The decision you are making
Compare the same employee on the same assumptions. The advertised management fee is one line in a much larger employment budget, and the cheapest monthly fee may require more cash at the start.
Separate cost from cash tied up
Make three columns: recurring employment costs, provider charges and refundable or prefunded balances. A deposit affects available cash even when it is expected to come back. A monthly payroll advance is a funding requirement, not a second salary cost.
- Salary, employer charges and benefits.
- Service fees, insurance or administration charges, and optional services.
- Deposit, advance funding, refund conditions and timing.
Follow the currency through the invoice
Record the salary currency, invoice currency and payment method. Ask when the conversion rate is set and whether a second conversion can occur for expenses or refunds. Compare the amount that leaves your bank with the employee’s contractual pay and the itemised employer costs.
- Ask for a worked invoice at your actual salary.
- Identify the exchange-rate basis and any margin.
- Separate bank, card and payment-processing charges.
Price a normal month and an awkward month
The first invoice rarely tells the whole story. Request one normal payroll, one pay change or correction, and one departure. Ask which charges are fixed, which depend on country or employee, and which can change during the agreement.
- Compare monthly and annual commitments.
- Include benefits, immigration, equity or equipment only when needed.
- Use the cost planner once you have quoted amounts.
From the research: Deel
June 2026 help describes mandatory Employer Liability Cost for all EOR countries and contract types, with no opt-out. It is based on gross salary and country risk and covers insurance, compliance and administration. Previously embedded or absorbed costs are now separately displayed; no complete numeric country-rate table was obtained.
From the research: Teamed
Pricing states zero FX markup, itemised mid-market reference rates, one-month deposit and net-seven-day invoices. Deposit calculation and refund conditions are not detailed.
From the research: Rock Payroll
Published pricing lists EUR 1,500 initial setup and EUR 750 monthly. Setup includes employment/secondment documentation, labour-law explanation, draft calculation and IND application work if required, but excludes application fees. Salary, employer costs and pension contributions appear under the monthly heading without clear arithmetic; do not treat EUR 750 as total employment cost. The process promises a remuneration-based cost breakdown. 30% ruling, equity, bonus, extraordinary-payment and agreement-restructuring advice is quoted separately. Tax inclusion, FX, deposits and full recurring extras remain unknown.
Take this into your provider call
Can you show the first funding request, a normal monthly invoice and a final settlement for this exact hire?
Give each shortlisted provider the same scenario and ask for the answer in the documents you will sign. Record the owner, any extra cost and what remains to be agreed. That makes the final comparison practical for HR, finance and the employee.
Sources & editorial notes
Research preview · Editorial review pending.
Sources & evidence
Provider statements describe advertised terms. They are not independent audits.
- Process - Rock Payroll
Process - Rock Payroll
Provider or related group issued - Employer Liability Cost article inspected in full
Employer Liability Cost article inspected in full
Provider-issued public documentation - Fees - Rock Payroll
Fees - Rock Payroll
Provider or related group issued - Pricing | teamed.
Captured for the assigned research batch. Substantive assessment is pending. Capture availability does not verify any claim.
Provider website; promotional and self-reported material unless a specific document states otherwise.