Due to the high pace of globalisation in business, the market for Employer Of Record partners is also becoming competitive. Several EOR companies are on the market; some are platform-based, and others are more human-centred.
This article investigates the pros and cons of two great EOR services — Emerald and Remote — to help you determine what approach will help your company grow internationally. Although they both provide EOR services, there are essential differences in their approach to their clients and additional services.
Remote
Remote is a leading remote organisation management platform founded by Job van der Voort and Marcelo Lebre in 2019. They are a successful EOR company that specialises in helping companies of all sizes manage their international payroll, benefits, taxes and compliance for employees and contractors around the globe.
Remote provides its services in 50+ countries and is currently expanding.
Emerald
Emerald Technology is an established Global Talent Acquisition and EOR company specialising in pre-IPO and Private Equity backed technology businesses. Emerald are technology experts with a wealth of experience in sourcing, hiring and payrolling talent for the world’s most disruptive and recognised technology companies since 2000.
Emerald is a truly global company that provides an end-to-end recruitment and expansion solution for leading tech companies by providing flexible EOR and Global Employment solutions in 170+ countries. Emerald offers valuable expertise in Application Software & Digital Transformation, MarTech, FinTech, Communications & Mobility, Cloud Computing and Cyber Security tech spaces.
Remote vs Emerald: A Comparison
Remote and Emerald are both industry leaders as Employer of Record companies, allowing businesses to scale and grow internationally. Although similar in this respect, the two companies provide different levels and areas of expertise for their clients.
Services
Remote is a platform-based solution, while Emerald focuses on providing a bespoke service to their clients. While Remote offers a great digital platform to access its services, Emerald has applied its resources to becoming more versatile.
Employer of Record
Emerald and Remote offer the full range of EOR services, including Global Payroll, HR and Compliance. They provide the following services:
- Run payroll for your international employees
- Take care of legal compliance with local laws regarding employment
- Handle benefits and compensation administration
- Manage visas, work permits, taxation and employee onboarding
In addition to its EOR services, Emerald can serve as a Professional Employment Organisation (PEO) for those who prefer owning their employee contracts. With this service, Emerald also provides all HR-related functions.
Global Talent Acquisition
The most significant difference between Emerald and Remote is that Emerald also provides Global Talent Acquisition services. Emerald’s end-to-end solution (Talent Acquisition & Global Payroll combined) takes care of all aspects of employment for their client, including talent sourcing and recruitment.
Emerald’s 20+ years of global talent management experience brings your company the best talent. Their extensive portfolio includes Talent Acquisition, Embedded Talent Solutions, Executive Search and CV as a Service.
With Emerald, you can benefit from their experience, network and knowledge to acquire top technical and commercial talent anywhere in the world. Additionally, Emerald offers bespoke talent acquisition for your business, tailored to your company’s needs.
While Remote does not provide talent sourcing and recruitment services, it can connect you with talent sourcing agencies and recruiting firms around the globe.
Customer Service
Providing excellent customer service is a cornerstone of client experience and success. This section focuses on the quality of the customer service provided by Emerald and Remote.
Remote
Remote offers dedicated customer support via email. A chatbot is also available on their website, but since it is not live chat, customers are redirected to the support email function if they have more complex needs.
Moreover, a dedicated support team is available, but only for Remote Enterprise customers.
Emerald
Emerald offers first-class customer support via email and phone, regardless of the client's package. A highly experienced account executive will help resolve issues related to global payroll and EOR. Email, phone, and chat support are available 24/7.
Integrations
Depending on your business needs, integration with your existing software might be an important requirement.
Remote
Remote integrates well with BambooHR, a leading HR software provider that helps companies hire, onboard and pay employees. Another great integration is with Greenhouse, a top applicant tracking system that allows companies to interview candidates.
Hibob, a Human Resources Information System (HRIS), is a new addition to Remote’s integrations, helping companies bring out the best in their employees.
Emerald
As Emerald is not a single platform-based solution, integrations and APIs are not part of Emerald’s current offering. However, Emerald’s EVO platform is currently in development and will be rolled out in 2023. This will offer complete visibility over the client workforce, including a full overview of each employee's onboarding journey. As a client, you will be able to track expenses all in one place.
Price
The EOR fees are added to the total cost of employment (TCE) you pay when you employ someone through an EOR service. TCE varies across countries and is made up of the sum of the social programs such as wages and benefits mandated by the local government. Emerald and Remote both charge their prices on top of the TCE.
Remote
Remote offers an annual and a monthly payment plan. Prices start at £450 when paid upfront annually or £525 when paid monthly, including Global Payroll services. Remote’s payment plans are less transparent regarding Global Payroll and Remote Enterprise – pricing options are only available via a personalised quote.
With an annual upfront payment, you must pay the entire lump sum with the employee’s first invoice. Should the employee be terminated before the 12-month billing cycle, Remote doesn’t issue a refund of unused management fees. When an employee is terminated, monthly fees don’t get prorated.
Emerald
Emerald charges £499 per month per employee to act as an EOR, with no hidden or additional costs placing Emerald in a very competitive position in the market. A unique feature of Emerald’s EOR packages is that its Growth and Enterprise Packages both include global payroll, access to onboarding and other benefits. The guaranteed no hidden fees or additional costs make Emerald’s pricing plan attractive and transparent.
Emerald vs Remote: Pros and Cons
Emerald and Remote both offer excellent quality EOR services. The following section will help you discern subtle and significant differences in their offerings.
Emerald Pros
Emerald is outstanding in the following areas:
Services
With 20+ years of experience in the tech market, Emerald provides excellent Global Talent Acquisition services. Emerald’s risk-free EOR services, global PEO, Global Payroll & Workforce Management offer a first in its class solution for all businesses, all in one place.
Due to their human-centric approach, Emerald provides bespoke onboarding services based on client needs, as one process does not fit all businesses.
Customer Service
Partnering with Emerald means receiving 24/7 support from a dedicated and knowledgeable team. No matter what time of the day, you will find a person to talk to on the other end of the line.
Price
Emerald offers a transparent pricing plan with no hidden fees and costs.
Emerald Cons
Emerald is still growing in the following area:
Integration
Emerald does not currently offer any integration with other software. However, its hybrid platform, EVO, is presently being developed to bridge this issue and will be available in 2023.
Remote Pros
Remote is a rapidly growing company that excels at the following:
Platform
Remote is a platform-only service with an excellent user-friendly UI. All of their services are available online and via their app.
Integration
If your business requires technology stack integrations, Remote can be an excellent partner.
Remote Cons
Remote offers less competitive services in the following areas:
Talent Acquisition
Remote does not offer talent sourcing as a service, which means their clients must also look for other partnerships.
Price
Remote’s payment plans are flexible but not entirely transparent, incurring extra fees in some situations.
Customer Service
Remote’s customer service does not allow clients to speak to someone directly when they need assistance unless they pay for the Enterprise plan.
Key Takeaways
In summary, Emerald offers much more comprehensive services than Remote. Its 20+ years of experience in the market sets it apart from its competition. Emerald’s expertise in Talent Acquisition for technology is unparalleled while also providing top-of-the-line bespoke EOR services.
Remote is a much younger company solely focused on delivering EOR services. Their platform, however, offers excellent integration with several HR software that contributes to the efficient automation of employment-related tasks, but you must manage the platform yourself.