Compare the whole bill: the employee’s costs, the provider’s fees and the cash you must fund upfront. A low advertised fee is useful only when the rest of the quote is clear.
What are you actually paying for?
Keep three amounts separate. Only the first two are costs; a refundable deposit is money tied up until the agreed return conditions are met.
01 · Employment
Your employee’s costs
Salary, employer social contributions, pension and agreed benefits. These exist even if you employ directly. A statutory charge is not a hidden provider fee.
02 · Service
The EOR’s charges
Management fee, conversion margin, payment charges and any onboarding, benefit administration or exit service. Ask what is included.
03 · Funding
Cash paid in advance
Payroll prefunding, reserves and refundable deposits. Ask how much, where it sits, what can be deducted and when it comes back.
One shared example
What might a CHF 96,000 Swiss hire cost?
For an illustrative CHF 96,000 annual salary, the known subtotal is CHF 102,144 before pension, insurance, other employer charges and the EOR fee. This is a partial budget, not a complete Swiss employment-cost quote.
Cost
Calculation
Annual amount
Gross salary
CHF 8,000 × 12
CHF 96,000
Employer AHV/IV/EO
5.3% × CHF 96,000
CHF 5,088
Employer ALV
1.1% × CHF 96,000
CHF 1,056
Known subtotal
Further employer costs remain
CHF 102,144
Assumes a full year below the CHF 148,200 ALV ceiling. Add pension, accident insurance, family allowances, administration, benefits and applicable taxes. AHV/IV contribution source · checked 23 September 2026.
Next add 12 months of the agreed EOR fee, any benefits and confirmed one-off charges. Convert foreign-currency fees at the agreed rate. Show taxes and any deposit separately. This gives you a fair twelve-month comparison without pretending every provider has the same contract.
Why do some CHF prices say “est.”?
Advertised fees are converted into Swiss francs and rounded to the nearest franc. These are global starting fees, not Swiss quotes. Original prices and billing conditions appear in the fee breakdowns below.
We used the ECB reference rates dated 22 September 2026: EUR 1 = CHF 0.9393 and USD 1.1463, so USD 1 ≈ CHF 0.81942. The rate your provider or bank uses may differ.
Native Teams advertises $99 while another official source states EUR 99. Its CHF 81 estimate assumes USD; EUR 99 would be approximately CHF 93. Papaya’s CHF 409 estimate assumes its advertised $499 means USD. Confirm these currencies before relying on either estimate. Rippling remains quote-based.
How can FX change the total?
Exchange-rate movement and an EOR’s conversion margin are different things. The market rate can change between quote and payment even when a provider adds no markup.
Ask for the benchmark rate, the time it is fixed, the markup and the amount it applies to. For budgeting, apply the markup to the full employment amount being converted, including salary, employer costs and any benefits in that payment. Bank and payment-processing charges may be separate again.
Budget for FX on the full amount converted. If annual converted funding totals CHF 120,000, an illustrative 2.5–3% markup adds CHF 3,000–3,600 a year.
FX markup
Annual calculation
Extra per year
Monthly equivalent
2.5%
2.5% × CHF 120,000
CHF 3,000
CHF 250
3%
3% × CHF 120,000
CHF 3,600
CHF 300
The funding amount and markup are illustrations, not a provider quote or verified charge. Apply the actual margin only to the amount your contract converts, including salary, employer costs and benefits when applicable.
Request a sample invoice in your actual funding currency. If you fund in CHF and the employee is paid in CHF, ask whether any other conversion still takes place in the payment chain.
What extra fees should you check?
These notes separate published provider statements, unresolved terms and customer experience. “Not established” means the checked evidence does not settle the point. It does not mean free, and it does not prove a provider concealed a charge.
Deel
Cost 4.3/ 5 · Overall 4.5/ 5
From CHF 491 est.per employee / monthUSD 599 advertised
Price conditions
USD 599 · From; monthly billing. EOR starting fee. Ask for Swiss terms and included support.
FX & payments
The help guide explains forward exchange rates but gives no universal percentage margin. Payment-processing fees are separate and depend on the payment method.
Additional services
Check immigration, non-local-currency payroll and payment-method charges against your hire. A PEO promotion is not an EOR commitment.
Deposits & funding
A deposit may be required. Refund guidance ties release to termination and settlement; get the applicable deadline in your agreement.
Commitment & exit
Confirm offboarding and legal service charges separately from notice, accrued holiday and other employment costs.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE · CONTEXT, NOT A GUARANTEE
The existing evidence supports platform breadth. Customer reports also raise specific invoice-escalation and case-ownership problems. These accounts do not establish how often a Swiss customer would experience them.
Commercial and review evidence was captured in September 2026. The full evidence record preserves dates, country, product scope and provider responses. No hands-on payroll test was performed.
USD 599 flat monthly fee (approximately CHF 491). Monthly terms; employment costs are separate. The published GBP 479 and EUR 560 offers are separate currency options.
FX & payments
Provider states zero markup across currency pairings and an invoice rate shown against a mid-market reference. Verify those terms for your funding and payroll currencies.
Additional services
The page says no setup fees. Optional services and statutory employment costs must still be itemised in the quote.
Deposits & funding
Pricing guidance describes a one-month deposit. Confirm its calculation and return conditions rather than counting it as a service fee.
Commitment & exit
Monthly terms and a stated 90-day satisfaction guarantee. Confirm statutory notice, the salary deposit and possible first-three-month offboarding charges in the agreement.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE · CONTEXT, NOT A GUARANTEE
Sampled G2 accounts praise personal help and prompt responses. Others describe onboarding or communication delays and ask for clearer payslips or fewer contacts. Country and case circumstances vary.
Commercial and review evidence was captured in September 2026. The full evidence record preserves dates, country, product scope and provider responses. No hands-on payroll test was performed.
Remote
Cost 4.1/ 5 · Overall 4.4/ 5
From CHF 573 est.per employee / monthUSD 699 advertised
Price conditions
USD 699 · Monthly fee. Standard advertised management fee; negotiated terms may differ.
FX & payments
Remote publishes a monthly Remote FX rate. Its terms permit a margin and transaction charges; a universal percentage was not established.
Additional services
Ask which benefits, immigration services and other additions are outside the management fee.
Deposits & funding
Payroll is funded in advance and later reconciled. Additional reserves can depend on risk; request the actual Swiss funding schedule.
Commitment & exit
Confirm the notice, final reconciliation and any service charges for ending or transferring employment.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE · CONTEXT, NOT A GUARANTEE
The score evidence supports established employment workflows. Treat general platform reviews separately from Swiss EOR delivery. For urgent problems, confirm the human contact route and resolution ownership.
Commercial and review evidence was captured in September 2026. The full evidence record preserves dates, country, product scope and provider responses. No hands-on payroll test was performed.
Remofirst
Cost 4.8/ 5 · Overall 4.2/ 5
From CHF 163 est.per employee / monthUSD 199 advertised
Price conditions
USD 199 · From; varies by country. Country-specific quote. No annual contract advertised.
FX & payments
No fixed EOR conversion margin established. Ask for the benchmark, timing and amount being converted; contractor pricing is a different product.
Additional services
Provider says no setup or termination service fee. Benefits, immigration and other optional services can add cost.
Deposits & funding
Offboarding guidance describes a deposit refund after final costs, but no standard amount or fixed deadline was established.
Commitment & exit
No annual commitment advertised. Employment notice and final payroll obligations still apply.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE · CONTEXT, NOT A GUARANTEE
The sampled G2 accounts praise helpful support and timely pay. Some ask for clearer benefit information and better self-service. The recent sample was seller-invited or incentivised; it is not a Swiss service test.
Commercial and review evidence was captured in September 2026. The full evidence record preserves dates, country, product scope and provider responses. No hands-on payroll test was performed.
Oyster
Cost 3.8/ 5 · Overall 3.9/ 5
From CHF 573 est.per employee / monthUSD 699 advertised
Price conditions
USD 699 · Monthly; annual discounts available. Annual discounts advertised; compare the commitment before accepting.
FX & payments
Pricing material says conversion charges can apply when invoice and contract currencies differ. The applicable margin needs a quote.
Additional services
Benefits, visa services and specialist people advice can be additional charges. Ask for included usage and the price beyond it.
Deposits & funding
Confirm the required advance funding or deposit for your Swiss hire; no universal amount is assumed here.
Commitment & exit
Annual seats can be prepaid and non-refundable, although reusable. Employment notice and service-fee end dates need separate confirmation.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE · CONTEXT, NOT A GUARANTEE
G2 accounts in the existing sample describe helpful local guidance and onboarding, alongside slow email responses, ticket-closure concerns and reporting limitations. Several are incentivised and concern countries outside Switzerland.
Commercial and review evidence was captured in September 2026. The full evidence record preserves dates, country, product scope and provider responses. No hands-on payroll test was performed.
Remote People
Cost 3.6/ 5 · Overall 3.9/ 5
From CHF 163 est.per employee / monthUSD 199 advertised
Price conditions
USD 199 · Flex from; monthly, no minimum headcount. Flex plan. Plus has different price, headcount and annual terms. Plus starts at USD 399 (approximately CHF 327), billed annually for 5+ employees.
FX & payments
A Swiss-specific FX margin was not established. Country contracts found in earlier research are not universal Swiss terms.
Additional services
Flex starts at USD 199 monthly. Plus starts at USD 399, with annual payment and a five-person minimum. Recruitment is a separate service.
Deposits & funding
The advertised no-deposit condition belongs to Plus. Ask for the deposit and advance payroll funding for Flex.
Commitment & exit
Flex advertises monthly billing without commitment. Employment notice and final payroll costs still apply; confirm local service-fee conditions.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE · CONTEXT, NOT A GUARANTEE
The G2 sample praises organised onboarding and named help. Other buyers describe delayed documents, limited reporting or late disclosure of mandatory costs. Evidence spans countries and includes material from the former Horizons brand.
Commercial and review evidence was captured in September 2026. The full evidence record preserves dates, country, product scope and provider responses. No hands-on payroll test was performed.
PPapaya Global
Cost 3.7/ 5 · Overall 3.8/ 5
From CHF 409* est.per employee / monthUSD 499 advertised
Price conditions
Advertised from $499. CHF 409 assumes USD; confirm the currency and Swiss scope in your quote.
FX & payments
Published policies distinguish EOR funding rates from transfer rates. Processing components or buffers may apply; no single universal spread is established.
Additional services
Ask for the precise EOR package and any implementation, benefit, immigration or payment charges. Payroll-only prices are different products.
Deposits & funding
Request a Swiss-specific deposit and funding schedule, including release conditions. Do not apply another customer’s negotiated contract.
Commitment & exit
Get the fees, notice and transfer process for your signed package. A contractor plan’s no-deposit statement does not establish EOR terms.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE · CONTEXT, NOT A GUARANTEE
The existing G2 material includes both praise for payroll visibility and requests for simpler access to local partners. Some criticism concerns historical cases; it does not establish current Swiss performance.
Commercial and review evidence was captured in September 2026. The full evidence record preserves dates, country, product scope and provider responses. No hands-on payroll test was performed.
Rippling
Cost 3.1/ 5 · Overall 3.7/ 5
Price on requestTailored EOR quote
Price conditions
Core platform and chosen modules affect the package price.
FX & payments
Get Switzerland funding currency, conversion benchmark and full margin in the quote. An unknown margin is not zero.
Additional services
Core platform and selected modules affect the package. Ask which charges are mandatory and which can be removed.
Deposits & funding
Confirm advance funding, reserves and any deposit in the EOR agreement; general software pricing does not answer this.
Commitment & exit
Check the EOR schedule and platform renewal together. Removing an employee may not cancel every module or commitment.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE · CONTEXT, NOT A GUARANTEE
General Rippling reviews cover HR, payroll and IT products as well as EOR. They include praise for consolidation and concerns about navigation or mobile features; these cannot be read as a Swiss EOR service rating.
Commercial and review evidence was captured in September 2026. The full evidence record preserves dates, country, product scope and provider responses. No hands-on payroll test was performed.
USD 459 · Core; billed annually. Core plan. Mandatory additions and implementation may apply. Monthly Core is USD 499 (approximately CHF 409).
FX & payments
Terms allow provider-determined conversion rates and currency shortfalls. A universal percentage cap was not established.
Additional services
Current pricing expressly identifies compliance-mandated add-ons and an implementation fee where applicable. Benefits administration can add cost.
Deposits & funding
Ask for deposit, payroll and benefit prefunding separately, with the refund schedule for each.
Commitment & exit
The displayed Core price is billed annually. Confirm cancellation, remaining service fees and benefit commitments before signing.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE · CONTEXT, NOT A GUARANTEE
Sampled G2 accounts praise payroll self-service and helpful support. Other accounts raise invoicing, benefit or hand-over issues. Incentives and country gaps limit how far these experiences can be generalised.
Commercial and review evidence was captured in September 2026. The full evidence record preserves dates, country, product scope and provider responses. No hands-on payroll test was performed.
Native Teams
Cost 3.3/ 5 · Overall 3.4/ 5
From CHF 81* est.per employee / monthUSD 99 advertised
Price conditions
Advertised from $99; CHF 81 assumes USD. An official EUR 99 offer would convert to about CHF 93. Confirm currency and Swiss scope.
FX & payments
General terms allocate exchange-rate changes and gateway fees to users. No fixed public EOR margin was established; service terms may differ.
Additional services
Confirm which payment, benefit and administration charges are included in Switzerland EOR service rather than the wider platform.
Deposits & funding
Deposit guidance describes mandatory tiers without a universal public EOR amount or fixed release deadline.
Commitment & exit
General subscription terms include a three-month minimum and refund limits. Confirm whether these apply or are replaced by your EOR agreement.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE · CONTEXT, NOT A GUARANTEE
The sample includes smooth EOR onboarding and helpful support, alongside billing or communication complaints. Many reviews concern freelance payments or wallets; these are different services and are kept separate.
Commercial and review evidence was captured in September 2026. The full evidence record preserves dates, country, product scope and provider responses. No hands-on payroll test was performed.
What can poor service cost you?
Unclear answers can mean more time chasing an invoice, correcting payroll inputs or explaining a payslip to an employee. A slow offboarding response can also make it harder to meet deadlines. We do not attach invented monetary losses to review complaints.
Look for the person who owns a case, the human support hours and the escalation route. A promise to reply in one day is different from a promise to fix the problem in one day. Balance complaints with positive experiences and check whether the reviewer used EOR in Switzerland.
What should your written quote answer?
One employee, twelve months
All monthly fees, mandatory extras and optional benefits, using the same salary and start date.
Every currency conversion
Benchmark, timestamp, full margin, conversion base and separate payment fees.
Upfront cash and refunds
Deposit formula, payroll funding dates, deductions and the deadline for returning unused money.
A realistic exit
What you owe after three months and twelve months, including notice, unused commitments and transfer charges.
Deel
