, and monitor compliance. Dedicated account managers ensure compliance with local requirements.

Access to additional, non-mandatory benefits varies by region and depends on the capabilities of Justworks’ local partners.

Deel:

Deel uses a fully owned payroll infrastructure to manage payroll processing. All calculations, compliance checks, and fund distributions are handled in-house, ensuring fast, reliable service without third-party delays.

Deel’s payroll flexibility is a standout feature. You can make last-minute adjustments up to the 20th of each month, far more flexible than most providers. It supports on-demand pay through Anytime Pay, over 15 payment methods, and accepts all currencies, including crypto.

Deel has an advanced expense tool that automates approvals within customizable workflows, cutting down manual effort.

The platform also delivers advanced global payroll reporting and analytics. For example, it features detailed payroll variance analysis and workforce cost breakdowns that help your business understand payroll changes and optimize expenses globally.

On the benefits side, Deel provides access to enterprise-level benefits at competitive rates. Its benefits administration is localized and integrates with the HRIS and payroll systems, enabling smooth enrollment, deduction processing, and real-time cost reporting.

Additionally, Deel offers a Global Benefits Tool that displays country-specific statutory and common benefits, aiding in the design of attractive benefits packages.

Summary:
Justworks provides reliable payroll and benefits processing, but it relies on local partners, has limited flexibility, and has fewer advanced features.

Deel’s fully owned payroll infrastructure offers greater flexibility and advanced tools. It helps you manage payroll costs more effectively while giving workers more payment options, resulting in a better employee experience.

See also: In-Kind Benefits Packages for Global Team Success

Support & user experience

Justworks:

Justworks has a multilingual customer support team available 24/7. Its support channels include phone, email, and live chat.

It promises to respond to phone calls in 45 seconds, live chat in under 90 seconds, and email within 24 hours.

The platform’s interface is simple and easy to navigate, which creates a smooth experience for users who need to complete basic tasks without much training. However, the limited customization options can frustrate users managing more complex EOR operations.

Deel:

Deel provides multilingual 24/7 support with multiple communication options, including:

• In-app and web live chat
• Email
• Phone and callback requests
• Video calls
• WhatsApp and WeChat
• Slack and Microsoft Teams

Deel’s team doesn’t just respond fast, it’s equipped to solve issues quickly. Live chat response times average around 60 seconds, with most EOR issues resolved in six minutes. In fact, 91% of issues are resolved on the first interaction.

Despite its advanced functionality, the platform’s user interface is modern and beginner-friendly. A unified dashboard gives you quick access to all functions. Smart prompts and in-app guidance walk you through complex tasks, helping your team work faster with minimal training.

Summary:
Both platforms have 24/7 support. However, Deel features broader multilingual support across more communication channels, paired with faster and more effective issue resolution.

While Justworks provides a straightforward user interface, it lacks customization options. Deel combines an intuitive interface with advanced features necessary for managing complex global teams.

Integrations

Justworks:

Justworks supports 21 native integrations with accounting and HR tools such as QuickBooks and Greenhouse.

Its Partner API is only currently available to select partners. It is not publicly available for general developer access as of yet.

Deel:

Deel supports over 120 native integrations. This includes accounting tools like Sage and Xero, expense management software like Expensify, HRIS platforms like Greenhouse, and equity management solutions like Carta.

If you need more control, Deel provides a well-documented public API with real-time data syncing and two-way connectivity. You can build custom integrations or automate workflows between Deel and your existing tech stack. A self-service sandbox in the Developer Center allows you to test and launch integrations independently.

You can also use Deel’s Workflow Builder to connect processes across platforms without coding. For instance, after finalizing a contract in Deel, you could log payroll data in Xero, Sync employee information to BambooHR, and assign onboarding actions in your project management software.

That said, many users find they don’t need external systems at all. Deel comes equipped with a built-in global HRIS, performance management, learning and development, career tracking, equity management, workforce planning tools, and more, reducing your dependence on legacy platforms.

Summary:
Justworks’ narrow integration capabilities limit customization and automation options for most users. Deel, on the other hand, features a vast library of native integrations, an accessible API, and a no-code Workflow Builder. It enables advanced automations and data exchange across your systems.

See also: 20 Best Payroll Integrations for Accounting, HR, and More

Scalability

Justworks:

Justworks supports scalability to a limited degree. You can manage international contractors and use the immigration support to relocate employees. But that’s where global enablement stops.

As your team grows across borders, Justworks doesn’t provide built-in tools for key needs like performance management, background checks, or workforce planning. You’ll need to patch together third-party solutions, creating operational complexity.

What’s more, because Justworks delivers EOR services through external partners, it can’t adapt as quickly to HR innovation and evolving workforce needs. This lag can limit your ability to deliver modern employee experiences to your teams, especially as expectations rise in competitive global markets.

Deel:

Deel is built for scaling businesses, from your first international hire to managing a complex global workforce. It provides you access to global hiring infrastructure through a single platform that supports the full employee lifecycle, from onboarding to career development and offboarding.

You can begin with core services like EOR and Contractor of Record, and gradually unlock additional tools as your needs grow.

This includes performance management, workforce planning, employee engagement, immigration, and more across time zones. There’s no need to patch together HR software; you only turn on what you need, when you need it.

Deel’s major strength is its ownership of local entities and payroll infrastructure. This control allows it to release new features faster, enhance automation, adopt the latest HR tech, and reflect modern HR practices without delay.

Its agility means you’re never stuck with outdated processes. You stay ahead of workforce trends without overhauling your systems every time the market shifts.

For startups and small teams, Deel keeps things simple. For larger enterprises, it scales with you, offering white glove onboarding, branded portals, and the flexibility to support complex, cross-border operations.

Summary:
Justworks offers limited scalability and relies on third-party partners, which can slow your response to evolving HR needs. Deel, on the other hand, adapts to your team size and goals, letting you scale across markets without rebuilding your HR stack or disrupting operations.

See also: A Guide on How to Scale Global HR

Review ratings from review sites

Justworks:

• Trustpilot: 2.0
• G2: 4.6

Deel:

• Trustpilot: 4.8
• G2: 4.8

Bottom-line

Justworks works well for small businesses hiring a few international employees and seeking a simple setup. It offers onboarding, dependable payroll, benefits administration, and basic compliance support. However, as your team grows across borders, its limitations become more noticeable.

Deel is better suited for fast-growing startups, small and medium-sized businesses, as well as large enterprises. It goes beyond basic EOR with advanced compliance, automation, and built-in workforce management tools. Owning local legal entities and infrastructure allows Deel to deliver greater consistency, making global expansion smoother and less fragmented.

Use Deel if you want a comprehensive EOR platform that covers the full employee lifecycle and scales seamlessly as your business grows.

Expand your operations to 150+ countries with Deel

G2 has recognized Deel as the leading Employer of Record, citing the highest user satisfaction score and the strongest market presence. Today, over 20,000 companies worldwide trust the platform.

Deel is more than an EOR service. It’s an all-in-one Global People Platform for hiring, paying, and managing contractors and full-time employees in multiple countries. You can run global payroll using Deel’s in-house engines, offer localized benefits, and automate HR workflows across borders.

For companies that prioritize comprehensive, scalable global HR solutions and superior customer support, Deel is the clear choice.

See Deel in action by booking a 30-minute demo.