5 Best Employer of Record Services for Midsize Software Firms

In this post, I’m going to show you the five best employer of record services for your software firm.

As we’ve been in this industry for over fifteen years, we know the market and the quality of each service better.

I’ll cover a brief overview, coverage, key features, and other details for each EOR service provider. This will help you pick the right solution.

Let’s get started…

Picture of Leah Maglalang
Leah Maglalang

Author

Picture of Peter J. Heidinger
Peter J. Heidinger

Co-author

5 Best Employer of Record Services for Midsize Software Firms​
5 Best Employer of Record Services for Midsize Software Firms​

5 Best Employer of Record Services for Midsize Software Firms

In this post, I’m going to show you the five best employer of record services for your software firm.

As we’ve been in this industry for over fifteen years, we know the market and the quality of each service better.

I’ll cover a brief overview, coverage, key features, and other details for each EOR service provider. This will help you pick the right solution.

Let’s get started…

Picture of Leah Maglalang
Leah Maglalang

Author

Picture of Peter J. Heidinger
Peter J. Heidinger

Co-author

Table of Contents

Get in Touch with Us

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Leah Maglalang

Business Coordinator UAE

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#1. FMC Group – People-first EOR for Midsize Software Firms

#1. FMC Group – People-first EOR for Midsize Software Firms

Every service has subservices. These are the small outcomes that you get from that service. Some services offer more but less useful ones, while others offer less but highly customized solutions that you need desperately.

So, what FMC Group offers:

  • Headquarters: Germany, Turkey
  • Founded: 1999
  • Global coverage: 50+ Countries
  • Years of Experience: 15+ in EOR
  • Service type: People-first
  • Rating: 4.8 on Google

FMC Group is a German-owned company. It has been providing its services for more than 25 years in 50+ countries. Their EOR experience began 15 years ago. In addition to EOR, they also provide other supporting services like employee leasing, near shoring, payroll sourcing, and more.

Key Features

Key features are the core points that help in making a thoughtful decision. These are the benefits that you’ll get when signing up with FMC Group. Here are some unique, curated features suited for your software firm:

  • People-First, Not Software-First
  • Proven Experience in Global Employment
  • Consulting-Driven Approach
  • High-Service Model Through Human Interaction
  • Fully Licensed & 100% Compliant EOR Setup
  • Recruitment Support
  • Full Administrative Support
  • Five-step Easy Starting Process
  • 30-minute Free Consultation

Coverage & Compliance

  • Employment contracts
  • Payroll processing
  • Payroll reporting
  • Visa & work permit sponsorship
  • Leave & attendance tracking
  • Expense management
  • Pay cycle setup
  • Benefit & allowance calculations
  • Error resolution
  • Monthly audits
  • Full compliance oversight
  • Employee onboarding support
  • Daily employee management
  • Salary increases and bonus implementations

 

Additional Services (Depending on Country)

Alongside core EOR and payroll services, FMC Group also provides country-specific add-on services. These offerings vary by location and may include:

  • End-of-service benefit calculations
  • Gym memberships
  • Lunch tickets
  • Private health insurance
  • Company car provision
  • Fuel card management

These additional services allow FMC Group to tailor employee packages based on local market practices while ensuring compliance and operational efficiency.

Ideal For

Not every service provider is right for all kinds of businesses. This list is to help you evaluate the FMC Group for your software firm:

 

  • Software companies want offshore hiring
  • Tech & remote-first businesses
  • Market testing before entity setup
  • Companies hiring 1–50 employees
  • Firms avoiding visa sponsorship complexity
  • Businesses without a registered local entity
  • Organizations seeking fast, fully compliant hiring

#2. Deel – Global EOR Leader

#2. Deel – Global EOR Leader
  • Headquarters: California, USA
  • Founded: 2019
  • Global coverage: 150+ countries
  • Service type: Platform-focused
  • Rating: 4.8 on G2

Deel is a software-based platform that provides EOR solutions. They manage international employees in 150+ countries. Like FMC Group, Deel offers HR, payroll, tax, and compliance solutions through a platform-oriented approach. If you need EOR solutions to be more automated, then this could be a good choice.

Key Features

Deel is popular among global tech teams due to its features, such as simple pricing. As it is software-based, you subscribe to a plan and start using it:

  • Global EOR coverage in 150+ countries
  • All‑in‑one platform combining HR, payroll, tax, and compliance
  • Quick employee onboarding and contract setup
  • Automated payroll with multi‑currency support
  • Local benefits administration & compliance handling
  • Legally compliant employment contracts per jurisdiction
  • Continuous compliance monitoring & local legal expertise
  • Transparent service fee per employee
  • Full payroll tax filings and statutory contributions
  • Integration with HR and finance tools
  • Self‑service portal for employees (payslips, benefits, data)

Coverage & Compliance

Deel’s EOR service is designed to keep your global hires compliant with local labor laws. They also take good care of payroll, taxes, and employment regulations. As the legal employer of record, Deel handles:

  • Local employment contracts and labor law compliance
  • Payroll tax calculations and filings
  • Mandatory benefits enrollment and contributions
  • Employment lifecycle compliance (contracts, terminations, changes)
  • Local statutory leave and benefits administration
  • Real‑time regulatory updates and risk alerts
  • Dedicated in‑country legal and HR experts

Ideal For

Is Deel the right deal to go for? It depends on personal choices and needs. However, if you fall under the following traits, Deel may be a suitable option:

  • Software companies hiring internationally
  • Remote‑first and hybrid team models
  • Firms scaling quickly across multiple regions
  • Companies eliminating entity setup and legal burdens
  • Organizations seeking a unified global HR & payroll system
  • Businesses hiring anywhere from 1 to 250+ employees
  • Teams wanting predictable, transparent global payroll fees
  • Firms that need compliance and legal employment support

#3. Remote – Simplified Remote Hiring

#3. Remote – Simplified Remote Hiring
  • Headquarters: USA, Netherlands
  • Founded: 2019
  • Global coverage: 190+ countries
  • Service type: Platform-focused
  • Rating: 4.6 on G2

Remote is a platform for global remote hiring solutions. They advertise their platform as AI-focused and automated. Although you can make hiring and payroll processes extremely fast by using this software, EOR services are offered separately. But these services are more focused on platforms like Deel.

Key Features

Remote handles core employment-related needs. They have focused their features on efficiency, compliance, and employee experience. The following features make it ideal for growing software firms:

 

  • Full global employment foundation for hiring worldwide
  • 100% owned legal entities in countries (no third‑party outsourcing)
  • Automated onboarding with localized contracts
  • Built‑in lifecycle tools (contract amendments, resignations, letters)
  • Flexible benefits administration (country‑specific perks)
  • Unlimited indemnity coverage as a compliance guarantee
  • Remote IP Guard for protecting the company’s intellectual property
  • Compliance Watchtower monitors legal changes across markets
  • Optional add‑ons: equity solutions, background checks, expert support
  • Centralized dashboard for HR and payroll management
  • Transparent pricing with no hidden fees

Coverage & Compliance

Their EOR service covers a variety of features that a remote hirer needs. They focus on protecting client privacy through their platform tools:

  • Local employment contract enforcement and payroll compliance
  • Statutory tax withholding and benefits administration
  • Continuous monitoring of legal changes in many regions
  • Strong liability protections with indemnity coverage
  • IP protection tools tailored to local laws
  • In‑country HR and legal expert support for nuanced guidance

Ideal For

Remote is well‑suited for software companies that want a professional, compliant, and scalable global hiring solution:

  • Firms hiring international full‑time employees
  • Remote‑first and hybrid software teams
  • Companies expanding into multiple regions quickly
  • Businesses needing streamlined payroll + HR workflows
  • Organizations seeking strong compliance safeguards
  • Companies wanting benefits and equity support across borders
  • Teams where centralized management & transparency matter

#4. Papaya Global – Enterprise-Grade Payroll & EOR

#4. Papaya Global – Enterprise-Grade Payroll & EOR​
  • Headquarters: USA, Hong Kong
  • Founded: 2016
  • Global coverage: 160+ countries
  • Service type: Platform-focused
  • Rating: 4.5

Papaya Global is a platform that focuses on payment solutions that remote teams require. They also offer EOR Global services, but are not as experienced as FMC Group because their focus is limited to payments, not just software. 

Key Features

Papaya Global’s EOR offers technology-driven workforce management that can help scale global teams with precision:

  • EOR support in 160+ countries with local entity partners and legal experts
  • Unified workforce platform
  • AI‑driven compliance tools and automated workflows 
  • In‑house global payroll engine with multi‑currency payments and tracking
  • Employee self‑service portal for payslips, documents, and employment records
  • Seamless integrations with HRIS, ERP, and finance systems (e.g., Workday, SAP, BambooHR)
  • Global benefits administration 
  • Immigration and work permit support, where applicable

Coverage & Compliance

Papaya Global’s strength is its integrated compliance ecosystem. This system keeps your workforce compliant with local requirements.

  • Automated updates for labor law changes and tax regulations
  • Contracts and payroll flows tailored to country‑specific legal requirements
  • Data security standards, including GDPR and enterprise‑grade encryption
  • Centralized visibility into workforce compliance status via real‑time dashboards
  • Dedicated support options to resolve employment discrepancies or legal questions

Ideal For

If you want deep operational insights and enterprise-ready tools, Papaya Global is a good choice:

  • Software companies are expanding into many international markets
  • Teams needing robust analytics and workforce cost transparency
  • Businesses that value integration with existing HR or finance systems
  • Organizations hiring full‑time employees and contractors concurrently
  • Employers seeking a single platform for payroll, benefits, and EOR operations
  • Firms that prefer data‑driven decision support and BI reporting
  • Companies where enterprise‑grade support and scalability are priorities

#5. Pebl - EOR with Strategic Global Support

pebl
  • Headquarters: Colorado, USA
  • Founded: 2014
  • Global coverage: 185+ countries
  • Service type: AI-first EOR
  • Rating: 4.6 on G2

Pebl is a well-established global EOR service provider. It was formerly known as Velocity Global. They focus on hands-on, people-centric remote hiring services, similar to FMC Group.

Key Features

Pebl specializes in comprehensive, consultative employment solutions. Companies that want high-touch support and guidance can consider Pebl:

  • Dedicated global expansion and compliance advisors
  • White-glove employee onboarding 
  • Employment contract drafting 
  • Customized payroll coordination with local partners
  • Immigration & work permit assistance where required
  • Risk assessment and mitigation strategies
  • Country-specific HR policy guidance
  • Tailored service level agreements (SLAs) and response expectations

Coverage & Compliance

Pebl provides extensive global coverage across many countries. They also ensure that your workforce stays compliant and protected:

  • Legal employment and employer-of-record services in 185+ countries
  • Local compliance monitoring with in-country specialists
  • Country-specific employment contract creation
  • Payroll and statutory tax filings through vetted local partners
  • Guidance on holiday rules, leave entitlements, and termination protocols

Ideal For

Pebl is especially suitable for software companies that want strategic, human-centric EOR support rather than a primarily technology-driven platform:

 

  • Firms expanding into multiple international markets
  • Businesses that value personalized compliance guidance
  • Organizations without internal global HR or legal teams
  • Companies that prefer consultative onboarding and account support
  • Teams hiring employees across complex regulatory environments
  • Software firms aiming for high-service, trusted EOR partnerships

#Bonus: How to Choose the Right EOR for Your Software Firm

When choosing an EOR service provider, do not go for the biggest name, the highest employee count, or the most features. For software firms, the right EOR depends on three things:

  1. How you hire
  2. Where you hire
  3. How much control do you want over people and processes?

Use the criteria below to make a practical, long-term decision.

Consider Your Needs

Start by carefully considering why you need an EOR and how you’ll use it. Different EORs offer solutions for different hiring models.

  • Number of hires (1–5 vs 20–50 employees)
  • Target countries (single market vs multi-country expansion)
  • Hiring type (long-term employees vs project-based roles)
  • Speed vs customization (fast onboarding vs tailored contracts)
  • Internal HR maturity (lean team vs experienced HR department)
  • Budget flexibility (premium service vs cost-controlled model)
  • Exit plan (temporary market testing vs long-term presence)
  • Automated solutions with less expertise or people-first solutions with thorough consultation and guidance

Evaluate Compliance & Legal Support

Compliance is not just about payroll accuracy. It’s about risk ownership, accountability, and real human expertise.

  • Who is the legal employer (direct entity vs third-party network)
  • Availability of in-country legal and HR experts
  • Handling of terminations, disputes, and notice periods
  • Support for local employment practices and cultural norms
  • Responsibility during audits or labor authority inquiries
  • Clarity on liability and risk transfer
  • Track record in complex or regulated markets

Assess Tech Integration & HR Tools

Technology should support your workflow, not dictate it. The goal is usability and visibility, not feature overload.

  • Compatibility with your existing HR or payroll systems
  • Reporting depth (costs, headcount, compliance status)
  • Employee document access and record management
  • Payroll transparency and approval workflows
  • Flexibility to operate without heavy platform dependency
  • Balance between automation and human support
  • Data security and access controls

Conclusion

FMC Group is a top EOR service provider for midsize software firms. They are not divided into multiple areas and have developed focused, specialized expertise solely in EOR. Other EOR companies focus on software, using automation to address their clients’ problems. 

 

If you prefer automated solutions with less guidance or human interaction, choose Deel, Remote, or Papaya. But if you need a fully humanized EOR that guides you at every step and helps when you encounter issues or local labor rules change, FMC Group or Pebl are the best choices.

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