Research report
Whichapp Research: For Journalists
Statistics, citation guidance, press summaries, and data request process.
Whichapp Research: For Journalists
Statistics, citation guidance, press summaries, and data request process.
Last updated: May 2026
Whichapp Research publishes structured market data on payroll provider pricing, EOR costs, country hiring rules, and employment compliance. If you’re covering EOR pricing or global payroll, you can use the statistics below directly in your editorial coverage, each one is source-linked and cleared for citation.
Latest statistics
Pricing Transparency Index — Whichapp sample of 17 providers, May 2026
- In Whichapp’s sample of 17 EOR and global payroll providers, 82% publish a starting EOR price; 18% use quote-based pricing with no public rate.
- No provider in the 17 publishes a comparable FX markup figure. Remote and Deel document an FX methodology (a mid-market reference rate plus a spread), and Deel publishes an indicative spread range, but buyers still cannot compare FX costs like-for-like 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 Whichapp’s Pricing Transparency Index; 1 rated Medium; 4 rated Low.
Source: Whichapp Pricing Transparency Index, v1, May 2026. Full index →
EOR Cost Benchmark — Whichapp 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- 3 of 17 providers do not publish an EOR monthly fee and require a sales enquiry for all pricing information.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. Whichapp records setup fees as “Not disclosed” where not stated on the pricing page.
- No comparable FX markup figure is published by any provider. Remote and Deel document an FX methodology and Deel publishes an indicative spread range, but for multi-country hiring FX costs remain a material and largely unquantifiable differential between providers.
Source: Whichapp EOR Cost Benchmark, v1, May 2026. Full benchmark →
Global Payroll Coverage Index — Whichapp 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.
- The Global Payroll Coverage Index is now live, with composite WP scores and specificity ratings for all 17 providers.
Source: Whichapp Global Payroll Coverage Index, v1, May 2026. Full index →
Integration Depth Index — Whichapp sample of 17 providers, May 2026
- 47% of providers score substantive on Whichapp’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: Whichapp Integration Depth Index, v1, May 2026. Full index →
Security Disclosure Benchmark — Whichapp sample of 17 providers, May 2026
- 10 of 17 providers publicly disclose SOC 2 certification on their website or documentation.
- 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: Whichapp Security Disclosure Benchmark, v1, May 2026. Full benchmark →
UK Payroll Software Compliance Benchmark — Whichapp 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: Whichapp UK Payroll Software Compliance Benchmark, v1 preview, May 2026. Full benchmark scheduled Q3 2026.
How to cite Whichapp Research
Standard citation format
Whichapp Research, [Report name], [Month Year]. Available at whichapp.site/research/[slug]/. Sample: [N] providers. Last updated: [date].
Example:
Whichapp Research, Pricing Transparency Index, May 2026. Available at whichapp.site/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 model and composite WP score across 17 providers and 45 countries. v1, May 2026.
- Integration Depth Index: HRIS, finance, and SSO integration quality scored by provider. v1, May 2026.
- Security Disclosure Benchmark: SOC 2, ISO 27001, MFA enforcement, and data residency disclosure. v1, May 2026.
- UK Payroll Software Compliance Benchmark: HMRC recognition, RTI accuracy, auto-enrolment compliance. Full benchmark Q3 2026.
Limitations and caveats
- Whichapp Research covers a defined sample of providers. Not all EOR or global payroll providers are included. If your coverage requires a provider outside this sample, note the scope in your citation.
- 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 before publishing jurisdiction-specific claims.
- Whichapp estimates are clearly labelled and are based on disclosed inputs and documented assumptions. They are not audited figures.
- The UK Payroll Software Compliance Benchmark is in development; preview statistics are indicative pending full methodology publication (Q3 2026).
Data requests and press contact
For data requests, corrections, press enquiries, or expert commentary availability: research@whichapp.site. When you write in, include the dataset name and the specific data point you are requesting. Whichapp targets a 2 working day response for press enquiries.
Research conducted using Whichapp’s evidence-first methodology. View full methodology →
Whichapp Research, [Report name], [Month Year]. Available at whichapp.site/research/[slug]/. Sample: [N] providers. Last updated: [date].
For data requests or corrections: contact@whichapp.site