Decision · contractor or employeeEOR vs contractor: the premium, priced
Paying someone $30,000 a year in India as a contractor through Deel costs $2,549 a month ($2,500 pay plus $49 platform fee). Employing the same person through Deel's Employer of Record costs $3,193: the pay, at least 3.8% statutory employer charges ($94) and the $599 EOR fee. The employment premium is $644 a month, $7,728 a year: $550 of fee difference and $94 of statutory charges. Change the country and the premium moves with the charges: Spain adds 32% before the fee.
Prices checked 2 Oct–3 Nov 2026 · updated 24 Sept 2026 · methodology
Disclosure Some provider links on this page are affiliate links: if you become a customer after clicking, the provider may pay us a referral fee. It never changes the price you pay, and it never changes the numbers on this page, which come from official sources and are dated. How we are paid
Threshold instrument
Contractor, contractor of record or employee: the same person priced three ways.
$2,549/ month · 1 person
- Pay
- $2,500
- Platform fee
- from $49 × 1
- Employer charges
- none: no employment
Checked 2026-11-03
$2,825/ month · 1 person
- Pay
- $2,500
- COR fee
- from $325 × 1
- Employer charges
- none: still a contractor
Checked 2026-11-03
$3,193/ month · 1 employee
- Gross salary
- $2,500
- Employer charges
- at least $94 (at least +3.8%)
- EOR fee
- from $599 × 1
Checked 2026-11-03
Get a Deel quote| The employment premium, 1 person in India | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory employer charges (at least +3.8% of gross) | $94 | $1,132 |
| Fee difference (EOR fee − contractor fee) | $550 | $6,600 |
| Employee costs more than contractor by | $644 | $7,732 |
Same gross pay on both sides. Whether the person may lawfully be a contractor is a legal question this instrument does not answer; it only prices the two routes once you have decided.
Employer charges from official sources for the country chosen; provider fees are the prices printed on their pricing pages on the dates shown; deposits, FX margins and add-ons are not included. Not legal or tax advice. Methodology
Verdict by situation
Not a winner for everyone: the case for each route.
- Keep a contractor if
- the person is lawfully a contractor and you want the lowest running cost: published contractor management fees are $5 (Papaya Global, management only), $25 (RemoFirst), $29 (Remote, and Oyster after 30 days free), $39 (G-P), $40 (Multiplier) and $49 (Deel and Borderless AI) per person per month, with no statutory employer charges because no employment is created.
- Choose a contractor of record if
- the person should stay a contractor but you want the classification review and the contracting carried by a third party: contractor of record fees are published from $149 (Rivermate), $199 (Papaya Global, and Atlas HXM's Agent of Record), $325 (Deel, Remote) and $399 (Multiplier) per contractor per month.
- Choose an EOR if
- the person must be, or wants to be, an employee: the EOR fee ($199 to $699 per employee per month) plus the country's statutory employer charges (at least +3.8% in India, +37.4% in Italy, up to about half of salary in Brazil at the example salaries) buys a local employment contract, payroll, benefits and the provider's compliance.
Published prices
Contractor, contractor of record and employee fees, per provider.
| Provider | Contractor management / mo | Contractor of record / mo | EOR employee / mo | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas HXM | not listed | $199 | from $599 | 2026-11-03 |
| Borderless AI | $49 | not listed | $579 | 2026-11-03 |
| Deel | from $49 | from $325 | from $599 | 2026-11-03 |
| G-P | from $39 | not listed | from $599 | 2026-11-03 |
| Multiplier | $40 | from $399 | from $499 | 2026-11-03 |
| Oyster | $29 | not listed | $699 | 2026-11-03 |
| Papaya Global | from $5 | from $199 | from $499 | 2026-11-03 |
| Pebl | not listed | not listed | from $399 | 2026-11-03 |
| Playroll | $35 | not listed | from $399 | 2026-11-03 |
| RemoFirst | $25 | not listed | from $199 | 2026-11-03 |
| Remote | $29 | from $325 | from $599 | 2026-11-03 |
| Rippling | not listed | not listed | quote only | 2026-11-03 |
| Rivermate | not listed | from $149 | from $349 | 2026-11-03 |
| Safeguard Global | not listed | not listed | quote only | 2026-11-03 |
Prices as printed on each pricing page; "not listed" means the page read carries no such price, not that the product does not exist. Papaya Global's $5 contractor price is management only.
The premium, every country
Same gross pay, contractor vs employee through Deel, one person.
| Country | Gross pay | Employer on-cost | Contractor / mo | Employee / mo | Premium / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IN India | $30,000 | at least +3.8% | $2,549 | $3,193 | $644 |
| PH Philippines | $20,000 | +14.2% | $1,716 | $2,502 | $786 |
| US United States | $120,000 | +8.0% | $10,049 | $11,400 | $1,351 |
| CA Canada | $70,000 | +8.5% | $5,882 | $6,928 | $1,045 |
| MX Mexico | $36,000 | +30.9% | $3,049 | $4,526 | $1,477 |
| NL Netherlands | $65,000 | +27.4% | $5,466 | $7,501 | $2,036 |
| SG Singapore | $70,000 | +17.2% | $5,882 | $7,433 | $1,550 |
| GB United Kingdom | $60,000 | +16.4% | $5,049 | $6,419 | $1,370 |
| IE Ireland | $65,000 | +12.9% | $5,466 | $6,714 | $1,249 |
| DE Germany | $75,000 | +22.3% | $6,299 | $8,240 | $1,941 |
| AU Australia | $65,000 | +17.7% | $5,466 | $6,973 | $1,507 |
| CN China | $45,000 | +32.9% | $3,799 | $5,583 | $1,784 |
| ES Spain | $45,000 | +32.2% | $3,799 | $5,555 | $1,756 |
| IT Italy | $55,000 | +37.4% | $4,632 | $6,897 | $2,265 |
| PL Poland | $45,000 | +21.0% | $3,799 | $5,136 | $1,337 |
| BR Brazil | $36,000 | +50.9% | $3,049 | $5,126 | $2,077 |
| AE United Arab Emirates | $65,000 | at least +2.9% | $5,466 | $6,171 | $706 |
| JP Japan | $60,000 | +14.1% | $5,049 | $6,302 | $1,253 |
| VN Vietnam | $20,000 | +23.5% | $1,716 | $2,657 | $942 |
| SE Sweden | $70,000 | +32.6% | $5,882 | $8,334 | $2,452 |
| BE Belgium | $65,000 | +34.4% | $5,466 | $7,877 | $2,411 |
| PT Portugal | $45,000 | +23.8% | $3,799 | $5,240 | $1,441 |
| HU Hungary | $40,000 | +13.0% | $3,382 | $4,366 | $983 |
| RO Romania | $40,000 | +2.3% | $3,382 | $4,007 | $625 |
| CO Colombia | $36,000 | +34.2% | $3,049 | $4,625 | $1,576 |
| DK Denmark | $70,000 | +3.2% | $5,882 | $6,620 | $738 |
| CH Switzerland | $120,000 | +10.9% | $10,049 | $11,690 | $1,641 |
| CR Costa Rica | $36,000 | at least +35.2% | $3,049 | $4,654 | $1,605 |
| IL Israel | $75,000 | at least +15.2% | $6,299 | $7,798 | $1,499 |
| SA Saudi Arabia | $60,000 | at least +6.0% | $5,049 | $5,897 | $848 |
| KR South Korea | $60,000 | +19.5% | $5,049 | $6,574 | $1,525 |
| FR France | $80,000 | +48.2% | $6,716 | $10,479 | $3,764 |
| TH Thailand | $30,000 | +1.1% | $2,549 | $3,126 | $577 |
| FI Finland | $65,000 | +19.3% | $5,466 | $7,062 | $1,597 |
| AR Argentina | $36,000 | at least +36.9% | $3,049 | $4,707 | $1,658 |
| MY Malaysia | $30,000 | +14.2% | $2,549 | $3,453 | $904 |
| AT Austria | $70,000 | +30.0% | $5,882 | $8,182 | $2,299 |
| ID Indonesia | $25,000 | +14.4% | $2,132 | $2,982 | $850 |
| AL Albania | $28,000 | +16.4% | $2,382 | $3,315 | $932 |
| SK Slovakia | $40,000 | +39.3% | $3,382 | $5,243 | $1,860 |
| HR Croatia | $40,000 | +16.5% | $3,382 | $4,482 | $1,100 |
| PK Pakistan | $20,000 | +1.0% | $1,716 | $2,282 | $567 |
| NO Norway | $75,000 | +18.9% | $6,299 | $8,029 | $1,730 |
| CZ Czech Republic | $45,000 | +34.4% | $3,799 | $5,638 | $1,839 |
| NZ New Zealand | $65,000 | +3.6% | $5,466 | $6,211 | $745 |
| UA Ukraine | $30,000 | +22.0% | $2,549 | $3,649 | $1,100 |
| CL Chile | $36,000 | at least +14.2% | $3,049 | $4,026 | $977 |
| TR Turkey | $30,000 | +23.8% | $2,549 | $3,693 | $1,144 |
| ZA South Africa | $35,000 | +1.5% | $2,966 | $3,561 | $595 |
| HK Hong Kong | $75,000 | +3.1% | $6,299 | $7,040 | $741 |
| PE Peru | $36,000 | at least +36.9% | $3,049 | $4,706 | $1,657 |
| DO Dominican Republic | $36,000 | at least +22.6% | $3,049 | $4,278 | $1,229 |
| RS Serbia | $32,000 | +15.2% | $2,716 | $3,670 | $954 |
| LT Lithuania | $40,000 | +1.8% | $3,382 | $3,991 | $609 |
| MM Myanmar | $15,000 | +0.2% | not available | not available | — |
| KE Kenya | $20,000 | +4.5% | $1,716 | $2,340 | $625 |
| GE Georgia | $28,000 | +2.0% | $2,382 | $2,979 | $597 |
| LK Sri Lanka | $15,000 | at least +15.0% | $1,299 | $2,037 | $738 |
| QA Qatar | $60,000 | at least +2.9% | $5,049 | $5,743 | $694 |
| LV Latvia | $38,000 | +23.6% | $3,216 | $4,513 | $1,297 |
| GR Greece | $40,000 | +21.8% | $3,382 | $4,659 | $1,276 |
| TW Taiwan | $45,000 | +14.3% | $3,799 | $4,885 | $1,086 |
| AM Armenia | $30,000 | +0.0% | $2,549 | $3,099 | $550 |
| EC Ecuador | $36,000 | at least +21.8% | $3,049 | $4,254 | $1,205 |
| BD Bangladesh | $15,000 | +12.5% | $1,299 | $2,005 | $706 |
| BG Bulgaria | $40,000 | +14.7% | $3,382 | $4,421 | $1,039 |
| JO Jordan | $24,000 | +14.3% | $2,049 | $2,884 | $835 |
| MT Malta | $45,000 | +8.7% | $3,799 | $4,676 | $877 |
| AZ Azerbaijan | $28,000 | +17.5% | $2,382 | $3,341 | $958 |
| UY Uruguay | $36,000 | at least +25.4% | $3,049 | $4,361 | $1,312 |
| NG Nigeria | $20,000 | +12.0% | $1,716 | $2,466 | $750 |
| EG Egypt | $18,000 | +3.7% | $1,549 | $2,155 | $606 |
| EE Estonia | $40,000 | +33.8% | $3,382 | $5,059 | $1,677 |
| KZ Kazakhstan | $28,000 | +14.7% | $2,382 | $3,275 | $892 |
| GH Ghana | $18,000 | +13.0% | $1,549 | $2,294 | $745 |
| MA Morocco | $22,000 | +15.1% | $1,882 | $2,709 | $827 |
Contractor = pay + Deel's contractor management fee; employee = pay + statutory employer charges + Deel's EOR fee. Example salaries, labelled as such on each country page.
Three routes for the same person
The instrument prices one person three ways through one provider: paid as a contractor (pay plus the platform’s contractor fee), engaged through a contractor of record (pay plus the COR fee, still no employment), or employed through the Employer of Record (pay plus the country’s statutory employer charges plus the EOR fee). The first two carry no employer charges because no employment exists; the third does, and the charges are the same whoever the EOR is.
The premium is mostly the country
In India the statutory part of the premium is small: EPF and EPS on a capped basic wage, EDLI and gratuity accrual add at least 3.8% at $30,000, so most of the $644 premium through Deel is the fee difference. In Spain the statutory part alone is 32.2% of salary; in Italy 37.4%; in Mexico 30.9%. The country table shows the premium for one person at each example salary through Deel; pick another provider in the instrument to see how much the fee difference shifts it.
When the cost is not the question
Contractor status is defined by how the person works under local law, not by what the invoice says. The providers’ contractor-of-record products exist because that review has a price. This site prices the routes; it does not decide classification, and neither should a cost page.
Get the contractor and the employee quote for the same person.
Same country, pay and headcount to each provider; ask for the deposit, the FX rule and the minimum term in writing.
Disclosure Some provider links are affiliate links; they never change the numbers on this page. Details
Questions people ask before booking a demo
- Is it cheaper to keep someone as a contractor than to employ them through an EOR?
- On the cash line, yes: the contractor route carries no statutory employer charges and a platform fee of $5 to $49 a month, against an EOR fee of $199 to $699 plus the country's statutory employer charges (at least +3.8% of salary in India, +37.4% in Italy, up to about half of salary in Brazil). Whether the person may lawfully remain a contractor is a legal question; this page prices the two routes once that is settled.
- What does an EOR employee cost compared with a contractor in India?
- At $30,000 a year through Deel: $2,549 a month as a contractor, $3,193 as an EOR employee, a $644 premium (at least 3.8% charges plus the $550 fee difference). Through RemoFirst the same person costs $2,525 as a contractor and $2,793 as an employee, a $268 premium. Prices checked 2 September 2026.
- What is a contractor of record and how much does it cost?
- A third party that contracts with the person on your behalf and takes on the classification and payment compliance, without creating employment. Published prices: Rivermate from $149, Papaya Global from $199, Deel from $325, Remote from $325, Multiplier from $399 per contractor per month; Atlas HXM prints an Agent of Record at $199.
- Which providers offer both contractor management and EOR?
- Deel ($49 and $599), G-P ($39 and $599), Remote ($29 and from $599 on annual contracts), Oyster ($29 and $699), Playroll ($35 and $399), Borderless AI ($49 and $579), Multiplier ($40 and $499), RemoFirst ($25 and $199) and Papaya Global (from $5 and from $499) publish both prices, so a conversion can happen inside one platform. The contractor conversion ranking sorts them on the employee's all-in cost. Atlas HXM prints a $199 Agent of Record next to its $599 EOR fee; being an Agent of Record, it is not ranked there.