Deel vs Remote: Honest EOR and Global Payroll Comparison (2025)

When expanding a global workforce, choosing the right HR and payroll solution can significantly impact compliance, onboarding, and overall employee experience.

In 2025, two leading players dominate the conversation: Deel and Remote. Both promise to simplify global hiring, payroll, and compliance for businesses without local entities, but they have distinct strengths that cater to different business needs.

Remote positions itself as a straightforward platform for global hiring and payroll, offering EOR services in over 100 countries through a combination of owned entities and partner networks.

Deel, by contrast, is a comprehensive global employment platform, combining hiring, payroll, HR, IT, and compliance in one unified system. With 150+ countries covered through owned entities, AI-powered automation, and expert-backed compliance tools, Deel is designed to scale with companies of any size.

Let’s explore how the two compare across key criteria.

Key features

Remote:

• Localized payroll using external in-country partners (ICPs)
• 24/5 customer support through dashboard and email
• Pre-built integrations with key platforms, plus support for custom integrations using Remote API and Zapier
• Built-in compliance tools and local legal experts, including Remote Watchtower for regulatory updates
• Supports contractor management, equity management, and employee relocation services
• Data-protection infrastructure

Deel:

• In-house, AI-powered payroll solutions for companies of all sizes and markets
• Built-in compliance tools and compliance experts in every region, including a Compliance Hub and AI Assistant
• 24/7 multi-channel customer support in over 50 languages, including Slack, WhatsApp, WeChat, and more
• HR, payroll, visa and immigration support, equity management, performance management, IT solutions, Contractor of Record services, expense management, and powerful analytics in one platform
• Integrated AI-powered global HR tools like salary insights and hiring guides
• Workflow builder for automating HR processes across multiple third-party platforms
• 120+ pre-built integrations, Deel API, and Zapier support for easier app connectivity
• Enterprise-grade data security, with SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, ISO 27001, and GDPR certifications, plus strong encryption and regular audits
• White label and white glove services for unique needs, such as large enterprises with complex global operations, staffing firms, and global HR consultancies

Deel vs Remote: Service comparison

Remote is focused on EOR and contractor management, with emerging HR add-ons. Deel operates as a complete HR, payroll, and compliance platform built on owned infrastructure to provide end-to-end control and scalability.

Pros and cons

Remote

Pros:

• Transparent pricing at $699 per month, per employee, with no hidden fees
• Relatively fast employee onboarding (3 days on average)
• Strong focus on IP protection and data security (ISO 27001 certified)
• Features a Remote Watchtower tool that provides compliance alerts

Cons:

• Limited benefits coverage in certain countries
• Lacks an on-demand pay option for employees
• Costs relatively higher, but offers fewer features
• Support can be slow during peak times, with minimal channels available

Deel

Pros:

• Global coverage backed by owned entities and payroll infrastructure
• Fast employee onboarding (minutes)
• Always-available support across global communication channels
• Always-on compliance monitoring, which uses AI paired with human oversight of 200+ in-house legal experts
• Consolidates global workforce management for direct hires, EOR employees, and contractors under one roof
• Enterprise-grade data security and protection
• Transparent pricing with no long-term commitments while offering strong value for money

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

Remote:

Remote charges a flat monthly fee of $699 per employee for EOR services. If you make annual payments, the price drops to $599 per month.

This pricing includes global payroll, compliance, and benefits. While it offers extra services like employee relocation support and the ability to run performance reviews, these functions are basic.

Deel:

Deel operates on a flexible, tiered pricing model. This includes:

• Deel EOR: $599 per employee per month
• Deel Contractor Management: $49 per contractor per month
• Deel Payroll: Starting at $29 per employee per month

Deel offers modular pricing for HR, Talent Management, IT equipment provisioning, and Workforce Planning, allowing you to pay only for what you use. As an all-in-one model, Deel replaces the need for multiple tools and vendors, simplifying your global HR stack and reducing costs.

Summary:

Deel offers a more flexible and cost-effective pricing model. In contrast, Remote charges $699 per month for services like EOR unless you commit to annual billing. For companies seeking both value and flexibility, Deel presents the more affordable choice.

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

Compliance & legal reliability

Remote:

Remote provides local compliance support through its owned legal entities in each country and legal experts. Its Remote Watchtower tool offers proactive alerts on labor law changes and integrates necessary updates into HR operations.

The platform provides IP protection, including SOC 1,2,3, GDPR, and ISO 27001 certifications for data security.

Deel:

Deel also provides compliance monitoring through the Compliance Hub, but with deeper capabilities that help you stay informed about regulatory changes and manage risk proactively.

For example, it features AI-powered tools like a Worker Classifier, which prevents misclassification risks. An AI Assistant is also available that answers compliance-related questions in real time, tailored to your workforce data.

Deel’s AI-powered platform localizes contracts, payroll, onboarding, benefits, tax documentation, and every step of the employee lifecycle to meet local legal requirements. It’s backed by an in-house team of 200+ legal experts across all operating countries to ensure every decision is reviewed and compliant.

Deel also maintains enterprise-grade data security through SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, ISO 27001, and GDPR certifications. Its infrastructure includes strong encryption, role-based access controls, and regular audits to safeguard sensitive employee and company data.

Summary:
Both solutions offer solid and proactive compliance support, but Deel offers a more powerful and integrated approach. Its AI-powered Compliance Hub monitors 150 countries in real time, flags risks like visa expirations or misclassification, and connects those insights directly to your workforce data.

Paired with a globally distributed in-house legal team, Deel helps employers respond to regulatory changes faster, with less manual effort and greater accuracy.

See also: Compliance Challenges When Managing a Global Contingent Workforce

Onboarding speed

Remote:

Remote’s onboarding is automated and localized. The platform onboards employees, on average, in three days once the employee completes self-enrollment.

However, if employees are slow to act or documents require revision, onboarding can take longer. This is consistent with Remote’s own guidance, which notes that onboarding speed depends on timely action from the employee.

Deel:

Deel’s employee onboarding process is highly efficient and, on average, takes minutes. To support this speed, Deel provides an automated and localized onboarding process. Once an employee is hired, Deel automatically sends them an invitation to begin the onboarding process.

Their employment agreement, documentation requests, and benefits enrollment are tailored to the country selected, ensuring compliance with local laws. The platform prompts employees to upload any missing documents, preventing delays caused by errors or employee inaction.

Additionally, Deel lets you create customized onboarding workflows for your organization, based on your unique internal processes. With Deel’s Slack plugin, you can even onboard employees directly from Slack and auto-assign tasks based on each employee’s role, department, and location.

Summary:
Compared to Remote, Deel has a more efficient onboarding process. Its more guided and automated flow helps employees complete onboarding faster and with fewer errors. This makes Deel ideal for lean teams and growing businesses that need to move fast without building large internal operations.

See also: Elevate Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Efficiency with Deel

Payroll management

Deel:

Deel operates payroll in-house, using owned entities and a unified infrastructure to deliver fast, accurate, and compliant payments. You get the flexibility to manage payroll your way, whether you need fully-managed payroll services in multiple countries or self-service payroll software in countries like the US or South Africa.

Payroll syncs automatically with benefits and deductions, and tools like on-demand pay, real-time G2N calculations, and automated compliance simplify management across all hiring models.

Remote:

Remote supports global payroll and localized benefits across 100 countries, ensuring compliance with local tax and employment laws. However, it cannot publish funds directly to employees in many countries. Instead, it relies on external in-country partners (ICPs) for salary distribution.

This setup reduces visibility and may delay payments. It also limits flexibility. For instance, the platform only supports off-cycle payments for employees rather than on-demand pay.

Summary:

Deel offers a more integrated, flexible, and automated payroll solution. Its in-house payroll engines and direct fund distribution provide better speed, accuracy, and control compared to Remote’s third-party-reliant approach.

Features like on-demand pay, unified reporting, and automated compliance make Deel ideal for teams managing employees and contractors all within one platform.

Benefits administration

Remote:

Remote offers localized benefits in about 100 countries through partners like Allianz, covering basic health, insurance, and retirement plans. However, customization is limited, and HR teams have minimal control over enrollment and contribution settings. Remote’s benefits tools are separate from payroll, so deductions and compliance updates must be handled manually.

Deel:

Deel unifies benefits and payroll through Deel Benefits, a global benefits platform. HR can create plans, run enrollment, sync deductions, and track adoption, all in one workflow. Automated open enrollment, qualifying life event management, and plan eligibility rules save time for HR while ensuring compliance and accurate payslips.

With Deel, you get:

• Localized health, retirement, and statutory benefits managed end-to-end via Deel EOR
• Centralized visibility for HR teams managing existing plans or brokers
• Enterprise-level US benefits with leading carrier integrations, plus exclusive access to Aetna International plans for W-2 employees

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

Support & user experience

Remote:

Remote provides customer support through 24/5 live chat and email. It also provides an AI assistant, but its capabilities are more limited. The AI assistant is only accessible through the Remote dashboard and does not integrate with Slack or other external platforms.

While Remote’s interface is clean and user-friendly, users have reported longer response times during peak hours or for more complex issues.

Deel:

Deel provides 24/7 multi-channel support in over 50 languages, ensuring employers and employees can get help quickly and in their language. Support options include:

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

Deel also assigns a dedicated Customer Success Manager, offers onboarding support, and provides access to a global HR experience team. An AI assistant is available in-app and integrated into Slack to help answer common questions in real time.

The platform is widely recognized for its exceptional customer experience, with average first-response times around one minute and 91% of issues resolved during the first interaction.

Summary:
Deel exceeds Remote with its more efficient support that includes a broader range of channels, faster response times, and round-the-clock availability.

Integrations

Remote:

Remote integrates natively with major HR and accounting platforms, including Workday, BambooHR, and Greenhouse. It also supports custom integration through Zapier and Remote API.

While it covers key systems, Remote’s native integration network is relatively small. Additionally, its workflow feature focuses on simpler in-app actions and notifications across systems.

For example, when an employee signs a contract, the workflow can trigger a confirmation email to their inbox, and mark the onboarding task as complete in Remote’s dashboard. It has limited support for complex, cross-platform automation.

Deel:

Deel integrates seamlessly into any company’s tech stack with 130+ pre-built integrations—including Workday, BambooHR, Greenhouse, Netsuite, QuickBooks, Xero, and Slack—connecting HR, finance, and productivity tools without extra setup.

As a Workday Global Payroll Cloud (GPC) certified partner, Deel enables real-time, two-way payroll data sync for accurate, compliant reporting across every country.

Deel's Payroll Connect feature unifies payroll data from Deel and other providers into one dashboard, standardizing G2N data into one global report for clearer analytics.

Deel’s no-code Workflow Builder and open API further automate processes, creating payroll entries, updating HR records, and notifying IT across connected systems.

Summary:
Deel wins on integrations thanks to its broader ecosystem and the added efficiency of its no-code automation capabilities. It lets you create complex workflows across your systems without relying on manual processes or custom development.

Remote, in contrast, supports only simple integrations and basic automation.

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

Scalability

Remote:

Remote is scalable, but its offerings are generally better suited for small to mid-sized businesses. It supports EOR hiring in over 100 countries through its own legal entities and offers contractor management, global payroll, and localized benefits.

However, Remote relies more on third-party integrations and external payroll partners for payroll operations. This can introduce more coordination steps, which may affect speed and control as companies scale across multiple regions.

Deel:

Deel’s owned entities in 150+ countries and in-house payroll infrastructure gives it the flexibility to support businesses at any stage. This ranges from startups making their first international hire to enterprises managing complex global operations.

As your workforce scales across borders, Deel’s platform adapts with you through its full suite of services to support end-to-end workforce management. You only use what you need, based on your current team size and priorities.

This keeps your operations lean, with Deel prepared to deliver additional tools and capabilities as your needs evolve.

Additionally, Deel’s capabilities are continually improving. Its wholly-owned model allows it to quickly roll out new features and enhance automation with the speed necessary to support fast-moving, globally scaling businesses.

Summary:
Deel is the more scalable option compared to Remote. While both platforms support international expansion, Deel is better equipped for rapid, enterprise-level growth thanks to its wholly-owned entities, in-house infrastructure, and broader global coverage.

See also: A Guide on How 
to Scale Global HR

Review ratings from review sites

Remote:

• Trustpilot: 4.7/5
• G2: 4.6/5

Deel:

• Trustpilot: 4.8/5
• G2: 4.8/5

Bottom-line

When comparing Deel and Remote in 2025, both platforms make global hiring easier—but they differ in scope and depth.

Remote delivers reliable Employer of Record and contractor solutions, with growing tools for HR and payroll. Deel, however, has evolved into a complete global workforce platform built for scale, combining EOR, local and global payroll, contractor management, HR, PEO, benefits, IT, and compliance into one ecosystem.

Manage your operations in 150+ countries with Deel

G2 recognizes Deel as the leading global workforce platform, citing the highest user satisfaction and strongest market presence. Today, more than 35,000 companies worldwide—from startups to Fortune 500s—trust Deel to power their international teams. It’s a complete platform designed to help organizations hire, pay, and manage talent anywhere in the world.

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