WhichPayroll Research — For Journalists

WhichPayroll Research — For Journalists

Statistics, citation guidance, press summaries, and data request process.

Last updated: May 2026

WhichPayroll Research publishes structured market data on payroll provider pricing, EOR costs, country hiring rules, and employment compliance. The statistics below are sourced from WhichPayroll’s own research datasets and are available for use in editorial coverage.

Latest statistics

Pricing Transparency Index — WhichPayroll sample of 17 providers, May 2026

  • In WhichPayroll’s sample of 17 EOR and global payroll providers, 82% publish a starting EOR price; 18% use quote-based pricing with no public rate.
  • None of the 17 providers publicly disclose their FX markup or spread — buyers who transfer payroll funds internationally cannot compare FX costs from published sources.
  • Of the 8 providers where setup fee data was observable, none publicly disclosed a setup fee on their pricing page.
  • 12 of 17 providers (71%) are rated High on WhichPayroll’s Pricing Transparency Index; 1 rated Medium; 4 rated Low.

Source: WhichPayroll Pricing Transparency Index, v1, May 2026. Full index →

EOR Cost Benchmark — WhichPayroll sample of 17 providers, May 2026

  • Among providers with published pricing, the EOR monthly fee range is $199–$699 per employee per month, with a median of $599.
  • 3 of 17 providers do not publish an EOR monthly fee and require a sales enquiry for all pricing information.
  • No setup fee is publicly disclosed by any provider in the sample. WhichPayroll records setup fees as “Not disclosed” where not stated on the pricing page.
  • No FX markup is publicly disclosed by any provider. For multi-country hiring, FX costs are a material and currently unquantifiable differential between providers.

Source: WhichPayroll EOR Cost Benchmark, v1, May 2026. Full benchmark →

Global Payroll Coverage Index — WhichPayroll sample of 17 providers across 45 countries, May 2026

  • Coverage depth (own-entity vs partner vs aggregator) varies significantly across providers in the same country.
  • Full country-by-provider coverage data is available in the Provider Coverage dataset, covering 45 countries.
  • A ranked Global Payroll Coverage Index with specificity scoring is scheduled for Q3 2026.

Source: WhichPayroll Provider Coverage dataset, May 2026. Browse dataset →

Integration Depth Index — WhichPayroll sample of 17 providers, May 2026

  • 47% of providers score substantive on WhichPayroll’s integration depth assessment (WDS ≥ 2.0), covering deep HRIS, finance system, and SSO integrations.
  • Rippling ranks highest on integration depth at WDS 2.95, reflecting its native HR and IT platform architecture.
  • The remaining 53% offer moderate or limited integration coverage, typically limited to standard HRIS connectors or API-only access.

Source: WhichPayroll Integration Depth Index, v1 preview, May 2026. Full ranked index scheduled Q3 2026.

Security Disclosure Benchmark — WhichPayroll sample of 17 providers, May 2026

  • 12 of 17 providers publicly disclose SOC 2 Type II certification on their own website or documentation, re-checked at source on 5 August 2026. A further 2 state that the report is available on request.
  • Only 3 of 17 providers require or publish MFA enforcement as part of their platform security posture disclosure.
  • ISO 27001 is disclosed by fewer providers than SOC 2; data residency commitments are disclosed by fewer still.

Source: WhichPayroll Security Disclosure Benchmark, v1 preview, May 2026. Full benchmark scheduled Q3 2026.

UK Payroll Software Compliance Benchmark — WhichPayroll sample of 10 UK payroll platforms, May 2026

  • 9 of 10 platforms in the sample are HMRC-recognised for RTI (Real Time Information) submission.
  • 1 marketing discrepancy identified: 12Pay’s published feature claims were found to overstate a specific compliance capability at time of observation.
  • Auto-enrolment pension processing is supported by all 10 platforms, though depth of integration with pension schemes varies.

Source: WhichPayroll UK Payroll Software Compliance Benchmark, v1 preview, May 2026. Full benchmark scheduled Q3 2026.

How to cite WhichPayroll Research

Standard citation format

WhichPayroll Research, [Report name], [Month Year]. Available at whichpayroll.com/research/[slug]/. Sample: [N] providers. Last updated: [date].

Example:

WhichPayroll Research, Pricing Transparency Index, May 2026. Available at whichpayroll.com/research/pricing-transparency/. Sample: 17 providers. Last updated: 11 May 2026.

Latest research

  • Pricing Transparency Index — ranks 17 EOR and global payroll providers by how clearly they disclose pricing. v1, May 2026.
  • EOR Cost Benchmark — published EOR fee ranges, setup costs, and first-year cost models. v1, May 2026.
  • Dataset Library — 15 structured datasets covering 45 countries and 17 providers. May 2026.
  • Global Payroll Coverage Index — coverage specificity and model type across 45 countries. Full ranked index Q3 2026. Preview data: Provider Coverage dataset →
  • Integration Depth Index — HRIS, finance, and SSO integration quality scored by provider. Full ranked index Q3 2026.
  • Security Disclosure Benchmark — SOC 2, ISO 27001, MFA enforcement, and data residency disclosure. Full benchmark Q3 2026.
  • UK Payroll Software Compliance Benchmark — HMRC recognition, RTI accuracy, auto-enrolment compliance. Full benchmark Q3 2026.

Limitations and caveats

  • WhichPayroll Research covers a defined sample of providers. Not all EOR or global payroll providers are included.
  • Pricing data reflects publicly disclosed information only. Quote-based pricing and negotiated enterprise rates are not included in benchmark calculations.
  • Country obligation data is sourced from official guidance and reflects the state at the last-checked date. Tax and compliance rules change; always verify current rules with a qualified local adviser.
  • WhichPayroll estimates are clearly labelled and are based on disclosed inputs and documented assumptions. They are not audited figures.
  • Q3 2026 benchmarks (Global Coverage, Integration Depth, Security Disclosure, UK Compliance) are in development; preview statistics are indicative pending full methodology publication.

Data requests and press contact

For data requests, corrections, press enquiries, or expert commentary availability: research@whichpayroll.com. Include the dataset name and the specific data point you are requesting. WhichPayroll targets a 2 working day response for press enquiries.

Research conducted using WhichPayroll’s evidence-first methodology. View full methodology →

How to cite WhichPayroll Research

WhichPayroll Research, [Report name], [Month Year]. Available at whichpayroll.com/research/[slug]/. Sample: [N] providers. Last updated: [date].

For data requests or corrections: contact@whichpayroll.com