10 Best Global Payroll Services Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 26 tools reviewed.
Get free help from our HR software advisors to find your match.
With so many different global payroll service providers available, figuring out which is right for you is tough. You know you want to outsource managing employee payments across different countries, handling currency conversions, tax regulations, and compliance with local labor laws—but you need to figure out which provider is best. In this post, I'll help make your choice easy, sharing my personal experiences with dozens of different global payroll companies, with my picks of the best global payroll service providers overall.
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Best Global Payroll Services Comparison Chart
Here’s a comparison chart that summarizes basic details about each of my top global payroll service provider selections. You can view pricing details and the availability of free demos side-by-side to help you find the best service provider for your budget and business needs.
| Tools | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Deel | Flat rate user pricing, with free HR tool for businesses | Website |
| Papaya Global | EOR from $650/employee/month or $2/contractor/month; Global payroll from $3 to $12/employee/month | Website |
| Remofirst | From $199/employee/month for EOR and $25/mo for contractors | Website |
| Rippling | From $8/month/user | Website |
| Multiplier | EOR from $400/employee/month or $40/contractor/month; Global payroll from $20/employee/month | Website |
| Remote | EOR from $599/employee/month or $29/contractor/month | Website |
| Trinet | Pricing upon request | Website |
| ADP GlobalView Payroll | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Worksuite | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Transformify | From $6.40/user | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareHow to Choose a Global Payroll Service
A global payroll service can solve many different challenges and simplify the process of managing multi-country payroll, tax obligations, and compliance requirements for your international staff. To help you figure out which global payroll service best fits your needs, you need to document your specific challenges first.
As you work through your own unique selection process, keep the following points in mind:
- What problem are you trying to solve - Start by identifying the challenges you're trying to overcome, whether that's paying employees in multiple currencies, managing international compliance, or calculating taxes to adhere to different country requirements.
- Who will benefit from the service - Consider who will manage the global payroll relationship (i.e., who will your main contact people be in-house?) and how having a global payroll provider will improve their day-to-day work tasks.
- What is your budget - To evaluate cost, estimate how many foreign employees you anticipate hiring. Since global payroll providers typically charge a monthly fee for each international employee you hire, this will allow you to estimate your monthly costs.
- What outcomes are important - Review the capabilities you want to gain or improve, and how you will be measuring success. For example, you may want to unify your payroll processes for all your international staff into one system or enhance your compliance monitoring abilities to avoid legal risks. You could compare service providers until you’re blue in the face but if you aren’t thinking about the outcomes you want to achieve, you'll waste a lot of valuable time.
- How it would work within your organization - Consider how the service provider's software ecosystem would work alongside your existing workflows and systems. Would their software framework integrate with your existing HR software, or would you face data management roadblocks?
Remember every business is different — don’t assume that a global payroll service will work for your organization just because it's popular.
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Deel
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.8 -
Paycor
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.1 -
Paychex Flex
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.2
Reviews of the Best Global Payroll Services
Here are detailed descriptions of my top 10 global payroll services that showcase each payroll provider’s noteworthy features and services. I’ve also included screenshots to give you a snapshot of their user interface too. Plus, in case you’d like more service providers to consider, I’ve included 16 more options below as well.
Deel
Best global payroll services with an all-in-one HR management platform
Deel is a global payroll service provider that can help you hire employees in over 150 countries. It allows you to hire anyone as a contractor or employee without worrying about local laws, complicated tax systems, or international payroll.
Why I picked Deel: Their automated processes let you set up global payroll in less than a month. Deel has local country experts working in-house to provide consultative approaches for each location you hire from, ensuring compliance with local pay standards. Their platform lets you handle end-to-end workforce management, including custom contract adjustments, expense reimbursements, and off-cycle payroll adjustments.
Deel offers 10+ payment options for clients, ranging from bank transfers to cryptocurrency pay-ins. You can schedule payments in advance and run off-cycle payroll runs whenever needed. For employees and contractors on Deel, they can self-manage their pay and personal data and use providers like Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, and Revolut for easy international withdrawals.
Deel Features and Integrations:
Key features, in addition to their global payroll service run by local experts, include several new offerings that Deel's launched over the past year, including global mobility support, integrated Slack tools, and advanced integrations. Their global mobility service helps companies with visa sponsorship, allowing them to bring in candidates from abroad.
Deel is one of the largest international payroll solutions listed here, with the company reporting over 100,000 active worker contracts. They offer 24/7 online support and dedicated account managers for specific requests.
Integrations are available with Ashby, BambooHR, Expensify, Greenhouse, Hibon, NetSuite, Okta, OneLogin, Quickbooks, Xero, Workday, and Workable. They also have an Open API to support additional custom integrations too.
Pricing for Deel is available upon request and is a flat rate. You can also request a free demo through their website.
Best global payroll service for AI-backed compliance verification
Papaya Global is a cloud-based SaaS (software-as-a-service) workforce management and global payroll service provider that helps HR teams hire, onboard, manage, and pay employees and contractors in over 160 countries.
Why I picked Papaya Global: Their platform supports all types of employee payments (via payroll, for independent contractors, or under EOR arrangements) and uses smart technology including AI to eliminate errors and ensure compliance. Suitable for enterprise-level organizations, their modern platform also incorporates state-of-the-art automations, advanced security measures, and real-time business intelligence and analytics.
Papaya Global Features and Integrations:
Key features include solutions for automating payroll and payments, tools to understand your total payroll costs, workforce planning tools, a dedicated HRIS system including onboarding tools, AI-based compliance verification features, international employee benefits administration, and assistance with global immigration issues.
Integrations are available with BambooHR, Expensify, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Namely, NetSuite, Priority Software, SAP Business One, SAP Concur, and SAP SuccessFactors. They can also create additional custom integrations for your existing HR software upon request.
Pricing for Papaya Global’s global payroll features range from $3 to $12/employee/month with volume discounts available for large workforces. You can also request a free demo or a free trial through their website.
Best global payroll for startups with 24/7 support and affordable pricing
Remofirst is an international payroll service provider on a mission to free employers from geographical boundaries so they can access global talent with ease.
Why I picked Remofirst: Their global payroll platform simplifies the international payroll process, paying your distributed employees in their own local currency, while giving you the option to summarize and aggregate your invoices into one payment, rather than making multiple individual payments.
Remofirst’s software can also automatically calculate your team’s hours, time off, holidays, bonuses, and commissions so you don’t have to worry about it. Instead, you only need to review their monthly invoice and approve it for payment.
Their team of legal experts and HR professionals will also ensure your international payroll operations are always compliant with changing global regulations in all 170+ countries they operate in. To put your mind at ease, your compliance documentation is also accessible at all times through your secure dashboard. Their customer support team is also always reachable 24/7 in case you need extra help. All clients also receive a dedicated account manager as their main point of contact too.
Remofirst Features and Integrations:
Key features, in addition to their global payroll services, include global benefits management (including insurance and equity plans, plus time-off management), and employer of record (EOR) services, plus employee support for obtaining visas and other immigration documentation. They can even help you with provisioning equipment to your distributed employees around the world.
Integrations are available with third-party payment providers including PayPal and Transferwise.
Pricing for Remofirst’s global payroll services cost from $199/employee/month. They also offer a $25/month plan if you only need to pay global contractors. Their services come with no hidden fees or fixed contract terms.
Rippling
Best payroll service for combining local and global payroll into one payroll workflow
Rippling is a full-service HR solutions provider capable of addressing the different requirements of businesses at scale. Its products include a robust applicant tracking system (ATS), time and attendance tracking, learning management, as well as full payroll processing and benefits management.
Why I picked Rippling: They offer full payroll services, along with HR and IT support across 50 countries. As recently as October 2022, Rippling has significantly improved its HR suite by incorporating global payroll and workforce management tools.
This means that if you have internationally distributed employees and teams, you can now leverage this feature-rich platform to manage global HR, IT, and payroll processes. This includes keeping track of employee time and attendance, the inventory of assigned laptops and other devices, payroll, and benefits, regardless of where they are in the world.
Rippling Features and Integrations:
Their core features are automated payroll and tax filing, including detailed HR, payroll, and tax reports. The platform automatically calculates the hours worked, paid time off (PTO), benefits deductions, taxes, and withholdings during payroll processing. Accounting and payroll departments have the option to make payroll payments via check or direct deposit.
Finally, the system will automatically calculate payroll, apply the appropriate deductions, and process employee payments in the right currency via international wire, thanks to its automated currency conversion. Rippling will also file payroll taxes for globally distributed employees and teams automatically.
Integrations are available with 1Password, Asana, DocuSign, Dropbox, GitHub, Google Workspace, LinkedIn, Microsoft 365, Netsuite, Sage Intacct, Slack, Typeform, QuickBooks, and many other popular software systems
Pricing details for Rippling are available upon request. You can also request a free demo through their website.
Best global payroll services for talent onboarding and payment compliance
Multiplier is a global payroll solution that provides HR and payroll services to businesses, especially those who are entering new geographic locations or employing workers in different countries. Their unified platform helps businesses to manage their global payroll and HR operations, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
Why I picked Multiplier: Multiplier handles global payroll by partnering with local payroll providers and tax experts in the countries where its clients have employees; this enables Multiplier to provide accurate and compliant payroll processing services while ensuring that all relevant local taxes and contributions are paid on behalf of the employees.
Multiplier excels in providing a comprehensive and technology-driven solution for businesses managing global payroll and HR operations. The platform offers a user-friendly interface and integrates with other HR tools, making it easy for businesses to manage their payroll, benefits, and compliance in multiple countries.
Multiplier's team of experts also provides ongoing support and guidance, ensuring that businesses are always up-to-date with the latest laws and regulations.
Multiplier Features and Integrations:
Key features and services include payroll processing, tax compliance, benefits administration, and worker's compensation. Multiplier’s global payment system supports payments in 120+ currencies.
Integration details are not currently available.
Pricing for Multiplier's global payroll service starts at $20/employee/month or $40/contractor/month. You can also request a free demo of their platform through their website.
Remote
Best for early to mid-stage tech companies looking to offer competitive benefits
Remote helps companies of any size hire, pay, and manage full-time, part-time, or contract workers all around the world.
Why I picked Remote: They offer global payroll services, as well as assistance with benefits administration, taxes, compliance, and employer of record (EOR) services in over 50 countries. As well, Remote’s equity experts can also help you develop an incentive plan and strategy to offer stock options to your international team, with them taking the lead on all the requisite tax withholding and reporting requirements.
Remote Features and Integrations:
Key features of Remote’s Global Payroll product allows companies to consolidate their multi-country payroll processes in one platform. It simplifies the payroll process for companies with entities in multiple countries, ensuring compliance and accuracy in payroll management. Besides Remote’s Global Payroll feature, businesses around the world also use Remote to hire and manage remote employees scattered across the world. Remote currently supports hiring in 85+ countries with their EOR product, and 180+ for contractor management, with new countries added constantly. Because of Remote’s 100% owned-entity model, you have access to local legal and HR experts for additional hiring and compliance guidance.
Integrations are available with 25+ software applications including BambooHR, Easop, Greenhouse, Gusto, Hibob, Personio, Sequoia, Slack, Xero, Zelt, and other systems. They also have an Open API to support additional custom integrations, and companies can seamlessly connect Remote with over 5,000 external apps via the Zapier integration.
Pricing starts at EOR from $599/employee/month or $29/contractor/month, and they offer a 30-day free trial + a free plan is available.
TriNet is a technology platform that provides HR services and global payroll services. It aims to help businesses manage their HR processes, employee benefits, and compliance requirements.
TriNet is best suited for businesses that operate on a global scale and need help managing their HR processes and payroll.
Why I picked TriNet: I picked TriNet as one of the best global payroll services because of its advanced features that cater to the specific needs of global businesses. Its integrated payroll system is designed to handle complex payroll regulations in various countries, making it an excellent choice for businesses that operate in multiple locations.
Another feature that makes TriNet stand out is its HR management system. It offers a centralized platform for managing HR tasks such as employee onboarding, time tracking, and benefits administration. This feature can help businesses streamline their HR processes and improve employee engagement.
TriNet Features and Integrations:
Key features include an employee perks program, global payroll solution, compliance with local tax laws and regulations, vendor perks and deals, payroll management system, custom rewards, a variety of payment options, and recognition programs.
Integrations include QuickBooks, Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, BambooHR, Lattice, Greenhouse Software, Carta, and Xero.
Pricing is available upon request and a free demo is available.
Best scalable global payroll service for businesses of any size
ADP’s GlobalView Payroll software is a unified global payroll and HR portal that’s flexible and scalable, making it a solid option for multinational companies of any size. It allows you to consolidate payroll information for international employees within one centralized system, streamlining the payroll process for all employees, no matter where they’re located. As well, ADP’s roster of 3,000 compliance and payroll specialists provide valuable in-country expertise to ensure your payroll set up is always in compliance with international regulatory obligations.
Why I picked ADP GlobalView Payroll: Their system has several features that are helpful for distributed organizations that reduce the likelihood of staff needing to contact HR or accounting for further assistance. For example, admin staff have the ability to proactively send communications to staff about any changes to their pay statement in advance, rather than responding to a flood of questions after the fact. Their system also makes use of descriptive information tags that display more details when users hover over the “i” icon. These informative pop-ups also go a long way to answering common questions in advance, rather than requiring staff to reach out for further assistance.
ADP GlobalView Payroll Features and Integrations:
Features employees will appreciate include the ability to compare pay periods side-by-side and drill down into the details to understand any differences. Their system also includes a lot of employee self-service functions, and the ability to access an identical employee portal from mobile devices as well. On the admin side, platform administrators have full control over how the employee dashboards appear, including the ability to control country-specific messaging, FAQs and display languages.
Integrations are available with 360Learning, Absorb LMS, Bob, ClearCompany, Clearlogin, Cognology, EmployeeConnect, ExpertusONE, Jostle, Limelight, Qooper, Rotageek, Sift, Spoke, Together Mentoring, uAttend, Workato, Xecex, XOR, Xoxoday, and many others. You can also set up custom integrations with your existing HRIS system, or use ADP to moderate your HR employee data as well.
Pricing details for ADP GlobalView Payroll are available upon request. You can also request a free demo through their website.
Worksuite is a comprehensive global payroll solution that automates payroll processes, tax withholdings, and payments while providing integrated HR support services. It helps ensure compliance with local laws and regulations. Their software supports over 190 countries, with the ability to make payments in 120+ currencies.
The platform integrates seamlessly with existing systems and processes, making it easy to set up and manage global payroll operations across multiple countries. Moreover, Worksite provides detailed reporting capabilities so employers can easily track and monitor their employees’ wages, hours worked, and taxes paid from anywhere in the world.
Worksuite provides automated payroll workflows that eliminate manual data entry and error-prone calculations from the process. This helps reduce costs associated with mistakes or missed payments. Employers can quickly identify any discrepancies or issues that may arise during the payroll process before they become bigger problems down the line.
Worksuite's tax forms feature provides employers and payroll specialists with an easy-to-use platform to accurately manage payments, withholding, and filing of taxes on a global level. This automated compliance system enables employers to stay on top of their financial and taxation obligations by ensuring they are up-to-date with local regulations while helping the organization remain compliant across various regions.
Worksuite's mass payment feature streamlines payment processing, sending funds quickly and securely in one bulk payment while providing visibility and traceability of funds. It offers a range of functionalities with options to customize fields according to country standards, define approval processes and add reference data such as CNPJ and IBANs.
It also has the ability to configure government pre-compliance fields according to country rules so that payments can be made while calculating withholdings properly. Furthermore, it ensures data security through regular spot checks and incorporates fraud mitigation measures at every payment stage.
Integrations with any software system of your choosing are available using their Zapier integration, with no coding required.
Worksuite offers pricing upon request.
Transformify's core product is an HRMS, and the Employer of Record (EOR) add-on is capable of supporting your global payroll needs.
Why I picked Transformify: The company's EOR service allows you to hire globally in over 184 countries. They handle your payroll, taxes, and compliance to ensure everything is up to code for you as a global employer. They're also capable of managing your benefits administration and supporting employee onboarding and offboarding.
This is a great option if you'd like to hire employees from abroad without taking on the hefty workload that often comes with it. Meanwhile, you maintain control over your intellectual property and data. And if you're looking to hire global talent on a freelance basis, the Freelancer Management System (FMS) add-on might be a good option, too.
Transformify Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include employee onboarding and offboarding, document management, localized document templates, e-signature, tax filings and reports, pay slips, benefits and deductions, time off and attendance, NDAs and IP protection, compliance documents collection, and reporting tools.
Integrations are not currently listed by the vendor.
Pricing for Transformify's HRMS starts at $6.40 per user, but the EOR add-on starts at $635.
Other Global Payroll Service Providers
Here are a few more global payroll providers that didn’t make the best global payroll services list but are still worthy of consideration:
- Omnipresent
Best global payroll service for incorporating 13th & 14th month payments
- Pilot
Best global payroll service provider for additional workforce management and EOR services
- Horizons
Best global payroll service for strategic mergers & acquisitions
- Lano
Best global payroll service for small businesses or startups
- Mercans
Best global payroll service for HR outsourcing, available in 160+ countries
- Skuad
Best global payroll service for assistance with work permits and asset tracking
- Velocity Global
Best global payroll service for supporting global expansion
- Oyster HR
Best global payroll service for managing expenses and employee reimbursements
- Atlas HXM
Best global payroll and EOR service for end-to-end employee management
- Agile Hero
Best global payroll + EOR service with additional global mobility support
- QuickBooks Payroll
Best for small business payroll needs
- Alight
Best global payroll service for earned wage access between pay periods (pay-on-demand)
- Immedis
Best global payroll service for global oversight and perpetual compliance validation
- CloudPay
Best global payroll service for benchmarking your global payroll processes
- IRIS FMP
Best global payroll service for support with international employee benefits & compensation
- Payoneer
Best global payroll service for enterprise-level cross-border payments
Related HR Software Reviews
If you're looking for better HR tools in addition to services, check out these other core HR offerings, that we've tested and evaluated:
- HR Software
- Payroll Software
- Recruiting Software
- Employer of Record Services
- Applicant Tracking Systems
- Workforce Management Software
Selection Criteria for Global Payroll Services
Selecting the right global payroll services requires a thorough understanding of how these services can alleviate the complexities of managing payroll across multiple currencies and addressing compliance and legal obligations. My approach to choosing the best global payroll services is grounded in thorough research into recent global payroll market data coupled with an understanding of the comprehensive services organizations need to operate globally.
Here are the criteria I used to make my final selections for this list:
Core Global Payroll Services (25% of total score): To be considered for inclusion in my list of the best global payroll services, each provider had to offer the following basic services and software functionalities first:
- The ability to run payroll in multiple currencies and countries within one aggregated payroll transaction
- The ability to pay full-time employees, part-time employees, and contractors within one payroll run and deposit employee earnings directly into foreign bank accounts
- An employee self-service portal where employees can access their pay statements and update their own personal banking details
- Compliance monitoring for international labor laws and tax regulations
- Secure management of employee data across different jurisdictions
- Provision of detailed reporting and analytics for payroll management
- Integration with existing HR and accounting systems
Additional Standout Services (25% of total score): To help me narrow in on the best global payroll services out of the numerous options available, I also took note of any unique or less common services, including:
- Unique analytics capabilities that offer deep insights into payroll efficiency and trends to optimize payroll processes
- Exceptional user experience in employee self-service portals, enhancing accessibility and understanding
- Customized solutions for handling complex multi-national payroll scenarios not commonly addressed by competitors
- Assistance with other global HR services, such as talent acquisition, benefits management, corporate insurance, and other expert services
- Advanced integration capabilities to sync global payroll data with other business systems
Industry Experience (10% of total score): To evaluate the industry experience of each global payroll service provider, I considered the following:
- Evidence of long-standing operation within the global payroll sector
- The depth of their global expertise, including how many different countries they offer services in
- Staff qualifications and credentials (if available) that highlight specialized knowledge in international payroll management
- Any recognition by industry peers or awards for excellence in global payroll services
Customer Onboarding (10% of total score): To get a sense of each provider's customer onboarding process, I considered the following factors:
- Clear, straightforward onboarding processes that minimize transition times
- The availability of comprehensive onboarding materials, such as fact sheets, guides, FAQ repositories, or other training resources
- Support for integrating the global payroll provider's software with existing HR systems
- Direct access to onboarding specialists, customer support, or a dedicated account manager during the setup phase
Customer Support (10% of total score): Since global payroll processes can be complicated, you'll want a service provider with excellent customer support systems in place. To evaluate the level of customer support each company offered, I considered the following:
- 24/7 customer support availability to address urgent payroll issues across time zones
- The availability of multilingual support to serve global employees
- Multiple support channels, including phone, email, and live chat
- Evidence of responsiveness and effectiveness in resolving issues, as inferred from customer reviews
Value for Price (10% of final score): To gauge the overall value of each service, I considered the following factors:
- Transparent pricing models without hidden fees
- Comparative analysis of service offerings versus cost
- Flexibility in service packages to suit different business sizes and needs
Keep in mind that most global payroll services only provide their pricing details upon request. This is because the price varies depending on the specific countries you have international staff in, and whether you need assistance with additional HR services (such as Employer of Record services) as well.
Customer Reviews (10% of final score): Evaluating customer reviews is the final element of my selection process, which helps me understand how happy real users are with a service. Here are the factors I considered:
- Consistently high ratings across a variety of consumer review platforms
- Specific feedback or testimonials that highlight exceptional service when managing complex payroll scenarios
- Positive feedback or endorsements from a broad range of international clients
By using this assessment framework, I was able to identify the global payroll services that go beyond basic requirements to offer additional value through unique services, deep industry experience, smooth onboarding, effective support, and overall value for price.
Trends in Global Payroll Software for 2024
Global payroll software is the IT backbone of global payroll services. Without this advanced payroll technology, these service providers would quickly find themselves bogged down with disorganized data and technical challenges. Here are several emerging trends that are developing in the global payroll software space:
- AI and Automation: The introduction of AI-backed automation to payroll systems has revolutionized the process of paying international employees and contractors. There are now numerous ways AI automation can reduce the time human operators need to spend processing payroll, while simultaneously ensuring compliance with various international tax laws and regulations in each jurisdiction you operate in.
- Improved Security via Blockchain Technology: Blockchain technology has emerged as a secure way to ensure that international transactions are safe, transparent, and traceable. Blockchain technology also improves the integrity of payroll data and reduces the risks of fraud. Some payroll systems even support paying employees in cryptocurrencies, if desired, making employee payments even more straightforward.
- Flexible Payment Options: Modern payroll software has started to incorporate more flexible payment options to cater to the diverse needs of international employees and help organizations retain their top talent. Flexible payment options include bank transfers, checks, payments to digital wallets, and payments made in an employee's preferred currency or cryptocurrency.
- Earned Wage Access: Another modern payment option that's rising in popularity is called early-wage access or earned-wage access. It essentially pays your employees at the end of each day worked, improving their personal cash flow situation, and increasing their employee satisfaction.
Working with a top-notch global payroll service will give you access to the latest developments in global payroll technology, including advanced AI integrations and automation, secure blockchain technology, and flexible payment methods. For a close-up look at a global payroll service that incorporates these features, read our in-depth review of Papaya Global.
By improving the security of your payroll data, you'll get greater peace of mind each time you run payroll. And, from your employees' perspective, flexible payment options will improve their employee experience and make them more likely to stay.
What is a Global Payroll Service?
A global payroll service provider is a company that specializes in processing payroll for businesses with employees in multiple countries, ensuring compliance with international laws and regulations. The purpose of a global payroll service provider is to take complex payroll work off your HR team's plate and ensure you stay up-to-date on all compliance and legal obligations.
Global Payroll Services & Features
By leveraging a global payroll service, companies can process international payments, ensure compliance with local labor laws, and manage international tax requirements. Here are the most important services and features to look for in a global payroll service provider:
- Payroll Administration: It should almost go without saying, but these advanced payroll services also include the basic functions you'd expect from any payroll system. Those features include automations to process payroll on time, direct deposit, digital payslips or pay stubs, and a mobile app for employee access.
- In-Country Compliance & Legal Expertise: Global payroll providers rely on in-country personnel with experience in local labor, tax, and employment laws to ensure their systems are always operating in compliance with the latest regulations and incorporating any changes immediately. Pay attention to how many countries they have local entities in too.
- Payroll Processing in Multiple Countries and Currencies: The international payroll providers in this list all operate in multiple countries (between 50 to 240), and support payments in a multitude of local currencies (between 50 to 100).
- Tax Withholding and Filing: Global payroll providers will also manage your employee tax obligations in different countries. Proper handling of taxes is vital to prevent legal penalties and ensure accurate financial reporting.
- Payroll Reconciliation and Auditing: This service ensures accuracy and compliance through regular checks and audits. This helps minimize errors and ensures payroll operations align with financial and regulatory standards.
- Support for Diverse Employee Types: International hiring often includes a blend of full- or part-time employees, contractors and freelancers, and employees under PEO or EOR arrangements. The payroll companies in this list can handle all these types, depending on your business needs.
- HR Support and Consultation: Most global payroll service providers have broad industry experience and offer additional global HR services as well. This may include PEO or EOR arrangements, or help with international recruiting, immigration, or managing international benefit plans.
- Software Integrations: Even though global payroll is a service, each provider comes with their own software portal too. Global payroll systems that integrate with commonly used HR data management systems will improve productivity, reduce manual data entry, and eliminate the possibility of payroll errors.
- Centralized Dashboard: To simplify your global workforce management processes, the best global payroll service providers all offer a centralized dashboard that aggregates all of your international employee & payroll data into one streamlined presentation, giving you everything you need in one place.
- Employee Self-Service Portals: This software feature allows employees to access their payslips and tax documents. This is helpful as it empowers employees with information, increases transparency, and reduces HR inquiries.
Global payroll services specialize in international payments, but if your business also has local payroll needs, you might find our guide to the best payroll software useful.
Benefits of Global Payroll Services
Managing payroll across different countries can be a complex and time-consuming task for organizations. A global payroll service simplifies this process by offering a unified solution to handle payroll operations in multiple jurisdictions.
If you need more convincing, here are five primary benefits of using a global payroll service:
- Streamlined Processes: By consolidating payroll operations into one platform, a global payroll service reduces the administrative burden on HR departments, enabling them to focus on strategic tasks rather than managing paperwork and compliance in different jurisdictions.
- Compliance Assurance: Global payroll services are run by experts who will navigate the complex web of local compliance requirements on your behalf. This reduces the risk of penalties and ensures that your payroll operations are always in line with the latest legal standards.
- Improved Cost Efficiency: By leveraging economies of scale and the service provider's technology and expertise, organizations can significantly lower their payroll management costs compared to maintaining separate in-house systems and teams for each country.
- Enhanced Data Security: Global payroll services use advanced security measures to protect payroll data from unauthorized access and breaches, giving organizations peace of mind that their employees' information is secure.
- Real-time Reporting and Analytics: A global payroll service provides comprehensive reporting and analytics tools that offer real-time visibility into payroll operations across all countries. Access to detailed reports and analytics helps organizations better manage their resources, identify trends, plan for future growth, and ensure that their payroll operations are aligned with their overall business objectives.
As you can see, adopting a global payroll service can transform the way organizations manage their international payroll operations, and allow HR professionals to elevate their role from administrative to strategic.
Costs & Pricing for Global Payroll Services
Pricing models for global payroll services are based on the number of employees, the countries in which they are located, and the range of services required. Key factors that can influence the pricing of global payroll services include:
- Number of Employees: Pricing often scales with the size of your workforce, as managing payroll for a larger number of employees increases the complexity and workload.
- Countries of Operation: Different countries come with different costs. Services may charge more for countries with complex tax and labor laws due to the additional expertise and effort required to ensure compliance.
- Frequency of Payroll: Companies that run payroll every week may incur higher charges compared to those processing monthly payroll due to the increased number of transactions.
- Integration with Existing Systems: The need to integrate the global payroll service with existing HR and financial systems can influence the overall cost, especially if custom solutions are required.
- Level of Service Required: Services range from standard global payroll processing to more comprehensive packages of global HR services. The more extensive the services, the higher the cost.
- Regulatory Compliance and Reporting Needs: Businesses that operate in highly regulated industries or require detailed reporting may face higher charges due to the additional complexity and expertise required.
A free option for global payroll services is typically not available due to the complex and customized nature of the work involved. However, some providers might offer a free consultation to understand your needs and propose a tailored pricing plan, or a limited trial to test certain features of their service.
Understanding the pricing model of global payroll services and the factors that influence cost is crucial for HR professionals. It enables informed decision-making and helps ensure that the chosen service aligns with the organization’s budgetary constraints and payroll needs. Always consider the scale of your operations and the level of support you require when evaluating potential providers.
Frequently Asked Questions about Global Payroll Services
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions people have about global payroll services and other related global HR services these software vendors provide.
How do global payroll services work?
Global payroll services offer in-country expertise along with proprietary multi-country payroll software. By using a global payroll service, you’ll be able to process payroll for all your international staff and contractors at once. And, better still, you’ll be able to pay them in their own local currency without needing to stress over local tax regulations. That’s because their team of payroll experts will take care of all your in-country tax obligations. Plus, they’ll continuously work on your behalf to ensure your payroll runs remain legally compliant.
Do global payroll providers offer other types of international HR services?
Yes, many global payroll providers can help you with more than just managing international payroll and contractor payments. Most also offer additional services to help organizations with global hiring, including professional employer organization (PEO) and employer of record (EOR) services.
For a more detailed breakdown of global HR services that are rising in popularity, see How Global HR Services Can Support International Teams. Or, for a quick crash course, see my answers below.
What's the difference between a global payroll service, a PEO, and an EOR?
It can be tricky to understand the differences between a global payroll service and those that professional employer organizations (PEOs) and employers of record (EORs) offer. And for good reason — because typically the same organizations offer all three services to satisfy different business needs and models. Here’s my high-level overview, to save you time:
- A global payroll service is a third-party organization that you can outsource your international payroll function to. Doing so puts the responsibility of managing international tax, compliance, and other legal issues onto the service providers plate. However, their responsibilities end with payroll processing and your organization remains responsible for managing all other aspects of the employee-employer relationship legally.
- A professional employer organization (PEO) is a third-party organization you can use to outsource different HR functions to, beyond just payroll. For example, you could hire a PEO to take care of your international recruiting, benefits administration, or general day-to-day HR services. To use a PEO in an international setting, you must already have a legal entity set up abroad, and your organization and the PEO become co-employers of your foreign employees.
- An employer of record (EOR) takes things one step further, legally. An EOR acts like a subsidiary branch of your parent company for your employees located in other countries. You do not need to have a legal entity established abroad. Instead, the EOR becomes the legal employer of your international staff, and handles all aspects of their employment, including payroll, taxes, benefits, and labor relations and compliance, etc.
The cost for each service also rises in relation to the responsibilities they are assuming for your foreign staff.
If you need a little more help deciding the right service for you, take a look at our summary of HR outsourcing including benefits, strategies and other considerations for more food for thought.
What are PEO and EOR services and how do they work?
With global payroll solutions already buzzing in your brain, you may also be wondering about PEO and EOR services—something that most of the global payroll companies in this list also provide. So what are they, and what do they do?
PEO (professional employer organizations) are organizations that work on your behalf to cover common functions like payroll, tax filing, international benefits administration, and HR services. Technically, you are only outsourcing specific functions to the PEO provider though, and the employees who benefit from those services are still considered your organization’s responsibility. To use a PEO in an international setting, you also must already have a legal entity set up within that country.
In contrast, an EOR (employer of record) organization is used when companies want to hire international workers but they lack a legal entity in the foreign country. In these cases, the EOR provider becomes the full legal employer for the foreign workers, and manages all aspects of their employment while they perform work on behalf of your organization.
For a more detailed description of PEO vs EOR services have a look at our summary article PEO or EOR: Which is Right For You
How common are global payroll, PEO, and EOR arrangements?
Wondering just how popular global HR services are? Here are some interesting stats:
- In 2021, 69% of businesses surveyed by EY Global have begun using some form of shared payroll and HR services (either global, regional, or in-country).
- In the United States alone, there are 487 PEOs that provide services to 173,000 businesses employing 4 million people.
- Between 2008 and 2020, the number of workers employed by PEOs grew at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6%.
- The EOR market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% during 2022 to 2028, reaching a projected value of $196 million by 2028.
Do global payroll services include access to software?
Yes, global payroll services require a specialized type of payroll software to manage payments in numerous international currencies. This is referred to as global payroll software, which is the software infrastructure through which they conduct their services.
Global payroll software typically covers the following features:
- payroll management in numerous currencies
- workforce management (time and attendance tracking, vacation tracking, employee scheduling)
- benefits management
- employee self-service
Whether you can access the global payroll software without any roadblocks, or for an additional fee, will depend on the terms of your service agreement. Keep this in mind and ask about it as you narrow in on the best global payroll service provider for you. It’s also worth considering the native software integrations that are part of their software too.
Not sure where to go from here? These tips for how to select the best payroll service would be a logical next step.
Can businesses switch between different global payroll providers easily if needed?
Switching between global payroll providers isn’t as straightforward as flipping a switch, but it’s entirely possible with careful planning. The key is to ensure a smooth transition that minimizes disruption to payroll operations. This process will involve migrating data, configuring the new system to match your payroll requirements, and possibly retraining your HR team on the new platform, so you want to have a solid plan in place.
Some providers offer onboarding and migration assistance to help with the switch. This can include data transfer support, to ensure that all employee and payroll information is accurately moved to the new system. They may also provide training for your HR team on how to use the new platform effectively, minimizing downtime and ensuring a smooth transition. This support is crucial for maintaining payroll continuity and compliance as you change providers.
Are there any global payroll solutions for very small businesses or startups?
Yes, there are global payroll solutions designed for very small businesses and startups. These solutions are tailored to be affordable, scalable, and user-friendly, allowing small teams to manage international payroll efficiently without extensive HR infrastructure. They often offer features like automated tax compliance, integration with existing accounting software, and support for multiple currencies to simplify payroll processes as businesses grow and enter new markets. Selecting a provider that specifically caters to small businesses can ensure you get the support and flexibility needed at this critical stage.
How do global payroll services handle currency fluctuations?
Global payroll services tackle currency fluctuations by utilizing real-time exchange rate systems and sophisticated software. This approach ensures that employees are paid accurately according to the latest currency values, safeguarding against sudden shifts in exchange rates. Additionally, these services offer detailed reports and analytics, helping businesses understand the impact of currency fluctuations on their payroll expenses.
Other Services & Software
With international workforce issues on your mind, these other lists of key HR services and payroll software variations are also worth considering:
- Employer of Record (EOR) Services
- Global HR Service Providers
- Payroll Services for Small Businesses
- Best Payroll Companies
- Automated Payroll Software
- Payroll Software for CAD Businesses
- Payroll Software for Small Businesses
- Online Payroll Software
- Free Payroll Software
- HR Software for Payroll
Looking for some non-software resources to help you manage your international talent better? This list of best practices for managing remote teams has lots of new ideas and strategies to consider.
Simplify Your International Operations with Global Payroll Services
Global payroll service providers operate in a complex landscape, and they offer a lot of valuable services for organizations wanting to hire globally.
Still not sure if you're ready to outsource your global payroll operations? Our list of outsourcing payroll pros and cons will help you make the final call.
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