Guide

Global PEO vs EOR: what the terms mean abroad

Updated on 6 Oct 2026. Each figure shows its source and the date of our last check.

Providers sell international employment as a "global PEO", an "international PEO" or an "employer of record" (EOR). The names overlap.

This guide shows how providers use the terms, and the one question that matters: who is the legal employer of your staff abroad.

Key facts

Global PEO: Deel and Rippling use it as another name for an employer of record (EOR)Deel, Global PEO (30 Jun 2026), Rippling, Global PEO (glossary)Checked 6 Oct 2026
Classic PEO: Works with your own company, which generally stays the employer under US federal tax lawIRS, Third party payer arrangements: professional employer organizationsChecked 4 Oct 2026
The question to ask: Who signs the employment contract in the country?
EOR fees: US$197 to US$796 a month for each employee, in the published prices of our 10 countriesBoundless pricing, Oyster pricing, European Central BankChecked 1 Oct 2026

What providers mean by "global PEO"

"Global PEO" and "international PEO" are sales terms, not legal terms. Providers use them in different ways, so read each provider's own definition.

Deel: Deel says that a global PEO, an international PEO and an EOR are three names for the same service. The global PEO is the legal employer of the workers.Deel, Global PEO (30 Jun 2026)Checked 6 Oct 2026
Rippling: Rippling says that "global PEO" and "international PEO" are other names for an EOR. It serves as the sole legal employer, so you need no company in the country.Rippling, Global PEO (glossary)Checked 6 Oct 2026
Multiplier: Multiplier describes a global PEO as a PEO on a global level, and describes a co-employment model. It also says that a global PEO can help you hire with or without your own company in the country.Multiplier, Professional employer organizationChecked 6 Oct 2026

So the name does not tell you who employs the person. The contract does.

Global PEO, EOR and classic PEO compared

Global PEO, EOR and classic PEO compared
Question	Global PEO or EOR	Classic PEO
Who is the legal employer?	The provider, or its local partner	Your company, under US federal tax law. A certified PEO is treated as the employer for federal employment taxes on the wages that it pays.
Do you need a company in the country?	No	Yes. The PEO works with your own company.
Who runs the payroll?	The provider, in its own name	The PEO, as payroll administration for your company
Where does it apply?	Many countries, through the provider's own companies or partners	Mainly the US. Other countries have their own rules for the supply of workers.

Sources: Deel, Global PEO (30 Jun 2026), Rippling, Global PEO (glossary), IRS, Third party payer arrangements: professional employer organizations, IRS, Certified professional employer organizationChecked 6 Oct 2026

Local rules for the supply of workers

Many countries regulate companies that supply workers to other companies. Some ask for a licence, and some limit how long one person can work for you. An EOR, or a global PEO that works like one, must follow these rules. See the local rules in each of our countries.

What a global PEO costs

In our 10 countries, the published EOR fees are US$197 to US$796 a month for each employee.

On top of the fee, you pay the salary and the employer costs that the law requires: 4.0% of the gross salary in India to 50.9% in Brazil. Compare the all-in cost in every country.

Sources: Boundless pricing, Oyster pricing, European Central BankChecked 1 Oct 2026

Questions to ask a provider

Who signs the employment contract?The provider, its local partner or your own company. This decides who the employer is.
Own company or partner?Ask if the provider employs people through its own company in the country, or through a partner.
What is the all-in cost?Ask for the fee, the employer costs, the deposit and any setup or exit fee.
How does it follow the local rules?Ask how it meets the rules for the supply of workers, such as a licence for agency work.
What does the person do for you?Staff who sign contracts for your company can create a permanent establishment, whoever employs them.

Our country guides show which providers say that they use their own company. Read how staff abroad can create a permanent establishment.

Questions and answers

What is a global PEO?

A provider that employs or manages staff for your company in other countries. Deel and Rippling use the term as another name for an employer of record, which is the legal employer of the staff.

Is a global PEO the same as an EOR?

Often, but not always. Deel and Rippling say that the two terms mean the same service. Multiplier describes a co-employment model. Ask who signs the employment contract.

Do I need my own company to use a global PEO?

Not when the provider works as an employer of record, because the provider or its partner employs the person. A classic PEO works with your own company.

What is the difference between a PEO and a global PEO?

A classic PEO works with your own company, which generally stays the employer under US federal tax law. A global PEO usually means a provider that is the legal employer in another country, like an employer of record.

How much does a global PEO cost?

The published EOR fees are US$197 to US$796 a month for each employee in our 10 countries. You also pay the salary and the employer costs that the law requires.

Change log

6 Oct 2026: We published this guide.

See every change on the site.

Warning: This page is not legal or tax advice. The figures come from official sources, but your case can be different. Check them with a payroll expert before you hire.