Same price, different buyers. Deel is the faster, broader platform — 10 Asian countries through owned entities, 1–2 day onboarding in Singapore, and 100+ integrations. Papaya Global is the analytics play — workforce cost modelling, real-time compliance dashboards, and deeper South Korea expertise. If you’re a finance team that needs to forecast total employment cost across 7 Asian markets before hiring, Papaya’s dashboards are worth the slower onboarding. If you just need people hired correctly and fast, Deel.
At a Glance
| Dimension | Deel | Papaya Global |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Monthly Fee (EOR) | $599/mo | $599/mo |
| Countries | 150+ | 160+ |
| Asia Countries | 10 | 7 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco | New York |
| Founded | 2019 | 2016 |
| G2 Reviews | 11,900+ | 350+ |
| Best For | Speed, breadth, integrations | Analytics, South Korea, enterprise |
Pricing
Both charge $599/mo per employee. The sticker price is identical, but the total cost differs:
- Deel requires a one-month salary deposit per employee. For a Singapore hire at $5,000/month, that’s $5,000 locked until offboarding.
- Papaya Global deposits and additional fees vary by country and are custom-quoted. Confirm in writing before signing.
For standard EOR at the same price point, the differentiator isn’t the fee — it’s what you get for it. Deel gives you speed and breadth. Papaya gives you analytics and compliance intelligence. Pick based on which gap you actually have.
Asia Coverage
| Market | Deel | Papaya Global |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | Owned entity | Covered |
| India | Owned entity | Covered |
| Philippines | Owned entity | Covered |
| Indonesia | Owned entity | Covered |
| Japan | Owned entity | Covered |
| Malaysia | Owned entity | Covered |
| South Korea | Owned entity | Strong — one of Papaya’s best markets |
| Vietnam | Owned entity | Not covered |
| Thailand | Owned entity | Not covered |
| Hong Kong | Owned entity | Not covered |
Deel covers 10 Asian markets. Papaya covers 7 — no Vietnam, Thailand, or Hong Kong. If any of those three matter, the decision is already made.
Papaya’s strength is South Korea, where its compliance depth and analytics are among the strongest in the market. If Korea is your primary Asian market, Papaya belongs on the shortlist alongside Deel and G-P.
Onboarding Speed
Deel is consistently faster: 1–2 business days in Singapore, 2–3 in India, 3–5 in Japan. Papaya runs 3–5 days in Singapore, 4–6 in India, 7–10 in Japan. For urgent hires, this gap is the deciding factor.
Papaya’s slower onboarding is a design choice — the platform runs more pre-employment compliance checks and generates more detailed documentation upfront. For planned hires where speed isn’t critical, the trade-off is acceptable.
Analytics and Reporting
Papaya’s differentiator. Its workforce intelligence platform provides:
- Real-time total employment cost by country, including employer-side statutory contributions
- Compliance dashboards that surface regulatory changes before they hit payroll
- Cross-country cost comparison modelling for headcount planning
Deel’s reporting is adequate for operational needs but doesn’t approach Papaya’s depth for strategic workforce planning. If your CFO wants a single dashboard showing total cost-to-company across 7 Asian markets with forward projections, Papaya is the only EOR in this tier that delivers it natively.
For teams that just need payroll processed accurately and on time, Deel’s reporting is more than sufficient.
Platform and Scale
Deel has a much larger user base (11,900+ G2 reviews vs Papaya’s 350+), deeper integration ecosystem (100+ vs fewer), and a more proven track record at scale. Deel processes payroll for 35,000+ companies.
Papaya Global was founded in 2016 — three years before Deel — and targets mid-market and enterprise buyers with 50+ employees. Its platform is built for finance and HR teams managing complex, multi-country workforces. Smaller teams may find it over-engineered.
Which to Choose
Choose Deel if:
- You need Vietnam, Thailand, or Hong Kong coverage — Papaya doesn’t offer them
- Fast onboarding matters — 1–2 days in Singapore vs 3–5
- You want 100+ integrations with your existing HR stack
- Your team is under 50 employees and doesn’t need enterprise analytics
- You want the largest compliance team and most proven track record
Choose Papaya Global if:
- South Korea is your primary or most complex Asian market
- Your CFO needs real-time workforce cost analytics across multiple countries
- You’re a mid-market or enterprise company (50+ employees) that values compliance dashboards
- Onboarding speed is secondary to documentation depth
They’re equal for: Standard EOR compliance in Singapore, India, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and Malaysia — both process payroll accurately at the same price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Papaya Global cover Vietnam or Thailand? No. Papaya covers 7 Asian markets but not Vietnam, Thailand, or Hong Kong. If any of those are in scope, Deel, Multiplier, or G-P are the options.
Which is better for South Korea? Papaya Global. Its compliance depth and analytics for the Korean market are among the strongest available. Deel also covers South Korea through an owned entity but doesn’t match Papaya’s Korea-specific tooling.
Is Papaya Global too enterprise-focused for a startup? Likely yes. Papaya explicitly targets companies with 50+ employees and its analytics platform is built for that scale. Startups hiring 3–10 people in Asia will find Deel or Multiplier a better fit — simpler platform, faster onboarding, lower complexity.
How do onboarding speeds compare? Deel: 1–2 days in Singapore, 2–3 in India. Papaya: 3–5 days in Singapore, 4–6 in India. The gap is consistent across all shared markets.
Which has better compliance reporting? Papaya Global by a wide margin. Its dashboards surface real-time employment cost, regulatory changes, and cross-country comparisons. Deel’s reporting is operational — it tells you what was paid. Papaya’s tells you what to expect next quarter.
