Our Full Review
Remote.com launched in 2019 to solve one problem: hiring employees internationally is a compliance nightmare. Without a local entity in each country, you can't legally employ people. Setting up subsidiaries is expensive and slow.
Remote's solution: they become the Employer of Record (EOR). You hire someone in Portugal, Germany, or Brazil—Remote employs them legally, handles payroll and benefits, and you manage the day-to-day work.
The Employer of Record (EOR) Model
Here's how it works:
- You find the talent — recruit and interview candidates anywhere
- Remote employs them — becomes the legal employer in that country
- You manage the work — assign projects, set goals, oversee performance
- Remote handles compliance — payroll, taxes, benefits, employment law
It's like a PEO, but international. You get the talent without the administrative burden of opening foreign offices.
Who Should Use Remote.com?
- Remote-first companies hiring across multiple countries
- Startups expanding internationally without budget for foreign entities
- Companies hiring specialized talent — don't let geography limit your hiring pool
- Businesses testing new markets — hire 1-2 people before committing to a full office
- Tech companies with distributed teams — common in SaaS, software dev, design
Who Should Look Elsewhere?
- US-only companies — if you're not hiring internationally, use BambooHR or Gusto instead
- Contractor-only needs — if you're not hiring full-time employees, Deel is cheaper for contractors
- Large enterprises with existing global entities — you might not need EOR services
- Budget-constrained startups — $299/employee/month is premium, consider contractors first
Global Coverage
Remote supports full-time employment in 60+ countries across:
- Europe: UK, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, and more
- Americas: US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia
- Asia-Pacific: India, Singapore, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Philippines
- Middle East & Africa: UAE, South Africa, Kenya
Coverage is constantly expanding. If a country isn't supported yet, Remote can often set up a custom arrangement or help you establish a local entity.
Payroll & Tax Compliance
This is the core value: Remote handles all local payroll and tax obligations:
- Multi-currency payroll — pay employees in local currency or USD, automated exchange rates
- Tax withholding — income tax, social security, pension contributions—all calculated correctly
- Local tax filing — Remote files all required tax forms in each country
- Year-end documents — local equivalents of W-2s, tax summaries
- Payslips in local language — employees get familiar, localized paystubs
You pay Remote once. They handle all the country-specific complexity.
Benefits Administration
Remote provides competitive local benefits in each country:
- Health insurance — coverage that meets or exceeds local standards
- Pensions & retirement — statutory contributions (e.g., UK pensions, German social insurance)
- Statutory leave — vacation days, sick leave, parental leave per local law
- Additional perks — optional dental, vision, life insurance in many countries
Benefits are country-specific. An employee in France gets French health coverage and retirement contributions. An employee in Brazil gets Brazilian benefits.
Contractor Management
In addition to full-time employees, Remote handles contractors:
- Pay contractors in 190+ countries
- Automated invoicing and payment workflows
- Compliance documentation (W-8s, tax IDs)
- Conversion to full-time employee when ready
Contractor pricing is cheaper: typically $29-49/contractor/month.
Employment Contracts & Compliance
Remote generates locally compliant employment contracts:
- Country-specific templates (reviewed by local lawyers)
- E-signature workflows
- Termination support and severance calculations
- Intellectual property (IP) assignment clauses
- Non-compete and confidentiality provisions (where enforceable)
This is critical. Employment law varies wildly between countries. What's legal in the US might be illegal in Germany. Remote ensures compliance.
Equipment & Expenses
Remote can handle equipment procurement and reimbursements:
- Laptop and equipment ordering in local countries
- Shipping and customs handling
- Expense reimbursement workflows
- Equipment retrieval when employees leave
This is optional but useful—especially when hiring in countries where Amazon or Apple doesn't ship directly.
Technology Platform
Remote's platform is clean and functional:
- Unified dashboard — see all global employees and contractors in one place
- Employee self-service — payslips, PTO requests, profile updates
- Time off management — local holiday calendars, PTO tracking
- Document storage — contracts, tax forms, policies
- Integrations — Slack, HRIS platforms, accounting tools
It's not as feature-rich as BambooHR or Rippling, but it does the core job well: global payroll and compliance.
Pricing
Remote's pricing is transparent (refreshingly rare for global HR):
- Full-time employees: $299/employee/month (via EOR)
- Contractors: $29/contractor/month (basic) or $49/month (advanced)
- Own Entity: $50/employee/month (if you have your own local entity, Remote manages payroll only)
Additional costs may include:
- One-time setup fees (typically $500-1,000 per country)
- Termination fees (severance varies by country)
- Equipment procurement (if using that service)
For a 10-person global team (full-time employees): $2,990/month ($299 × 10).
This is premium pricing, but compare it to setting up legal entities ($10,000-50,000 per country) and hiring local accountants/lawyers. For many companies, Remote is a bargain.
Customer Support
Support is solid, though not 24/7 white-glove:
- Dedicated account manager — for larger accounts
- Email and chat support — response times typically within 24 hours
- Local experts — country-specific compliance questions answered by in-country specialists
- Help center — comprehensive guides on hiring in each country
User reviews note that support is responsive but not instant. For urgent payroll issues, expect a delay (time zones make real-time support tough).
What's Missing
Remote is laser-focused on global employment. It doesn't try to be a full HRIS:
- No performance management or reviews
- No applicant tracking system (ATS)
- No learning management or training content
- No org charts or advanced people analytics
If you need these, integrate with BambooHR, Lattice, or Greenhouse. Remote plays well with others.
Remote vs. Deel vs. Oyster
How does Remote compare to competitors?
- Remote: Strongest compliance focus, best for full-time employees, premium pricing
- Deel: Better for contractor-heavy workforces, slightly cheaper, faster growth
- Oyster: Similar to Remote, slightly smaller country coverage, comparable pricing
All three are solid. Choose based on your mix of contractors vs. full-time employees and which countries you need.
The Bottom Line
Remote.com is the best global employment platform for remote-first companies hiring full-time employees internationally. The EOR model eliminates the need for foreign entities, and Remote handles all local compliance.
The $299/employee/month price is steep, but it's competitive within the EOR category. If you're hiring across 3+ countries, the time and headache savings are worth it.
If you're US-only or contractor-only, look elsewhere. But if you're building a truly global team, Remote is a top choice.