- Best overall international payroll service: Papaya Global
- Best time-saving automations: Rippling
- Best for international hiring: Oyster
- Best global HR platform: Remote
- Best for international contractor payments: Gusto
- Best standalone payroll solution: ADP GlobalView Payroll
- Best benefit options: Plane
- Best for risk-free international onboarding: Multiplier
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International payroll services simplify global payroll by calculating and paying taxes, managing compliance and distributing payments on your company’s behalf. Using these tools can make hiring internationally more worth an employer’s time and money, allowing you to access top talent without letting complex tax regulations monopolize your time.
For plenty of global US-based businesses, Papaya Global and Rippling are the two best international payroll software solutions for small, midsize and large businesses. But if neither solution is right for you, you have plenty of other options.
Keep reading to see the top eight international payroll services for global organizations in 2024.
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Top international payroll solutions: Feature comparison table
| Software | Contractor plan starting price | EOR starting price | Number of countries served | Global employee benefits | Our star rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papaya Global | $30 per contractor per month | $599 per employee per month | 160+ | Yes | 4.2 out of 5 |
| Rippling | Custom | Custom | 50+ | Yes | 4.3 out of 5 |
| Oyster HR | $29 per contractor per month | $499 per employee per month | 180+ | Yes | 4.4 out of 5 |
| Remote | $29 per contractor per month | $599 per employee per month | 200+ | Yes | 4.3 out of 5 |
| Gusto | Varies by country | $599 per employee per month | 120+ | No | 4.6 out of 5 |
| ADP GlobalView Payroll | Custom | Custom | 40+ | No | 3.7 out of 5 |
| Plane | $39 per contractor per month | $499 per employee per month | 100+ | Yes | 3.8 out of 5 |
| Multiplier | $40 per month | $400 per month | 150+ | Yes | 4.1 out of 5 |
Plan and pricing information up to date as of 3/28/2024.
The best international payroll services
Papaya Global: Best overall international payroll service
Our star rating: 4.2 out of 5
Papaya Global is an international PEO (professional employer organization) offering payroll services in 160+ countries. As an all-in-one payroll and payments program, Papaya Global’s fintech solution deposits employee pay for you in 160 local currencies. Payments are attributed to your company rather than to a third-party bank.
Along with its international payroll processing tools and data and analytics feature, Papaya Global helps you find location-specific employee benefits. The payroll software also gives you valuable insights into how your company’s compensation stacks up globally so you can make informed choices about how to compete in today’s job market.
Finally, Papaya Global’s focus on compliance ensures you can hire the best candidate for the job by helping you understand immigration processes, upload the correct documents and track the right information.
Why we chose it: Papaya covers a ton of countries and provides a variety of services with clear, transparent pricing. Alongside global benefits and analytics, you can onboard up to 1,000 employees or contractors at a time for rapid expansion. You also have access to Papaya’s knowledge base and 24/7 chat support.
Pricing
Papaya offers multiple global payroll solutions starting at the following price points:Â
- Global Payroll: Starts at $25 per employee per month for businesses with 101-500 employees, $20 per employee per month with 501-1,000 employees, or $15 per employee per month with 1,001+ employees.
- EOR: Starts at $599 per employee per month.
- Contractor Payments & Management: Starts at $30 per contractor per month.
Top global payroll features and integrations
- Automatic document review to ensure compliance with international regulations.
- Multi-language support.
- In-house payments solution with worker payments deposited within 72 hours.
- Employee self-service portal.
Integrations: Papaya Global is working on expanding its built-in third-party software integrations. For now, it syncs natively with Expensify, NetSuite, BambooHR, Namely, HiBob and SAP.
Papaya also has a universal HCM connector that lets you sync HRIS, HCM and Excel data directly to Papaya’s operating system.
Papaya pros and cons
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Learn more about Papaya Global on our complete Papaya payroll review.
Rippling: Best time-saving automations
Our star rating: 4.3 out of 5
Rippling’s global payroll management technology lets businesses hire remote employees, manage payroll and HR processes, and generate worldwide employee data reports within a single centralized system.
Rippling easily automates every aspect of payroll processing and HR. Organizations can develop custom workflows that keep their teams on track. (For example, automated notifications customized by role or team keep staff members informed about payroll adjustments.) Rippling’s software also automatically categorizes and syncs payroll and finance data to users’ general ledgers, saving them time on reconciliation and eliminating redundant data entry.
Along with payroll, Rippling automates global compliance processes, providing support for global minimum wage enforcement, overtime enforcement and leave enforcement.
Why we chose it: We love that Rippling simplifies global payroll by consolidating payroll, HR and employment information from your international and domestic employees across one unified software system. The platform ensures running global payroll is fairly comparable to running domestic payroll in house — which means it’s streamlined, automated and as hands-off as possible.
Pricing
Rippling’s modular business software is completely customizable to each customer, so you’ll need to contact the company directly to request a custom quote. You’ll likely pay a per-employee monthly fee to use Rippling’s global payroll software as well as a monthly base fee.
Rippling is offering TechRepublic readers a free one-month subscription. Visit Rippling’s site to get started.
Top global payroll features and integrations
- 90-second international employer and contractor onboarding.
- Fast local currency payments.
- Automatic global tax calculation and filing.
- Self-service onboarding and offboarding tools.
- Employee reimbursement in 100+ local currencies.
- Optional international PEO and EOR services.
Integrations: Rippling integrates with more third-party business apps than any other global payroll provider on our list. It features 500+ built-in “recipes,” or options for integrating apps like Greenhouse, Zendesk and Jira into your custom workflows.
Pros and cons
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To learn more, read our comprehensive Rippling software review.
Oyster: Best for international hiring
Our star rating: 4.4 out of 5
Oyster is an international HR and payroll provider available in 180+ countries. Oyster users can access vetted resources, including global employment templates and checklists. The software also comes with a Time Zone Crossover Calculator for determining optimal talent sourcing locations. Its Global Employment Cost Calculator helps you instantly calculate your employment costs for workers worldwide.
Oyster also simplifies global talent sourcing with end-to-end employee management for international hiring. Its features help employers ensure hiring and payroll compliance through onboarding paperwork and consolidated in-platform communication. These streamlined tools speed up the process of hiring full-time employees in 130+ countries or contractors in 180+ countries.
Why we chose it: Oyster’s international payroll features are fantastic, but it’s much more than a simple payroll system. Instead, Oyster helpfully oversees the entire employee lifecycle. The payroll and HR platform starts you off on the right foot by connecting you to a network of vetted international candidates. Oyster also scales up with you as you grow, letting you convert contractors to full-time employees within the system. It’s a great choice for businesses that plan to start out small and expand internationally over time.
Pricing
Oyster has three main international payroll and HR plans:
- Contractor: Starts at $29 a month and is suited for businesses that hire only international contractors in 180+ countries.
- Employee: Oyster’s global employer of record solution. It starts at $499 per employee per month when billed annually or $599 billed monthly and can operate in 130+ countries.
- Scale:Â is ideal for growing global enterprises. Custom quotes are required.
Top global payroll features and integrations
- Country-specific global employment guidance tools.
- Financial management tools, including expense tracking, employee allowances and benefits.
- Competitive, location-specific employee benefits options.
- Bulk hiring tools and dedicated global employment support (available with Scale plan only).
Integrations: Oyster integrates with 15 third-party apps, including company communication services like Slack, expense trackers like Expensify, and HCM software like NetSuite.
Pros and cons
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To learn more about how Oyster works and discover if it’s right for you, read our complete Oyster payroll review.
Remote: Best global HR platform
Our star rating: 4.3 out of 5
Remote’s employer of record service can hire employees globally on your organization’s behalf while managing payroll for contractors. It’s a particularly good choice for businesses that are breaking into the global market for the very first time. As an EOR service, Remote will handle every aspect of employee hiring and onboarding, assuming liability while dealing with the tricky legal tangle of bringing global employees on board.
Most notably, the company also helps businesses figure out how to assist employees with international relocation. Along with offering legal assistance as you figure out visa sponsorships, Remote offers cross-cultural training to help employees adjust to a new country. It also offers general moving assistance and country-specific insurance guides.
Why we chose it: If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, all-in-one payroll and HR service that supports global employees, you can’t do better than Remote. On top of its fully featured global payroll service, Remote offers a completely free HRIS solution with services like time and attendance, expense management and employee reimbursement, employee self-service and guided onboarding.
Pricing
Along with its free HRIS product, Remote offers three paid plans:
- Contractor Management: Starts at $29 per contractor per month.
- Employer of Record: Start at $599 per month.
- Global Payroll starts at $50 per employee per month.
Top global payroll features and integrations
- Fully customizable contracts for global employees.
- Intellectual property and international invention rights protections.
- Employee benefits packages.
Integrations: Remote integrates with several top applicant tracking systems, domestic payroll products and accounting software. Top integrations include Gusto, Greenhouse, BambooHR and HiBob. Remote’s open API also enables custom integrations.
Pros and cons
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Learn more about Remote’s HR and payroll solution by reading our Remote payroll review.
Gusto: Best for international contractor payments
Our star rating: 4.6 out of 5
Gusto is one of the top payroll software choices for companies of all sizes. Its standalone international payroll tool enables contractor payroll processing in 120+ countries, including India, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Canada. The company also recently added an employer of record service that helps companies hire, onboard and pay employees around the globe.
Employers who use Gusto can add international contractors to their payroll dashboard and pay them in local currencies. With customizable onboarding checklists for international contractors, self-onboarding features and the ability to add international contractors to a recurring payment schedule, Gusto’s software simplifies payroll so workers can begin their jobs fast.
Why we chose it: Gusto is hands-down one of the best domestic payroll software solutions on the market, and its global contractor payroll solution is just as easy to use as its other standout plans. On top of its thorough features and intuitive user dashboard, Gusto automates every aspect of payroll to ensure you spend minimal time running payroll. Gusto’s user-friendliness extends to its integrations, since Gusto also syncs with more third-party tools than most other software on our list, barring Rippling.
Pricing
Gusto’s new EOR service starts at $599 per employee per month. Its international contractor payment service is an add-on feature, and pricing depends on where in the world your contractors work.
Gusto’s domestic payroll plans start at the following price points:
- Gusto Simple: $40 per month plus $6 per employee per month.
- Gusto Plus: $80 per month plus $12 per employee per month.
- Gusto Premium: Custom quotes only.
Get a one-month free discount on your invoice after you subscribe and run your first payroll with Gusto. Other terms and conditions apply.
Top global payroll features and integrations
- Pays contractors in 120+ countries.
- Multilingual support.
- Mobile time tracking and geolocation tools.
- Unlimited monthly payroll runs.
- Built-in time and attendance tracking.
Integrations: Gusto syncs with hundreds of third-party apps, such as Clover, Shopify, Greenhouse, Aplos, Bookkeeper360, Sage Intacct, Xero and QuickBooks Online.
Pros and cons
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To learn more about Gusto, read our comprehensive Gusto Payroll review.
ADP GlobalView Payroll: Best standalone payroll solution
Our star rating: 3.7 out of 5
ADP provides international payroll and HR services in more than 40 countries through ADP GlobalView Payroll. Its global payroll solution consolidates multi-country payrolls on one platform and standardizes the workflows needed to quickly process international payroll. Built-in time and attendance tracking tools automatically calculate wages, and the payroll software can make paycheck deductions and submit tax payments on a pre-set schedule.
Along with streamlining and simplifying global payroll, ADP GlobalView Payroll enables organizations to refine onboarding processes, create employee records and upload payroll documents to the system. Users in any country can access their payroll data via ADP’s mobile payroll app, which is fully localized to each area’s unique laws and regulations.
ADP GlobalView Payroll is geared toward companies with at least 500 employees located in one country. If you have up to 1,000 employees in at least three countries, ADP’s enterprise-level global payroll solution, ADP Celergo, could be a better fit for you. You can also add ADP Celergo to your ADP GlobalView Payroll plan if you operate in countries outside the 40+ countries GlobalView Payroll applies to.
Why we chose it: ADP is one of the most prominent payroll, HR and PEO companies in the U.S. It’s extremely easy to use and syncs with just about any third-party product. While ADP GlobalView isn’t as fully featured as some other international payroll products on our list, its ease of use, ubiquity and accessibility make it a good fit for businesses that want matter-of-fact payroll with a relatively fast setup.
Pricing
ADP offers custom quotes only.
Top global payroll features and integrations
- Single system of record for all employee payroll data.
- Integration with ADP Celergo expands payroll access to 140+ countries and 51 currencies.
- Tools for global data management, data security and privacy law compliance.
Integrations: ADP integrates seamlessly with dozens of products, including QuickBooks Online, Xero, BambooHR, Workday, Slack and more.
Pros and cons
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To learn more about ADP, read our full ADP Global payroll review.
Plane: Best benefit options
Our star rating: 3.8 out of 5
Plane (previously known as Pilot) helps employers pay international contractors quickly and equitably. It also acts as an employer of record, enabling companies to hire and pay employees in 100+ countries without having to set up local entities. The service also comes with optional workers benefits in 175+ countries (including optional benefits for contractors), expense management tools and local contract compliance oversight.
Plane’s centralized payroll platform lets employers submit automated payments to their domestic and international contractors and employees in as little as one or two business days. Additionally, the contractor self-service platform allows freelance workers to submit expense reports and payments, and overseas contractors won’t need to handle any transaction fees to get paid for their hard work.
Why we chose it: We love the way Plane’s payroll service supports built-in payments without requiring transaction fees or exchange rate markups, which makes it an economical choice for businesses with global contractors. The fact that Plane offers expense management and optional benefits alongside contractor, EOR and international payroll services further sets it apart.
Pricing
Plane has three main international payroll plans:
- International Contractors: Costs $39 per contractor per month. It enables contractor payroll in 240+ countries.
- US Employees: Costs $19 per employee per month.
- International Employees: Starts at $499 per employee per month. It enables hiring in 100+ countries.
Top global payroll features and integrations
- Employee hiring in 100+ countries and contractor payments in 240+ countries.
- Payments in more than 100 local currencies.
- Optional international employee benefits.
- Global customer service assistance for employers and employees in all countries.
- Built-in expense management.
Integrations: Plane integrates with a variety of third-party products, including bookkeeping services like Pilot, but it’s hard to find direct information about Plane’s integrations on the company’s site.
Pros and cons
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Multiplier: Best for risk-free international onboarding
Our star rating: 4.1 out of 5
Multiplier is a platform that helps employers perform their international payroll with features for managing taxes, social contributions and local insurance policies. The all-in-one system takes care of many different areas involved in hiring, onboarding and paying of international employees.
Why we chose it: Multiplier takes “risk-free” to the next level by providing employment contracts that ensure compliance with local laws. The solution lets employers onboard, pay and provide benefits with reliability and security to global teams. It has local business entities in over 150 countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Pricing
Multiplier has several international payroll plans with relatively clear pricing:
- Employer of Record: Starts at $400 per month.
- Independent Contractors: Starts at $40 per month.
- Global Payroll: Custom quotes only.
- Immigration services: Custom quotes only.
Top global payroll features and integrations
- Employee and contractor hiring in 150+ countries.
- Local currency payments (120+ currencies).
- Benefits administration.
- Compliant pensions and social contributions.
- Country-specific, customized insurance policies.
Integrations: Multiplier integrates with a handful of HR software, including Workday, BambooHR, HiBob and Personio.
Pros and cons
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To learn more, check out our comprehensive Multiplier payroll revjew.
Key features of the best international payroll services
The exact international payroll features your team needs will vary depending on the countries you operate in, whether you work with more employees or freelancers and what your financial constraints are. With that in mind, most international companies need some combination of the following global payroll features.
Full-service payroll
Global companies don’t have the time to process payroll on an individual basis. Instead, they need time-saving automations like pre-scheduled payroll runs and automatic general ledger updates.
Ideally, your payroll software also automates paycheck calculations by syncing with time and attendance software. It should automatically calculate wage garnishments, healthcare premiums and tax deductions, then file those deductions with the right country-specific agency.
Comprehensive compliance
Each country has a radically different set of tax laws, employment regulations and data security guidelines. The best international payroll services provide comprehensive compliance oversight and give you immediate access to local compliance experts who offer trustworthy, top-notch insight into global employment concerns. In the international payroll field, payroll mistakes can spell huge problems for your business — so choosing a provider with excellent compliance services is a must.
International employee and contractor payroll
Are you planning to add full-time employees in countries around the world, or are you planning to only work with freelancers, contractors and self-employed individuals as you expand your company? Even if you’re working with contractors for now, are you hoping to eventually add full-time international employees?
While most global payroll companies that support employee payments also support contractor payments, contractor-only services don’t support employee payments. Consider your company’s future plans for expansion before signing up for a payroll service that locks you into paying just one type of worker over another.
When you’re considering what your global workforce will look like in the future, don’t overlook the number of countries your payroll software operates in and which local currencies it’s able to process. Migrating to a payroll provider only to learn it doesn’t support hiring in a country you have in mind creates a lot of unnecessary paperwork, hassle and wasted money.
Employee benefits
Most international payroll services either integrate with third-party employee benefits brokers or partner with global benefits providers so you can find the right benefits for your unique workforce.
Some global payroll providers restrict benefits to healthcare options only while others offer workers’ compensation insurance and country- or culture-specific benefits. Still others offer optional contractor benefits, which is a unique perk that could help you draw more workers to your company and retain top talent long after the hiring process is complete.
Global onboarding tools with employee self-service features
When you’re managing a global workforce, it’s crucial to ensure your employees can get on the same page quickly and stay there throughout their employment. For the most part, the best international payroll products have employee self-service portals with in-depth onboarding tools. Some providers, such as Rippling, include global IT services that let you manage devices remotely and ensure company data security while virtually guiding employees through onboarding.
Additionally, depending on your company’s needs and onboarding requirements, look for international payroll products that either include or integrate with learning management systems. These systems should have an international course library with customizable templates and country-specific compliance training.
Our methodology
To choose, evaluate and rank the best payroll software for international companies, we looked at top payroll brands that offered, at minimum, global contractor payments in at least a dozen countries. From there, we prioritized payroll services that offered both employee and contractor payments in at least 40 countries with at least 50 types of global currencies.
We then thoroughly reviewed each software provider’s websites, demos and user reviews on third-party sites like TrustPilot, Garner Insights, Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
To calculate our star ratings, we assessed each global payroll service in the following categories and according to our own in-house algorithm:
- Pricing (weighted to 25% of total score):Â Transparent online pricing, add-on fees and number of features offered for price.
- International payroll features (weighted to 35% of total score): Full-service payroll, automatic paycheck deductions and customizable payroll reports.
- Ease of use (weighted to 15% of total score): Third-party integrations, employee self-service, mobile app availability and overall user experience.
- Customer satisfaction (weighted to 15% of total score): Verified user reviews on third-party sites, registered complaints with the Better Business Bureau, customer service reputation and 24/7 customer support.
Our payroll expert’s experience with the products comprises the final 10% of our score. Learn more about how we research our brands and calculate star ratings on our payroll software research methodology page.
How do I choose the best international payroll service for my business?
Apart from analyzing features, assessing pros and cons and considering costs, the best way to find the right international payroll outsourcing service for your business is to get hands-on experience with multiple products before making a final choice.
Most global payroll services don’t offer free trials, though some notably allow you to create a free account and explore the software on your own before paying a fee.
For the most part, global payroll companies require you to set up a customized demo where a sales representative will walk you through the program’s dashboard and offer you a tailored quote. The payroll system you choose will have a massive impact on your company’s bottom line, your employees’ experience with your company and the amount of time you have to spend dealing with paychecks and tax regulations — so make sure to ask questions like the following during your demo before committing to a global payroll provider:
- What does your ideal customer look like in terms of sizing and industry?
- What are your customers’ most frequent pain points and how do you plan to address those in the future?
- Which features do your customers appreciate the most? Which features are you planning to add in the future?
- Can I access a trial version of your software before committing to a plan?
- Do you offer white-glove setup and data migration assistance for new customers?
- What is the ideal use case for your payroll software?
- Does your software integrate with the specific personnel, HR and financial tools our business currently uses?
Feel free to consult our guide to choosing and setting up a payroll system as you sort through your payroll options to find the best global payroll service for your business.
Frequently asked questions
What is a global payroll solution?
Global payroll solutions like international payroll software enable companies to pay workers — including employees and contractors — in countries outside the US. Typically, global payroll helps you hire employees while staying legally compliant with individual countries’ unique labor laws. It also enables worker payments, usually in local currencies.
What is the difference between a global payroll service, EOR, and PEO?
International EORs and PEOs are two distinct types of global payroll services.
An EOR, or employer of record service, lets employers hire workers in countries where they don’t have an established legal entity. The company providing EOR services acts as the employee’s legal employer, assuming responsibility for legal compliance. In contrast, a PEO, or professional employer organization, functions as a legal co-employer with your company. The PEO splits the legal risks with you instead of assuming the full burden of compliance, and it can’t hire employees on your behalf in countries where you lack an established legal entity.
How do I run international payroll?
To run international payroll, start by finding a global payroll provider that offers the exact services you need in the countries where you want to hire employees or contractors. Paying contractors is typically less complicated than paying employees, but you’ll need to hire both types of workers according to each country’s labor laws. (Working with an EOR service to hire employees in countries where you lack an established legal entity is the easiest way to ensure you’re in compliance with international law.)
Once you’ve found an international payroll service you like, running payroll is a matter of getting your payroll service’s software up and running. At that point, the process should be fairly similar to running payroll domestically, from importing employee data (e.g., bank account information), determining a pay schedule and syncing time clock data.
You can rely on the software to calculate paychecks, deduct taxes and pay your employees, typically in their local currency.