Global payroll providers and what they cost
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Global payroll costs from $10 to $29 per employee per month at the providers that publish a price: Playroll from $10, Papaya Global from $12, Multiplier from $20, Remote from $29, and Oyster $29 plus $290 per entity (pricing pages and Oyster’s help center, checked October 16, 2026). That is a fraction of an employer of record fee, because global payroll assumes you already own a legal entity in each country. The provider calculates pay, withholds tax and files returns for your entity; your company stays the employer.
Global payroll is a service that runs payroll for a company’s own legal entities in several countries, calculating pay, withholding taxes and filing returns under each country’s rules, while the company remains the legal employer.
On this page
Global payroll vs employer of record
- Lowest published price
- $10per employee per month, Playroll
- Remote
- $29per employee per month
- Quote only
- Deel, Rippling, G-Pand others
- You need
- An entityin each payroll country
| Question | Global payroll | Employer of record |
|---|---|---|
| Who is the legal employer? | Your company’s local entity | The EOR’s entity |
| Do you need an entity in the country? | Yes | No |
| Who registers with the tax and social security offices? | Your entity, often with the provider’s help | The EOR |
| Who carries the employer liability? | You | The EOR, while you pay the costs |
| Published price | $10 to $29 per employee per month | $199 to $699 per employee per month |
| Best for | 10 or more people in a country, or a long-term presence | A few hires in a country, or testing a market |
Prices from provider pricing pages, checked Oct 16, 2026.
If you do not have an entity, global payroll is not an option yet; you need an employer of record or a contractor arrangement. The trade-off between the two is in EOR vs global payroll.
Global payroll providers
We have not published scores for this product category yet, so these providers are listed by published starting price, lowest first. Their employer of record scores are on our scored EOR list.
Playroll
Playroll shows global payroll from $10 per employee per month with minimums that it does not state, in 35+ markets. Its Trustpilot page has 14 reviews, too few to judge service.
Papaya Global
Papaya Global lists Full-Service payroll from $12 per employee per month, plus a $3 Payroll Platform License and a $3 Payments license as separate lines. It has no minimum term and a 60-day opt-out. It runs its EOR through in-country partners, and its Trustpilot page (4.2 from 58 reviews) shows 29% one-star ratings, the highest share among providers with more than 50 reviews.
Multiplier
Multiplier lists global payroll from $20 per employee per month, billed annually, in 100+ countries. Setup, implementation, payment and statutory fees are “as applicable,” so ask for them in the quote.
Remote
Remote publishes global payroll from $29 per employee per month and its EOR from $599, so you can start on EOR and move people to payroll once you open an entity. Watch the exit: Remote’s terms need 90 days’ notice to end Payroll Services, and its default terms run 12 months and auto-renew.
Rippling
Rippling publishes no global payroll price. A guide by Gusto, a competitor, cites about $32 to $35 per employee per month (prices as of June 2026). Rippling sells global payroll as modules on its platform, which reviewers on Capterra say is hard to budget.
Deel
Deel does not publish a global payroll price; its global payroll page says 150+ countries. Its EOR is $599 and contractors $49 per month. Trustpilot reviewers in September and October 2026 describe payroll and tax errors, including a missed Japan resident tax deduction.
Published global payroll prices
| Provider | Global payroll price | Billing and terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playroll | from $10 per employee per month | Minimums apply (not stated) | Payroll in 35+ markets; price from its homepage product cards |
| Papaya Global | Full-Service payroll from $12 per employee per month | No minimum term; 60-day opt-out | Also lists a $3 Payroll Platform License, a $3 Payments license and Data and Insights at $150 per location; payroll pricing “may vary by country” |
| Multiplier | from $20 per employee per month | Annual billing | Setup, implementation, payment and statutory fees “as applicable”; 100+ countries |
| Remote | from $29 per employee per month | Terms need 90 days’ notice to end Payroll Services | Also sells EOR from $599 and contractor management from $29 |
| Oyster | $29 per employee per month plus $290 per entity per month | One-time $500 implementation per entity | Optional $2 per employee payment processing; from Oyster’s help center, not its pricing page |
| Rippling | Quote only | Not published | A competitor’s guide (Aug 2026) cites about $32 to $35 per employee per month |
| Deel | Not published | Not published | Global payroll page says 150+ countries |
| G-P, Atlas, Pebl, Rivermate, Skuad | Not published | Not published | Ask for a quote per country |
Sources: Playroll homepage, Papaya Global, Multiplier, Remote and Deel pricing pages, Oyster help center article on global payroll cost, Remote terms of service (Aug 3, 2026), checked Oct 16, 2026. Rippling figure from Gusto’s Rippling pricing guide (Aug 2, 2026), a competitor source.
The starting price usually depends on the country and the number of employees in it. Papaya Global says payroll pricing may vary by country, and Playroll says minimums apply without stating them.
What international payroll costs for 5, 10 and 25 employees
| Option | 5 employees | 10 employees | 25 employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playroll payroll, from $10 | $600 | $1,200 | $3,000 |
| Papaya Global Full-Service, from $12 | $720 | $1,440 | $3,600 |
| Multiplier payroll, from $20 | $1,200 | $2,400 | $6,000 |
| Remote payroll, from $29 | $1,740 | $3,480 | $8,700 |
| Oyster payroll, $29 plus $290 per entity (one entity) | $5,220 | $6,960 | $12,180 |
| EOR at $599 (Deel, Remote) | $35,940 | $71,880 | $179,700 |
Math: price x employees x 12, using starting prices (Oyster adds $290 x 12 for one entity); minimums, setup and add-on fees, including Oyster’s one-time $500 implementation, are extra. Provider pricing pages, checked Oct 16, 2026.
The gap between the two models is the budget your entity has to fit inside. At 10 employees, Remote payroll at $29 costs $68,400 a year less than a $599 EOR fee. If your local accounting, legal and registered office costs in that country are lower, the entity plus payroll is cheaper. Model a specific country with the international employee cost calculator and the employer contribution rates in our cost by country index.
What global payroll does not include
- The entity itself. Formation, a registered office, local accounting and annual filings are your costs.
- Employer contributions and mandatory extras. You fund them through the payroll run: 14.88% of salary in the UK at GBP 30,000, 21.30% in Germany at EUR 35,000, and 31.8% in Mexico at MXN 740,000 including the aguinaldo, vacation premium and Mexico City payroll tax, per official 2026 rates.
- Employer liability. If a filing is wrong, your entity answers to the tax office. Check what the provider’s contract says about errors it causes.
- Extra fees. Multiplier names setup, implementation, payment and statutory fees “as applicable”; Papaya Global lists separate license fees.
Global payroll outsourcing: own engine or local partners
Some providers run payroll on their own engine in each country; others route it to local payroll firms. Papaya Global says it works with in-country partners and that its designated country specialists are hired by local accounting firms. Deel says it owns its payroll engine in 130+ countries. Ask which model applies in each of your countries, because it decides who fixes an error and how fast.
Contracts, exit and complaints
- Remote: terms need 90 days’ notice to end Payroll Services, longer than the 30 days for its other services.
- Papaya Global: no minimum term and a 60-day opt-out. Its one critical review visible on Trustpilot (Apr 20, 2026) cites no live customer service.
- Multiplier: payroll is billed annually.
- Deel: payroll and tax errors in Trustpilot reviews from September and October 2026, and an AI bot in front of human support.
Before switching, ask for the year-to-date payroll registers and tax filings in a format your next provider can load. More on the big platforms: Deel review, Remote review, Multiplier review and Deel vs Rippling.
Common mistakes
- Buying global payroll before the entity exists. Until it does, use an EOR. See EOR pricing.
- Comparing starting prices only. Country pricing, minimums and license lines change the total.
- Missing the notice period. Remote’s 90-day payroll notice means planning a switch a quarter ahead.
- Ignoring permanent establishment. Staff abroad can create a taxable presence; see permanent establishment risk.
Frequently asked questions
What is global payroll?
How much do international payroll services cost?
What is the difference between global payroll and an EOR?
Does Deel publish a global payroll price?
When should I switch from an EOR to global payroll?
Sources (15)
- Playroll: Playroll homepage product cards (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Papaya Global: Papaya Global pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Papaya Global: Papaya Global employer of record page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Multiplier: Multiplier pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Remote: Remote pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Oyster: How much does global payroll cost? (Oyster help center) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Remote: Remote terms of service (last updated Aug 3, 2026) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Deel: Deel pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Rippling: Rippling global page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Gusto (a Rippling competitor): Rippling pricing guide (Aug 2, 2026; prices as of June 2026) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Trustpilot: Papaya Global reviews (4.2 from 58 reviews) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Trustpilot: Deel reviews (4.6 from 9,652 reviews) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- GOV.UK: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027 (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Deutsche Rentenversicherung: Social insurance figures 2026 (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- INEGI: UMA 2026 values (checked Oct 16, 2026)
This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Rules and rates change, so check the official source linked above before you file or sign a contract. Read our disclaimer.