Best international payroll services in 2024

Multiplier can serve as an Employer of Record (EOR), which means it acts as the legal employer of international employees on behalf of your business. As an EOR, it addresses a range of compliance issues, like the payment of the appropriate taxes, social insurance contributions and similar government fees. The company can also handle onboarding, work visas, payroll and benefits. With services in 150 countries, Multiplier covers payments in over 120 currencies.

Multiplier’s benefits management features are comprehensive, including the issuance of employee stock ownership to international hires. The Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) tool allows you to include ESOP specifics in employment contracts, adjusting details like the vesting period, exercise price and liquidity terms.

For companies that want to attract top talent with ESOP benefits, which have been linked to lower turnover rates and higher employee satisfaction, this can be a big plus.

Horizons checks all the essential boxes for an EOR, including payroll administration, benefits management (including time-off management) and tax compliance features. The company can also help with arranging visas and work permits for international employees or freelancers. Horizons even offers assistance for termination and severance, which can have different legal requirements in different countries.

Horizons offers transparent pricing details, readily available on the company’s website. This is a contrast to most of the providers surveyed, as many require consumers to request a quote first.

Given the depth and breadth of features available, the $299 per month fee is fair. Horizons also offers pricing alternatives for international contractors, starting at just $49 per month, as well as an international recruitment offering, starting at 2% of gross salary per month. For companies seeking international payroll services that won’t break the bank, this is a strong choice.

Mercans is another international payroll services provider with transparent pricing and clear rates listed on its website. Mercans claims to be the first and only provider in the industry that accepts cryptocurrency payments; if your company is interested in this option, it’s the clear winner. Mercans promises payroll processing within 72 hours and helps clients improve cash flow by allowing them to keep funds up until two days prior to payroll processing.

Overall, Mercans has a strong offering, including payroll and tax administration, employee benefits management, workers’ compensation coverage and labor law compliance features. The company boasts 20 years of experience in the market and has an impressive roster of clients, including Mastercard, Ford and Wyndham Hotel Group.

Mercans also meets a number of international compliance standards, including the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

If you’re stressed about onboarding your distributed team, Deel is worth a look. This EOR promises to reduce onboarding time to just five minutes. A look at its user-friendly onboarding guide suggests that claim may be possible. We also like the Deel Equipment feature, which makes it easy to ship, manage and track tools for remote teams, such as laptops, headphones and monitors.

The 360-degree equipment management service even covers repairs, replacement and collection of tech tools. The offering includes over 400 equipment items, which conform to health and safety standards.

Other than top-tier onboarding, Deel includes essential features you’d want in any international payroll provider. The provider can cover payroll and benefits management and handle work visas. It also addresses liability concerns, like minimum wage and terminations, and works with local labor law specialists to stay up-to-date on these important issues. Finally, Deel can also manage local hiring if you’re looking to outsource this step.

Employers who want to remain competitive in the international hiring market can benefit from geography-specific data about details like benefits, paid leave and notice periods. Omnipresent’s analytics tools allow you to see where your competitors are hiring and to compare the costs of hiring in different countries. The global hiring navigator can help you find solutions based on your unique hiring needs.

In addition to useful analytics, Omnipresent offers comprehensive global workforce management functionality. On top of payroll and benefits services, the tool addresses tax and compliance issues as well as visa and work permit applications.

Automation features allow for seamless processing of tedious tasks like payroll while also reducing manual management and cutting the risk of costly errors. Finally, local human support brings employees and employers peace of mind.

Globalization Partners is a smart solution for companies planning to scale. With a broad reach spanning 180 countries – more than most on this list – the provider prioritizes global guidance for businesses that want to expand beyond borders.

A dedicated team of experts manages every aspect of the expansion, including payroll, benefits and tax requirements, all in line with local labor laws. The EOR also collects analytics data that you can use to inform expansion decisions, like where to hire based on how much it will cost you.

The diverse packages offered by Globalization Partners also reflect the company’s desire to help businesses scale. G-P Meridian Contractor is an easy starting point if you want to expand by hiring freelancers only. For hiring employees, there are two levels of support: G-P Meridian Prime and G-P Meridian Core. There’s also a recruiting product, G-P Meridian Recruit, if you want to take the stress of hiring off your to-do list.

Remote offers services in over 190 countries, more than any other provider included in our ranking. If you’re seeking maximum global coverage, this is your best bet. Remote’s offering is comprehensive. As an EOR, they can manage payroll, benefits, taxes and compliance. Remote’s services are end-to-end, covering onboarding and offboarding alike. The user-friendly HR tool compiles essential data in one place, including everything from expense reimbursement to timesheet and attendance information.

Like many of the providers surveyed, Remote also offers contractor-specific services. These can be useful for companies that want to hire independent contractors abroad instead of full-fledged employees.

Finally, Remote also offers a nice money-back guarantee, promising to refund its management fees to any customers who aren’t satisfied in the first 90 days. For first-time international payroll services users who aren’t sure about committing to a tool, this can be a welcome test run.

Rippling covers all the essential features you could want in an international payroll system. The provider’s “Finance Cloud” app covers essentials like payroll and expense management. We also like the reporting options that allow you to pull all of your financial data, from company card spending to wages, to create comprehensive reports. You can set custom queries, schedule recurring reports and share the results across departments.

However, Rippling does far more than crunch numbers. In addition to its “Finance Cloud,” the company has an “HR Cloud.” This allows for more comprehensive talent management, from recruiting to benefits oversight.

There is also an “IT Cloud” that simplifies the process of setting up and overseeing workers’ various devices, apps and inventory. Consumers can pick and choose which apps they need or opt for Rippling Unity, which compiles all the apps in one place.

Learn More: Read our full Rippling review.

Safeguard Global has an impressive client roster, from Google to Uber. It’s no surprise, given the comprehensive suite of global workforce solutions the company offers. From worldwide recruiting and hiring to international payroll and people analytics, Safeguard Global covers a broad array of functions.

The company’s payroll services allow you to collect and streamline data in a single tool, standardizing information across currencies and languages. You can also benefit from financial reporting tools that address everything from overtime expenses to wage inflation.

Companies that are worried about tax compliance may be interested in Safeguard Global’s optional integrated tax services. The company’s experts help you stay up-to-date about evolving regulations and can even advise on tax strategies. Tax specialists also offer services like tax preparation and filing, entity structuring and statutory compliance. Although such tax services cost extra, aligning them with your international payroll provider can streamline tax preparation and bring peace of mind.

For companies that aren’t just hiring abroad but are looking to move employees across borders, Atlas HXM is a promising prospect. The company offers end-to-end immigration and relocation services. That means they don’t just handle work permits and visas but also deal with issues like finding home and office spaces, settling-in services, moving household items and car leasing. That’s on top of handling administrative issues like organizing visas and work authorization paperwork.

In addition to its immigration and relocation services, Atlas HXM also provides comprehensive international payroll services. As an EOR, the company can manage benefits and payroll, including taxes, social insurance and pension contributions.

From onboarding new hires to issuing pay slips, a wide range of HR management functions is covered. With locally owned and operated entities in more than 160 countries, Atlas HXM also covers a vast geographic range.