Employ
RecruitRemofirst vs Deel
Expanding into global markets presents immense opportunities but also complex challenges, especially when it comes to hiring and managing a distributed workforce. Global Employer of Record (EOR) services have become essential for businesses seeking to recruit talent worldwide while ensuring compliance with local laws and minimizing administrative burdens. EOR platforms allow companies to manage payroll, taxes, and legal compliance without needing to establish a local entity in each country—a game-changer for businesses aiming to scale quickly and cost-effectively.
In this review, we’ll take an in-depth look at two major EOR providers: Remofirst and Deel. Both platforms are designed to help organizations streamline global hiring and workforce management. But how do they compare when it comes to functionality, ease of use, and pricing? We’ll assess each provider independently before examining them head-to-head across several key criteria to highlight where each one excels.
What You’ll Discover:
- In-Depth Feature Analysis: A thorough breakdown of the features and usability of both platforms.
- Pricing Comparison: A detailed look at the costs associated with each service to assist with effective budgeting.
- Pros and Cons: Unbiased assessments of the strengths and limitations of Remofirst and Deel.
Whether your goal is to tap into new talent pools or streamline international compliance, this review will offer you the insights you need to make an informed decision. Dive deeper with us as we break down the unique advantages of each platform, helping you find the best fit for your global expansion strategy.
Remofirst vs Deel Overview
Feature | Remofirst | Deel | Explanation |
User Reviews | G2: 4.5/5 Trustpilot: 3.7/5 | G2: 4.8/5 Trustpilot: 4.9/5 | Deel has excellent customer reviews, and Remofirst’s are moderately good. |
Pricing | $199/employee per month; $25/contractor per month | $599/employee per month; $49/contractor per month | Both companies post their starting fees online. Deel’s prices start significantly higher. |
User-friendliness | Excellent | Very good | Both platforms have great reviews for user-friendliness, though Deel takes more work to set up. |
Customer Support | 24/7 live chat support | 24/7 live chat support | Both providers have live chat support all the time. |
Integrations | Good | Very good | Deel has an API and integration with 94 major HR and accounting software like Ashby, QuickBooks, and Xero. Remofirst has an API and can integrate with some HRISs. |
Data security | Very good | Excellent | Deel is GDPR and SOC2 compliant and ISO 27001 certified. Remofirst is GDPR compliant. Both use 2FA for added security. |
International hiring (EOR) | Excellent | Excellent | Deel supports hiring employees and contractors in 150+ countries. Remofirst helps hire employees in 180+ countries and contractors in 150+. |
Recruitment | Not offered | Not offered | Neither provider offers recruitment services. |
Benefits administration | Good | Good | Remofirst helps employers give their workers add-on health insurance. Both platforms handle mandatory benefits. |
Payroll | Very good | Excellent | Deel lets you pay employees and contractors in numerous currencies through multiple methods. Remofirst has somewhat limited payment methods. |
Main Differences: Remofirst vs Deel
We’ll get to the main differences between these service providers in a moment, but we need to anchor them in what the two companies do that’s similar. Both focus on international hiring and managing contractors and employees through EOR services.
Employers of record (EORs) help organizations hire employees in countries where they don’t own entities. Through their subsidiaries and partners, they can hire employees on behalf of their clients, becoming their legal employers in these countries. The employees work for the clients who manage their schedules and tasks.
When it comes to Employer of Record (EOR) services, both Deel and Remofirst are global players, but they differ in key aspects such as pricing, coverage, and additional services.
Deel
Deel is a comprehensive EOR and global payroll provider that offers a wide range of services to support businesses expanding internationally. With a focus on efficiency and compliance, Deel provides a robust solution for managing remote workforces.
Services Offered by Deel
- Employer of Record (EOR) Services: Facilitates international hiring, managing legal compliance and payroll in over 150 countries.
- Global Payroll: Provides payroll management for businesses with their own entities, ensuring accurate calculations of salaries, taxes, and deductions.
- Independent Contractor Management: Offers tools for onboarding and paying contractors in various countries while maintaining compliance.
- Full-Service Payroll Management: Handles payroll tasks specific to U.S.-based companies, including remittance of taxes and social security.
Remofirst
Remofirst stands out for its budget-friendly EOR services and a strong focus on contractor payroll management. Designed with small to medium-sized businesses in mind, Remofirst helps organizations efficiently navigate the challenges of international hiring.
Services offered by Remofirst
- Employer of Record (EOR) Services: Provides EOR support in over 180 countries, offering broader global coverage than competitors.
- Contractor Management: Simplifies the management of independent contractors, ensuring proper classification and compliance across various regions.
- Payroll Services: Primarily focuses on payroll for contractors and EOR employees, offering a streamlined approach to payments.
- Health Insurance Packages: Offers optional health insurance plans with multiple tiers, covering a range of healthcare needs from basic in-patient care to dental and vision.
Deel Pricing
| Plan | Price per employee/contractor per month |
|---|---|
| Deel EOR Services | $499 per employee per month and up |
| Deel PEO Services | $79 per employee per month and up |
| Deel Contractor Management | $49 per contractor per month and up |
| Deel Payroll | $29 per person per month and up for global payroll or $19 per person per month and up for US payroll |
Remofirst Pricing
| Plan | Price per employee/contractor per month |
|---|---|
| Remofirst EOR | Starting at $199 per full-time employee/month |
| Remofirst Contractor | $25 per contractor/month |
Key Differences
Service Expansion
- Deel: Offers additional global payroll services for businesses with their own entities, enhancing its service portfolio beyond EOR.
- Remofirst: Focuses primarily on payroll services for contractors and EOR employees, providing a more streamlined approach.
Global Reach
- Deel: Operates in over 150 countries, catering to organizations looking for reliable EOR solutions.
- Remofirst: Supports EOR services in over 180 countries, offering a broader global reach for clients.
Pricing Transparency
- Deel: Transparent pricing structure starting at $599 per employee per month for EOR services, reflecting its comprehensive offerings.
- Remofirst: Provides a more cost-effective starting price of $199 per employee per month, with average costs ranging between $399 and $499, appealing to budget-conscious businesses.
Choosing between Deel and Remofirst ultimately depends on your organization’s specific needs regarding international hiring and contractor management.
Deel excels in comprehensive services for businesses with existing entities, while Remofirst offers a more affordable and flexible approach, particularly for small to medium-sized companies.
To make an informed decision, delve deeper into our in-depth review, which explores each platform’s features and benefits to help you find the best fit for your HR strategy.
Remofirst Pros and Cons
Remofirst, though similar to Deel, is more affordable and less complex. The pros and cons of collaborating with Remofirst for your global hiring include:
- Pros
Quick onboarding
Remofirst provides clients with an employee self-service portal that allows them to onboard quickly and easily. While it normally takes a few days to get people on board, a well-prepared employee can complete everything with Remofirst support in just one day.
Useful add-ons
This provider offers extra packages that employers can all get from the same source. These include health insurance packages that include vision, dental, and wellness protection; visa and immigration services; equity management; and equipment provisioning. It can also perform background checks on potential hires.
Low fees
Remofirst charges some of the lowest starting fees in the GEP space. Its price for contractor management starts at $25 per contractor per month, and it also costs just $199 per employee per month in some countries.
- Cons
No recruiting services
Remofirst doesn’t provide recruitment services like many other EOR service providers do for their clients. However, this provider hasn’t forgotten entirely about recruiting. At least it provides a list of recruiters worldwide and helps you get affiliate discounts for their services.
Platform limitations
The Remofirst platform lacks many functionalities that could make it work as a central human resources management system (HRMS) or Human Resources Information System (HRIS) on its own. Without features like project management, time tracking, and applicant tracking, you’ll need to use it in conjunction with another, more complete system.
Limited integrations
Remofirst doesn’t offer any convenient out-of-the-box integrations to make it an easy piece of software to pair with the other tools in your tech stack. It has an API for custom integrations and can share data with some HRISs; more integration would make this a much more robust platform.
No mobile app
Remofirst uses a web-based employee portal for employee self-service and doesn’t yet have a mobile app. Developing one would make accessing the platform much more convenient.
Deel Pros and Cons
Deel also has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. These are the pros and cons of this self-described “global people platform”:
- Pros
Easy onboarding
Deel makes it easy and fast to onboard contractors and full-time employees. The platform quickly generates contracts, which workers can sign easily online. Workers can also easily upload their identity and other documents, which are stored for future use. This can all be done in a matter of days or, in some cases, just a few hours.
Data security
Deel is compliant with SOC 1, 2, and EU GDPR standards and is ISO 27001 certified. It uses encryption protocols and 2FA (two-factor authentication) for extra security.
Convenient payments
Deel lets clients pay their employees in over 120 international currencies. Contractors can also receive payments using local funds or through online payment platforms like Payoneer, Wise, and Revolut.
Free HR offering
Deel HR, Deel’s basic management system, is a forever free offering for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 200 employees.
- Cons
Learning curve
Deel is rated highly for ease of set-up, use, and administration. At the same time, however, Deel has a high level of functionality. While this isn’t a disadvantage itself, it does mean it takes time for new users to learn to use the platform effectively.
Complex/hidden pricing
Like most EOR providers, Deel posts only the prices of its basic starting services online. Add-ons and tailored plan prices are not listed, so the only way to discover Deel’s full-service prices is to request a quote.
High contractor management price
Deel’s price for contractor management, $49/person per month, is well above the industry average for this service.
Lacks features
While Deel can be used as a human resources management system (HRMS), it still lacks features like recruitment management and applicant tracking. Also, it doesn’t yet have a mobile app for convenient employee and contractor self-service.
Head-to-Head Comparison: Remofirst vs Deel Features
Deel and Remofirst have many differences, but they also overlap in some key features and main services. Therefore, it’s time to compare them head-to-head across several features and functions. Instead of aiming to declare one overall winner, we’re interested in highlighting the use cases that would make each a great choice for certain organizations’ needs.
User-friendly platform: Deel Wins
Remofirst and Deel both feature easy and intuitive user interfaces (UIs). Despite Deel being a much more advanced and fully functional platform, users rate it higher in terms of ease of set up. Deel’s scores for ease of admin and quality of services also give this provider the edge over Remofirst.
Resources: Deel Wins
Remofirst offers a blog and ebooks to help clients use its system and learn more about international hiring. Deel also has a useful blog that includes webinars, a resource library, a global benefits tool, and a global employment comparison tool to help employers plan their hiring.
Integration with other software: Deel Wins
Remofirst has an API and says it can share data with some common HRIS tools. However, Deel offers an API for building custom integrations with other software and integrates with many top-level solutions, including Ashby, BambooHR, Greenhouse, HiBob, Workday, Lever, and Workable. With 94 ready-made integrations, Deel is a far more robust platform.
International hiring (EOR): Remofirst Wins
Remofirst’s EOR service lets employers hire employees in 180+ countries. While its price starts at $199, this is just for a small selection of countries, and most countries cost $399-499. Not only is this significantly cheaper than what Deel offers, but Deel is also a little more limited by providing EOR service in just over 150 countries. For these reasons, we’re giving it to Remofirst.
Contractor Solution: It’s a tie
Both providers offer contractor services that include hiring and managing benefits, compliance, and invoices in 150+ countries. Deel has a much higher price, double it, in fact, for managing contractors. At the same time, its user reviews give it a much better score for its performance and the convenience of its portal. It also offers more flexibility for contractor payments, so we’re calling this a tie.
Employee Benefits: Remofirst Wins
Both Deel and Remofirst manage mandatory benefits for employees, like paid time off (PTO) and social security as part of their EOR services. However, only Remofirst provides add-on health care benefits, including vision, dental, and wellness packages. These can be adjusted for country for full compliance if health insurance provision is required by law.
Payroll Management: Deel Wins
Remofirst lets clients be invoiced in only five currencies. It also pays contractors only in transfers. Remofirst doesn’t offer time tracking or integration with financial software, so most users have to upload timesheets manually. Deel has integrations with top accounting software, more convenient payroll management, and more payment options for contractor payments.
Our Verdict: Remofirst vs Deel
Now that we’ve had a chance to see these two platforms, Remofirst vs Deel, both individually and head-to-head, it’s time to make a choice. We won’t select an overall winner since both professional service providers have their place in the industry. Instead, we’ll suggest the best use cases for each one.
When to choose Remofirst
If you’re running a small enterprise with a small budget and want to hire employees and contractors abroad for a low price, Remofirst is a good choice. It also lets you sweeten the pot by adding health benefits. You’ll be able to save money on hiring and still provide reasonable compensation for your global team.
When to choose Deel
Deel is a good choice for medium and large enterprises looking to hire extensive global teams and manage them with extensive help and service. Organizations that own their own entities worldwide can also use Deel to manage their global payroll effectively. This platform is easy to use and should integrate well with any organization’s existing tech stack.