India EOR Providers Reviewed in Detail
Each card shows what the provider does on an Indian hire: the entity that employs your person, the fee and plans, onboarding, deposit, and two scores out of 5. The comparison turns on two obligations. Provident fund is now owed on wages up to ₹25,000 since the EPF wage ceiling rose on 17 September 2026, and gratuity accrues from day one but only vests at five years.
Onboarding and deposit read Confirm on eight of the ten cards, and that is a finding: only Deel and Wisemonk publish an India onboarding time, and only Oyster HR and Papaya Global say they take a deposit. A card marked Owned, vendor-stated means the provider says in writing that it employs through its own Indian entity, but we could not match that entity on the company registry. Ask for the entity name and its EPFO establishment code before you sign.
Multiplier
Best overallIndian entity: ownedBest for teams hiring in India and a handful of other markets on one invoice
Price$499/moAnnual plan $459
OnboardingConfirm48 to 72 hours is a global claim
Entity in IndiaOwnedRegistry: Bengaluru, EOR use unstated
DepositConfirmNot published
Plans
EOR Core$499/mo
EOR Growth$559/mo
Contractors$40/mo
Why Multiplier works in India
Multiplier ranks first because it pairs an Indian subsidiary we found on the registry, Multiplier Technologies India Private Limited in Bengaluru, with a $499 fee that sits $100 under Deel. For a company hiring in India plus two or three other APAC markets, that combination is hard to match.
The gap is paperwork. Multiplier does not say in writing that the Bengaluru company employs your hire, and it publishes no India onboarding time, only a global 48 to 72 hours. Its implementation fee is listed as applicable with no amount, so get that figure before you sign.
Ratings: global vs India
What it does well here
$499 a month, $100 below Deel for an owned-entity provider.
Indian subsidiary on the registry since 2021, in Bengaluru.
160+ countries, so India and the rest of APAC share one invoice.
Confirm before you sign
Get the implementation fee in writing: listed as applicable, no amount.
Ask whether your order form carries the $459 annual or $499 monthly rate.
Founded 2020HQ SingaporeCoverage 160+ countriesContractor plan $40/moISO 27001 CertifiedMin. commitment None
Remofirst
Indian entity: partnerBest for a first Indian hire on the tightest published budget
Price$199/moNo setup or exit fees
OnboardingConfirm24 hours is a global claim
Entity in IndiaPartnerPartner not named
DepositConfirmNot published
Plans
EOR$199/mo
Contractor Premium$25/mo
RemoHealthFrom $55/mo
Why Remofirst works in India
At $199 a month with no setup or termination fees, Remofirst is the cheapest way onto this list for a first Indian hire. The trade is the entity: Remofirst says it does not run its own legal entities and works through local partners, and it does not name the one it uses in India. Your employee’s provident fund is then filed under a company you have no contract with.
Ratings: global vs India
What it does well here
$199 a month, $300 below Multiplier.
No setup, onboarding or termination fees published.
Free contractor tier, Premium at $25, for mixed Indian teams.
Confirm before you sign
Ask for the name of the Indian partner that employs your hire.
Ask how it applies the ₹25,000 provident fund ceiling from 17 September 2026.
Founded 2021HQ San FranciscoCoverage 185+ countriesContractor plan From $0ISO 27001 Confirm, SOC 2 heldMin. commitment None
Pebl
Best for compliance depthIndian entity: ownedBest for India hires who may need a work visa
Price$399/moTerms on quote
OnboardingConfirmNo figure published
Entity in IndiaOwnedRegistry: Bengaluru, since 2018
DepositConfirmNot published
Plans
EOR$399/mo
PayrollCustom
ImmigrationCustom
Why Pebl works in India
Pebl is the old Velocity Global, and its Indian subsidiary has been on the registry since 2018 as Velocity Global Management Services Private Limited, Bengaluru.
Two things set it apart from Multiplier on an Indian hire. Its published EOR rate is $399, a full $100 lower, and its India guidance describes visa acquisition as part of the EOR service, which matters when your hire is not an Indian national.
What it doesn’t publish: an India onboarding time, a deposit policy or a security certification. Its G2 listing still shows $599, so confirm $399 is the rate on your order form.
Ratings: global vs India
What it does well here
$399 a month, the lowest fee among registry-listed Indian entities.
Indian subsidiary registered in Bengaluru in 2018.
India visa acquisition described as part of the EOR service.
Confirm before you sign
Confirm $399 is your order-form rate. G2 still lists $599.
Ask for its deposit policy, which the pricing page leaves out.
Founded 2014HQ DenverCoverage 185+ countriesContractor plan None publishedISO 27001 ConfirmMin. commitment Confirm
Deel
Best for entity certaintyIndian entity: ownedBest when you need proof of which Indian company employs your hire
Price$599/moBilled monthly
Onboarding3 daysDeel’s India page
Entity in IndiaOwnedDeel EOR Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru
DepositConfirmNot published
Plans
EOR$599/mo
Contractor$49/mo
Contractor of Record$325/mo
Why Deel works in India
Deel is the only provider here that names its Indian EOR entity in writing, Deel EOR Private Limited in Bengaluru, and that company is on the registry too. It also publishes an India onboarding figure of as little as 3 days, which only Wisemonk beats.
You pay for that certainty: at $599 it costs $200 more than Pebl. The 4.8 rating rests on 26,891 reviews, the largest base on this page, and the $49 contractor plan runs Indian contractors and employees from one account.
Ratings: global vs India
What it does well here
Names Deel EOR Private Limited, Bengaluru, as its India employer.
Publishes 3-day India onboarding, beaten only by Wisemonk’s 2 days.
26,891 reviews at 4.8, the largest evidence base here.
Confirm before you sign
Ask for its EPFO establishment code, which no provider here publishes.
Ask whether India support is a named contact at your headcount.
Founded 2019HQ San FranciscoCoverage 150+ countriesContractor plan $49/moISO 27001 ConfirmMin. commitment None
Oyster HR
Indian entity: confirmBest for finance teams that want the full employment cost before signing
Price$699/moAnnual rate not published
OnboardingConfirm48 hours is a global claim
Entity in IndiaConfirmNothing published for India
DepositRequiredRefundable, amount not published
Plans
EOR$699/mo
Contractors$29/mo
People Partner$300/hr
Why Oyster HR works in India
Oyster HR lets you see the full employment cost before you sign. That helps in India, where the provident fund policy alone moves the statutory load between 4.6% and 8.7% of salary.
It is also the most expensive provider here at $699, and the thinnest on entity evidence. We found no Indian company on the registry and no written statement on how Oyster employs in India, so the entity reads Confirm. EOR hires need a refundable deposit, and the pricing page gives no amount.
Ratings: global vs India
What it does well here
Employment cost estimate available before you commit.
B Corp certified, the only one among the first five.
$29 contractor plan for Indian freelancers alongside employees.
Confirm before you sign
Ask whether it employs in India through its own entity or a partner.
Get the refundable deposit amount in writing before the first hire.
Founded 2020HQ Remote-firstCoverage 120+ countriesContractor plan $29/moB Corp CertifiedMin. commitment None
Rippling
Indian entity: owned, vendor-statedBest for companies that want Indian payroll, devices and app access in one system
PriceCustomQuote, plus $8/user platform
OnboardingConfirm90 seconds is a platform claim
Entity in IndiaOwnedVendor-stated, licence not published
DepositConfirmSet in the quote
Plans
EORCustom
Unity platform$8/user
PayrollCustom
Why Rippling works in India
Rippling says in writing that it owns its entities in India and runs payroll on its own software, which puts it in the owned column, but it names no Indian company and we found none on the registry. What it adds that no other provider here does is IT: laptops, app access and HR records in the same system as the Indian payroll.
The catch is price visibility. EOR is quote-only on top of an $8 per user platform fee, which makes Rippling the one provider in the top ten we could not place on the Market Snapshot. Get the India quote, deposit and contract term in one document.
Ratings: global vs India
What it does well here
Owned Indian entities stated in writing by Rippling.
IT, devices and HR records in the same system as payroll.
20,317 reviews at 4.8, second only to Deel’s base.
Confirm before you sign
Get the India EOR quote: no published rate, plus the $8 platform fee.
Ask for the Indian entity name and CIN behind its written claim.
Founded 2016HQ San FranciscoCoverage 80+ countriesContractor plan CustomISO 27001 CertifiedMin. commitment Confirm
Wisemonk
Indian entity: owned, vendor-statedBest for companies whose whole international team sits in India
Price$99/moNo minimum commitment
Onboarding2 daysVendor claim, India-only
Entity in IndiaOwnedVendor-stated, licence not published
DepositConfirmNot published
Plans
EOR$99/mo
Contractor6%/payment
EnterpriseCustom
Why Wisemonk works in India
Wisemonk has the highest India score on this page, 4.4, and shares the lowest fee, $99. It works only in India, publishes 2 days to a first compliant hire, and says in writing that it owns its Indian legal entity.
It ranks seventh rather than first because that entity is the weak point. The only legal name Wisemonk publishes is a Delaware company, Storyy Inc., and we found no Indian subsidiary on the registry. Its security claims also shift, from SOC 2 and ISO 27001 in one place to ISO-aligned in another.
Ratings: global vs India
What it does well here
$99 a month, $400 below Multiplier.
2 days to a first compliant hire, the fastest published here.
India only, so all its compliance work sits in one market.
Confirm before you sign
Ask for the Indian company name. Only Storyy Inc., Delaware, is published.
Confirm SOC 2 and ISO 27001 status, which its site states two ways.
Founded 2020HQ BengaluruCoverage India onlyContractor plan 6% per paymentISO 27001 ConfirmMin. commitment None
Native Teams
Indian entity: owned, vendor-statedBest for moving an Indian freelancer onto payroll without switching platforms
Price$99/moNo EOR setup fee
OnboardingConfirmNo figure published
Entity in IndiaOwnedVendor-stated, licence not published
DepositConfirmNot published
Plans
EOR$99/mo
Contractor of Record$99/mo
Contractor Pay$19/mo
Why Native Teams works in India
Native Teams started as a payments platform for freelancers, and that history is the reason to pick it in India: an Indian contractor can move to employment inside the same account, at $99 a month for EOR and $99 for contractor of record. It refers to “our local legal entity” in India but names none, and the two Native Teams companies that surface in registry searches could not be checked, so treat the entity as vendor-stated until you have the name and CIN.
Ratings: global vs India
What it does well here
$99 EOR and $99 contractor of record in one account.
Contractor Pay at $19 a month for the freelancers you keep.
4.6 across 575 reviews on three platforms.
Confirm before you sign
Ask for the entity name and CIN behind “our local legal entity”.
Confirm which states it files professional tax in today.
Founded 2020HQ LondonCoverage 70+ countriesContractor plan $19/moISO 27001 ConfirmMin. commitment Confirm
Papaya Global
Indian entity: ownedBest for finance teams consolidating India into multi-country payroll
Price$650/moPlus setup fee per country
OnboardingConfirmNo figure published
Entity in IndiaOwnedRegistry: Bengaluru, EOR use unstated
DepositRequiredRefundable, amount not published
Plans
EOR$650/mo
Payroll$12/mo
Contractor$2/mo
Why Papaya Global works in India
Papaya Global earns its place for finance teams running payroll in India alongside several other countries from one dashboard, not for a lean first hire.
Its Indian subsidiary, Papaya Global (India) Private Limited, was registered in Bengaluru in September 2023. Papaya does not say it employs EOR staff through it, and its model mixes owned entities with partners.
Cost is the drawback. The published EOR rate is now $650, up from the $499 on our profile, and Papaya adds a setup fee per country and a refundable deposit, neither with an amount.
Ratings: global vs India
What it does well here
One dashboard for India payroll alongside 160+ countries.
Indian subsidiary registered in Bengaluru in September 2023.
ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certified.
Confirm before you sign
Get the India setup fee and deposit amounts in writing.
Confirm the $650 rate. Our profile still shows $499.
Founded 2016HQ New YorkCoverage 160+ countriesContractor plan $2/moISO 27001 CertifiedMin. commitment None
G-P
Indian entity: confirmBest for enterprises that buy through legal and security review
Price$599/moVendor floor, India on quote
OnboardingConfirmUnder one day is global
Entity in IndiaConfirmRegistry hit not linked to G-P
DepositConfirmNot published
Plans
EORFrom $599/mo
Contractor$39/mo
GiaFrom $500/seat
Why G-P works in India
G-P is the procurement pick: a 2012 company with 100+ wholly owned entities worldwide, ISO 27001 certified, and a buying process built for enterprise legal and security reviews. Its own published floor is now $599 a month, though India still goes through a quote.
India is where it gets hard to verify. G-P names no Indian entity, and the one registry match we found, an Indore company called Globalization HR Solutions India, has nothing linking it to G-P. That gap is worth raising first.
Ratings: global vs India
What it does well here
100+ wholly owned entities, operating since 2012.
ISO 27001, 27017, 27018 and 42001 certified.
Published EOR floor of $599, level with Deel.
Confirm before you sign
Ask which Indian company employs your hire. None is named.
Confirm whether India pricing sits at the $599 floor.
Founded 2012HQ BostonCoverage 180+ countriesContractor plan $39/moISO 27001 CertifiedMin. commitment Confirm
More EOR providers in India
These five employ in India and each answers a specific buyer: a large owned-entity network, a GCC-focused startup option, a payroll-led enterprise group and two Indian-registered specialists. They are listed rather than carded because the ranked ten is fixed, and for four of them because India pricing is quote-only or the public review base is still growing.
11
RemoteBest for owned-entity scale
Remote says in writing that it owns its legal entity in India, and the registry shows Remote Infosystem Private Limited in Delhi with Remote’s CEO as a director. Its 4.5 rating rests on 7,180 reviews, the third-largest base on this page. EOR is $699 a month on its pricing page.
$699/mo
12
GlorootsBest for India GCC setup on a budget
Gloroots runs its India operations from Bengaluru and starts at $199 a month, level with Remofirst. It says it owns its Indian entity and applies the EPF and EPS split on every payroll run. It also says plainly that it cannot sponsor employment visas, which makes it a clean fit for teams hiring Indian nationals.
$199/mo
13
TopSource WorldwideBest for payroll-led enterprise buyers
TopSource has run payroll since 2004 and holds an Indian subsidiary in Pune, Topsource Infotech Solutions, registered in 2003. It says it runs Indian payroll in-house and handles EPFO and ESIC registration itself. India pricing comes on quote, so ask whether EOR hires sit on the Pune entity.
Custom
14
RemunanceBest when the hire needs a desk and a laptop
Remunance is a Pune company rather than a global platform with an India line: Remunance Services Private Limited has been registered since February 2019. Its service adds workspace and IT provisioning to standard EOR, which matters for hires who are not fully remote. Pricing is on quote.
Custom
15
SynkPayBest for a first India hire with no deposit
SynkPay charges $349 a month at any salary, with no deposit and no setup, onboarding or exit fees, and publishes one business day to onboard. Its employing company, Synk Consulting Group Private Limited, has been registered in Ghaziabad since 2016.
$349/mo
Providers 11 to 15 carry the same entity, onboarding, coverage and pricing fields as the ten above, so you can compare them directly. Confirm means the provider has not yet published an India-specific answer, so ask for it in writing when you shortlist.
Indian entity and EPFO position, all 15 providers
The company that employs your hire decides whose EPFO code your hire’s provident fund sits under, who can sponsor a work visa, and who answers to the OSH Code if the arrangement is read as contract labour. We checked every provider against the company registry and its own published statements, and the gaps below are as telling as the answers.
ProviderIndian entityEPFO code publishedIndia visa positionOSH Code position
Indian entityOwnedMultiplier Technologies India Pvt Ltd, BengaluruCIN U74999KA2021FTC144006
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
Indian entityPartnerLocal partner, not named
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
3Pebl
Indian entityOwnedVelocity Global Management Services Pvt Ltd, BengaluruCIN U74999KA2018FTC113877
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionStated
OSH Code positionConfirm
4Deel
Indian entityOwnedDeel EOR Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru, also named by DeelCIN U74999KA2021FTC148256
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionStated
OSH Code positionConfirm
Indian entityConfirmNothing published for India
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
Indian entityVendor-statedOwned entity claimed, company not named
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
Indian entityVendor-statedOnly Storyy Inc., Delaware, is published
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
Indian entityVendor-statedLocal entity claimed, company not named
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
Indian entityOwnedPapaya Global (India) Pvt Ltd, BengaluruCIN U78300KA2023FTC179216
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
10G-P
Indian entityConfirmIndore registry match, no link to G-P
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
11Remote
Indian entityOwnedRemote Infosystem Pvt Ltd, DelhiCIN U74110DL2020FTC364278
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
12Gloroots
Indian entityVendor-statedOwned entity claimed, company not named
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionCannot sponsor
OSH Code positionConfirm
Indian entityOwnedTopsource Infotech Solutions Pvt Ltd, PuneCIN U72200PN2003FTC017797
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
Indian entityOwnedRemunance Services Pvt Ltd, PuneCIN U72900PN2019PTC182211
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
15SynkPay
Indian entityOwnedSynk Consulting Group Pvt Ltd, GhaziabadCIN U74999UP2016PTC188811
EPFO code publishedNo
India visa positionConfirm
OSH Code positionConfirm
Owned means we found the Indian company on the MCA register, with CINs as listed in public company records. Vendor-stated means the provider claims an owned Indian entity in writing but names none we could match. No provider publishes its EPFO establishment code or an OSH Code position, so ask for both in writing.
Hiring in India at a glance
Where the employer cost goes on an Indian hire, what the employee is owed by law, and the dated changes that should shape your choice of provider.
India EOR dashboardReviewed quarterly
Country basics
Reference figures, statutory minimumsCapitalNew Delhi
LanguageHindi and English
CurrencyIndian rupee, paid monthly
Working week48 hours, 8 a day
Public holidays3 national, plus state lists
Paid annual leave1 day per 20 worked
EOR fee range$99 to $699 a month
Time to hire via EOR1 day to 2 weeks, vs 2 to 4 weeks just to incorporate
Where the employer cost goes
Permanent contract, ₹1,50,000 a month, PF at the ceiling0%4.6% of salary, or ₹6,858 a month
Provident fund, ₹3,00012% to ₹25,000
EDLI, ₹1250.5%
EPF admin charges, ₹1250.5%
Gratuity accrual, ₹3,6084.81% of basic
PF on full basic takes it to 8.7%. A ₹20,000 salary adds ESI at 3.25%Up to 12.2%
Gross salary, a year₹18,00,000
Basic at 50% of gross₹9,00,000
Statutory employer cost, a year₹82,296
Employer cost before EOR fee₹18,82,296
What the employee is owed by law
Statutory minimums, contracts can add more26 weeksPaid maternity leave for the first two children
15 daysGratuity wages per year of service, vesting at 5 years
2xOvertime rate, with the worker’s consent
2 daysWorking days to pay the final settlement
12%Employer provident fund on wages up to ₹25,000
₹21,000Gross monthly ceiling for ESI cover
30 daysNotice or pay in lieu under state law
RequiredWritten appointment letter for every hire
What changes next
Next 18 months15 Oct 2026First PF remittance at the ₹25,000 ceilingAsk nowAsk whether September was split at 17 September and the arrears paid.
1 Apr 2027Central minimum wage VDA revisionRates move for central-sphere roles, so recheck any hire near the minimum.
13 May 2027DPDP Act full complianceAsk nowYour EOR processes your employee’s data, so ask for its DPDP terms now.
15 Jun 2027First Form 130 due, replacing Form 16Ask who issues Form 130 for tax year 2026-27 and on what date.
Rates are 2026 figures, with the provident fund ceiling from the 17 September 2026 revision. Model your own salary in the India employer cost calculator or read the India hiring guide.Reviewed quarterly · © EmployerRecords
How to choose an EOR in India
Five checks, in the order we tested them and the order the ranking was built on. Price comes third, after the two checks that rule a provider in or out.
1
Check how the provider is classed under the OSH Code
50contract workers before a contractor licence is needed
India has no EOR licence, but a contractor supplying 50 or more contract workers needs a licence under the OSH Code, and if it lacks one the contravention lands on you as principal employer. Ask whether your hire is the provider’s own employee or supplied contract labour.
Nobody yet. No provider on this page publishes an OSH Code position, so ask all fifteen.
2
Get the Indian employing entity named
1 of 10names its Indian EOR entity in writing
The entity decides whose EPFO code your hire’s provident fund is filed under. Ask for the company name and CIN, then look it up on the MCA register.
Deel clears it. Multiplier, Pebl and Papaya Global have Indian subsidiaries on the registry but do not say they employ through them.
3
Pin down the provident fund policy
₹6,250a month between the two policies on a ₹1,50,000 salary
Contributions above the ₹25,000 ceiling are voluntary, so two providers can quote the same fee and send invoices ₹75,000 a year apart. Get the policy, and how the 50% wage rule is applied, written into the contract.
Nobody yet. None of the fifteen publishes its PF policy for India, so ask all of them.
4
Ask about the work visa before the offer
$25,000minimum annual salary for an employment visa
Only a company registered in India can sponsor the visa, so a partner model puts your hire’s status two contracts away. Ask early, because a business visa cannot be converted to employment inside India.
Pebl and Deel. Both describe India visa support. Gloroots, listed at 12, says it cannot sponsor.
5
Agree what happens at exit
2 daysworking days to pay the full and final settlement
Every exit has to settle within two working days, and gratuity lands in one lump once it vests at five years. Ask whether gratuity is reserved monthly or invoiced at vesting, and who runs the exit conversation.
Nobody yet. No provider publishes how it funds gratuity, so ask for it in writing.
Five questions to put to every EOR on your India shortlist
Each one can be answered with a yes, a number or a document, so a vague reply is itself an answer.
1
OSH Code status
“Is my hire your own employee, or contract labour you supply to me, and do you hold a contractor licence under the OSH Code?”
Why it mattersA contractor supplying 50 or more contract workers needs a licence, and if it has none the contravention is yours as principal employer.
Good answerA written statement that the hire is the provider’s own employee, or a licence number if it supplies contract labour.
Watch for“That doesn’t apply to EOR,” with nothing in writing.
2
Employing entity
“What is the name and CIN of the Indian company that will employ my hire, and what is its EPFO establishment code?”
Why it mattersNone of the 15 providers here publishes an EPFO code, and that code decides whose name your hire’s provident fund is filed under.
Good answerA company name and CIN you can find on the MCA register, plus the EPFO code on company letterhead.
Watch for“We work with trusted local partners,” and no partner name.
3
Provident fund
“Do you contribute provident fund on full basic or only up to the ₹25,000 ceiling, and did you apply that ceiling from 17 September 2026?”
Why it mattersOn a ₹1,50,000 salary the two policies are ₹75,000 a year apart, and arrears are owed from 17 September even where payroll caught up late.
Good answerThe policy written into the contract, plus confirmation that September was split and any arrears paid.
Watch for“We follow statutory requirements,” which fits either policy.
4
Work visa
“Can your Indian entity sponsor an employment visa for this person, and has it done so for this nationality in the last year?”
Why it mattersThe visa needs a salary above $25,000 a year and an Indian sponsor, and a business visa cannot be converted inside India.
Good answerYes, with the sponsoring entity named and a recent case for the same nationality.
Watch for“Visa support is available” through a third party you would contract separately.
5
Exit and gratuity
“Is gratuity reserved monthly or invoiced when it vests, and can you pay a full and final settlement within two working days?”
Why it mattersGratuity is 15 days’ wages per year counted from year one but paid in one lump at five years, and final settlement is due within 2 working days of exit.
Good answerMonthly accrual shown on every invoice, and a written settlement timeline of 2 working days.
Watch for“Gratuity is billed at payout,” which arrives as one unbudgeted invoice.
Hiring timeline: an India EOR hire from offer to first payslip
1 day to 2 weeksThrough an EORThe range of published claims, from SynkPay to Gloroots.
2 to 4 weeksThrough your own private limited companyJust to incorporate, before EPFO, ESIC, professional tax and Shops and Establishments registrations.
1
Day 0 to 1
Agree the quote and contract
Settle the fee, the provident fund policy and any deposit. This is where the OSH Code and entity questions get answered in writing.
Owner: You and the provider
2
Day 1 to 2
Issue the appointment letter
The provider issues the letter in the prescribed format, with excluded allowances kept within 50% of remuneration. The notice period is fixed here.
Owner: Provider
3
Day 1 to 3
Collect employee documents
PAN, Aadhaar and bank details, plus any previous UAN so provident fund history carries over. The provider checks them before payroll setup.
Owner: Employee
4
Day 2 to 5
Statutory enrolment
The provider generates or links the UAN for provident fund. Where gross pay is ₹21,000 or less, ESI enrolment is due within 10 days of joining.
Owner: Provider
5
Weeks 1 to 8
Employment visa, if needed
A foreign national applies from home with the Indian entity as sponsor and a salary above $25,000. FRRO registration follows within 14 days of arrival for stays over 180 days.
Owner: Provider and employee
6
By the 7th
First payslip
Salary is due by the 7th of the following month. Provident fund and ESI are remitted by the 15th, with interest at 12% a year on late payment.
Owner: Provider
What India employment rules mean for your EOR choice
India’s four labour codes have been in force since 21 November 2025, and the central rules followed on 8 May 2026. Most states are still running their old rules alongside them. That gap, plus a provident fund ceiling that rose to ₹25,000 on 17 September 2026, is why two providers can price and handle the same hire very differently.
The Indian obligations your EOR provider takes on
Once you hire through an EOR, the provider becomes the employer for four sets of duties. These are provident fund and ESI under the Code on Social Security, gratuity under the same code, professional tax and Shops and Establishments registration in each state, and salary TDS under the Income-tax Act, 2025. That Act took effect on 1 April 2026, so your hire’s annual tax certificate is now Form 130 rather than Form 16.
Only Deel names the Indian company that carries these duties. Multiplier, Pebl and Papaya Global have Indian subsidiaries on the registry, and Rippling, Wisemonk and Native Teams state an owned entity without naming it. Remofirst runs India through a partner it doesn’t name. The full statutory detail sits in our India hiring guide.
What an EOR actually adds on top of salary in India
Take a ₹1,50,000 monthly salary with basic at half. If the provider contributes provident fund only up to the ₹25,000 ceiling, statutory employer cost is ₹6,858 a month, or 4.6%. Contributing on full basic takes it to ₹13,108, or 8.7%, while a ₹20,000 hire who qualifies for ESI reaches about 12.2%.
Professional tax comes out of the employee’s pay, so it adds nothing on your side.
The EOR fee sits on top. At the $399 midpoint of the published range, about ₹38,583 a month at ₹96.7 to the dollar, the all-in cost of that hire is ₹1,95,441 a month. At the lowest fee of $99 it is ₹1,66,431, at the highest of $699 it is ₹2,24,451, and you can model your own salary band.
The Indian rule that most often breaks an EOR arrangement
India has no licence for employer of record services, so the risk sits in the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code. A contractor supplying 50 or more contract workers needs a licence under that code. If your provider is treated as one and holds no licence, the contravention lands on you as principal employer.
The failure is quiet. An arrangement that looks like employment on the payslip can be read as manpower supply if the provider never treats your hire as its own employee. The code also restricts contract labour in an establishment’s core activities, which is exactly where most EOR hires work.
None of the fifteen providers on this page publishes an OSH Code position, so every one reads Confirm on this point. Put the first of our shortlist questions to each provider in writing, and check your hiring state’s rules in the India hiring guide.
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Adds provident fund, EDLI and admin charges at the ₹25,000 ceiling, ESI below ₹21,000 gross and gratuity accrual, so you see the monthly cost before any provider quotes.
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Best EOR in India: FAQs
The eight questions buyers ask most, answered with the same figures used across this page.
How much does it cost to hire in India through an EOR?
Expect 4.6% to 12.2% of salary in statutory cost, plus an EOR fee of $99 to $699 a month. On a ₹1,50,000 salary with provident fund at the ceiling, that is ₹1,56,858 before the fee and ₹1,95,441 all-in at the $399 midpoint. Model your own salary.
Is using an EOR legal in India?
Yes. India has no licence for employer of record services, and the model is lawful when the provider is the genuine employer.
The risk sits in the OSH Code: a contractor supplying 50 or more contract workers needs a licence, and an unlicensed one leaves the contravention with you. Ask each provider for its position in writing.
Which is the cheapest EOR for India?
Wisemonk and Native Teams both start at $99 a month. Remofirst and Gloroots follow at $199, and Gloroots is listed rather than reviewed in depth. At the low end the entity matters more than the fee: Remofirst uses an unnamed partner, while Wisemonk and Native Teams state an owned entity without naming it.
How long does it take to hire in India through an EOR?
Published claims run from one business day with SynkPay to about two weeks. Deel publishes 3 days and Wisemonk 2 days for India, and most providers publish no India figure.
Add up to eight weeks if the hire needs an employment visa. Our hiring timeline shows each step.
Can an EOR hire a foreign national in India?
Only if its Indian entity can sponsor an employment visa. The salary must exceed $25,000 a year, a business visa cannot be converted inside India, and the hire registers with the FRRO within 14 days of arrival. Pebl and Deel describe India visa support, and Gloroots says it cannot sponsor.
What notice and severance apply when an EOR employee leaves?
Usually 30 days’ notice or pay in lieu, with the full and final settlement due within two working days. Gratuity of 15 days’ wages per year applies after five years, or one year on a fixed-term contract.
Retrenchment compensation of 15 days’ average pay per year is added only for staff who count as workers under the Industrial Relations Code, which most managerial hires do not.
Does basic pay have to be 50% of salary in India?
No. The Code on Wages does not fix basic at 50%, but excluded allowances above half of total pay are added back as wages. That raises provident fund and gratuity on allowance-heavy packages, so ask each provider how it structures the offer letter.
When should I set up my own Indian entity instead?
When you plan sustained headcount, an office, or equity and IP held in India. Incorporation alone takes 2 to 4 weeks before EPFO and ESIC registration, and an entity puts the provident fund policy in your hands.
Take tax advice for sales roles, because an employee who concludes contracts for you can create a permanent establishment whatever the employment route. Our EOR vs private limited company guide runs the numbers.
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