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Payroll · head to head

Branch App vs Remote

Branch App logo

Branch App

Payroll

Digital wallet and Mastercard debit card bundled with fee-free earned wage access for US workers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Remote logo

Remote

Payroll

The new standard for global employment

From
$29/month per employee
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Branch App has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Branch App the fee-free promise applies most fully to funds kept in the Branch Wallet; moving money out instantly to an external bank account can carry a fee, which is easy to overlook.; Remote employer of Record costs $699 per employee per month, charged per head with no volume tier published
  • They diverge on capability: Branch App covers On-demand pay, Remote covers Global Payroll.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Branch App and Remote actually diverge.

Attributes where Branch App and Remote differ
AttributeBranch AppRemote
Starting priceFree$29/month per employee
Pricing modelFree for employers, fee-free standard access for workerssubscription
Free tierYesNo
FoundedUnknown2019

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Payroll).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Branch App

  • On-demand pay
  • Branch Wallet
  • Branch Card
  • Branch Embedded
  • Cashless tips and mileage tracking
  • Automatic savings

Only in Remote

  • Global Payroll
  • EOR Services
  • Contractor Management
  • Compliance
  • Benefits
  • Equity Management
  • HRIS
  • BambooHR

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Branch App

  • A healthcare, retail or hospitality employer wanting fee-free earned wage access for shift workersnot Remote
  • A gig or shift-scheduling platform wanting to embed pay features under its own brand via Branch Embeddednot Remote
  • An employer wanting cashless tipping and mileage tracking bundled with wage accessnot Remote
  • A worker who wants a dedicated pay-focused wallet and debit card rather than routing advances to a personal bank accountnot Remote

Remote

  • Global hiring and payroll across 90+ countries without establishing local subsidiariesnot Branch App
  • Contractor and freelancer management with compliance protectionnot Branch App
  • U.S. multi-state payroll and benefits administrationnot Branch App
  • Equity management for startups and growth-stage companiesnot Branch App

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Branch App

  • The fee-free promise applies most fully to funds kept in the Branch Wallet; moving money out instantly to an external bank account can carry a fee, which is easy to overlook.
  • Because Branch Embedded lets other platforms white-label the same infrastructure, a worker or employer evaluating a differently branded wage access feature may not realise Branch is the underlying processor, complicating vendor due diligence.
  • As with all earned wage access, frequent draws are a symptom of pay not covering living costs between cycles, which the product does not itself remedy.
  • Coverage is US-only, so it does not serve international or multi-country workforces.
  • Adoption value depends on workers actually using the Branch wallet and card day to day; a worker who only wants advances deposited into an existing bank account gets a comparatively thinner experience than one who adopts the full wallet.

Remote

  • Employer of Record costs $699 per employee per month, charged per head with no volume tier published
  • Global Payroll carries an implementation fee to set up entities plus a recurring payroll delivery fee on top of the $29 per employee per month rate
  • Contractor Management Plus is $99 per contractor per month against $29 for the standard tier
  • The Equity product is limited to Delaware C-Corps
  • The PEO product bills in USD only and requires a US bank account
  • Remote states it collects reserve payments in high risk circumstances, so an upfront deposit is possible

Pricing, plan by plan

Branch App

Free
  • BranchFree
    • No employer subscription cost
    • Fee-free earned wage access to the Branch Wallet
    • Instant transfer to external accounts may carry a fee

Remote

$29/month per employee
  • Global Payroll$29/month per employee
    • International payroll infrastructure
    • Self-service platform
    • Specialist support
  • Employer of Record (EOR)$699/month per employee
    • Hire in 90+ countries without local entity
    • Dedicated onboarding specialist
    • Local payroll handling
  • Contractor Management - Basic$29/month per contractor
    • Contract creation and signing
    • Invoice approval
    • Transparent payments
  • Contractor Management - Plus$99/month per contractor
    • All Basic features
    • Indemnity protection up to $100,000 per contractor

Which should you pick?

Choose Branch App if

  • You need on-demand pay.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want branch wallet.
Branch App review

Choose Remote if

  • You need global payroll.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want eor services.
Remote review

Questions people ask

Is Branch App or Remote better?
Neither clearly leads. Branch App starts at Free and Remote at $29/month per employee, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Branch App or Remote?
Branch App has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Branch App and $29/month per employee for Remote.
Does Branch App or Remote run on more platforms?
Branch App runs on Web, iOS, Android. Remote runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Branch App for free?
Yes. Branch App has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Remote starts at $29/month per employee.
What is Branch App best used for?
Branch App is most often used for a healthcare, retail or hospitality employer wanting fee-free earned wage access for shift workers, a gig or shift-scheduling platform wanting to embed pay features under its own brand via branch embedded, an employer wanting cashless tipping and mileage tracking bundled with wage access, a worker who wants a dedicated pay-focused wallet and debit card rather than routing advances to a personal bank account. Of those, a healthcare, retail or hospitality employer wanting fee-free earned wage access for shift workers and a gig or shift-scheduling platform wanting to embed pay features under its own brand via branch embedded are not what Remote is typically brought in for.
What can Branch App do that Remote cannot?
Branch App covers On-demand pay, Branch Wallet, Branch Card, Branch Embedded. Remote covers Global Payroll, EOR Services, Contractor Management, Compliance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Branch App: Is it free for employers?

Yes, the core earned wage access offering is free for employers and standard access is fee-free for workers.

Remote: How much does Remote's Employer of Record (EOR) service cost?

Remote's EOR service costs $699 per employee per month in USD. This includes hiring in 90+ countries, dedicated onboarding, local payroll, compliance protections, localized benefits, expert support, and HR Essentials. Pricing is available in multiple currencies (EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, SGD, CHF, JPY, SEK, NOK, DKK).

Source
Branch App: What is Branch Embedded?

A white-label version of Branch's wage access and paycard infrastructure that other software platforms can build into their own branded product.

Remote: What is the cost difference between Global Payroll and EOR on Remote?

Global Payroll is $29 per employee per month for international payroll infrastructure and self-service management. EOR is $699 per employee per month and includes full employer responsibilities, compliance, benefits, and dedicated support for hiring in 90+ countries.

Source
Branch App: Does it work outside the US?

No, it is a US-only product.

Remote: How much does Remote charge for contractor management?

Contractor Management costs $29 per contractor per month for basic features (contracts, invoicing, payments) or $99 per month for the Plus tier, which adds indemnity protection up to $100,000 per contractor. Contractor of Record (where Remote is the employer) costs from $325 per contractor per month.

Source
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