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Thinking of outsourcing payroll? You’re not alone.
For many businesses, it’s a smart way to reduce admin, avoid errors, and stay compliant with tax and labor laws. Today’s providers offer more than paycheck processing—many also support new hire reporting, contractor management, and benefits.
But cross-border payroll support isn’t a given. In fact, many providers serve domestic markets only. So if your team spans regions—or you’re planning to expand—you need a payroll partner with the expertise to navigate local laws and the reach to pay every employee accurately, consistently, and on time.
In this guide, we’ll explain what to look for in a payroll outsourcing company, how to make the most of the partnership, and how six leading providers compare.
What is payroll outsourcing?
Payroll outsourcing means working with a third-party provider to oversee tasks related to employee compensation. Many payroll service providers also offer features like direct deposit, new hire reporting, time-off tracking, and employee self-service portals.
Outsourcing payroll cuts down on manual work and frees up internal teams to focus on strategy. It also simplifies compliance by helping employers stay current with changing tax regulations, filing deadlines, and required deductions. Full-service HR and payroll outsourcing services offer the structure and support needed to manage pay, benefits, and payroll taxes—without handling every detail in-house.
6 top payroll outsourcing companies
From small business support to global hiring at scale, these six leading payroll outsourcing companies offer a range of features, pricing models, and services. Here’s a quick look at what sets each one apart:
1. Oyster
Oyster is built for companies hiring beyond borders—and more. The all-in-one platform simplifies global payroll, letting you hire, pay, and support employees and contractors in 180+ countries—no local entities required. Beyond payroll processing, Oyster helps you convert contractors to full-time employees, hire locally across the globe, and switch employer of record (EOR) providers with ease.
Pricing starts at $29 monthly per employee for global payroll, $29 monthly per contractor, and $699 monthly per team member for EOR services.
2. ADP
One of the largest payroll service providers in the world, ADP offers payroll and HR tools for businesses of all sizes. Features include employee self-service, compliance support, integrations with time-tracking software, and 24/7 customer support.
ADP offers custom pricing based on your business’s needs. While exact rates vary, the Essential Payroll plan starts at around $59 per month, with additional per-employee fees.
3. Gusto
Gusto specializes in payroll services for small and midsize businesses, including solopreneurs and teams working with independent contractors. It also offers benefits administration and onboarding tools and helps with multiregional payroll compliance.
Pricing for the Plus plan starts at $80 monthly, plus $12 per employee. For businesses that only pay independent contractors, Gusto also offers a Contractor Only plan for $35 monthly, plus $6 per contractor.
4. Paychex
Paychex offers payroll and HR solutions for businesses of all sizes, with tools built to support growing teams, especially those operating across multiple locations in the United States. Its broad benefits coverage and accounting integrations make it a practical option for companies expanding nationally or managing distributed teams.
Paychex’s Flex Essentials plan starts at $39 monthly, plus $5 per employee, while Select and Pro plans offer more features at custom rates.
5. Square Payroll
Square is known for its easy-to-use POS platform. But it also offers a payroll solution that's popular with small businesses and contractor-heavy teams already using other Square products.
While Square Payroll doesn’t offer the advanced features of larger platforms, it covers direct deposit and tax filing. The Contractors Only plan is simple and cost-effective—$5 monthly per person with no base fee. For W-2 employees, pricing starts at $35 monthly, plus $6 per person.
6. TriNet
TriNet is a full-service HR and payroll solution for small and midsize businesses. But unlike the other options here, it’s a professional employer organization (PEO)—which means it also acts as your co-employer. That arrangement can streamline payroll and benefits, but it also gives TriNet more control over certain HR functions than a traditional payroll provider.
PEOs can work well for companies that need extra HR support or want access to benefits typically reserved for larger firms. TriNet also offers industry-specific services for sectors like tech, finance, nonprofits, and healthcare.
Like ADP, TriNet offers custom pricing based on your company’s size, industry, and needs.
Benefits of payroll outsourcing
The obvious perk of outsourcing payroll? Saving you a lot of time. But it also reduces risk, minimizes manual work, and gives you and your team the bandwidth to focus on growth. Here are a few of the benefits that the right payroll partner will deliver:
Less admin work
Managing employee compensation in-house pulls finance, HR, and operations teams into time-consuming tasks like paycheck processing, tax filing, and generating reports. Outsourcing payroll reduces that burden, so you can focus on strategy instead of spreadsheets.
Fewer errors and missed deadlines
Missed deadlines, miscalculated tax withholdings, late paychecks—doing payroll yourself puts you at risk for all of it. A trusted payroll partner automates calculations, filings, and payments, helping you stay compliant, avoid costly mistakes, and compensate employees on time.
Streamlined reporting
With most payroll outsourcing companies, you can generate reports, file tax documents, and pull quarterly summaries in just a few clicks—no need for data wrangling or tedious number crunching.
Expert support that spans borders
From evolving tax codes to local labor laws, staying compliant takes more than automation—you need people who understand the rules in every region you operate. The right payroll partner brings that expertise, helping you stay ahead of regulations and support your team wherever they are.
Factors to consider when choosing a payroll outsourcing company
Not all payroll providers offer the same level of service. Here’s what to keep in mind as you explore options:
Comprehensive services
Employee compensation is just the start. The best payroll outsourcing companies also offer new hire reporting, benefits administration, global contractor support, and international payroll capabilities—all in one platform.
Scalability
As your business grows, so do your payroll needs. Look for a provider that can keep up with multicountry and multicurrency demands and stay ahead of evolving compliance and tax laws.
Expert support
Country-specific expertise matters, but so does responsiveness. Make sure your provider offers dedicated, around-the-clock support from people who understand the specifics of your business.
Transparent pricing
Never skip the fine print. Better yet, choose a provider that won't make you dig through it—one with transparent pricing and clear plans that include what you actually need with no hidden fees or surprise add-ons.
Best practices for outsourcing payroll
Picking the right payroll provider is a big step, but it's just the start. Here’s how to get the most out of the partnership—now and as you grow:
Double-check the provider’s compliance capabilities
If your team works across borders—or plans to—you need a payroll partner that understands local requirements in all your markets. Employment laws, tax filings, and classification rules vary widely, and a provider focused on just one country won’t cut it. Ask how they support compliance wherever you do business—and where you’re headed next.
Treat it like a long-term relationship
This isn’t a one-and-done setup. Choose a payroll provider that’s in it for the long haul. That includes training your team on how to use the platform, supporting setup for new hires and contractors, and checking in as your business evolves.
Track performance continuously
Outsourcing payroll should lighten your load, not weigh you down. Set benchmarks early and revisit them regularly to assess whether your provider is delivering on cost, compliance, and performance over time.
Elevate your payroll operations with premium solutions
Outsourcing payroll can free up time, but supporting teams across borders takes more than basic processing. You need a provider with international reach, local knowledge, and the tools to pay your team reliably wherever they work.
Oyster’s all-in-one platform helps you hire and pay talent in 180+ countries, with support for 140+ currencies and no need to set up local entities. Get expert guidance, seamless integration, and fast, accurate payments—at scale.
Ready to simplify global payroll? Book a demo to see how Oyster does just that.
About Oyster
Oyster is a global employment platform designed to enable visionary HR leaders to find, engage, pay, manage, develop, and take care of a thriving distributed workforce. Oyster lets growing companies give valued international team members the experience they deserve, without the usual headaches and expense.
Oyster enables hiring anywhere in the world—with reliable, compliant payroll, and great local benefits and perks.
