Best Employer of Record · AsiaBest EOR for Asia: three countries priced
For one engineer in India at $30,000, the cheapest published route is RemoFirst at $2,840 a month all-in ($199 fee), then Rivermate from $319 ($2,960) and Playroll from $399 ($3,040, plus a refundable deposit of one month's salary). India's statutory charges add only 5.6% at this salary because EPF is capped, so the fee is 7% to 21% of the invoice; only the Philippines at $20,000 runs higher. The Philippines (+14.3%) and Singapore (+17.2%) are priced below.
Prices checked 2 Sept 2026 · updated 2026-09-05 · methodology
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The ranking · 1 hire in India at $30,000 gross / yr
8 providers with a published price, in the order the numbers put them.
| # | Provider | EOR fee / employee / mo | all-in / mo | Deposit | Commitment | Countries | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RemoFirstEOR in 185+ countries from $199 per employee per month, no annual contract. | from $199 | $2,840 | Deposit not stated | No minimum commitment stated | 185+ | Get a quote from RemoFirst· $2,840/mo |
| 2 | RivermateEOR in 180+ countries from $319 to $639 per employee per month. | from $319 | $2,960 | Deposit not stated | Billing period not stated | 180+ | Get a quote from Rivermate· $2,960/mo |
| 3 | PlayrollEOR in 180+ countries from $399 per employee per month; deposit of one month's salary. | from $399 | $3,040 | One month's salary, refundable≈ $2,500 for this hire | No minimum commitment stated | 180+ | Get a quote from Playroll· $3,040/mo |
| 4 | MultiplierEOR from $459 (annual) or $499 (monthly) per employee, plus mandated add-ons. | from $499$459 annual | $3,140 | Deposit not stated | Monthly or annual billing | 150+ | Get a quote from Multiplier· $3,140/mo |
| 5 | Papaya GlobalEOR starting from $499 per employee per month, quote-based, 160+ countries. | from $499 | $3,140 | Deposit not stated | Billing period not stated | 160+ | Get a quote from Papaya Global· $3,140/mo |
| 6 | DeelEOR in 130+ countries, starting at $599 per employee per month. | from $599 | $3,240 | Deposit not stated | Billing period not stated | 130+ | Get a quote from Deel· $3,240/mo |
| 7 | OysterEOR in 120+ countries at USD 699 per employee per month; refundable deposit. | $699 | $3,340 | Refundable deposit, amount not stated | Monthly or annual billing, annual discount not published | 120+ | Get a quote from Oyster· $3,340/mo |
| 8 | RemoteEOR in 90+ countries at $699 per employee per month, no deposit. | $699 | $3,340 | No deposit stated | Monthly billing | 90+ | Get a quote from Remote· $3,340/mo |
| — | RipplingEOR bundled with the Rippling platform; custom quote only. | Quote only | $2,641 + quote | Deposit not stated | Billing period not stated | — | Get a quote from Rippling |
Rule. Sorted by the all-in monthly cost of the scenario (gross salary + statutory employer charges + published EOR fee). Providers without a published price are listed last, unranked. Fees are the prices printed on each pricing page on 2 Sept 2026; "from" prices vary by country. Deposits, FX margins and add-ons are shown as stated and are not added to the totals. Unranked: Rippling (no published EOR price).
Cost engine · preset to this scenario
Change the country, the salary or the headcount; the order may change too.
≈ INR 2,849,249 gross / year · INR at ECB reference rate, 2 Sept 2026
| Per employee | Rate | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $2,500 | |
| EPF employer contribution (Employees' Provident Fund) capped | 3.67% | $6 |
| EPS employer contribution (Employees' Pension Scheme) capped | 8.33% | $13 |
| EDLI employer contribution (Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance) capped | 0.50% | $1 |
| EPF administrative charges (employer-borne) capped | 0.50% | $1 |
| ESIC employer contribution (Employees' State Insurance) n/a | — | — |
| Gratuity accrual (Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 / Code on Social Security, 2020) | 4.81% | $120 |
| Employer on-cost | +5.6% | $141 |
| Cost of employment, before EOR fee | $2,641 |
$2,840/ month · 1 employee
- Fee / mo
- from $199
- Per year
- $34,077
- Fee share
- 7.0%
Checked 2 Sept 2026
Get a RemoFirst quote$2,960/ month · 1 employee
- Fee / mo
- from $319
- Per year
- $35,517
- Fee share
- 10.8%
Checked 2 Sept 2026
Get a Rivermate quote$3,040/ month · 1 employee
- Fee / mo
- from $399
- Per year
- $36,477
- Fee share
- 13.1%
Checked 2 Sept 2026
Get a Playroll quoteEmployer charges from official sources; provider fees are list prices on the dates shown; deposits, FX margins and add-ons are not included. Not legal or tax advice. Methodology
Three picks, three situations.
-
#1
RemoFirst
$2,840/ month, 1 hire in India
- Fee
- from $199 / employee / mo
- Fee share
- 7.0% of the invoice
- Deposit
- Deposit not stated
- Terms
- No minimum commitment stated
Choose RemoFirst if the fee is the line you are minimising in low-charge countries like India: $199 starting price in 185+ countries, no setup, onboarding or termination fees, no annual contract, $25 per contractor. RemoFirst says the price may vary by country, so ask for each Asian country's figure.
Checked 2 Sept 2026
Get a quote from RemoFirst· $2,840/mo -
#2
Rivermate
$2,960/ month, 1 hire in India
- Fee
- from $319 / employee / mo
- Fee share
- 10.8% of the invoice
- Deposit
- Deposit not stated
- Terms
- Billing period not stated
Choose Rivermate if you want a second low quote and hire expats as well as locals: from $319 to $639 per employee per month in 180+ countries, with the price varying by country, headcount and expat versus local hire. Deposit and billing period are not stated.
Checked 2 Sept 2026
Get a quote from Rivermate· $2,960/mo -
#3
Playroll
$3,040/ month, 1 hire in India
- Fee
- from $399 / employee / mo
- Fee share
- 13.1% of the invoice
- Deposit
- One month's salary, refundable
- Terms
- No minimum commitment stated
Choose Playroll if you accept a fully refundable deposit of one month's salary per employee ($2,500 for this hire) for a $399 fee with no minimum commitments and no onboarding or offboarding fees.
Checked 2 Sept 2026
Get a quote from Playroll· $3,040/mo
Countries on this page
One employee at each country's example salary, all-in through the three picks.
Statutory charges only, from each country's official rules; the fee comes on top.
| Country | Salary | Employer on-cost | RemoFirst / mo | Rivermate / mo | Playroll / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IN India | $30,000 | +5.6% | $2,840 | $2,960 | $3,040 |
| PH Philippines | $20,000 | +14.3% | $2,104 | $2,224 | $2,304 |
| SG Singapore | $70,000 | +17.2% | $7,033 | $7,153 | $7,233 |
Statutory employer charges are identical whichever provider employs the person: from +5.6% in India to +17.2% in Singapore at these example salaries. The country moves the total far more than the provider does; the fee gap between the three picks is the same $200 a month everywhere.
Three Asian ledgers, one rule
The country table prices one employee in India, the Philippines and Singapore at each country’s example salary through the three picks. The statutory part is what differs: India’s EPF is charged on a capped basic wage, so its on-cost is 5.6% at $30,000; the Philippines caps SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG but adds a mandatory 13th month, reaching 14.3% at $20,000; Singapore’s CPF is 17% of ordinary wages up to a ceiling for citizens and permanent residents, 17.2% at $70,000 with the levy. Every line is sourced on the India, Philippines and Singapore pages.
Why the fee matters most here
In a country where the state adds 5.6%, a $500 fee gap between RemoFirst and Remote is 18% of the Indian invoice. The same $500 is 6% of a German one. Asia is therefore the region where shopping the fee pays most, and where ‘from’ prices deserve a written country-specific quote: RemoFirst and Rivermate both say their price varies by country.
Contractors are the starting point for many Asian teams
RemoFirst ($25), Remote ($29), Multiplier ($40), Deel ($49) and Papaya Global (from $5) publish contractor prices next to their EOR fee. The contractor conversion ranking prices the switch to employment in the Philippines; set India or Singapore in the EOR vs contractor instrument for your own case.
Send the same scenario to the three picks.
Same country, salary and headcount to each; ask for the deposit, the FX rule, the minimum term and any mandatory add-on in writing. The fee is the only line that differs between their invoices.
Disclosure Some provider links are affiliate links; they never change the numbers on this page. Details
Questions people ask before booking a demo
- How much does an EOR cost in India?
- One $30,000 hire costs $2,641 a month in salary and statutory charges (EPF and EPS on a capped basic wage, EDLI, EPF administration, gratuity accrual: about 5.6%), plus a published fee of $199 to $699, so $2,840 to $3,340 all-in. Prices checked 2 September 2026.
- Why is the EOR fee a bigger share of the cost in Asia?
- Because statutory employer charges are lower and often capped: +5.6% in India, +14.3% in the Philippines, +17.2% in Singapore at the example salaries, against +22% to +37% in Germany, the Netherlands or Italy. A flat $199 to $699 fee therefore weighs 7% to 21% of an Indian invoice.
- Does Singapore's CPF apply to foreign hires?
- No. CPF is only due for Singapore citizens and permanent residents; for a foreign employee on a work pass the employer pays the Skills Development Levy and no CPF. The Singapore page and the engine have a switch for this, which changes the on-cost from +17.2% to under 1%.
- Which providers cover Asia?
- All nine tracked providers state coverage that includes Asia: RemoFirst 185+, Playroll 180+, Rivermate 180+, Papaya Global 160+, Multiplier 150+, Deel 130+, Oyster 120+, Remote 90+ countries; Rippling does not state a count. Prices marked 'from' vary by country.