Enter your business details to see what each option would cost you. Prices are live from our database and shown in US dollars.
A remote team changes what you need from HR software. Instead of one office under one set of rules, you are managing records, onboarding, time off and pay for people who may sit in several states or countries, each with its own employment and tax rules. The tools that win here do two things: give you a single system for everyone, and let you employ or pay people across states and borders compliantly. Below are our ranked picks, then a live comparison table and calculator to cost each at your headcount.
How we chose
For a distributed US team we weighted country and multi-state coverage, whether the platform handles employees, contractors or both, payroll and multi-currency payments, and how much of the remote employee lifecycle, from device shipping to onboarding, it covers. Cost transparency in US dollars mattered too, though the global platforms price Employer of Record and contractor hiring per engagement. Pricing is live from our database.
What remote teams should prioritise
Decide first whether your people are W-2 employees or 1099 and overseas contractors, because it changes the tool and the cost. Domestic W-2 employees across states need multi-state payroll and filing, which Rippling and Deel handle. Overseas employees need an Employer of Record, the core of Oyster and a strength of Deel. Contractors need compliant contracts and reliable payment, which Deel and Payoneer Workforce do well. Then weigh how remote your operation is: if you also ship laptops and provision software, Rippling's IT layer earns its place.
There is a real choice between a broad platform and a focused one. Deel and Rippling both give you HR, payroll and global hiring together, with Rippling adding IT device and app management for a fully remote operation. Oyster is a focused Employer of Record: if the hard part is simply employing a few people in specific countries compliantly, a specialist can be cleaner than a full suite. Payoneer Workforce fits when the real problem is paying a spread of overseas contractors in their own currencies quickly.
The verdict
Deel is the best overall for a US remote team: a free HRIS to 200 employees, the widest Employer of Record and contractor reach, and multi-currency pay in one place. Choose Rippling when you want HR, IT and multi-state payroll unified, Oyster for a focused EOR, and Payoneer Workforce when fast multi-currency contractor payment is the core need. Use the calculator above to cost each at your team size.
Paying overseas contractors?
If your remote team is mostly contractors rather than employees, the per-contractor cost is the number that matters. Our guide to the best payroll software for contractors ranks the platforms on real per-contractor pricing and classification risk.