Deel vs Remote vs Oyster: what an employer of record costs for one employee in another EU country
You have found the right person, but they live in another country and you have no company there. An employer of record (EOR) employs them for you under local law and bills you each month. For a company of 5 to 50 people hiring one or two people abroad, the questions are: what is the fee, what comes on top of it, and what ties you in.
Short answer
- Listed EOR fee per employee per month: Deel from $599, Remote from $599 (for annual contracts), Oyster $699 with annual discounts available.
- The fee is the smaller part. You also pay the salary, the employer's social contributions in that country and any benefits. Those depend on the country, not on the provider.
- Commitment: Deel says month-to-month with no long-term commitment. Remote's listed price is for annual contracts. Oyster sells annual seats at a reduced fee.
- Deposit: Oyster requires a refundable deposit. Remote charges no standard deposit but may ask for a refundable reserve. Deel's pricing page does not mention one, so ask.
- Our view: ask Deel and Remote for a quote for your exact country and salary first; their list fees are the lowest. Take Oyster's quote too if you can commit for a year, because its annual price is not published.
Fees side by side
All three show prices in US dollars on their pricing pages. Oyster lets you pay in USD, EUR, GBP or CAD; Remote bills in many currencies and applies an exchange rate when your billing currency differs from the payroll currency.
| Deel | Remote | Oyster | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employer of record, per employee per month | From $599 | From $599, for annual contracts | $699; annual discounts available |
| Fee × 12 months, one employee | From $7,188 | From $7,188 | $8,388 before any annual discount |
| Contractors, per contractor per month | From $49 | From $29 (Plus: from $99) | $29, first 30 days free |
| Contractor of record, per month | From $325 | From $325 | Not listed |
| Payroll for your own employees, per employee per month | Not shown on the page we checked | From $19 | Not listed |
| Setup or onboarding fee | None listed; page says "no hidden fees" | None ("no setup or onboarding fees") | None ("setup and onboarding" included) |
| Deposit | Not mentioned on the pricing page | No standard deposit; a refundable reserve may be required | Refundable deposit required for EOR employees; amount not published |
| Commitment | Month-to-month, no long-term commitment | Listed EOR price is for annual contracts | Annual seats at a reduced fee; monthly at list price |
Sources, all checked 15 November 2026: deel.com/pricing, remote.com/pricing, oysterhr.com/pricing. "From" prices are the vendors' own wording; the price for a given country can be higher. The "× 12" row is our arithmetic on the listed fee only. Prices exclude VAT.
What you pay on top of the fee
- Gross salary you agree with the employee.
- Employer social contributions in the employee's country. These are set by law and differ a lot between EU countries; every EOR passes them on to you.
- Mandatory or customary benefits, such as a 13th month salary or meal vouchers in some countries.
- A deposit at the start, if the provider asks for one. It is refundable, but it is cash out of your account.
- Currency conversion, if you pay in a currency other than the contract currency.
Before you sign, ask each provider for a written quote that lists all five lines for your country and salary. If two quotes differ by more than the fee, the difference is in how they estimate contributions and benefits; ask them to explain it.
When an EOR is the wrong tool
- The person works as a genuine freelancer on their own terms: a contractor plan ($29 to $49 a month) is much cheaper. Check the local rules on false self-employment first; the risk sits with you.
- You plan to hire several people in the same country: at some point your own entity and a local payroll provider cost less than paying an EOR fee for each person. Ask your accountant where that point is for your country.
What we could not confirm yet
- Whether Deel asks small companies for a deposit for EOR employees; its pricing page does not say.
- Oyster's annual seat price and Remote's price without an annual contract; neither is published.
- Country-by-country prices. All three pricing pages show starting prices only; Oyster links to a cost calculator that we have not reviewed yet.
We will add worked examples with employer contributions for specific EU countries, using official government rates. Spotted something wrong? onturgus@gmail.com.