Best Payroll Software for Remote Teams
For remote teams spread across countries, Deel is the best choice, because international hiring needs an employer of record and localized contractor agreements rather than US payroll software. For remote teams entirely within the United States, OnPay is the best value at a flat $49/month plus $6 per person with multi-state payroll included.
Remote payroll splits cleanly into those two problems. Inside the US, an employee working in another state generally triggers registration and withholding obligations there, so you need a plan that includes multi-state payroll rather than one that upsells it. Outside the US, you either need a legal entity in that country or an employer of record to employ the person for you.
Mixing those up is the expensive mistake. US payroll software cannot legally employ someone in another country, and an EOR is an unnecessarily expensive way to pay someone two states away.
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Our ranked picks
Our top pick is Deel, a provider we earn nothing from. We do earn a commission from Gusto and OnPay. Ranking reflects documented capability for remote and international teams.
- 1Best for international remote teams
Deel
Companies employing or contracting people outside the United States
Deel is purpose-built for cross-border work: contractor payments across many countries with localized agreements, and an EOR product that employs your hire in a country where you have no legal entity. Its contractor pricing is a published per-contractor monthly rate, with EOR priced per employee per month.
We earn nothing from Deel and it still ranks first, because for a genuinely international team no US payroll platform solves the problem it solves.
Where it falls short- EOR is a much higher per-person cost than domestic payroll — budget accordingly.
- Unnecessary expense if your remote team is entirely within the United States.
- Deel is $49 per contractor per month, $599 per employee per month for EOR, $125 per employee per month for US PEO, and $325 per contractor per month for Contractor of Record (pricing verified August 2026).
- 2Best value for US multi-state remote teams
OnPay
US companies with employees spread across several states
OnPay includes multi-state payroll in its flat $49/month plus $6 per person, which is exactly the requirement a US remote team has. You also get unlimited pay runs, federal, state, and local filings, W-2 and 1099 filings, benefits in supported states, and 401(k) integrations in the same plan.
The pricing structure matters more than it sounds. Adding a hire in a new state doesn't move you to a different tier or change what you pay per person.
Where it falls short- US-only: international hires need an EOR like Deel.
- No contractor-only entry tier.
- Less polished than Gusto for employees.
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- 3Best platform for hybrid domestic and global teams
Rippling
Companies managing US employees, contractors, and global hires together
Rippling combines payroll, HRIS, app provisioning, and device management, and supports contractor payments and international hiring. For a distributed company, provisioning apps and shipping laptops to remote hires is a real operational problem, and Rippling treats it as part of onboarding rather than a separate process.
We earn nothing from Rippling. It's the pick when you want one system across a mixed domestic and international workforce and have someone to own the configuration.
Where it falls short- Quote-based modular pricing that grows with each module.
- Requires real setup investment and internal ownership.
- More platform than a small, single-country remote team needs.
- 4Best US remote payroll experience
Gusto
US remote teams that want the smoothest employee experience
For a US remote team, the relevant Gusto plan is Plus at $80/month plus $12 per person, which includes multi-state payroll, time tracking, and next-day direct deposit on top of full-service federal, state, and local filings. Employee self-onboarding is especially valuable when you never meet a new hire in person.
Benefits in supported states and 401(k) integrations round it out, so a distributed team doesn't need a separate benefits vendor.
Where it falls short- Simple at $49/month plus $6 per person is single-state, so remote teams must use the pricier Plus plan.
- Costs more than OnPay for the same multi-state capability.
- No international employment: you'll still need an EOR for hires abroad.
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- 5Alternative EOR to compare
Remote
Companies shortlisting employer-of-record providers
Remote is a well-known employer-of-record and global contractor platform, and it's the most common alternative companies weigh against Deel when hiring internationally. If you're running an EOR selection process, it belongs on the shortlist.
We haven't published a full review of Remote on this site yet, so we're listing it as a comparison point rather than making claims about specific capabilities or coverage.
Where it falls short- being verified: we have not yet published a full Remote review, so treat this listing as a shortlist pointer, not a recommendation.
- being verified: confirm country coverage, contractor features, and included support directly with Remote.
- Remote is $699 per employee per month for EOR, $29 per employee per month for Global Payroll, and $29 per contractor per month for Contractor Management ($99 for Contractor Management Plus) (pricing verified August 2026).
Compare the picks side by side
| Provider | Starting price | Per person | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deel | $49 / contractor / mo | EOR: $599 / employee / mo | Companies employing or contracting people outside the United States |
| OnPay | $49/mo base | $6 / person / mo | US companies with employees spread across several states |
| Rippling | Quote-based (payroll price not published) | Quote-based | Companies managing US employees, contractors, and global hires together |
| Gusto | Plus: $80/mo base | $12 / person / mo | US remote teams that want the smoothest employee experience |
| Remote | EOR: $699 / employee / mo | Contractors: $29 / person / mo | Companies shortlisting employer-of-record providers |
Prices shown come from each provider's review page on this site. Confirm current pricing with the provider before signing up — payroll pricing changes often.
Pricing verified August 2026
How we picked
The first question for remote teams is jurisdictional: are all your workers in the United States, or not? That single answer determines whether you're shopping for multi-state payroll software or for an employer of record, and the two categories aren't substitutes.
For US remote teams, we weight whether multi-state payroll is included rather than upsold, then total monthly cost, then employee self-service quality — which matters more when onboarding happens entirely over a screen. For international teams, we weight country coverage, contractor versus EOR options, and pricing transparency.
Where we haven't published a full review of a provider, we say so and mark its details for verification rather than presenting unverified capabilities as findings.
Every provider is scored against the same criteria. Read our payroll software review methodology.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best payroll software for a remote team?
For teams spread across countries, Deel, because international hiring requires an employer of record or localized contractor agreements rather than US payroll software. For US-only remote teams, OnPay is the best value at a flat $49/month plus $6 per person with multi-state payroll included.
Do I need multi-state payroll for remote employees?
Generally yes. An employee working in a different state from your business usually creates registration and withholding obligations in their state. OnPay includes multi-state payroll in its flat $49/month plus $6 per person, and Gusto includes it on the Plus plan at $80/month plus $12 per person.
What is an employer of record?
An employer of record legally employs a worker on your behalf in a country where you have no entity, handling local employment compliance, payroll, and statutory benefits while the person works for your team. Deel and Remote are two of the best-known EOR providers.
Can I just pay international team members as contractors?
Sometimes, if the relationship genuinely qualifies as independent contracting under that country's rules. Many countries apply their own tests and penalties for misclassification, which is why platforms like Deel offer both localized contractor agreements and EOR employment — get local advice before choosing.
How much does remote team payroll cost?
US multi-state payroll is inexpensive: $49/month plus $6 per person with OnPay, or $80/month plus $12 per person on Gusto Plus. International EOR employment is priced per employee per month and costs substantially more, so confirm current rates directly with the provider.
The bottom line
Answer the jurisdiction question first. If every worker is in the US, OnPay is the cheapest correct answer and Gusto Plus is the nicer one. If anyone is abroad, you're shopping for an EOR, and Deel is the strongest documented option here.
If you're running an EOR selection, get written quotes covering every country you plan to hire in — coverage and per-country pricing vary far more than the marketing pages suggest.
Read how we research and score payroll providers in our payroll software review methodology.