Summary
Deel is our default for the Philippines: 3-5 day onboarding, automated SSS/PhilHealth/Pag-IBIG, and strong APAC scale. Multiplier undercuts by $50-100/month but runs a partner entity. Employer load ~16%. Pick Deel for multi-country rollouts; pick Multiplier if the Philippines is your primary APAC market and fee savings matter.
Quick decision: Pick Deel for speed and scale. Pick Multiplier if APAC pricing is the priority. Cost/timeline signal: Plan around $599 per employee/month and 3-5 business days for local hires.
Quick Decision
- Pick Deel if the Philippines is part of a broader APAC or global hiring push, 3–5 day onboarding, automated SSS/PhilHealth/Pag-IBIG, and one dashboard across your other markets.
- Pick Multiplier if the Philippines is your primary or secondary APAC market, $50–100/month cheaper than Deel with comparable compliance quality and APAC-native support.
- Watch the 6-month probation clock: after 6 months of continuous service, the employee is automatically regularized and full Labor Code termination protections kick in. If you plan to assess the role or need flexibility, manage this window deliberately rather than letting it pass unnoticed.
Hiring compliance in Philippines
Employer statutory costs in Philippines typically add ~16% on top of gross salary before the EOR management fee. Full law, visas, and termination rules: Philippines hiring guide. Model all-in cost in the EOR cost calculator.
Philippines Provider Evaluation Scorecard
| Criterion | Weight | What to verify | Deal-breaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Termination process | High | Written involuntary exit workflow for Philippines | US-style at-will language |
| Notice and severance | High | Contractual notice matches local law | Generic global template |
| Probation limits | Medium | Probation length tracked in HRIS | Rolling probation resets |
| Work authorization | High | EOR sponsors or coordinates permits | ”Employee handles visa” |
| Entity ownership | High | Named legal employer in Philippines | Partner-only with no escalation path |
| Payroll filings | High | On-time statutory remittances | Manual client responsibility |
| Onboarding SLA | Medium | Median days-to-start with references | ”24–48 hours globally” |
Provider Ratings Matrix (G2, Capterra, eorHQ)
Editorial score plus third-party review volume at a glance. Year-1 column is eorHQ’s planning estimate (fee + FX + admin).
| Provider | eorHQ Score | G2 | Capterra | Trustpilot | Year-1 Est. | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deel | 4.8/5 | 4.8/5 (7,400) | 4.8/5 (3,200) | 4.7/5 (8,300) | ~$716/mo | Alternatives |
| Multiplier | 4.8/5 | 4.7/5 (800) | 4.4/5 (44) | 4.9/5 (1,700) | ~$517/mo | Alternatives |
| Remote | 4.7/5 | 4.6/5 (2,700) | 4.5/5 | 4.7/5 (2,100) | ~$716/mo | Alternatives |
| Remofirst | 3.8/5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | ~$316/mo | Alternatives |
| Sprout Solutions | 4.0/5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | - | Alternatives |
Third-party scores sourced from provider profiles at publish time; see individual reviews for links.
Worked Cost Scenario: 1 hire in Philippines
Model a single employee at $6,000/month gross (mid-level professional). Statutory employer load ~16% = $960/mo. EOR platform fee is additional.
| Provider | EOR fee | Statutory employer cost | Monthly run-rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deel | $599/mo | $960/mo | $1559/mo |
| Multiplier | $400/mo | $960/mo | $1360/mo |
| Remote | $599/mo | $960/mo | $1559/mo |
At 5 employees, a $150/month fee gap between finalists is $9,000/year: often less than one payroll correction or delayed filing in Philippines.
What breaks EOR hiring in Philippines
These are provider-selection issues, not a law summary. Full rules stay on the See the hiring guide above.
Termination edge case: Philippine law divides termination into two categories with different procedures and costs.
Visa edge case: This ratio applies to the EOR entity’s workforce, which can become a constraint if the EOR sponsors multiple foreign workers.
Top Picks
1. Deel: Best for Speed and Multi-Country Scale
Deel is the pick when the Philippines is part of a broader hiring push. You’re adding 3 developers in Cebu, 2 in Kuala Lumpur, and 1 in Bangalore, one platform, one invoice, one dashboard. Their Philippines entity handles separation pay calculations, mandatory holiday pay (there are roughly 18–20 regular and special non-working holidays per year ), and the DOLE-required final pay release within 30 days of separation. Pricing: $599/employee/month.
2. Multiplier: Best APAC Pricing and Regional Depth
Multiplier consistently prices Philippines EOR $50–100/month below Deel. For a 5-person team, that’s $3,000–$6,000/year in savings, real money when your Philippine hires are already your cost-optimization play.
Multiplier’s APAC DNA shows in their Philippines coverage. SSS contribution tables are current, PhilHealth premium splits are automated, and Pag-IBIG handling includes both the mandatory and voluntary contribution tiers. Their platform generates 2316 BIR forms for withholding tax and handles the annualized income tax computation that trips up foreign employers. If you’re building across the Philippines, India, and Singapore, Multiplier gives you regional coherence that Deel and Remote don’t match.
3. Remote: Best for Owned-Entity Compliance
Remote operates its own Philippine entity. No third-party partners sitting between you and your employees. For companies in regulated industries or those facing audit scrutiny, the owned-entity model means Remote files SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG directly under their own registrations. The compliance chain is shorter and cleaner.
Onboarding takes 5–7 business days. Pricing: $599/employee/month. Remote handles 13th month pay, separation pay, and the mandatory final pay timeline. The IP assignment clauses in their Philippine employment contracts are strong, relevant if your Manila team is writing production code. The trade-off: Remote’s Philippines-specific support is smaller than Deel’s or Multiplier’s, and APAC coverage breadth doesn’t match Multiplier’s regional depth. Pick Remote when the compliance purity of an owned entity matters more than price.
4. Remofirst: Best Budget Option at $199/Month
Remofirst is the cheapest viable EOR for the Philippines at $199/employee/month. They cover SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and 13th month pay. For companies hiring 1–3 junior or mid-level employees where cost is the primary driver, Remofirst saves you $4,800/year per employee versus Deel or Remote.
The trade-offs: smaller local operations team, less platform polish, fewer HRIS integrations, and limited ability to handle complex separation scenarios or DOLE disputes. You won’t get proactive compliance advisory, Remofirst processes payroll and remits contributions, but don’t expect them to flag that your employee’s probation terms need updating to survive a DOLE inspection. For straightforward Philippine hires, developers, virtual assistants, customer support, Remofirst does the job at a price point that makes the Philippines hiring math even more compelling.
Local Alternative: Sprout Solutions
Sprout Solutions is a strong local alternative for Philippines-only hiring programs that want in-country payroll execution and support tuned to SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and routine DOLE-facing employment administration.
For domestic hiring, that local execution model can be more practical than a global EOR stack. If you are scaling beyond the Philippines this year, global providers still offer a cleaner multi-country operating model.
Statutory employer costs and compliance rules for Philippines belong in the hiring guide, not a provider ranking page. Full law, visas, and termination rules: See the hiring guide above.
Practical Scenario: 5 Developers in Manila and Cebu at PHP 100,000/Month
You’re a US SaaS company hiring 5 mid-senior developers: 3 in Manila, 2 in Cebu. Each at PHP 100,000/month gross salary. Here’s what you’ll actually pay.
Monthly employer statutory costs per employee:
- SSS employer: ~PHP 1,830/month (based on PHP 20,000 salary credit bracket, the contribution table caps employer share; verify exact bracket for PHP 100,000 earners)
- PhilHealth employer: ~PHP 2,250/month (2.25% of PHP 100,000)
- Pag-IBIG employer: PHP 200/month
- Total statutory:
PHP 4,280/month per employee ($77 USD at PHP 56/$1 )
13th month pay: PHP 100,000 per employee per year (one additional month of basic salary). Amortized monthly: ~PHP 8,333/month per employee.
EOR fees (Deel): $599 × 5 = $2,995/month, or $35,940/year.
Total annual cost for 5 employees:
- Gross salaries: PHP 100,000 × 5 × 12 = PHP 6,000,000/year (~$107,143 USD)
- 13th month: PHP 100,000 × 5 = PHP 500,000/year (~$8,929 USD)
- Employer statutory: PHP 4,280 × 5 × 12 = PHP 256,800/year (~$4,586 USD)
- EOR fees: $35,940/year
- Total: approximately $156,598/year for 5 mid-senior developers
The US equivalent, 5 developers at $10,000/month each, would cost $600,000+ in salary alone before benefits, payroll taxes, and office space. The Philippines team costs roughly 26% of that, fully loaded with EOR fees and compliance.
With Multiplier: ~$499–549 × 5 = $2,495–2,745/month . Saves $3,000–$6,000/year versus Deel. Same compliance coverage.
With Remofirst: $199 × 5 = $995/month, or $11,940/year. Saves $24,000/year versus Deel, but weigh that against the thinner support and platform limitations.
Comparison Table
| Provider | Entity Model | Starting Price | Onboarding Speed | Best for | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deel | Partner | $599/employee/mo | 3–5 days | Speed, global scale | Less direct local entity control |
| Multiplier | Partner | ~$499–549/employee/mo | 3–5 days | APAC pricing, regional teams | Less direct local entity control |
| Remote | Owned | $599/employee/mo | 5–7 days | Regulated industries, IP protection | Higher monthly fee |
| Remofirst | Partner | $199/employee/mo | 5–10 days | Budget-conscious hiring | Less direct local entity control |
| Sprout Solutions | Local | Custom pricing | 5–10 days | Philippines-only teams | Limited multi-country scale |
How We Ranked EOR Providers in the Philippines
Our Philippines scoring model prioritizes the controls that protect you during payroll, separation, and statutory deadlines: 1. Statutory compliance accuracy (30%). SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contributions must be calculated correctly against the current tables and remitted on time. 13th month pay must hit employee accounts before December 24. We verified each provider’s handling of contribution updates (SSS tables change), PhilHealth annual rate increases, and 13th month calculation methodology.
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Onboarding speed (25%). The Philippines doesn’t require work permits for Filipino nationals, so onboarding should be fast, 3–5 days is the benchmark. Providers taking more than 7 business days for a standard hire are operationally slow. Deel and Multiplier lead.
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Pricing and cost transparency (20%). Philippine EOR should be straightforward pricing. We checked for hidden charges on statutory contribution administration, 13th month processing, and separation pay handling. Remofirst wins on sticker price; Deel and Remote are transparent at a higher price point.
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Separation and termination handling (15%). Philippine labor law is employee-protective. Termination requires just or authorized cause, proper notice, and correct separation pay calculation. DOLE complaints are common and the burden of proof falls on the employer. We evaluated each provider’s termination advisory, DOLE compliance documentation, and final pay processing.
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APAC regional coverage (10%). Companies hiring in the Philippines typically also hire across APAC, India, Singapore, Indonesia. Providers with strong regional coverage scored higher. Multiplier leads here.
When to Skip EOR and Register a Philippine Corporation
The rule of thumb: 5+ employees with an 18+ month commitment. Entity setup costs and legal requirements vary by market. Full breakeven math and setup steps: See the hiring guide above.
eorHQ Final Verdict
| Use case | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best BPO/tech scaling | Deel | High-volume onboarding and contractor-to-employee conversion paths. |
| Compliance documentation | Remote | Clean statutory registration chain for audit-sensitive US buyers. |
| Lowest cost | RemoFirst | Sub-$300 fees, validate partner entity and support depth before scaling. |
| APAC regional hub | Multiplier | Owned entities across Southeast Asia when PH is part of a broader APAC plan. |
Worked cost example
Ten Manila support staff at PHP 600k/year: mandatory 13th-month pay adds one month salary across the team (~PHP 600k lump). EOR at $399/mo × 10 = $47,880/year. SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG add ~PHP 90k–110k per employee annually, confirm pass-through vs markup on statutory lines.
Rule of thumb: If you are hiring 1–2 people for under 12 months, EOR wins on speed. Past 10–15 employees in one country with an 18-month commitment, model entity setup, the crossover depends on termination risk and local employer charges, not the EOR list price alone. See EOR cost guide and how to choose an EOR.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is 13th month pay calculated, and does my EOR handle it automatically?
13th month pay = total basic salary earned during the calendar year ÷ 12. If an employee earned PHP 100,000/month for the full year, 13th month pay is PHP 100,000. For employees who joined mid-year, it’s proportional: an employee who started in July and earned PHP 600,000 total basic salary through December gets PHP 50,000. The amount must be paid on or before December 24, not December 31, not “by year-end.” All four providers listed here automate the calculation and payment. The first PHP 90,000 of combined 13th month pay and other benefits is tax-exempt; amounts above that are taxable income.
What’s the real risk of using contractors instead of EOR employees in the Philippines?
Our Philippines hiring guide covers local employment law and compliance. Full rules: Philippines hiring guide.
How complex is setting up my own entity versus using EOR in the Philippines?
Much more complex than Singapore, less complex than India. The key barriers: $200,000 minimum paid-up capital for foreign-owned corporations (reduced to $100,000 with advanced technology or 50+ employees ), mandatory Filipino corporate secretary, Filipino resident treasurer, SEC registration taking 2–4 weeks, and separate registrations with BIR, SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG. Annual compliance includes business permit renewal (barangay + mayor’s), SEC annual filings, BIR returns, and audited financial statements. Budget PHP 300,000–500,000/year in compliance and professional fees. For teams under 20, EOR is almost always the better call. The capital requirement alone disqualifies most startups and small companies from entity setup.
Sources
Related Decision Pages
- Deel Review : Top pick for speed and Philippines hiring at scale
- Multiplier Review : Best APAC pricing for Philippines teams
- Remote Review : Owned Philippine entity with strong compliance chain
- Remofirst Review : Budget Philippines EOR at $199/month
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