Global Employment Guides
18 mins read
Author
Published on:
Dec 16, 2025
Updated on:
Dec 16, 2025
Our Employer of Record (EOR) solution makes it easy to hire, pay, and manage global employees.
Book a demoHiring in the U.S. is rarely as straightforward as people expect. Anyone coming from a country with one national set of labor rules usually gets surprised pretty quickly. Each state has its own idea of what employment laws should look like, and sometimes individual cities add their own twist. You might pay one type of overtime rate in one place and then discover the rules are totally different a short drive away. Most states have at least one thing that complicates life for employers. It ends up feeling less like a single market and more like a puzzle with pieces that almost fit together but not quite.
On top of the legal maze, actually finding people has become its own daily challenge. A lot of companies still cannot fill technical roles, and remote work changed everything again. It opened the door to hiring people anywhere, which sounds great, but it also means juggling several state tax systems and payroll setups at the same time. Costs have climbed too. By the time you add health insurance, taxes, and the bits and pieces that come with employing someone, the real cost is often noticeably higher than the salary number you start with. Most teams learn this only after they run the first payroll.
For companies outside the U.S. trying to build a team here, an Employer of Record ends up being the simplest path. Instead of registering a business in multiple states, they let the EOR handle the payroll, the tax forms, the benefits, and the long list of rules that keep shifting. It removes a lot of the guesswork. It also prevents the kind of paperwork mistakes that turn into expensive issues down the line. With that part handled, companies can focus on the people they want to hire rather than the administrative side of operating in the U.S.
Our comparison highlights the leading EOR providers helping international companies hire employees in the U.S. without setting up a local entity. Each provider is assessed based on compliance expertise, benefits administration, tax handling, pricing transparency, and platform usability.
| Rank | EOR Provider | Best For | Starting Price (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rivermate | Overall best EOR for hiring in the USA | From $299/month |
| 2 | Velocity Global | Large multinationals expanding into the U.S. | Custom |
| 3 | Deel | Fast onboarding and full U.S. payroll automation | From $599/month |
| 4 | Remote | Global companies hiring distributed U.S. employees | From $499/month |
| 5 | Papaya Global | Enterprise EOR with automation and analytics | Custom |
| 6 | G-P (Globalization Partners) | Scalable solution for companies entering multiple U.S. states | From $650/month |
| 7 | Safeguard Global | Complex compliance and workforce management | Custom |
| 8 | Rippling | Tech-focused businesses seeking unified HR + IT systems | From $499/month |
| 9 | Oyster HR | Startups hiring remote U.S. talent with flexible pricing | From $399/month |
| 10 | Multiplier | SMEs hiring quickly across multiple states | From $350/month |
Rivermate is an Employer of Record platform that helps companies bring on people in the U.S. and abroad without opening local entities. Instead of handling payroll in one place and contracts somewhere else, everything is in one system. It ends up making the whole process feel a lot simpler when you’re hiring across several regions.
Rivermate puts the day-to-day HR tasks and payroll work in the same spot, which saves people from hopping between different systems. Everything updates in the background, so the usual manual fixes and double entries happen far less often.
The platform tracks local rules in every country where a company hires and adjusts processes when those rules change. It also handles taxes, required benefits, filings, and contract templates aligned with local labor laws.
Teams can offer both the standard statutory benefits and any extras they want, like health plans, pensions, or equity. Rivermate helps make sure everything lines up with local requirements.
The reporting tools give you a quick feel for payroll and other employee costs without needing to dig around for numbers. It is basically a simple way to check if spending is on track, instead of pulling reports from different places.
Rivermate creates contracts based on the requirements in each country, which helps companies stay on the right side of local labor laws and avoid misclassifying people.
People often mention that it just feels easier when everything sits in one place. Work flows more smoothly and things feel less scattered. It helps cut out a lot of tool switching, which matters when you are dealing with employees in different countries.
Looking through the reviews, most users seem pretty happy with how the platform works. Some even pointed out that support actually gets back to them with useful answers.
The pricing is easy to follow, and many companies say they appreciate knowing the amount ahead of time. It helps them plan without wondering if something extra will show up later.
Teams hiring in several countries sometimes say the first bit takes some getting used to. There are many features to explore, so the early days can feel like settling into a new routine.
Benefits differ a lot from country to country and employees expect different things too. That makes it hard for companies that want one simple benefits approach that works everywhere.
Pricing: The cost is €299 per employee each month, which works out to about $325 USD. Most teams say the flat rate keeps things simple.
Customer support: Most teams reach out by email or phone, and a lot of people just send quick messages on Slack or WhatsApp when something small comes up.
Best for: Companies that are expanding and want something simple to run HR, payroll, and compliance without stacking multiple platforms.
Velocity Global, now under the Pebl brand, is an enterprise-focused EOR service operating in more than 185 countries. It is built for large companies that need strong compliance support and help managing complex global expansion.
Pricing: Around the $399 to $599 range per employee each month.
Customer support: Enterprise clients work with dedicated account managers, and there is round-the-clock help available when something urgent comes up.
Best for: Velocity Global tends to suit big multinational teams moving into several U.S. markets at once. It is a good match for organizations that want strong compliance guidance and hands-on support while expanding.
Deel is basically a global hiring and payroll tool that a lot of growing companies use. It works in more than 150 countries and handles most of the employment and compliance work behind the scenes. People often point out that onboarding tends to move quickly, which is one reason many startups choose it.
Pricing: $599 per employee per month
Customer support: Support mainly runs through chat and email, with a point person available when something needs more attention.
Best for: Teams that value quick onboarding and prefer a platform that doesn’t feel complicated.
Remote is a platform companies use when they hire people in different countries and want everything handled in one place. The company owns its legal entities in the countries where it operates, so it manages compliance and payroll directly instead of passing things off to partners. A lot of teams like it because the setup is simple and the pricing does not change from country to country.
Pricing: The EOR plan is billed at $599 per employee each month if you choose yearly billing, or $699 if you prefer to pay monthly.
Customer support: Most questions go through email or a ticket.
Best for: Teams bringing on people across several countries who prefer keeping things simple. It is often picked by companies that want clear pricing and are comfortable handling most things on their own.
Papaya Global is a payroll and workforce tool that companies use when they have staff spread across a lot of different countries. It brings the main tasks into one place and helps cut down the manual work that comes with managing people in multiple locations.
Pricing: Base pricing is about $599/month per employee.
Customer support: Support is mainly managed by an assigned account manager, though how involved they are tends to depend on what each company needs.
Best for: Teams with more complex payroll needs who want stronger automation and better visibility into their data.
G-P (Globalization Partners) helps companies bring on workers in different countries without having to set up local entities. Bigger teams tend to use it because it offers guidance around compliance and handles a lot of the complicated parts.
Pricing: Pricing is custom.
Customer support: Companies usually get a dedicated contact who helps with questions, and the experience can vary based on how complex their setup is.
Best for: Larger organizations with multi-country payroll and complex rules to manage.
Safeguard Global is an EOR platform that companies use when they have people in several countries and want solid support around compliance. They’ve been operating since 2008 and work in more than 175 countries, including the U.S.
Pricing: Rates are custom. Contractor support often starts somewhere around $250–$350 a month.
Customer support: Support runs through a dedicated group, with access to local expertise when needed.
Best for: Larger teams with complex hiring setups across different countries or U.S. states.
Rippling is an HR and IT platform that helps companies manage people and devices from one system. Tech teams like it because it cuts down on switching between tools.
Pricing: EOR pricing usually falls between $499 and $599 per employee monthly. HR and IT tools start at $8 per user plus a platform fee.
Customer support: Most issues go through their ticket system or email. Companies on higher plans can get a more direct support setup.
Best for: Tech-focused teams or growing companies that want HR and IT setup done in one place.
Oyster HR is a service that helps smaller and growing companies hire people in the U.S. and other countries without setting up local entities. It covers more than 180 countries and gives teams access to people who understand local hiring rules, payroll, and benefits. Startups tend to choose it because it’s straightforward and offers real human guidance when they need it.
Pricing: Plans usually start around $399 a month per employee with an annual agreement.
Customer support: Most questions go to regional teams who know the local rules and can guide companies through tricky HR or compliance topics.
Best for: Startups hiring in different places that want quick onboarding and real support instead of figuring out country rules on their own.
Multiplier is a service that smaller teams use when they want to hire people fast in the U.S. or overseas without dealing with a long setup. The company started in Singapore and knows the Asia-Pacific region really well, but plenty of U.S. companies use it because the pricing is easy to understand and the onboarding moves quickly.
Pricing: The EOR plan is usually around $400 per employee each month, and contractor pricing tends to be about $40 a month.
Customer support: Support mainly runs through email or ticket requests, and they bring in local teams when a country-specific issue appears.
Best for: Companies growing across several regions that want hiring to move fast and don’t need a long list of advanced features.
Companies often compare EOR and PEO services, but the main difference really comes down to who takes on the legal employer role.
With an EOR, the provider becomes the official employer for your workers. They take care of payroll, taxes, benefits, and the compliance side, while you continue managing the employee’s actual work. Since the EOR carries the legal responsibility, you can hire in new states or countries without setting up a local entity. It’s a useful option for teams hiring only a few people in different places or for companies testing a new market before committing to anything larger.
A PEO works differently. It sets up a situation where your company is still the legal employer, and the PEO steps in to help with things like payroll and benefits. Because of that, you still need your own legal entity wherever you hire. PEOs make more sense for companies focused mainly on U.S. hiring, especially when they’re planning to stay in those states long term and want help running HR, but not the full legal coverage that an EOR provides.
Hiring across different states or countries creates a lot of room for mistakes, mostly because every place has its own rules about pay, taxes, benefits, and contracts. An EOR steps in by handling the legal side of employing someone, whether they’re in another U.S. state or in a different country entirely. They take care of things like payroll taxes, required benefits, and local employment rules so companies don’t have to figure out each location on their own. This also helps avoid bigger problems, like being treated as having a legal presence in a country where you didn’t mean to set one up, or accidentally misclassifying someone as a contractor when the local laws define it differently.
EORs also help companies stay ahead of everyday problems that show up as laws shift or teams expand. They make sure contracts follow local rules, required benefits are included, and payroll runs correctly so small mistakes don’t turn into bigger issues. Because they monitor legal updates across many regions, they adjust their systems before issues become costly. They also handle privacy and data requirements that differ from one place to another, something that’s hard to keep up with on your own. For companies hiring in several states or countries, an EOR basically removes the legal and compliance load so the team can focus on running the business.
For more information on U.S. payroll, taxes and benefits, please see our Employer of Record USA guide.
Hiring people in different U.S. states without an EOR can be done, but it turns into a lot of extra work fast. Every state has its own rules, and keeping up with all of them is tough unless you already have a big HR setup. That’s why many companies eventually use an EOR when they start spreading out.
The “right” provider really depends on what your team needs. Some focus on price, others need more support, or coverage in certain places. Looking at a few options side by side usually makes it clear which one lines up with how you hire and where your team is heading.
Most EORs charge a few hundred dollars per employee each month. Many companies see pricing fall somewhere around the mid-$300s to mid-$500s, with the exact cost depending on the provider and the state. Some states add extra required benefits, which can increase the total, but the general idea is that you’re paying a predictable monthly fee instead of managing setup, compliance, and payroll yourself.
Yes. Once your company has its own entity and payroll ready, you can move the employee over. How long it takes depends on the state and any benefit changes, but many companies wrap it up in a few weeks. Most EORs explain the steps so the switch doesn’t feel confusing.
Yes, they’re allowed everywhere in the U.S. What varies is the set of rules the provider has to follow in each state, and good EORs keep up with those requirements in the background. That matters most in states that tend to have tighter regulations, but it’s generally something an established provider already handles.
Most companies see the setup take around a week or two when hiring through an EOR in the U.S. If the state has a few extra rules, it might take a little longer, but usually not by much. The whole timeline mostly depends on how fast documents are collected and approved.
Founder & Managing Director
Lucas Botzen is the founder of Rivermate, a global HR platform specializing in international payroll, compliance, and benefits management for remote companies. He previously co-founded and successfully exited Boloo, scaling it to over €2 million in annual revenue. Lucas is passionate about technology, automation, and remote work, advocating for innovative digital solutions that streamline global employment.
Our Employer of Record (EOR) solution makes it easy to hire, pay, and manage global employees.
Book a demo
Global Employment Guides
Compare the best EOR services in the USA. Explore top providers offering compliant hiring, payroll, and HR solutions for international companies entering the U.S. market.
Lucas Botzen
Global Workforce Management
Discover the strategic advantages of partnering with global payroll partners to streamline your international business operations. Learn how to navigate the complexities of managing payroll across different countries, ensure compliance with local laws, and leverage cost-effective solutions. This post delves into selecting the right provider, addressing challenges, and implementing best practices for a successful global payroll system. Whether you're expanding abroad or optimizing existing processes, find out why a skilled payroll partner is key to your company's international success.
Lucas Botzen
International Employment Laws
Discover how an Employer of Record (EOR) can transform your business by enabling you to hire and manage employees globally without the need for a legal entity in each country. Learn about the extensive services EORs offer, from payroll and benefits to legal compliance, and how they can save you time and money while expanding your operations internationally. Dive into detailed case studies and best practices for choosing the right EOR for your business needs. Expand globally with confidence and minimal risk by understanding the strategic advantages of using an EOR.
Lucas Botzen
