Author: Martin English
Date Published: July 27, 2026
TL;DR: How Do You Compare EOR Quotes in the Philippines?
To compare Employer of Record quotes in the Philippines, convert every proposal into the same cost structure.
Compare:
- Monthly provider administration fees
- Flat-fee versus percentage-of-payroll pricing
- Required add-ons
- Setup and onboarding charges
- Employee-transfer fees
- Security deposits
- Foreign-exchange margins
- Banking charges
- Minimum headcount
- Contract commitments
- Offboarding and exit fees
- Included and excluded services
Do not compare advertised monthly fees alone. A provider with a lower headline price may require add-ons, deposits, minimum commitments or other charges that increase the first-year provider cost.
This tool focuses only on EOR provider fees and commercial terms. It does not calculate salaries, statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, benefits or total employment cost.
For a fully loaded employee estimate, use the Employee Cost Calculator Philippines.
Philippines EOR Quote Comparison Tool
Use the fields below to normalise quotations from different providers.
| Quote field | Provider A | Provider B | Provider C |
| Number of employees | |||
| Pricing model | |||
| Monthly flat fee per employee | |||
| Percentage-of-payroll fee | |||
| Quoted monthly payroll base | |||
| Required monthly add-ons | |||
| Monthly FX or banking charges | |||
| Setup fee | |||
| Onboarding fee | |||
| Employee-transfer fee | |||
| Security deposit | |||
| Is the deposit refundable? | |||
| Minimum headcount | |||
| Minimum contract term | |||
| Annual commitment | |||
| Offboarding or exit fee | |||
| Included services | |||
| Excluded services | |||
| Date the quote was issued | |||
| Price verification source |
The objective is not simply to identify the lowest advertised fee. It is to understand the actual provider charges, cash requirements, contractual commitments and service coverage behind each quotation.
Why EOR Quotes Cannot Always Be Compared Directly
Employer of Record providers do not all present their prices in the same way.
One provider might quote a flat fee per employee. Another might charge a percentage of payroll. A third may advertise a monthly fee but require separate payments for benefits administration, onboarding, currency conversion or employee offboarding.
Even two providers advertising the same monthly price may produce different first-year costs.
Differences can include:
- Whether pricing is Philippines-specific
- Whether the advertised rate is only a global starting price
- Whether a minimum number of employees is required
- Whether the price requires an annual agreement
- Whether support services are included
- Whether benefits administration is an add-on
- Whether deposits must be paid before onboarding
- Whether the provider adds an FX margin
- Whether employee transfers or exits create additional charges
Request a written, Philippines-specific quotation before making a final decision.
Step 1: Identify the Provider’s Pricing Model
Flat fee per employee
The provider charges a fixed administration fee for every active employee.
Formula:
Monthly Provider Fee = Number of Employees × Flat Monthly Fee
Example:
10 employees × US$250 per employee = US$2,500 per month
Flat pricing is easy to understand, but you must still check for required add-ons, deposits, setup charges and exit fees.
Percentage-of-payroll fee
The provider charges a percentage of the payroll amount shown in the quotation.
Formula:
Monthly Provider Fee = Quoted Monthly Payroll Base × Provider Percentage
Example:
US$25,000 quoted payroll base × 8% = US$2,000 per month
The normaliser should accept the payroll base already provided in the quotation. It should not calculate employee salaries, statutory contributions or benefits.
Hybrid pricing
Some providers combine a flat charge with a percentage-based fee.
Formula:
Monthly Provider Fee = Flat Fee + Percentage-Based Fee
For a team:
Monthly Provider Fee = (Employees × Flat Fee per Employee) + (Quoted Payroll Base × Percentage)
Check whether the percentage applies to salary only or to a larger invoiced amount.
Step 2: Separate Required Add-Ons from Optional Services
A low base fee may not include every service required to operate the account.
Ask whether the quoted fee includes:
- Employment contracts
- Employee onboarding
- Monthly payroll processing
- Payslips and payroll reports
- Statutory administration
- 13th-month-pay administration
- Benefits administration
- HR record management
- Employee support
- Standard offboarding
- Payroll adjustments
- Finance reports
- Account management
- Compliance documentation
The tool should not assign a monetary value to an optional service unless the provider confirms that it is required.
Classify each item as:
- Included
- Required add-on
- Optional add-on
- Excluded
- Not confirmed
This makes service differences visible without turning the tool into another general EOR provider ranking.
Step 3: Record Upfront Cash Requirements
A security deposit is not necessarily a provider fee, but it affects the amount of cash required before onboarding.
Record:
- Deposit amount
- How the deposit is calculated
- Whether it is refundable
- When it is returned
- Conditions that permit deductions
- Whether the provider can increase it
- Whether it is held in the billing currency
- Whether it applies per employee or per account
Formula:
Upfront Cash Requirement = First Monthly Provider Charge + Setup Fees + Onboarding Fees + Employee-Transfer Fees + Security Deposit + Prepaid Charges
Show refundable deposits separately from non-refundable fees.
This prevents users from treating a refundable deposit as a permanent operating cost while still recognising its effect on cash flow.
Step 4: Check FX and Banking Charges
The quoted provider fee may not be the final amount paid when billing and payroll involve different currencies.
Ask each provider:
- What currency is used for the provider fee?
- What currency is used for payroll funding?
- Which exchange-rate source is used?
- Is an FX margin added?
- Are banking or wire fees charged separately?
- Is currency conversion optional?
- Can the client fund payroll directly in PHP?
- Is the rate fixed on the invoice date or payment date?
Record FX costs only when they are disclosed or can be verified from a quotation.
Do not assume that “no hidden fees” automatically means that there is no currency-conversion cost.
Step 5: Calculate First-Year Provider Cost
The first-year provider cost should include recurring provider fees and non-refundable commercial charges.
Formula:
First-Year Provider Cost = (Monthly Provider Fee + Required Monthly Add-Ons + Monthly FX or Banking Charges) × 12 + Setup Fees + Onboarding Fees + Employee-Transfer Fees + Other Non-Refundable Charges
Do not include a refundable security deposit in the provider-cost total.
Display it separately as part of the upfront cash requirement.
If an offboarding fee will definitely apply within the comparison period, show it as a separate projected cost rather than automatically adding it to every quotation.
Step 6: Calculate the Effective Provider Fee per Employee
The effective fee makes quotations with different structures easier to compare.
Formula:
Effective Provider Fee per Employee per Month = First-Year Provider Cost ÷ Number of Employees ÷ 12
This calculation includes provider charges but excludes:
- Employee salaries
- SSS
- PhilHealth
- Pag-IBIG
- 13th-month pay
- HMO and employee benefits
- Equipment
- Allowances
- Employee taxes
- Contractor-conversion costs
Use the Employee Cost Calculator Philippines when those employment costs need to be modelled.
Worked Example: Normalising Three EOR Quotations
The following examples are hypothetical. They demonstrate how different pricing structures can be compared using the same framework.
Assume each quotation covers 10 employees.
| Cost field | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
| Pricing model | Flat fee | Flat fee plus add-ons | Percentage of quoted payroll |
| Flat monthly fee per employee | US$190 | US$300 | — |
| Quoted payroll base | — | — | US$25,000 |
| Percentage fee | — | — | 8% |
| Base monthly provider fee | US$1,900 | US$3,000 | US$2,000 |
| Required monthly add-ons | US$0 | US$200 | US$400 |
| Monthly FX/banking charges | US$0 | US$150 | US$100 |
| Setup and onboarding fees | US$0 | US$500 | US$1,000 |
| Refundable deposit | US$0 | US$6,000 | US$5,000 |
| Normalised monthly provider cost | US$1,900 | US$3,350 | US$2,500 |
| First-year provider cost | US$22,800 | US$40,700 | US$31,000 |
| Upfront cash requirement | US$1,900 | US$9,850 | US$8,500 |
| Effective monthly fee per employee | US$190.00 | US$339.17 | US$258.33 |
Quote A has the lowest provider cost in this hypothetical example.
However, price is only one part of the decision. The buyer must still compare service inclusions, local support, contractual terms, employment documentation, reporting and evidence of Philippines compliance.
Public EOR Pricing Reference Points
The prices below are public starting or list prices checked on July 27, 2026. Except where specifically stated, they should not be treated as confirmed Philippines quotations.
| Provider | Public EOR price | Normalisation note | Source |
| Smart Outsourcing Solution | US$190 per employee/month | Philippines-specific flat provider fee; salary and employer costs are separate | SOS pricing |
| RemoFirst | From US$199 per employee/month | Starting price may vary by country; obtain a Philippines quotation | RemoFirst |
| Multiplier | From US$400 per month | Global starting price; confirm country price, currency and required services | Multiplier pricing |
| Papaya Global | From US$499 per employee/month | Global starting price; request Philippines-specific commercial terms | Papaya Global pricing |
| Remote | US$699 per employee/month | Public global list price; check current discounts and country terms | Remote pricing |
| Oyster | US$699 per employee/month | Public global list price; request a complete Philippines quotation | Oyster |
These reference points are not a recommendation or a final provider ranking. Public prices can change, and starting prices may not include country-specific terms, deposits, benefits or optional services.
For an editorial provider-price comparison, review the Cheapest EOR Provider in the Philippines guide.
How to Verify EOR Pricing Evidence
For each provider, record:
- Provider name
- Pricing-page URL
- Date checked
- Currency
- Exact wording used, such as “from,” “starting at” or “per employee”
- Whether the price is Philippines-specific
- Whether an annual commitment is required
- Whether the price came from a public page or written quotation
- Items confirmed as included
- Items that remain unconfirmed
Use the written quotation as the primary commercial record. Public webpages should only be used as supporting evidence.
Recheck pricing when:
- More than 30 days have passed
- The proposed start date changes
- Headcount changes
- The provider issues a revised quotation
- Benefits or support requirements change
- The contract currency changes
- The buyer moves from monthly to annual terms
EOR Quote Evaluation Checklist
Before accepting a proposal, ask the provider:
Pricing
- Is this price specific to employees in the Philippines?
- Is the fee flat or percentage-based?
- Does the rate change with salary or headcount?
- Are there volume discounts?
- Does the quotation require an annual commitment?
- Is there a minimum monthly invoice?
Inclusions
- Are employment contracts included?
- Is onboarding included?
- Are regular payroll runs included?
- Are off-cycle payroll runs included?
- Are statutory administration and remittance records included?
- Is 13th-month-pay administration included?
- Is benefits administration included?
- Is standard offboarding included?
- Is employee support included?
Upfront costs
- Is a security deposit required?
- Is the deposit refundable?
- When will it be returned?
- Are setup or employee-transfer fees charged?
- Are any annual fees collected in advance?
Currency and billing
- What currencies can be used?
- Is an FX margin applied?
- Are banking charges passed through?
- How long does the client have to fund payroll?
- Are late-funding fees charged?
Contract and exit terms
- What is the minimum contract period?
- How much notice is required?
- Are exit or offboarding fees charged?
- How are unused deposits refunded?
- What happens if employees transfer to another EOR?
- Are data and payroll records provided after termination?
Use the Philippines EOR Due-Diligence Checklist and Provider Scorecard for the wider compliance review.
Companies running a formal procurement process can also use the Philippines EOR RFP Template.
What This Tool Does Not Calculate
This fee normaliser compares EOR provider quotations. It is not a total employment-cost calculator.
It does not calculate:
- Employee salaries
- Employer-side SSS
- Employer-side PhilHealth
- Employer-side Pag-IBIG
- 13th-month-pay accrual
- HMO costs
- Employee benefits
- Equipment
- Allowances
- Employee taxes
- Contractor-to-employee conversion costs
Keeping these calculations separate prevents the tool from overlapping with the existing Employee Cost Calculator and contractor-conversion calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an EOR quote normaliser?
An EOR quote normaliser converts quotations with different fee structures into a consistent comparison. It separates monthly provider fees, add-ons, deposits, FX costs, setup charges and contract terms.
What is the most important number to compare?
Compare the effective provider fee per employee, first-year provider cost and upfront cash requirement. Review service inclusions and contract terms alongside those figures.
Should a refundable deposit be included in provider cost?
No. Show a refundable deposit as part of the upfront cash requirement, but keep it separate from the provider-cost total. Confirm the conditions and timing for its return.
Can I use an advertised global EOR price as a Philippines quotation?
No. A global starting or list price is only a reference point. Request a written Philippines-specific quote that confirms fees, inclusions, currency, deposit and contract terms.
Does this tool calculate total employee cost?
No. It only compares provider fees and commercial terms. Use the Employee Cost Calculator Philippines for salary, statutory costs, 13th-month pay and benefits.
How often should EOR prices be checked?
Check prices before starting procurement and again when the provider issues the final quotation. Public reference prices should also be reviewed regularly because provider rates and packages can change.
Is the provider with the lowest monthly fee always the best option?
No. A lower fee may exclude services, require a deposit, include an FX margin or provide less local support. Evaluate compliance, documentation, support and contract flexibility alongside price.
Compare Your EOR Quotations Clearly
If you are comparing EOR providers for a Philippines team, normalising the quotations can reveal charges and commitments that are not visible in the advertised monthly fee.
Smart Outsourcing Solution can help you review the structure of an EOR quotation, clarify which costs are provider fees and explain how SOS’s Philippines EOR pricing is structured.
Discuss your EOR quotation with Smart Outsourcing Solution.
Disclaimer: This tool and page provide general planning information only. They are not legal, employment, payroll, tax or financial advice. Provider pricing, service inclusions and contract terms can change. Confirm all figures directly with the provider and obtain a written Philippines-specific quotation before making a decision.
