Our verdict · 8.3/10 Excellent
A strong choice when you hire across borders and want compliant contracts and payroll without opening entities. Expensive per head compared with domestic payroll.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Companies hiring in countries without an entity.
- Strongest area: Features & fit (8.8/10). Weakest: Value for money (7.6/10).
- Price: Contractors from $29 / month; EOR from $599 / employee / month.
- Watch out for: EOR is costly per employee.
What is Remote?
Remote is a global employment platform. Its Employer of Record service legally employs staff for you in countries where you have no entity, while contractor management, global payroll and a US PEO cover other models. It owns local entities in many countries rather than relying solely on partners.
Remote is made by Remote and is reviewed here as a payroll platform. It is priced on a subscription basis, and our editorial score is 8.3 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose Remote if
- Companies hiring in countries without an entity
- Remote-first teams paying international contractors
- Startups expanding internationally
Not for you if
- Purely domestic US payroll
- Very price-sensitive small teams
Key features
Employ staff legally abroad without your own entity.
Compliant contracts and multi-currency payments.
Run payroll through your own international entities.
Localised benefits packages for employees.
- Slack
- BambooHR
- Xero
- QuickBooks
- Greenhouse
Pros & cons
What we like
- Owns entities in many countries
- Covers EOR, contractors, payroll and PEO
- Strong compliance and IP protection
- Clear published starting prices
Watch out for
- EOR is costly per employee
- Some services need annual commitments
- Overlaps with tools you may already use for domestic payroll
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Contractor Management | ≈ $29 / user / mo | Per contractor |
| Global Payroll | ≈ $29 / employee / mo | Your own entities |
| Employer of Record | ≈ $599 / employee / mo | Annual contract |
Pricing watch-out: Global payroll from $29/employee/month; US PEO from $99/employee/month. EOR on annual contracts.
True cost at 5, 10 and 25 seats
Cheapest paid plan that fits each team size, from indicative list prices checked November 5, 2026. Excludes tax, add-ons, onboarding fees and promotional discounts.
Pricing watch-outs
- Steep tier jump. Moving from Global Payroll to Employer of Record raises the per-user price from $29 to $599 (20.7×). Check which features force the upgrade.
- No free plan or trial. Ask for a demo account, a pilot or money-back terms before committing.
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing, last checked November 5, 2026 (source). Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 25% | 8.8 | 2.20 | |
| Ease of use | 20% | 8.4 | 1.70 | |
| Value for money | 20% | 7.6 | 1.50 | |
| Support & reliability | 10% | 8.2 | 0.80 | |
| Security & privacy | 10% | 8.8 | 0.90 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 15% | 8.0 | 1.20 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for business software products | 8.3 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for Remote against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check Remote’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any payroll platform
Check Remote against the same list we use for every payroll platform — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Automatic tax filing in your jurisdictions
- Contractor payments
- Benefits and time-off management
- Employee self-service portal
- Accounting integration
See every ranked option in Payroll & HR.
Remote alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- Cheaper
Paychex Flex≈ $39/mo vs $290/mo at 10 users (cheapest paid plans, indicative) - Easier to use
GustoEase-of-use score 9.2 vs 8.4 - Better integrations
RipplingIntegrations score 9.2 vs 8.0
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as Remote. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
Hire and pay employees and contractors in 100+ countries.
A unified workforce platform: payroll, HR, IT and devices in one system.
A PEO that gives small teams access to big-company benefits and HR compliance.
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
Remote FAQ
What is an Employer of Record?
A company that legally employs a worker on your behalf in another country, handling contracts, payroll, taxes and benefits.
Is Remote cheaper than Deel?
Published starting prices are similar; the total depends on country, benefits and contract terms, so compare quotes.
Does Remote have a free plan?
No, Remote does not offer a permanent free plan. Pricing starts at Contractors from $29 / month; EOR from $599 / employee / month (indicative).
Who is Remote best for?
Remote is best for: companies hiring in countries without an entity; remote-first teams paying international contractors; startups expanding internationally.
How much does Remote cost for a team of 10?
On indicative list prices, the cheapest paid plan that fits 10 users (Contractor Management) works out at roughly $290 per month, or about $3,480 per year, before tax, add-ons and discounts.
How is the Remote score calculated?
The 8.3/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for software products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to Remote?
Popular alternatives include Deel, Rippling, Justworks. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.