VETTED SAAS
Alternatives · HR and Payroll

Best Remote alternatives

The global hiring tools we would weigh against Remote when you want a broader product range, more integrations, or to hire only inside the US.

Remote is a clean, flat priced platform for hiring contractors and employees abroad, with employer of record, global payroll and a free HR layer. Companies look elsewhere for three reasons. Some want a wider product range and a larger country and integration footprint than Remote offers. Some want HR, payroll, benefits and IT on one record rather than a global employment specialist. And many realize they only hire inside the US, where a domestic payroll tool is simpler and cheaper. The four below cover those exits: the broad global all rounder, the all in one platform, the enterprise global payroll specialist, and the simple US payroll default. Each carries our editorial score and a verified entry price so you can match the tradeoff to your team.

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Reviewed by ·Updated JANUARY 2026·How we vet
The shortlist

Four HR and payroll tools we would weigh first

HR and Payroll 89 Deel Broad global hiring across contractors, EOR and payroll. Read verdict → HR and Payroll 91 Rippling One platform for HR, payroll, benefits, IT and spend. Read verdict → HR and Payroll 84 Papaya Global Enterprise global payroll and workforce analytics. Read verdict → HR and Payroll 92 Gusto Full service US payroll with published prices. Read verdict →
At a glance

How they compare

Scores are editorial assessments against our HR and Payroll rubric. Price from as of June 2026; check the vendor for current pricing.

Tool Best for Price from Score
Gusto Simple full service US payroll $49 92
Rippling One platform for HR, payroll and IT $8 91
Deel Broad global hiring and EOR $49 89
Papaya Global Enterprise global payroll $12 84
Decision framework

Which one fits you

Deel you want the widest global hiring range, with contractors, employer of record and payroll across many countries, plus a large integration set, and you weigh it against Remote on country coverage and price.
Rippling you want HR, payroll, benefits and IT on one employee record rather than a global employment specialist, and will consolidate several tools onto one platform.
Papaya Global you are a larger organization that needs to run and analyze global payroll across many entities and countries, with workforce cost dashboards, rather than a lean EOR first tool.
Gusto your hiring is inside the US, where full service domestic payroll and benefits with published per person prices is simpler and cheaper than a global employment platform.
Common questions

Remote alternatives FAQ

What is the best Remote alternative?

It depends on your need. Deel is the best broad global all rounder, Rippling the best all in one platform, Papaya Global the best enterprise global payroll, and Gusto the best simple US payroll. Scores are editorial; pricing verified June 2026.

Is there a cheaper alternative to Remote?

On contractors, Remote starts near $29 per worker, against Deel at about $49 and Papaya Global at about $30. For employer of record, Remote and Deel both price from about $599 per employee per month at the platform level, while Papaya Global is higher. If you only hire in the US, Gusto at a $49 base plus $6 per person is far cheaper. The cheapest real total depends on country and worker mix. Verified June 2026; check vendors for current pricing.

Which Remote alternative is best for global hiring?

Deel and Papaya Global both specialize in global hiring. Deel offers the widest contractor, employer of record and payroll range with a large integration set, while Papaya Global leans toward enterprise global payroll and analytics across many entities. Rippling adds global hiring on top of an all in one HR and IT platform.

Do I need a global tool like Remote at all?

Only if you hire outside your home country. If your team is entirely US based, a domestic payroll platform like Gusto or an all in one like Rippling is simpler and cheaper than an employer of record platform. Remote and its global peers earn their fee when you need compliant hiring abroad. Verified June 2026.

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