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Payroll · head to head

Openwage vs Remote

Openwage logo

Openwage

Payroll

UK earned wage access charging a transparent 1 percent transfer fee, free for employers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Remote logo

Remote

Payroll

The new standard for global employment

From
$29/month per employee
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Openwage it is UK-only, tied to UK payroll cycles and regulation, so it is not usable for international workforces.; Remote employer of Record costs $699 per employee per month, charged per head with no volume tier published
  • They diverge on capability: Openwage 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 Openwage and Remote actually diverge.

Attributes where Openwage and Remote differ
AttributeOpenwageRemote
Starting priceOn request$29/month per employee
Pricing modelPer-transfer fee, paid by the employeesubscription
FoundedUnknown2019

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Openwage

  • On-demand pay
  • Transparent per-transfer fee
  • Payroll and T&A integration
  • No credit impact
  • Automatic payday reconciliation
  • Employer-free deployment

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.

Openwage

  • A UK employer with shift or hourly staff wanting an on-demand pay benefit at no cost to the businessnot Remote
  • An employee wanting to know the exact cost of an advance before requesting one, rather than an opaque feenot Remote
  • A company already running standard UK payroll and time and attendance systems wanting straightforward integrationnot Remote
  • An HR team comparing earned wage access providers on published unit economics rather than sales quotesnot Remote

Remote

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

Where each one falls short

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

Openwage

  • It is UK-only, tied to UK payroll cycles and regulation, so it is not usable for international workforces.
  • Even a published, low fee still means employees effectively pay to access their own earned money, and frequent use compounds that cost over a year.
  • The 50% cap on gross (not net) earned pay can overstate what an employee can actually draw once tax and deductions are accounted for, creating confusion at the point of request.
  • As with all earned wage access, dependency on the product is a symptom of insufficient pay cadence or amount that the advance itself does not fix, and can mask a deeper compensation problem an employer should address directly.
  • Accuracy is entirely dependent on the employer's payroll and time and attendance data being current, so errors upstream produce incorrect available-balance figures for employees.

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

Openwage

On request
  • Openwage$undefined/month
    • Free for employers to offer
    • 1% fee per transfer, minimum £1, paid by the employee
    • No interest and no credit check

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 Openwage if

  • You need on-demand pay.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want transparent per-transfer fee.
Openwage 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 Openwage or Remote better?
Neither clearly leads. Openwage starts at On request 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, Openwage or Remote?
Openwage starts at On request and Remote at $29/month per employee.
Does Openwage or Remote run on more platforms?
Openwage runs on Web, iOS, Android. Remote runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Openwage best used for?
Openwage is most often used for a uk employer with shift or hourly staff wanting an on-demand pay benefit at no cost to the business, an employee wanting to know the exact cost of an advance before requesting one, rather than an opaque fee, a company already running standard uk payroll and time and attendance systems wanting straightforward integration, an hr team comparing earned wage access providers on published unit economics rather than sales quotes. Of those, a uk employer with shift or hourly staff wanting an on-demand pay benefit at no cost to the business and an employee wanting to know the exact cost of an advance before requesting one, rather than an opaque fee are not what Remote is typically brought in for.
What can Openwage do that Remote cannot?
Openwage covers On-demand pay, Transparent per-transfer fee, Payroll and T&A integration, No credit impact. Remote covers Global Payroll, EOR Services, Contractor Management, Compliance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Openwage: Who pays the fee?

The employee, at 1% of the amount transferred with a minimum of £1; the employer benefit itself is free.

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
Openwage: Is it a loan?

No, Openwage states it is not a loan or credit product; there is no interest and no credit score impact.

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
Openwage: How much can an employee access?

Up to 50% of gross wages already earned in the current pay period.

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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