India boasts one of the world’s largest and most thriving startup ecosystems, with over 120,000 new businesses registered there during the last decade alone.
This is generally a great thing for India’s economy, of course, but for entrepreneurs and founders, this means there’s a real scramble to source and secure the kind of specialized marketing talent that will help their businesses scale.
With competition fierce, many startups are forgoing local hires and looking further afield in their talent search — remote work is now so prevalent that an employee’s location is barely even a consideration for forward-thinking brands.
Of course, hiring from another country might be sensible, but it’s by no means straightforward.
That is, unless you’re willing to use an Employer of Record (EOR) platform. These tools enable you to hire from anywhere (theoretically, at least) whilst avoiding the compliance and cost implications of relocating someone or setting up a new overseas entity.
Payroll, benefits, taxes, compliance — all of these, and more, are taken care of by the EOR, all in line with local employment laws.
Looking to build a remote marketing team for your startup? You need an EOR — and here are 10 of the best.
List of Top 10 EOR Companies in India
1. Remote
If you’re hoping to hire remote talent, here’s an EOR provider that can help you do just that — the clue’s in the name.
Covering over 190 countries through its Employer of Record and Contractor Management services, Remote is the leading global hiring platform in India. Whether you’re looking to hire a marketing exec in Mumbai or a social media specialist in Seattle, Remote combines a slick UI and effortless ease of use with immaculate legal compliance.
Unlike many competitors, Remote owns 100% of its overseas entities, so never outsources management to third parties — you get genuine in-country expertise in every location they cover, and a consistent and reliable service no matter where you’re hiring.
Remote’s pricing is also refreshingly transparent and affordable for a market leader. EOR providers are often guilty of including hidden costs or hiking up their prices without warning, but Remote’s flat fee structure means your costs stay consistent and predictable.
Wherever in the world you’re hiring, you can’t really go wrong with Remote’s EOR service.
2. Rippling
Whereas Remote specializes in global hiring, Rippling is more of a jack-of-all-trades — it’s a fully integrated HR, finance, IT and EOR platform.
This can be both an advantage and a drawback — since Rippling’s EOR product is just one of many services it offers, and isn’t quite as mature as some of its EOR-specific competitors — but if you’re after a tool that consolidates the aforementioned functions, you’re in luck.
Payroll and compliance are handled cleanly and Rippling’s automation ensures minimal admin overhead, while the user interface is sleek and the reporting features help you stay on top of employment costs and headcount trends.
Whether or not Rippling is right for your startup depends on the level of integration you need. It may not be ideal if you’re looking for a straight-up EOR provider, but perfect if you want to manage global hires, IT and software licenses through a single tool.
3. Oyster
Oyster has positioned itself as the go-to EOR for businesses that care about employee experience as much as compliance.
The platform is built around the idea of creating a positive, people-first hiring process, which makes it a great choice for startups keen on retaining marketing talent long-term — with excellent localized benefits packages, you can ensure your international hires feel valued and looked after.
One standout feature is Oyster’s global insights library, which helps founders understand hiring costs, compliance risks and compensation norms in different countries before making decisions. This transparency is invaluable for budget-conscious startups.
The one drawback? Oyster doesn’t yet have the same level of global reach as an EOR platform like Remote. Coverage is still impressive, but if you’re looking at highly niche or less common hiring locations, you may be limited.
4. Deel
Deel has become a household name in the EOR space, and it’s not too hard to see why.
With coverage in more than 150 countries, Deel makes it straightforward for Indian startups to onboard remote marketers in minutes rather than weeks, with one of its biggest draws being the level of automation baked into the platform.
Payroll runs smoothly, compliance documents are generated in a few clicks, and contractors as well as full-time employees are supported seamlessly. Deel also integrates with tools like QuickBooks and Slack, which makes HR administration more connected to day-to-day operations.
One consideration is that Deel’s advanced features can sometimes feel overwhelming to smaller startups — it’s incredibly powerful, but with a learning curve that may feel unnecessary if your needs are fairly straightforward.
5. Remote People
Remote People is steadily becoming a go-to choice for startups in India that want both recruitment support and compliant global hiring. Unlike many EORs that stop at payroll and compliance, Remote People also helps you actually find and onboard the right marketing talent, saving busy founders valuable time.
Their pricing is transparent and flexible, starting at just $199 per employee per month, which makes them a cost-effective option for early-stage businesses keeping a close eye on budgets. The flat-rate structure also removes the worry of hidden charges, something many founders appreciate when forecasting long-term hiring costs.
What sets Remote People apart is the balance between simplicity and scalability. Their onboarding process is streamlined, yet they also offer localized contracts, tax compliance, and benefits administration to keep everything aligned with Indian and international labor laws. Remote People has even been recognized as one of the best India EORs by independent EOR review site, RemotePad.
For startups eager to scale remote marketing teams without unnecessary complexity, Remote People delivers a strong mix of affordability, recruitment help, and compliance expertise.
6. Skuad
Skuad is an India-based EOR solution designed to help startups hire and pay international employees with minimal fuss.
The platform covers over 160 countries, and its straightforward onboarding process is a major win for founders who don’t want to get lost in legal red tape. For marketing teams in particular, Skuad’s localized benefits packages make it easier to attract top talent in competitive regions.
The company also prides itself on offering transparent, flat-rate pricing, which is helpful when forecasting recruitment costs. Support is responsive, and the platform is simple enough that even founders with little HR experience can get up and running quickly.
As a smaller player in the EOR game, Skuad doesn’t yet have the same brand recognition or resources as larger players like Remote or Deel, but its focus on hassle-free hiring definitely makes it worth a look.
7. Papaya Global
Papaya Global mostly stands out for its data-driven approach to international employment.
Beyond standard EOR services, Papaya provides detailed analytics dashboards that give you real-time visibility into payroll, compliance and workforce trends. For marketing leaders tracking ROI on global hires, this kind of reporting can be incredibly valuable.
The platform is also highly scalable — making it a solid choice if your startup plans to grow quickly — while focus on automation minimizes payroll errors and compliance risks, freeing up your team to concentrate on business growth.
On the downside, Papaya’s premium positioning means it isn’t the cheapest option. Smaller startups might find the pricing a stretch, but scale-ups with larger budgets might be able to justify the investment.
8. Globalization Partners (G-P)
Globalization Partners, often referred to simply as G-P, is one of the longest-standing players in the EOR industry.
With coverage across nearly every corner of the globe, it’s a reliable option for startups that want to access hard-to-reach markets, with their experience meaning compliance is never in question — the platform has a reputation for being rock solid in this respect.
For startups hiring marketing talent, G-P offers strong support in tailoring employment contracts and benefits to attract candidates in competitive regions. The onboarding process is thorough while ensuring a smooth experience for both employer and employee.
The limitation? G-P is often seen as a premium service provider, and its pricing reflects that. While the quality is excellent, budget-conscious founders may find better value with newer, leaner EORs.
9. Horizons
Formerly known as New Horizons, this provider has carved out a niche by focusing heavily on emerging markets.
Horizons makes it easy to tap into talent pools in regions where other EORs may not yet have deep coverage. This can be especially useful if your startup wants to experiment with marketing hires in untapped geographies.
Horizons also provides recruitment support alongside its EOR service, helping you actually find candidates as well as hire them compliantly. This dual offering can save startups a lot of time when building international teams from scratch.
Horizons’ platform isn’t as polished as some of its larger competitors, however. While functional, the UI and automation features feel a little dated compared to newer solutions like Deel or Remote.
10. Safeguard Global
Safeguard Global takes a holistic approach to workforce management, positioning itself as more than just an EOR.
The platform offers flexible workforce solutions, allowing startups to engage marketing talent through a mix of employment, contracting and even freelance arrangements — all while remaining legally compliant.
The platform’s strength lies in its flexibility, which is particularly valuable for startups experimenting with different hiring models. Safeguard also provides strong compliance expertise, ensuring you’re not caught off guard by local labor laws.
On the downside, the platform’s broad focus means it doesn’t always feel as specialized for startups as others on this list. If you want a laser-focused EOR experience, some of the other providers here may feel more streamlined.
Ending Note
For Indian startups aiming to build remote marketing teams, choosing the right EOR provider can make the difference between a smooth international expansion and a compliance headache. From Remote’s market-leading coverage to Skuad’s startup-friendly simplicity, there’s no shortage of strong options. Ultimately, the best fit depends on your budget, growth ambitions and preferred hiring locations.
