RemoFirst Key Facts
What Is RemoFirst?
RemoFirst is an employer of record: it becomes the legal employer of your staff in another country, runs their payroll and taxes, and issues local contracts, so you can hire abroad without opening an entity. It also pays international contractors, which is how many teams start before converting a role to full employment.
You sign one agreement with RemoFirst, which handles the contract, the platform and your support contact. Behind it, a local entity or one of its exclusive in-country partners acts as legal employer in each market. Salaries, time off, expenses and bonuses run through one dashboard, much like a lightweight payroll platform, and clients are invoiced in eight currencies.
Around that core sit RemoHealth insurance, visa sponsorship in 110+ countries, background checks, laptop delivery and AI agents that flag payroll errors. Native integrations stop at Workday, BambooHR, ADP Workforce Now and GoCardless, so teams wanting a full HRIS layer will outgrow it. It fits startups and small firms making first hires abroad.
Editor’s Verdict on RemoFirst
RemoFirst charges $199 a month for an employee that Deel bills at $599, and states no setup, termination or minimum-term fees. It fits teams placing a handful of hires in standard markets. As headcount spreads across countries, public reviews report payroll delays and slow escalations through local partners.
We score it 4.2 against a 4.5 user average because we weight payroll delays, a four-tool integration list and unpublished deposit and FX terms more heavily than day-to-day ease of use.
RemoFirst Pros and Cons
The biggest strength is price: $199 a month with no setup, termination or minimum-term fees stated. The biggest weakness is what happens when something breaks, since payroll delays and slow partner escalations are the most cited complaints. For a few hires in standard markets, that trade is worth taking.
Strengths
- Lowest published EOR rateAt $199 per employee a month, RemoFirst undercuts Pebl at $399 and Deel at $599, with no setup fee added on top.
- No contract lock-inNo annual contract and no minimum headcount, so you can place one hire, test a market and leave without a termination fee.
- Account manager for every clientEvery client gets a dedicated account manager regardless of headcount, and public reviewers regularly thank individual support staff by name.
- Free contractor tier to startContractor management is free and payments cost $25 per contractor, so teams can trial a role before converting it to EOR in the same account.
Limitations
- Payroll delays as you growDelays are the most tagged complaint in public reviews, and fixes often wait on the local partner that runs payroll in that country.Alternative: Multiplier, $459 per employee on annual billing
- Short integration listFour native integrations and none for QuickBooks, Xero or NetSuite, so finance teams reconcile payroll invoices by hand every month.Alternative: Deel, from $599 per employee monthly
- Exit terms left unpublishedDeposit, FX margin and price-change notice are not published, which leaves room for surprises when an employee leaves.Alternative: Remote, $599 with no deposit for funded startups
RemoFirst Features
RemoFirst covers the core of global employment well and sells most extras as add-ons. Employment, contractor payments and visas are its strongest pieces. Reporting, own-entity payroll pricing and the newer AI tools are where it is still thin.
Core products
- Employer of recordLegal employment in 185+ countries through local entities or exclusive partners, with localized contracts and termination guidance included.Strong
- Contractor managementFree onboarding, identity checks and contracts, then $25 per contractor for payments in 150+ countries. Deel charges $49.Strong
- Global payrollClients are invoiced in eight currencies, including ILS and NZD. Payroll for your own entities carries no published price.Adequate
- Workforce managementTime off, expenses and bonuses run in the platform, but reporting stays basic next to a dedicated HRIS.Adequate
Add-ons
- Visas and work permitsVisa sponsorship in 110+ countries, priced per case by location, visa category and employee status.Strong
- RemoHealthMedical, dental and vision cover from $55 per person a month, sold as an optional add-on rather than included.Adequate
- RemoAI agentsPayroll and task agents flag errors and pending actions, while the RemoHire matching agent is still marked coming soon.Limited
RemoFirst Integrations
Four native connectors is a short list for an EOR at this level. Workday is new since our last check, which helps larger HR teams, but finance teams on QuickBooks, Xero or NetSuite still export and reconcile by hand.
Workday- BambooHR
- ADP Workforce Now
- GoCardless
RemoFirst Pricing
RemoFirst publishes its EOR, contractor and RemoHealth rates, and states no setup, termination or minimum-term fees. What it leaves out matters as much: the country-specific EOR rate, deposit rules, FX margin and price-change notice all need a written answer.
Published plans
Billed monthly with no annual contract. The EOR rate is a starting price and can vary by country.
Fees and contract terms
What RemoFirst states publicly, and what to get in writing before you sign.
What 10 employees cost a year
At published rates, RemoFirst costs a third of Deel for the same team.
Who Should Use RemoFirst?
RemoFirst suits buyers who care most about the per-head fee and can live with a lean platform. It gets harder to justify once you need native finance sync, fast legal answers on terminations, or a reporting and API layer that Multiplier sells from $519.
Best for
- Startups placing their first one to five hires abroad on a tight per-head budget.
- Teams testing a new country who don’t want an annual contract or a minimum headcount.
- Companies paying contractors today that plan to move them onto local employment contracts later.
- HR teams on Workday, BambooHR or ADP Workforce Now that want global employee records synced.
Skip if
- Your finance team closes the books in QuickBooks, Xero or NetSuite and needs payroll posted automatically.Consider Deel, which bundles HR, IT and US PEO from $599
- You expect sensitive terminations or employee relations cases that need quick, local legal answers.Consider Oyster HR, which sells People Partner Services at $300 per hour
- You want annual-billing discounts, custom reports and open APIs in one published plan.Consider Multiplier, whose Growth plan costs $519 on annual billing
RemoFirst Alternatives
These five are the EOR providers buyers most often shortlist against RemoFirst, all with published rates. Every one costs more per employee, so the real question is what the extra $200 to $500 a month buys you.
RemoFirst vs DeelDeel costs triple but sells a wider suite
Choose Deel if you want one vendor for EOR, HR software, device management and US PEO. Read Deel vs RemoFirst
RemoFirst vs MultiplierMultiplier adds annual plans, APIs and custom reports
Choose Multiplier if you will sign annually and need HRIS, accounting sync and open APIs. Read RemoFirst vs Multiplier
RemoFirst vs PeblPebl doubles the fee and quotes most terms
Choose Pebl if outside legal review of its compliance guidance matters more than the fee gap. Read RemoFirst vs Pebl
RemoFirst vs RemoteRemote costs triple, with startup discounts
Choose Remote if you raised pre-seed to Series A and want no deposit or setup fees in writing. Read Remote vs RemoFirst
RemoFirst vs Oyster HROyster charges $699 and sells hourly HR advice
Choose Oyster HR if you want reusable annual seats and paid HR advisory for complex cases. Read RemoFirst vs Oyster HR
What Users Say About RemoFirst
Users give RemoFirst a weighted 4.5 across 426 reviews, mostly for named support staff and simple onboarding. The complaints cluster around what happens when payroll or a termination goes wrong, which is exactly where we mark it down.
What users praise
- Support people who respondReviewers keep thanking individual support staff by name for quick answers on pay and admin deadlines.
- Simple onboarding paperworkEmployees describe uploading documents and signing agreements online in a short, guided process.
- Fair, clear pricingEmployers who gathered several EOR quotes say RemoFirst came in cheapest, with costs laid out upfront.
- One easy employee portalPayslips, leave balances, expenses and health cover sit in one place that employees find easy to use.
What users complain about
- Payroll and payment delaysDelays are the most frequently tagged complaint, with 32 reviews citing them on the largest platform.
- Slow legal escalationsQuestions on notice periods and termination timelines wait on local legal teams, sometimes for weeks.
- Costly termination disputesEmployers describe offboarding that dragged on and partner-agreed legal costs billed after the fact.
- Late expense refundsExpenses approved after early-month cutoffs slip a full cycle, which in Brazil means nearly two months.
Is RemoFirst Worth It?
Yes, if you are placing a few employees in standard markets and price decides the shortlist: $199 against $399 to $699 elsewhere is hard to ignore. No, if your finance stack needs native sync, your hires sit where terminations get contested, or headcount will spread across many countries this year.
Before signing, get the country rate for each hire, the deposit rule, the FX margin and the name of your legal employer in each market. Ask too how terminations are approved, since partner-agreed settlements are the costliest complaint in the review record.
Get these in writing before you sign
None of them appear on RemoFirst’s pricing page.
- Country rate for each hireThe $199 is a starting price, so confirm the monthly fee for every country on your plan.
- Deposit amount and refund timingAsk whether a deposit applies, how it is calculated and when it comes back after someone leaves.
- Legal employer per countryGet the name of the entity or partner that employs each person, and who carries liability.
- FX margin on invoicesRemoFirst invoices in eight currencies, so confirm the conversion margin applied when funding payroll.
- Termination sign-off rulesRequire your written approval before any partner agrees a settlement or legal fees on your behalf.
- Notice before price changesAgree how many days’ notice you get before the per-employee fee or add-on prices go up.
RemoFirst: Common Questions
These are the questions buyers ask most before signing with RemoFirst, from deposits to entity ownership. Every answer comes from RemoFirst’s own pages, checked in October 2026.
How much does RemoFirst cost?
RemoFirst’s employer of record service starts at $199 per employee per month, billed monthly. Contractor management is free, and contractor payments cost $25 per contractor per month. RemoHealth insurance starts at $55 per person per month. Salary, employer contributions and other add-ons sit on top.
Does RemoFirst’s price vary by country?
Yes. RemoFirst says its EOR fee starts at $199 and may vary with local requirements, and it gives a full cost breakdown before you commit. It also says it will try to match a lower price from another provider.
Does RemoFirst charge setup or termination fees?
No. RemoFirst states there are no setup, onboarding or termination fees. Statutory notice pay and severance still apply under local law when an employee leaves.
Does RemoFirst require a security deposit?
RemoFirst’s pricing page doesn’t say either way. It rules out setup and termination fees but is silent on deposits.
At least one public review describes a deposit being held back during a disputed termination. Ask whether a deposit applies, how it is calculated and when it is refunded before you sign.
Is there a minimum contract with RemoFirst?
No. There is no annual contract and no minimum number of employees, so you can hire one person and stop when you need to.
Does RemoFirst own its legal entities?
RemoFirst’s pages give two answers. The EOR page says it hires through existing local entities or exclusive partners, while the homepage describes exclusive in-country partners in 185+ countries with 20+ years of payroll experience.
Ask RemoFirst to name the legal employer in each country you hire in before signing.
How many countries does RemoFirst cover?
RemoFirst offers employer of record services in 185+ countries and contractor payments in 150+ countries. Visa and work permit support covers 110+ countries.
Is RemoFirst secure?
RemoFirst shows SOC 2 Type II and GDPR badges, plus an ISO badge that doesn’t name the standard. It has no public trust center, so request the SOC 2 report and ISO certificate during procurement.
How long does RemoFirst take to onboard an employee?
RemoFirst says most hires are onboarded in 1 to 3 days once documents are received and contracts are approved. Expat and visa cases take longer.
What integrations does RemoFirst have?
Four native integrations: Workday, BambooHR and ADP Workforce Now for HR data, and GoCardless for funding payroll by direct debit. There is no native connection to QuickBooks, Xero or NetSuite.
Can RemoFirst convert contractors to employees?
Yes. You can run contractors on the free tier, then move them to full employment through RemoFirst’s EOR, which drafts a local contract and enrols them in payroll and benefits.
Does RemoFirst give you a dedicated account manager?
Yes. Every client gets a dedicated account manager regardless of size, backed by live chat and email support.
Does RemoFirst offer health insurance?
Yes. RemoHealth is an optional add-on with medical, dental and vision cover, starting at $55 per person per month. You can add it for some or all employees.
Is RemoFirst legit?
Yes. RemoFirst is a San Francisco company founded in 2021, backed by a $25 million Series A, and it lists clients such as Mastercard, Microsoft and the WHO. Its 4.5 user average comes from 426 public reviews checked in October 2026.
What are the best RemoFirst alternatives?
Pebl at $399, Multiplier at $459 on annual billing, Deel and Remote at $599, and Oyster HR at $699 per employee per month. RemoFirst is cheaper than all five on published rates.
RemoFirst vs Deel: which is better?
RemoFirst is cheaper: $199 against $599 per employee per month, or $23,880 against $71,880 a year for 10 employees.
Deel sells a wider suite, including HR, IT and US PEO, so pick it if you want one vendor for more than EOR. See our Deel vs RemoFirst comparison.
