Hiring across borders is now normal for startups and growth teams. The right partner can remove risk, speed up onboarding, and keep payroll accurate across states and countries. This guide explains how global peo providers work, when to consider an EOR instead, what to evaluate, and a simple path to a smart decision. If you want recruiting plus payroll plus global employment in one platform, you can also explore Bolto’s global HR platform.

What Is a Global PEO and How It Differs From an EOR

A professional employer organization, or PEO, enters a co employment relationship in the country where you operate. You keep day to day control. The PEO shares certain employer responsibilities like benefits administration and payroll processing.

An employer of record, or EOR, becomes the legal employer in a foreign country. The EOR hires the worker on your behalf, runs payroll in local currency, and handles statutory benefits and terminations. For a deeper breakdown, see our guide to EOR service providers. Use an EOR when you do not have a local entity or when co employment is not recognized in that jurisdiction.

Key takeaway, global peo providers help once you already have or plan to have a presence in country, while EOR is ideal for fast entry without opening entities. If you need EOR coverage plus contractor options in 100 to 150 plus countries, consider Bolto.

Core Services Offered by Global PEOs

Global PEOs typically provide a bundle of employment services. Expect some mix of the following:

• Payroll processing and tax withholdings in country
• Benefits administration and access to local plans
• HR policies, onboarding, and document management
• Compliance guidance for labor and tax
• Time off tracking and leave administration
• Risk management and workers compensation where applicable
• Local HR advisory and employee relations support

Many companies also compare these with EOR features. EOR often adds entity free hiring, automated local contracts, and turnkey terminations. Some global peo providers now bundle PEO and EOR models, or partner with EOR networks.

Benefits of Using a Global PEO

• Faster setup in countries where you already have an entity
• Lower administrative burden for payroll and benefits
• Consistency of HR processes across regions
• Local compliance expertise that reduces risk
• Potential access to group insurance and local market benefits

If speed is the top priority, remember that an EOR can present first candidates and onboard much faster when paired with recruiting. Bolto reports time to first candidate shortlist in as little as 72 hours, a 90 day replacement guarantee on recruiting, and documented team builds in days, not months. See how that works on Bolto or browse customer stories.

Costs and Pricing Models

Pricing varies by country count, employee volume, and service depth. Expect these common patterns among global peo providers:

• Per employee per month fees for PEO support
• One time setup or implementation fees
• Add ons for benefits administration or advanced compliance
• Volume discounts at higher headcounts

For comparison, EOR pricing is often published transparently. Bolto lists EOR at 599 dollars per employee per month with coverage in 100 to 150 plus countries. Contractor of Record is 299 dollars per contractor per month, and Contractor Management starts at 49 dollars per month. For US payroll only, Bolto starts at 39 to 49 dollars per employee per month plus a small platform fee. These figures help you benchmark proposals and avoid surprises. See full details on Bolto pricing.

Challenges and When Not to Use a Global PEO

Global PEO is not always the right fit. Watch for these situations:

• No local entity in the target country and no plans to open one soon, EOR will be faster
• Co employment not recognized by local law
• Need to hire only one to three people in a new country, EOR is simpler
• Complex terminations or sensitive employee relations where an in country legal employer is safer
• Short project based engagements where contractor models are more appropriate

When the above apply, evaluate EOR alternatives alongside global peo providers.

How We Evaluated Providers

The scoring framework below mirrors what finance and people teams ask for during vendor reviews:

• Legal footing in each country, either PEO readiness or EOR entities
• Payroll accuracy, payout timeliness, and local currency support
• Benefit plan depth and enrollment experience
• Compliance coverage for labor and tax filings
• Service model, ticket queues versus dedicated managers
• Integration coverage for HRIS and ATS
• Transparent pricing and clear termination rules
• Customer references and measurable outcomes

Bolto publishes several proof points that teams can verify. Rebet made four engineering hires in less than five weeks with a 5.6 day average time to hire and 100 percent retention. Fiber AI built a five person engineering team in ten days with 100 percent retention. Assembly made its first hire in 15 days from initial call with onboarding in less than two days. Bolto also announced a 5.1 million dollar seed on March 5 2025. These data points show what to expect from a combined recruiting and EOR model.

Selection Criteria, What to Look For in a Global PEO

Use this checklist when comparing global peo providers:

• Country coverage that matches your roadmap, not just a total count
• Clear division of responsibilities in co employment
• Benefits alignment with local talent expectations
• Strong guidance on local labor rules and terminations
• Data security and access controls
• SLA commitments for payroll runs and support response times
• Simple invoicing across currencies
• Option to add EOR or contractor management as plans shift

If your requirements include recruiting plus payroll in one place, keep an eye on platforms that unify shortlisting, vetting, EOR, and US payroll. You can evaluate that approach with Bolto.

How to Choose the Right Provider, Step by Step

1. Map your hiring plan by country and headcount for the next 12 to 24 months
2. Decide entity strategy per country, PEO when you have an entity, EOR when you do not
3. Shortlist three to five vendors, include at least one EOR capable platform alongside global peo providers
4. Run a pricing benchmark with per employee costs and total cost of ownership
5. Ask for customer references in your headcount range and industry
6. Validate payroll calendars, FX fees, and payout rails
7. Pilot with one country and one small team before scaling
8. Lock SLAs and exit terms in writing

Need help pairing recruiting with EOR and payroll in one flow, book a quick walkthrough with Bolto.

Top 10 Global PEO Providers

With the groundwork set, this section spotlights the leading global PEO partners shaping cross-border hiring and compliance. These ten are grouped together because each offers employer-of-record capabilities, multi-country payroll, and benefits administration at scale, yet they differ in geographic coverage, pricing approaches, and platform depth. Use this overview to quickly see where each tends to excel before diving into side-by-side comparisons.

1. Bolto

For startups that want talent acquisition and compliant global employment stitched into a single flow, Bolto brings recruiting, Employer of Record, Contractor of Record, multi-country payroll, US payroll/PEO, and HRIS together. It’s built for US teams spinning up engineering pods across India (India EOR guide), Latin America, and Eastern Europe, with transparent pricing, 24/7 human support, and onboarding that typically wraps in 48 to 72 hours.

Snapshot: Best for: startups | Coverage: 150+ | Starting price: EOR $599; CoR $299

Standout strengths:

• Recruiting, EOR, payroll, and HRIS are truly unified.
• Transparent pricing and 24/7 human support.
• Onboards fast; compliance done in 48 to 72 hours.

Trade-offs:

• Younger track record than long-standing incumbents.
• Some integrations, US PEO pricing not public.

2. Global PEO Services

Global PEO Services (GPS) focuses on owned-entity EOR and comprehensive global employment support (payroll, benefits, contractor management, HR advisory, immigration) so you can hire in days without opening entities. It’s a solid match for US startups scaling engineering in India, LatAm, and Eastern Europe, with the Mihi SaaS for time, leave, and benefits, and a guided path from EOR to your own entity as you grow. Since January 26, 2022, GPS operates within Safeguard Global, expanding reach and expertise.

Snapshot: Best for: US startups needing owned-entity EOR with strong compliance and immigration support | Coverage: 170+ countries | Starting price: Custom/Not listed

Standout strengths:

• Owned entities across 170+ countries worldwide.
• Onboarding in days with strong immigration support.
• Mihi platform streamlines time, leave, benefits.

Trade-offs:

• Brand overlap with Safeguard can confuse buyers.
• Coverage counts vary; site redirects reduce clarity.

3. G-P

G-P (Globalization Partners) enables compliant hiring in 180+ countries, combining many owned entities with deep integrations and an AI compliance assistant, G-P Gia. For US startups assembling distributed engineering teams, it offers fast onboarding, strong local benefits, and an ecosystem that plugs into tools like Workday, BambooHR, UKG, and SAP SuccessFactors.

Snapshot: Best for: US startups scaling engineering teams fast | Coverage: 180+ countries worldwide | Starting price: Custom/Not listed

Standout strengths:

• 180+ countries with many owned entities.
• Broad ATS/HCM integrations plus open API.
• Fast onboarding, robust compliance, localized benefits.

Trade-offs:

• Pricing opaque; EOR quotes not public.
• Not a full HRIS; relies on integrations.

4. Deel

Deel unifies global EOR, contractor management, payroll, US PEO, and a built-in HRIS so startups can hire and pay quickly without entities. With 100+ owned entities, strong integrations, and 24/7 multilingual support, engineering teams can move from offer to onboarding in days, sometimes within two business days.

Snapshot: Best for: US startups hiring global engineers fast | Coverage: 150+ countries | Starting price: From $599/employee/month (EOR), month-to-month terms

Standout strengths:

• 150+ coverage with 100+ owned entities.
• Transparent EOR pricing from $599; flexible terms.
• Fast onboarding, strong integrations, 24/7 support.

Trade-offs:

• Add-ons like immigration can raise costs.
• Some markets use partners; benefits depth varies.

5. Remote

Remote delivers EOR, US PEO, contractor management, payroll, HRIS, and mobility with an owned-entity model that emphasizes IP protection via Remote IP Guard. For US startups, it streamlines hiring with fast onboarding, deep integrations (Greenhouse, BambooHR, Workday), and a public API that keeps data flowing from ATS to payroll.

Snapshot: Best for: US startups hiring globally | Coverage: EOR 90+; contractors 190+; US PEO | Starting price: $599/mo; $699 monthly

Standout strengths:

• Owned-entity EOR plus robust IP Guard.
• Transparent flat pricing; no setup or onboarding fees.
• Fast onboarding, dedicated specialists, strong coverage.

Trade-offs:

• Annual plan requires ten prepaid credits.
• US PEO implementation often takes 3 to 6 weeks.

6. Velocity Global

Velocity Global, rebranded as Pebl in September 2025, offers global EOR/PEO, contractor management, payroll, immigration, and equity support across 185+ countries. It’s geared to startups that need rapid, compliant setup, sometimes in as little as 48 hours, plus robust integrations across ATS/HRIS tools such as Workable, JazzHR, Ashby, BambooHR, and HiBob.

Snapshot: Best for: US startups scaling global engineering teams fast worldwide | Coverage: 185+ countries | Starting price: Custom/Not listed (EOR/PEO)

Standout strengths:

• 185+ countries with strong compliance controls.
• Fast onboarding; 48-hour starts in select markets.
• Robust ATS/HRIS integrations for hiring workflows.

Trade-offs:

• No public pricing; quotes and add-ons vary.
• Onboarding timelines vary by country complexity.

7. Safeguard Global

Safeguard Global combines EOR, contractor management, global payroll, and hands-on HR support to help startups hire and pay worldwide without opening entities. With coverage in 187 countries and advisory-driven onboarding, it gives US teams the compliance guidance and analytics they need, plus flexibility to shift from contractors to EOR as hiring scales.

Snapshot: Best for: US startups | Coverage: 187 countries | Starting price: Custom/Not listed

Standout strengths:

• Massive global coverage across 187 countries.
• In-country HR experts with hands-on guidance.
• Low-cost contractor management for pilot hiring.

Trade-offs:

• EOR pricing not published; quotes can vary.
• Deposits sometimes required, raising upfront costs.

8. Papaya Global

Papaya Global centralizes EOR, contractor management, global payroll, HR data, and payments in one platform, ideal for startups building engineering hubs across multiple regions. Its licensed Workforce Payments/Wallet moves salaries on bank-grade rails in 130+ currencies with 95% same-day delivery, and it supports mass onboarding at enterprise scale.

Snapshot: Best for: US startups hiring global engineers fast with EOR payroll | Coverage: 160+ countries | Starting price: Custom/Not listed

Standout strengths:

• Unified payroll and licensed global payments.
• 160+ country coverage with local experts.
• Robust integrations and APIs with leading HCMs.

Trade-offs:

• Custom pricing; no transparent EOR tiers.
• Aggregator model; fewer owned entities in some markets.

9. Oyster

Oyster helps startups hire across borders via EOR, contractor management, and multi-country payroll, with fast onboarding, clear pricing, and payments in 140+ currencies. B Corp certification, a Direct+ mix of owned entities and vetted partners, and strong integrations (ADP, BambooHR, Personio, Slack, Zapier, open API) make it practical and predictable.

Snapshot: Best for: US startups scaling engineering teams globally fast | Coverage: 120+ countries | Starting price: From $699/employee/month (EOR); $29/contractor/month

Standout strengths:

• Transparent pricing: EOR $699, contractors $29.
• Onboarding in as fast as 48 hours.
• Strong integrations and open, developer-friendly API.

Trade-offs:

• Hybrid model relies on partners in some markets.
• Refundable EOR deposits; some country minimums.

10. Omnipresent

Omnipresent provides EOR and contractor management with a focus on white-glove support, transparent pricing, and GDPR-compliant operations. Startups get a flat £499 EOR fee, localized benefits, and guidance from in-country HR, legal, and payroll specialists, plus integrations with 24+ systems like BambooHR, HiBob, Workday, NetSuite, and Xero.

Snapshot: Best for: US startups scaling global engineering teams | Coverage: 180+ countries and regions | Starting price: From £499/employee/month (EOR)

Standout strengths:

• Hire in 180+ with strong compliance support.
• Flat £499 EOR fee with no hidden extras.
• White-glove onboarding by in-country specialists.

Trade-offs:

• Own-entity coverage not universal across markets.
• Fewer public ATS integrations; HRIS dominates.

Implementation and Next Steps

Plan for a smooth cutover:

Pre launch

• Gather employee data, contracts, and benefit elections
• Confirm pay frequencies and calendars per country
• Align PTO and holiday policies with local norms

Launch

• Run a parallel payroll cycle to validate calculations
• Communicate changes to managers and employees
• Establish an escalation path for time sensitive issues

Post launch

• Review the first two payrolls for accuracy
• Monitor support SLAs and response times
• Revisit headcount and country plans quarterly

If you need recruiting plus EOR in 100 to 150 plus countries with 24 by 7 dedicated human support, you can get started with Bolto.

Conclusion

Global hiring is now a growth lever, not just an HR project. Choose between PEO and EOR based on entity plans, speed, and risk posture. Global peo providers are strong when you already operate locally. EOR shines when you want to hire fast without entities. A combined platform can reduce tools, shorten time to hire, and simplify compliance across the board. When you are ready to compare an all in one recruiting, payroll, and global HR option, visit Bolto.

FAQs

What is the difference between a PEO and an EOR

A PEO is co employment in country. You hold the entity and manage daily work while the PEO shares employer responsibilities. An EOR becomes the legal employer for you, ideal when you do not have a local entity or want faster entry.

When should a startup pick EOR over a PEO

Choose EOR when you have no local entity, need to hire a small team quickly, or plan to test a market before committing. In these cases an EOR is faster to launch than most global peo providers.

How much does global hiring support cost

PEO fees vary by market and benefits scope. EOR pricing is often per employee per month. As a benchmark, Bolto lists EOR at 599 dollars per employee per month, Contractor of Record at 299 dollars per contractor per month, and US payroll from 39 to 49 dollars per employee per month plus a platform fee.

Can I manage contractors and employees in one place

Yes. Some platforms pay US employees and global contractors in one flow with one invoice. Bolto supports US payroll plus contractor payments and offers Contractor Management at 49 dollars per month.

How fast can I expect to hire globally

Speed depends on your role, location, and process. Bolto reports first shortlists in about 72 hours and documented hires in days in published case studies. If you combine recruiting with EOR, onboarding is often measured in days rather than months.

Are global peo providers compliant with local labor laws

They are designed to help you comply, but responsibility splits vary. Validate how each provider handles contracts, terminations, and filings in each country. If the law does not recognize co employment, consider an EOR.

Do I need a PEO if I only hire contractors

No. For contractors, use a contractor management or Contractor of Record model. That gives compliant contracts, local invoices, and multi currency payments without co employment.