If you want to hire someone in India but don't want to set up a company there, you'll need an Employer of Record (EOR). The EOR becomes the legal employer on paper, handles payroll and tax filings, and you manage the person's actual work.

Remote is one of the most popular global EOR platforms. It covers 90+ countries, charges $599/month per employee in India, and handles the legal side well.

But legal employment is only part of the picture. In India, the gap between signing an offer and someone actually starting work is where things get complicated:

• Employees often have 30–60 day notice periods at their current job. That's weeks of waiting where candidates can accept other offers or go silent.

• Tax and retirement registrations take time. India requires multiple government filings before payroll can run properly. Some EORs don't complete these until after Day 1.

• Laptops and workspace aren't included. Most EORs expect you to figure out equipment and office setup yourself—which gets complicated when you're 10,000 miles away.

• Support goes through global queues. When something stalls, you're filing tickets with a team that may not understand Indian employment rules or timelines.

This guide compares 10 alternatives to Remote, broken down by what they actually handle in India—not just what their marketing says.

First: How employment works in India (the 2-minute version)

If you've never hired in India, here's what's different from the US or Europe:

You can't just wire someone money. India has strict employment laws. If you're paying someone a salary, they need to be formally employed through a registered company—either yours or an EOR's.

There are mandatory government contributions. Every employer in India must contribute to:

• Provident Fund (PF): A retirement savings account. Both employer and employee contribute about 12% of base salary each.

• Employee State Insurance (ESI): Government health insurance for employees earning below a certain threshold.

These aren't optional. If you skip them, you're breaking Indian law.

Taxes get deducted from every paycheck. The employer is responsible for withholding income tax (called TDS) and sending it to the government monthly. Miss a filing and you're liable.

Each state has its own rules. India has 28 states, and many have their own Professional Tax—a small additional tax that varies by location. An employee in Karnataka pays different PT than one in Maharashtra.

Notice periods are long. Most professional employees in India have 30–60 day notice periods baked into their contracts. During that window, they can change their mind. If nobody stays in touch, they often do.

Equipment logistics are tricky. If you buy a laptop in India, there's an 18% tax (GST) on top of the price. You can only reclaim that tax if you have an Indian company. If you don't, that 18% is a real cost—and getting equipment delivered to the right person at the right time requires local coordination.

This is why EORs exist. They handle the legal employment, tax filings, and government contributions so you don't have to set up an Indian company. But how much they handle beyond the legal minimum varies wildly.

How we evaluated these providers

This comparison draws on direct experience, founder interviews, and documented onboarding timelines across 50+ India hires in 2024. We assessed each provider on:

1. Entity ownership: Do they employ through their own Indian company, or route it through a third-party partner?

2. Compliance depth: Do they handle all the government filings—PF, ESI, state taxes—or just the basics?

3. Onboarding speed: How long from signed offer to the employee actually being set up in the system?

4. Hardware and workspace: Do they help with laptops and office setup, or is that entirely on you?

5. Support: Is there someone in India who can help when things go wrong, or does everything route through a global help desk?

Where we haven't used a provider directly, we've noted that and relied on published documentation and verified customer feedback.

Quick comparison: 10 Remote alternatives for expanding your team to India

What "Own India entity" means: Providers with their own registered company in India can file taxes and government contributions directly. Those using partners route employment through a third party, which can slow things down and reduce your visibility into what's happening.

Remote at a glance

Remote charges $599/month per employee in India. They own their Indian entity, which means they handle tax filings and government contributions directly rather than through a middleman.

Onboarding is estimated at 3 business days, but that assumes everything goes smoothly. In practice, registrations for retirement contributions and state taxes often take longer—so payroll may not be fully set up by Day 1.

What Remote handles: Employment contracts, salary payments, tax withholding, retirement contributions, basic compliance.

What Remote doesn't handle: Laptops, workspace, equipment delivery, or local coordination. Support goes through their global team, not someone in India.

Remote works well if you just need legal employment and have someone internally who can manage everything else.

What to look for when comparing EORs for India

1. Do they own their India entity or use partners?

This is the biggest structural difference.

Owned entity means the EOR has registered their own company in India. Your employee is legally employed by that company. The EOR files taxes and government contributions directly.

In a partner model, the provider relies on a local Indian entity to run employment—more coordination points, often slower turnaround.

Neither is inherently bad, but owned entities typically mean faster setup and more visibility.

2. Do they handle all the compliance requirements?

India has multiple mandatory government contributions and tax filings:

• Provident Fund (PF): Retirement savings. Must be registered and contributed to monthly.

• Employee State Insurance (ESI): Health coverage. Required for employees below a certain salary.

• Professional Tax (PT): A state-level tax. Different rates in different states.

• Tax withholding (TDS): Income tax deducted from each paycheck and sent to the government.

Some EORs handle all of this. Others handle some and expect you to figure out the rest. Ask specifically what's included.

3. Do they help with laptops and workspace?

Most EORs don't touch equipment. That means:

• You need to find a way to buy and ship a laptop to someone in India

• You'll pay 18% tax (GST) on that purchase, which you can't reclaim without an Indian company

• If something breaks, you're coordinating repairs from abroad

A few providers—TeemGenie is the main one—handle laptop procurement and absorb the tax. Most leave it entirely to you.

Same for workspace. If your hire needs a desk somewhere, that's usually your problem to solve.

4. Is there someone in India who can help?

When a tax registration is delayed, or a salary doesn't hit on time, or an employee has questions about their pay stub—who handles that?

Global platforms often route everything through a help desk that covers all 90+ countries. Response times vary. The person answering may not know Indian employment rules well.

Providers with India-based support can usually resolve issues faster and with less back-and-forth.

5. What's actually included in the price?

A $199/month EOR and a $599/month EOR aren't offering the same thing.

Lower-cost providers typically cover legal employment and basic compliance. You handle everything else—background checks, equipment, staying in touch with the candidate during their notice period, making sure they have what they need on Day 1.

Higher-cost providers may include more, but not always. Some charge extra for background checks, equipment coordination, or state-specific tax filings.

Ask for a complete list of what's included and what's billed separately.

6. How long does onboarding actually take?

"Onboarding" can mean different things:

• Contract signed: The employee has a legal offer. This can happen in 24–48 hours.

• Systems set up: Tax registrations, retirement accounts, and payroll are configured. This often takes 3–10 days in India.

• Ready to work: The employee has equipment, access to your tools, and everything they need to be productive on Day 1.

Most EORs measure onboarding by when the contract is signed. But what you probably care about is when the person can actually start working.

Remote Alternatives India: Provider-by-provider breakdown

1. TeemGenie

What it is: An India-focused EOR built for startups that want everything handled—legal employment, equipment, workspace, and local support.

Price: $399/month per employee, all-inclusive.

What's included:

• Employment through TeemGenie's own Indian company

• All government filings handled: retirement contributions, state taxes, tax withholding

• Laptop procurement with the 18% GST absorbed (you don't pay extra)

• Workspace coordination if needed

• A dedicated person in India who manages onboarding and answers employee questions

• Communication via Slack—no ticketing system

Onboarding time: 1–3 days to full readiness.

What's not included: TeemGenie only covers India. If you need to hire in other countries, you'll need a separate provider.

Who it's for: Founders hiring 5–50 people in India who don't want to manage logistics, coordinate vendors, or chase down compliance issues. You hand off the hire and they handle everything through Day 1.

2. Wisemonk

What it is: The lowest-cost EOR we found that owns its own Indian entity. Covers legal employment and compliance at a fraction of what global platforms charge.

Price: Starting at $99/month per employee.

What's included:

• Employment through Wisemonk's own Indian company

• Core government filings: retirement contributions, state taxes, tax withholding

• Fast offer turnaround (24–48 hours)

• Transparent pricing with no setup fees

What's not included:

• No laptop procurement or workspace coordination

• Support is email-based, not real-time

• No dedicated HR contact for your employee

• You manage the candidate during their notice period yourself

Onboarding time: 2–3 days for contract and system setup.

Who it's for: Early-stage teams making their first 1–3 hires in India who want to stay compliant at minimal cost and can handle logistics internally. Not for teams that need onboarding managed end-to-end.

3. Asanify

What it is: An India-based platform that combines legal employment with payroll software and basic HR tools.

Price: $299–399/month depending on complexity.

What's included:

• Employment through Asanify's own Indian company

• Government filings handled

• HR software: payslips, leave tracking, salary processing

• Local payroll team for support

What's not included:

• No laptop or workspace coordination

• No dedicated HR contact for onboarding

• Support limited to business hours

Onboarding time: 3–5 days.

Who it's for: Teams that want legal employment plus a system for managing HR basics—but are handling equipment and onboarding coordination themselves.

4. RemoFirst

What it is: A budget global EOR with coverage in 185+ countries, including India.

Price: $199/month flat fee.

What's included:

• Legal employment in India (through a local partner company)

• Basic compliance coverage

• Fast offer issuance (24–72 hours)

• Dedicated customer success manager

What's not included:

• Employment routed through a partner, not RemoFirst's own entity

• No laptop, workspace, or equipment help

• No local HR in India

• Limited visibility into registration timelines

• Quality can vary depending on which partner handles your employee

Onboarding time: 3–5 days for contract; system setup may take longer.

Who it's for: Startups that need a fast, cheap way to legally employ someone in India and can handle everything else internally. The price is real, but so are the handoffs.

5. Multiplier

What it is: An Asia-Pacific focused EOR with a strong presence in India, Singapore, and Indonesia.

Price: $400/month per employee.

What's included:

• Employment through Multiplier's own Indian company

• Full government filings and compliance

• Single platform for employees and contractors across countries

• Assigned account manager

What's not included:

• No laptop or workspace coordination

• No India-based HR for your employees

• Support is via account manager and email, not real-time

• State-specific nuances (bonus rules, regional compliance) may need clarification

Onboarding time: 2–4 days.

Who it's for: Teams already hiring across Asia who want one platform for multiple countries. Works if you have internal ops capacity for the logistics Multiplier doesn't cover.

6. Rippling

What it is: A global platform that combines HR, IT, and payroll management—including EOR services in 100+ countries.

Price: $500–600/month estimated (not publicly listed for India).

What's included:

• Legal employment in India (through a partner company)

• Unified platform for HR and IT: device management, software access, payroll

• Good if you want to control laptops and security centrally

What's not included:

• India employment handled by a partner, not Rippling directly

• No local HR for tax registrations or onboarding questions

• Equipment logistics are global, not optimized for India (no GST absorption)

• Can take 5–10 days for full activation

• Limited visibility once the contract is signed

Onboarding time: 5–10 days.

Who it's for: Companies that want one system for global HR and IT management. The India EOR is a checkbox, not the focus—so expect to manage local nuances yourself.

7. Deel

What it is: One of the most recognized global EOR platforms, covering 150+ countries with strong legal infrastructure.

Price: Starting at $599/month per employee.

What's included:

• Deel owns its Indian entity, though day-to-day onboarding runs through partner operations

• Fast contract turnaround (under 48 hours)

• Background checks available

• 24/7 global support via chat, email, and WhatsApp

• Strong legal protections and audit-ready documentation

What's not included:

• India operations handled through partners

• No laptop, desk, or equipment coordination

• No local HR contact for your employees

• Limited visibility into state-level compliance details

• Nobody tracking whether the employee is actually ready to work on Day 1

Onboarding time: 3–5 days for contract; full setup may take longer.

Who it's for: Companies that want a trusted global brand with fast contracts and strong legal coverage. Works if you have internal capacity to manage India logistics—or if legal employment is all you need.

8. Papaya Global

What it is: An enterprise-grade platform focused on payroll analytics and multi-country workforce management.

Price: $650–800+/month depending on scope and add-ons.

What's included:

• Legal employment in India (through verified partners)

• Advanced payroll reporting and analytics dashboards

• Multi-currency payroll, equity compensation support

• Strong compliance documentation

What's not included:

• India employment via partner, not Papaya's own entity

• No local HR support

• No equipment or workspace coordination

• Onboarding takes 7–14 days

• Ticket-based support designed for enterprise workflows

Onboarding time: 7–14 days.

Who it's for: Finance and HR teams at larger companies who want centralized payroll data across countries. Overkill for startups hiring a few people in India.

9. Oyster HR

What it is: A global EOR platform that emphasizes consistent employee experience and benefits across countries.

Price: Starting at $599/month per employee.

What's included:

• Legal employment in India (through a partner company)

• Clean, well-designed platform

• Standardized offer terms and benefits across countries

• Employee self-service: payslips, leave requests, benefits info

• Global benefits marketplace for add-ons

What's not included:

• Employment through a partner, not Oyster's own entity

• No local HR support in India

• No laptop or workspace help

• Support is asynchronous through a global team

• Limited visibility into India-specific compliance timing

Onboarding time: 2–5 days.

Who it's for: Remote-first companies that want a consistent experience for employees everywhere. Works if you value platform design and benefits parity more than India-specific execution.

10. Velocity Global

What it is: An enterprise-focused EOR designed for large organizations expanding across multiple countries, typically with in-house HR running the process.

Price: Custom pricing (typically enterprise contracts).

What's included:

• India coverage through a mix of owned and partner entities

• Structured onboarding flows and documentation templates

• Dedicated account manager for enterprise accounts

• Strong global compliance infrastructure

What's not included:

• India often handled via partner

• No workspace or equipment coordination

• No local HR for employee questions

• Support SLAs and workflows are optimized for enterprise timelines, not same-day startup needs.

• Not priced or structured for small teams

Onboarding time: 7–10 days.

Who it's for: Large companies adding India as one of many countries, with internal HR teams to manage local execution. Not built for startups hiring their first India team.

How to choose based on your situation

If you're hiring 1–5 people and need to move fast
You want an EOR that can get someone legally employed in days, not weeks.

Best options:

• TeemGenie if you want everything handled (equipment, workspace, local HR)

• Wisemonk if you're comfortable managing logistics yourself and want lowest cost

• RemoFirst if you just need basic legal coverage fastIf you already have operations in India (vendors, internal team)
  You have people who can coordinate equipment, answer employee questions, and track onboarding. You just need the legal wrapper.

If you already have operations in India (vendors, internal team)
You have people who can coordinate equipment, answer employee questions, and track onboarding. You just need the legal wrapper.

Best options:

• Multiplier if you're hiring across Asia

• Deel if you want a recognized global platform

• Asanify if you want payroll software includedIf you're a larger company expanding into India as one of many countries
  You have HR infrastructure, finance wants consolidated reporting, and India is part of a bigger rollout.

If you're a larger company expanding into India as one of many countries
You have HR infrastructure, finance wants consolidated reporting, and India is part of a bigger rollout.

Best options:

• Papaya Global for analytics and multi-country payroll

• Velocity Global for enterprise support

• Deel for global coverage with strong legal protectionIf you're hiring engineers or product roles and retention matters
  Technical candidates get a lot of offers. The experience between signing and starting affects whether they actually show up—and how they feel about your company.

If you're hiring engineers or product roles and retention matters
Technical candidates get a lot of offers. The experience between signing and starting affects whether they actually show up—and how they feel about your company.

Best options:

• TeemGenie — handles the entire experience from offer to Day 1, including equipment, workspace, and local HR. Built specifically for this use case.If budget is the main constraint
  You need legal employment but can't spend $500+/month per person.

If budget is the main constraint
You need legal employment but can't spend $500+/month per person.

Best options:

• Wisemonk at $99/month (owned entity, but no logistics support)

• RemoFirst at $199/month (partner model, basic coverage)

  
  

Final thought

The real test starts after the agreement is in place (and the employment begins): what gets owned, and what still falls on your team?

Global platforms handle legal employment well. But in India, the gap between signed offer and productive employee is where things fall apart—long notice periods, tax registrations that lag, equipment that never arrives, questions that go unanswered.

Some teams have internal ops capacity to manage all of that. For those that don't, the provider you choose determines whether your hire actually starts on Day 1 ready to work, or spends their first week waiting for a laptop and wondering if anyone's coming.

If you want to see what end-to-end onboarding looks like

TeemGenie handles everything between offer and Day 1 in India—legal employment, tax filings, laptop delivery, workspace setup, and a local HR contact for your employee.

• No partner handoffs.

• No separate vendors to coordinate.

• No guessing what's included.

[Book a 15-minute call →]

Frequently asked questions

What's the cheapest way to legally hire someone in India?

Wisemonk starts at $99/month and owns its own Indian entity. RemoFirst is $199/month but uses a partner model. Both exclude equipment and workspace—you handle that separately.

How fast can you get someone employed in India through an EOR?

Contract signing can happen in 24–48 hours. But full setup—tax registrations, retirement accounts, payroll activation—usually takes 3–10 days depending on the provider. Some platforms don't complete this until after the employee's first paycheck.

Can an EOR provide laptops to employees in India?

Most don't. TeemGenie includes laptop procurement with the 18% GST absorbed. Wisemonk and Asanify offer this, but typically as an additional paid service. Global platforms like Deel, Remote, and Oyster leave equipment entirely to you.

What's the difference between a provider that owns its entity vs. uses partners?

Owned entity means the EOR has its own registered company in India. They employ your person directly and file all taxes themselves. Partner model means they work through a local Indian company, which adds a layer and can slow things down.

What happens if I want to set up my own company in India later?

You can transition employees from an EOR to your own entity. But you'll need complete records of all tax filings and government contributions. If the EOR cut corners or used partners with poor documentation, that transition gets messy. Providers with direct filings (TeemGenie, Deel, Multiplier) make this cleaner.