Softwr

Software · head to head

Deel vs Workday

Deel logo

Deel

Software

Global payroll and compliance made easy

From
Free
Rated
-
Workday logo

Workday

Software

Enterprise cloud applications for finance and HR

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Deel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Deel contractor management starts at $49 per contractor per month, so cost scales linearly with every person engaged; Workday high implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • They diverge on capability: Deel covers Global Payroll, Workday covers Human capital management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deel and Workday actually diverge.

Attributes where Deel and Workday differ
AttributeDeelWorkday
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidCloud/Web
Founded20192005

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Deel

  • Global Payroll
  • EOR Services
  • Contractor Management
  • Compliance
  • Benefits Administration
  • Immigration Support
  • BambooHR
  • Greenhouse

Only in Workday

  • Human capital management
  • Financial management
  • Planning
  • Analytics
  • Payroll
  • Time tracking
  • Talent management
  • Procurement

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Deel

  • Hiring and paying contractors across multiple countriesnot Workday
  • Employing staff abroad without opening a local entitynot Workday

Workday

  • HR managementnot Deel
  • Financial planningnot Deel
  • Workforce planningnot Deel
  • Compliancenot Deel
  • Analyticsnot Deel

Where each one falls short

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

Deel

  • Contractor management starts at $49 per contractor per month, so cost scales linearly with every person engaged
  • Employer of Record starts at $599 per employee per month
  • Contractor of Record is $325 per contractor per month, far above plain contractor management
  • US PEO starts at $125 per employee per month
  • Payroll and HR support are not sold standalone and are bundled inside the EOR and PEO per person prices

Workday

  • High implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • Long deployment timelines (12-18 months standard) before ROI
  • Steep per-employee pricing at enterprise scale ($408-504 PEPM)
  • Limited pre-built templates and customization; often requires extensive configuration
  • Requires significant IT and change management resources during implementation

Pricing, plan by plan

Deel

Free
  • Contractors$49/month
    • Contractor Management
    • Payments
    • Compliance
  • EOR$599/month
    • Employee Hiring
    • Global Payroll
    • Benefits

Workday

On request
  • Small Business$undefined/month
    • Core HR
    • Payroll
    • Time tracking
  • Medium Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full HCM suite
    • Financial management
    • Advanced analytics
  • Large Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Complete platform
    • Custom configurations
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Deel if

  • You need global payroll.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want eor services.

Choose Workday if

  • You need human capital management.
  • You work on Cloud/Web.
  • You also want financial management.

Questions people ask

Is Deel or Workday better?
Neither clearly leads. Deel starts at Free and Workday at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deel or Workday?
Deel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Deel and On request for Workday.
Does Deel or Workday run on more platforms?
Deel runs on Web, Ios, Android. Workday runs on Cloud/Web.
Can I use Deel for free?
Yes. Deel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Workday starts at On request.
What is Deel best used for?
Deel is most often used for hiring and paying contractors across multiple countries, employing staff abroad without opening a local entity. Of those, hiring and paying contractors across multiple countries and employing staff abroad without opening a local entity are not what Workday is typically brought in for.
What can Deel do that Workday cannot?
Deel covers Global Payroll, EOR Services, Contractor Management, Compliance. Workday covers Human capital management, Financial management, Planning, Analytics. Both handle Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Workday: What is Workday GO and what market is it designed for?

Workday GO is a product designed for small and midsize organizations, bringing together HR and finance solutions with transparent pricing and fast activation in 30 to 60 days. It includes HCM, benefits, payroll, talent, and more at a lower price point than standard Workday.

Source
Workday: What is Workday Skills Cloud and how does it fit into HCM?

Workday Skills Cloud is an intelligent skills foundation built into Workday HCM. It is described as the world's most open intelligent skills foundation and fuels data-driven talent strategies across recruiting, learning, and workforce planning.

Source
Workday: Does Workday include payroll and benefits management?

Yes. Workday HCM includes benefits administration and payroll capabilities as part of its core suite. Global payroll processing is available across multiple countries and tax jurisdictions.

Source
Workday: What is the typical pricing model for Workday HCM?

Workday HCM uses per-employee (PEPM) annual subscription pricing. Companies at scale typically pay $34-42 PEPM. Enterprise organizations with 5,000+ employees typically pay $408-504 per employee annually. Pricing decreases with larger commitments and longer contract terms.

Source
Workday: How long does Workday implementation typically take?

Standard implementations are lengthy, often taking 12-18 months. Workday GO promises faster activation in 30-60 days. Implementation costs typically equal 100-150% of the first year's software subscription fees.

Source

Related pages

Other head to heads