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Payroll · head to head

Payactiv vs Remote

Payactiv logo

Payactiv

Payroll

Earned wage access and financial wellness benefit, free to employers and free for standard transfers

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 Payactiv has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Payactiv heavy repeat use of wage advances by an employee is a sign that base pay does not cover living costs, and offering the benefit does not address that underlying compensation problem.; Remote employer of Record costs $699 per employee per month, charged per head with no volume tier published
  • They diverge on capability: Payactiv covers Earned wage access, Remote covers Global Payroll.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Payactiv and Remote actually diverge.

Attributes where Payactiv and Remote differ
AttributePayactivRemote
Starting priceFree$29/month per employee
Pricing modelFree for employers, fees apply only to expedited transferssubscription
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 Payactiv

  • Earned wage access
  • Payactiv Card
  • Free standard transfers
  • Bill pay and marketplace
  • Financial wellness tools
  • Broad HCM integration

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.

Payactiv

  • A hourly-wage employer in retail, healthcare or hospitality wanting to reduce payday-loan reliance among staffnot Remote
  • An HR team wanting earned wage access with no employer subscription feenot Remote
  • A company already on ADP, Paychex or another supported HCM system wanting minimal integration effortnot Remote
  • An employer wanting bundled financial wellness and bill pay features alongside wage advancesnot Remote

Remote

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

Where each one falls short

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

Payactiv

  • Heavy repeat use of wage advances by an employee is a sign that base pay does not cover living costs, and offering the benefit does not address that underlying compensation problem.
  • The product depends entirely on accurate, timely data from the employer's time-and-attendance and payroll systems, so errors upstream translate directly into wrong advance calculations for employees.
  • Free tiers apply to standard delivery only, and employees who need funds immediately outside the free instant-transfer conditions pay expedited fees that are easy to trigger without realising it.
  • Employer coverage and card acceptance skew toward the United States, so it does not serve multinational workforces without a country-specific alternative.
  • As an intermediary sitting between payroll and the employee, it introduces another vendor with access to sensitive payroll and time data, which adds a data governance and vendor risk conversation many employers underestimate before rollout.

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

Payactiv

Free
  • PayactivFree
    • No employer subscription cost
    • Free standard 1 to 3 day ACH and qualifying instant transfers
    • Fees apply only to expedited delivery options

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 Payactiv if

  • You need earned wage access.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want payactiv card.
Payactiv 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 Payactiv or Remote better?
Neither clearly leads. Payactiv 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, Payactiv or Remote?
Payactiv has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Payactiv and $29/month per employee for Remote.
Does Payactiv or Remote run on more platforms?
Payactiv runs on Web, iOS, Android. Remote runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Payactiv for free?
Yes. Payactiv has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Remote starts at $29/month per employee.
What is Payactiv best used for?
Payactiv is most often used for a hourly-wage employer in retail, healthcare or hospitality wanting to reduce payday-loan reliance among staff, an hr team wanting earned wage access with no employer subscription fee, a company already on adp, paychex or another supported hcm system wanting minimal integration effort, an employer wanting bundled financial wellness and bill pay features alongside wage advances. Of those, a hourly-wage employer in retail, healthcare or hospitality wanting to reduce payday-loan reliance among staff and an hr team wanting earned wage access with no employer subscription fee are not what Remote is typically brought in for.
What can Payactiv do that Remote cannot?
Payactiv covers Earned wage access, Payactiv Card, Free standard transfers, Bill pay and marketplace. Remote covers Global Payroll, EOR Services, Contractor Management, Compliance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Payactiv: Does it cost the employer anything?

No, the core benefit is free to employers, and standard employee transfers are also free; only expedited delivery options carry a fee.

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
Payactiv: How is the advance calculated?

From wages already earned according to the employer's time and attendance or payroll data, not a loan against future unearned pay.

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
Payactiv: Which payroll systems does it integrate with?

More than 70, including ADP, Paychex, Kronos, Workday and UKG.

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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