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I surveyed 73 Contractor Management Software solutions as an HR and payroll expert. Of the ones I examined, these are the 10 best:
Best Contractor Management Software
- Horizons: Best for Contractor Management
- Remote: Best for Compliance
- Deel: Best Contractor Management Platform
- Transformify: Best for Contractor Payment
- Atlas HXM: Best for Direct Hiring
- Rippling: Best for Integrations
- G-P: Best for Add-Ons
- Oyster: Best for Risk Management
- Velocity Global: Best for Large Enterprises
- People2.0: Best Europe Contractors
Best Contractor Management Software Comparison
The table below compares the top contractor management companies based on their users’ ratings, pricing, coverage, and other services.
| Horizons | Remote | Deel | Transformify | Atlas | Rippling | G-P | Oyster | Velocity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  | |
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
| RemotePad Score | 9.6/10Best Contractor Management | 9.4/10Best for Compliance | 9.3/10Best Contractor Platform | 9.2/10Best for Payments | 9.1/10Best for Direct Hire | 9/10Best for Integrations | 8.9/10Best for Add-Ons | 8.8/10Best for Risk Management | 8.7/10Best for Enterprise |
| G2 Score | 4.9/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.4/5 | 4.8/5 | 5/5 | 4.4/5 | N/A |
| Contractor Price | $49 | $29 | $49+ | £35 | N/A | N/A | N/A | $29+ | N/A |
| Countries | 180+ | 100+ | 150+ | 180+ | 180+ | 180+ | 180+ | 180+ | 180+ |
| Other Services | EOR, Global Payroll, Recruitment, Visa Support | EOR, Global Payroll | EOR, Global Payroll, Visa Support | EOR, Global Payroll | EOR, Global Payroll | EOR, Global Payroll | EOR, Global Payroll, Recruitment | EOR, Global Payroll | EOR, Global Payroll, Visas |
| Review | Horizons Review | Remote Review | Deel Review | Coming Soon | Atlas Review | Rippling Review | G-P Review | Oyster HR Review | Velocity Review |
Analysis of the 10 Best Contractor Management Software
Best for Contractor Management
1. Horizons
Horizons is a global contractor management platform with offices worldwide and a presence in 180+ countries.
While some contractor management providers sub-contract to local firms, Horizons is one of the few that retains genuine contracting expertise in its global offices. Whether hiring in Shanghai, Mumbai, or Madrid, local contract management experts can advise you on market conditions and legal issues.
Key Features
| Global Coverage | With Horizons, you can engage contractors in 180+ countries in full compliance with local laws. |
| Platform | The Horizons SaaS platform facilitates managing the entire contractor lifecycle: Hiring, invoice management, and offboarding. |
| Add-on Services | Extensive additional services, including Employer of Record (EOR) services, in-house recruitment, payroll, and work visa support services. |
Pricing
| Contractors | $49 per month per contractor. |
| International Recruitment | 2% of gross salary/month. |
| Employer of Record | From $299 per month. |
Pros
| ✓ Transparent Pricing | As stated on the Horizons website, from $49 per contractor per month. |
| ✓ SaaS Platform | A market-leading contractor management platform, making it easy to monitor contractor payments, invoicing, VAT payments and so forth. |
| ✓ Global Hiring Solutions | Full global hiring solutions, including employee hire (EOR) and recruitment, alongside its contractor management solution. |
Cons
| ✗ Add ons vary by country | Horizons does not currently provide visa support and in-house recruitment in every country. That means companies may need multiple hiring partners if recruiting in some countries. |
Unique Selling Point
Horizons stands apart from other contractor management platforms with its commitment to local expertise and hiring contractors vis owned entities, rather than sub-contracting. Horizons also has local legal and operational experts ready to advise clients in whichever country they seek to hire.
Verdict
Horizons focuses on tailored contractor management solutions to suit the needs of client companies of all sizes. Horizons ensures that international contractor hiring is legally compliant and that there is no employee misclassification. Horizons is our pick for the Best Contractor Management Software Solution.
💡 Read more about why Horizons receives this rating in our 2024 Horizons Review.
Best for Compliance
2. Remote
A relatively new contractor management solution (established in 2019), Remote has grown at a phenomenal rate, valued at $3 billion as of its last published valuation in April 2022.
Remote provides a premium contractor hiring solution — only hiring contractors or freelancers through its own entities or subsidiaries worldwide. This means client companies have full compliance assurance.
Key Features
| Direct Hiring | When contractors work through the Remote platform anywhere in the world, they work only with Remote, not for a contracted local partner. This means one less potential issue for businesses looking for a contracting partner, with Remote having total compliance responsibility. |
| API and Integrations | Remote offers an API to clients and partners, enabling easy integration of the Remote platform into existing enterprise software packages. |
| HRIS | Remote offers a free HRIS, enabling your company to oversee all contractors and international employees via a simple interface. This saves you significant time and resources. |
| Remote Jobs Marketplace | In November 2023, Remote introduced ‘Remote Talent,’ enabling you to advertise for contractors through Remote’s job board. This way, Remote can support you throughout the contractor recruitment lifecycle. |
Pricing
| Contractors | $29 per month per contractor. |
| Employee Hire | Starts at $599 per employee, per month. |
| Global Payroll | $50 per employee per month. |
| HRIS | Free. |
Pros
| ✓ Own Entities | As Remote only works via its own subsidiaries, any errors in payment or invoicing can be resolved directly by Remote. |
| ✓ IP and Data Protection | Remote and its subsidiaries handle all data and client company IP. This reduces the risk of data breach or IP theft from multiple handlers. |
| ✓ Transparent Pricing | Remote charges a flat fee of $29 per contractor. All prices are identified on the pricing page. |
| ✓ US Payroll | Remote also supports US payroll through its recent collaboration with US payroll giant Gusto, known as ‘Gusto Global, powered by Remote. ‘ |
Cons
| ✗ No Global Coverage | As Remote only provides services in countries where it owns entities, it does not offer contractor hiring services in all locations. |
Unique Selling Point
Remote is a compliance-first company. Through its rigorous employee misclassification testing, Remote will ensure compliant contractor payment and hire.
Verdict
Remote provides a secure and compliant platform to ensure your international contractor hiring meets all local laws and regulations. For its commitment to client protection and customer service, Remote is our Best for Compliance.
Please find out more in our detailed review of Remote’s contractor management solution.
Best Contractor Platform
3. Deel
Deel is a market-leading SaaS company that oversees all aspects of international hiring and HR. Founded in 2018, Deel was valued at $12 billion in its last valuation in 2023 and has a recurring annual revenue of $400 million.
Key Features
| Global coverage | Deel’s contractor solutions are available in 150+ countries through a mix of its subsidiaries and outsourcing. |
| A Full HR Solution | Deel is not restricted to contractor solutions. It also provides EOR and global payroll solutions for clients needing full hiring support. |
| HRIS | Through Deel HR, Deel is one of the few platforms that seamlessly integrates contractor management with employee support. |
Pricing
| Contractors | $49 per month per contractor. |
| Employer of Record | From $599 per month per employee. |
| Global Payroll | Pricing available by custom quote. |
| HRIS | Free. |
| Immigration | Pricing by custom quote. |
Pros
| ✓ Deel API & Intergrations | Deel integrates fully with popular accounting software (such as Xero and Intuit Quickbooks) and has recently partnered with payments platform Wise. |
| ✓ Payment Flexibility | With multiple payment methods for contractors, including cryptocurrencies, Deel provides a high degree of flexibility for contractor payment. |
| ✓ Compliance & Security | Deel offers ‘Deel Shield‘ to enable classification as an employee or a contractor and indemnify the client for misclassification liability. |
Cons
| ✗ Reputational Issues | A California State Senator has claimed that Deel was intentionally misclassifying employees and recommending other companies to do so. There have also been complaints that Deel operated as a PEO in Florida without a license to do so. It should be acknowledged that Deel strongly denies all allegations that it acted incorrectly. |
Unique Selling Point
Deel’s HR SaaS enables your business to replace multiple HR tools at once. Whether you are searching for contractor, emloyee hiring, or visa assistance, Deel enables you can manage everything in one accesible platform.
Verdict
Deel is an excellent contractor management choice for businesses that want one intuitive platform to handle contractors and employees. Due to the strength of Deel HR, we judge it to be the Best Contractor Platform.
💡 To learn more about their offerings, read our detailed Deel Review.
Best for Contractor Payment
4. Transformify
Transformify offers international freelancer management and contractor solutions, enabling you to onboard freelancers worldwide. Their contractor management solution fully integrates with their advertising and recruitment services, allowing you to serve your job ads to millions of candidates.
Key Features
| Contractors | Hire freelancers and contractors in 180+ countries. |
| Employer of Record | Transformify can help you hire contractors in multiple locations. |
| Applicant Tracking System | Optimize your contractor hiring process through Transformify’s in-built applicant tracking system (ATS). This lets you message candidates directly, schedule interviews, create shortlists, and more. |
| Share Job Listings | Easily share job listings on all major platforms and through social media through Transformify’s listing service. |
| Vendor Management | Manage your vendors alongside your independent contractors on the same intuitive platform. |
Pricing
| Contractors | From £35 per freelancer. |
| Employer of Record | From £499 per employee per month. |
| Vendor Management | From £5 per vendor. |
| ATS | from £280 per month, or £50 per job post |
| HRIS | £5 per person. |
Pros
| ✓ Flexibility | Whether hiring contractors or employees, Transformify has the solution to support you. |
| ✓ Applicant tracking | Most contractor management solutions only support hiring and payment. Transformify supports your business through the contractor recruitment, interview, and onboarding process. |
| ✓ Transparent Pricing | Transformify provides prices for all its services on its pricing page. |
Cons
| ✗ Does not cover all locations | Transformify does not currently support contractor and employee hire in all international locations. |
Unique Selling Point
Transformify is the only contractor management solution to support you throughout the entire contractor hiring process, from recruitment to hiring, payment, and offboarding.
Our verdict
Transformify can support your business in all aspects of freelancer and contractor hire. As one of the few providers that can support you in the talent acquisition phase, Transformify is our pick as the Best for Contractor Payment.
Best for Direct Hire
5. Atlas HXM
Unlike most other global providers, Atlas (also known as ‘Atlas HXM’) directly hires contractors in every country in which it operates. It can do this as it has subsidiaries in virtually every country in the world.
Atlas was formerly known as ‘Elements Global Services’ or ‘Elements GS’.
Key Features
| Global Coverage | Contractor management solutions in 160+ countries. |
| Specialized Industry Support | Atlas offers specialized services to support organizations in the venture capital, financial services, and enterprise sectors. |
| Additional HR Services | Atlas provides additional HR services such as EOR, Immigration and Relocation Support services. |
Pricing
| Contractors | By custom quote. |
| Employer of Record | By custom quote. |
| Visa Sponsorship | By custom quote. |
Pros
| ✓ Industry-specific Support | Atlas is useful where you need a provider that understands the ins and outs of your specific product or service. |
| ✓ Wholly-owned Subsidiaries | Atlas wholly-owns its legal entities so wherever you operate, you are working directly with Atlas, not another company. |
| ✓ Additional Services | Atlas provides additional services including EOR, global payroll and visa assistance. |
Cons
| ✗ Cost Transparency | A potential downside of engaging Atlas is the lack of transparency on cost in different countries. Atlas no longer offers a pricing page on its website setting out any of its pricing. |
Unique Selling Point
While other providers have direct hiring solutions, Atlas is one of the few with complete international coverage through its directly owned entities.
Verdict
Those in industries specifically supported by Atlas may benefit from their focused service. As one of the few providers with a network of owned entities, Atlas is ideal if you seek to work with only one global partner.
💡 Make sure to read our detailed Atlas Review for more information about why Atlas is the provider judged Best for Direct Hire.
Best for Integrations
6. Rippling
Rippling is a relatively new entrant to the contractor management market. It has an influential list of clients, including Apple, Salesforce, and Amazon, and offers a complete HR solution.
Rippling beats its competitors when it comes to integrations. Rippling handles outsourced payroll and tax assistance and offers contractor training as well as contractor payment and EOR.
Key Features
| Comprehensive Offerings | Provides extensive additional services, including employee benefits support, learning modules, HR reporting, and more. |
| Policy Creation | Rippling enables companies to generate crucial documents, including letters for contractor hire, instantly. |
| Analytics & Reporting | Through Rippling’s strong integrations, get extensive analytics on your contractor hiring and payment processes. |
Pricing
| All services | From $7 per employee, with each additional service increasing the price. Note, contractor-specific pricing is not listed on their website. |
Pros
| ✓ Comprehensive System | Each Rippling add-on can be chosen at any time via the online platform. This makes it one of the market’s most comprehensive HR and payment platforms. |
| ✓ Fast Payments | User reviews consistently identify Rippling as a particularly fast contractor payment processor. |
| ✓ Configurable Automated Workflows | Rippling integrates with multiple HR, payroll, and payment apps, allowing users to trigger actions across all systems. |
| ✓ Advanced Analytics | Through comprehensive payroll, HR, and financial data across its integrated dataset, Rippling enables companies to easily build any business report they may seek— in just a few clicks. |
Cons
| ✗ Expensive | Through separate pricing per add-on, the total cost can quickly get high. |
| ✗ Lack of Phone Support | Rippling does not currently have a call center to support any issues with contractor hire or payment. |
Unique Selling Point
Rippling provides a full global workforce and HR platform: Gathering all contractor, employee and payroll data in one place allows you to draw fast lessons about your processes.
Verdict
Alongside its contractor hiring services, Rippling provides dozens of integrations and additional services to allow Rippling to fit smoothly into your existing tech stack.
Rippling is our choice as the Best for Integrations.
💡 Learn more about whether Rippling is the best for your contractor management services in our Rippling 2024 review.
Best for Add Ons
7. Globalization Partners (G-P)
G-P, or ‘Globalization Partners,’ founded in 2012, pioneered the international workforce management industry. G-P provides 24/7 customer service, access to genuine local experts, and security measures to protect contractor data.
Key Features
| Contract Generator | Clients can create a freelancer contract in minutes for nearly any country. |
| Multiple Integrations | G-P integrates with UKG, Greenhouse, Hibob, and ADP, among other providers. This means fast and secure data flow between the G-P platform and other HR software solutions. |
| Analytics & Reporting | Advanced analytics, including custom reports and global contractor talent mapping |
Pricing
| Contractor Management | From $49 per month. |
Pros
| ✓ Customer Support | 24/7 customer service to fix any issues with contractor hiring or payment. |
| ✓ Add-on Services | A range of add-on services including G-P Recruit fully integrated with your contractor solution. |
Cons
| ✗ Pricing transparency | Not all their services are listed on the website with prices. |
| ✗ No Payroll Solution | For companies that wish to process employee payroll as well as contractor payment, another provider will be required. |
Unique Selling Point
With its extensive range of add-on solutions, G-P is the ideal partner for companies that need hiring and recruitment support alongside their contractor payment solutions.
Verdict
G-P is a long-established, premium workforce management company supporting contractor and employee hire.
For its range of additional services, we judge G-P to be the Best for Add-Ons.
Best for Risk Management
8. Oyster HR
Oyster (also known as ‘Oyster HR’) is a global contractor and EOR platform focused on the customer experience. It has international coverage (180+ countries) and can hire both employees and contractors with ease.
Key Features
| Contractor payment | Oyster provides full global contractor coverage through a network of subsidiaries and vetted partners. |
| Add-ons | Oyster can also support you with multi-country payroll and EOR support. |
Pricing
| Contractors | $29 per contractor per month (with the first month free) |
| Employer of Record | $499+ per employee per month |
| Scale | Custom pricing |
Pros
| ✓ Range of Tools | Oyster offers a range of online tools, including a contractor vs employee analyzer, a total cost of employment calculator and an employee benefits advisor. |
| ✓ Focus on Legal Risk | Oyster offers premium liability coverage and IP protection ensuring that the risk of contractor hire is mitigated as much as possible. |
Cons
| ✗ Visa Support | Oyster does not offer talent acquisitionor visa support services. |
Unique Selling Point
Oyster is focused on mitigating legal and compliance risks for its clients, with a range of protections to ensure that your contractor hiring presents minimal risk to your business.
Verdict
With multiple hiring options and an attractive contractor discount, Oyster is an excellent option for international contractor hire. With its emphasis on risk, Oyster is our pick as Best for Risk Management.
💡 Read more about this contractor services company in our detailed 2024 Oyster HR review.
Best for Enterprise
9. Velocity Global
Velocity Global offers an international talent platform covering global contractor management, international employment, and visa support services. They operate all over the world, including all 50 US states.
Key Features
| Global Coverage | Velocity Global can hire and pay your contractors in 185+ countries and all 50 US states. |
| Industry Knowledge Proficiency | Industry-specific expertise, supporting contractor hire in the SaaS, cybersecurity, venture capital, and private equity industries. |
| Add-on Services | Velocity Global can also support you through employee hiring and visa sponsorship solutions. |
Pricing
| Contractor Hire | Velocity Global provides no pricing information on its website. |
Pros
| ✓ Industry-specific Support | Velocity Global has specialized industry knowledge, making it a good choice for companies focused on tech or science. |
| ✓ Complementary Services | As well as traditional hiring solutions, Velocity offers merger, acquisition, and divestiture consulting, meaning comprehensive global expansion support. |
Cons
| ✗ Pricing Transparency | Velocity Global provides no pricing for its contractor hiring services. |
Unique Selling Point
As well as contractor hire, Velocity Global provides a complete expansion solution, including strategic advice and employment solutions. It is also one of the few contractor management providers with full US coverage — a major benefit for large US and international enterprises.
Verdict
Velocity Global is a premium contractor solution and an excellent choice for companies that need full US coverage.
We judge Velocity Global Best for Enterprise for its ability to service the largest companies, whatever their HR needs.
💡 To learn more, read our 2024 review of Velocity Global.
Best for Contractors in Europe
10. People2.0
People2.0 is a ‘contractor-first’ international hiring solution, providing contractor payment, hiring, and HR solutions worldwide through its network of partners and subsidiaries.
Key Features
| Agent of Record | People.2.0 supports companies to hire contractors nearly anywhere in the world through their Agent of Record solutions. |
| Employer of Record | People2.0 also offers EOR support, allowing for compliant employee hire through more than 100 countries. |
| Independent Classification Process | People2.0 has a full employee misclassification testing process to ensure that your contractor hiring is compliant. |
Pricing
| Contractor Payment | People2.0 does no offer pricing information on its website. |
Pros
| ✓ Focus on Contractor Compliance | People2.0 offers significant contractor compliance assurance, including initial classification, an audit defense file, contract administration, and ongoing risk mitigation. |
| ✓ European Focus | While it operates worldwide, People2.0 has a strong presence and offering in Europe. |
| ✓ Industry Specific Targets | People2.0 specifically supports recruitment agencies and staffing companies, allowing them to hire contractors and freelancers compliantly. |
Cons
| ✗ Limited Coverage | Mainly focused on the Europe market, does not offer full international coverage. |
| ✗ Pricing Transparency | Does not provide prices on website. |
Unique Selling Point
Unlike some other providers whose primary focus is on employees, People2.0 is equally focused on employee and contractor hire. This means that you are working with contractor hiring experts.
Our Verdict
People2.0 are contractor management experts with a special focus on European hiring. For companies with a focus mainly in this region, People2.0 is an excellent choice.
💡 To read more about People2.0’s offerings, consider our 2024 People2.0 Review.
What is Contractor Management Software?
Contractor Management Software is a specialized digital tool for hiring, managing, and paying self-employed individuals, contractors, or freelancers. Using this solution is sometimes called Contractor Management Outsourcing (CMO).
Key features usually include contractor hiring and onboarding, task and project tracking, and invoice and compliance management. Sometimes, contractor management software is a standalone tool. Other times, it is combined with Employer of Record (EOR) Software or Professional Employer Organization (PEO) platforms to enable you to manage your entire workforce with one platform.
What Are the Benefits of Contractor Management Software?
Benefits of using contractor management software include:
Streamlined Onboarding Process: Contractor management software simplifies the onboarding of new contractors by automating the collection and verification of necessary documents, such as contracts, insurance certificates, and professional licenses. This ensures that all contractors meet your business’s compliance standards before they start work.
Efficient Document and Contract Management: This software provides a centralized repository for storing, managing, and accessing all contractor-related documents, reducing the risk of lost paperwork and non-compliance.
Compliance and Risk Management: Contractor management software helps ensure contractors adhere to applicable regulations, reducing the legal and financial risks associated with non-compliance.
Improved Communication and Collaboration: Effective communication is crucial for the success of projects involving contractors. This software facilitates clear and timely communication between your business and its contractors, ensuring everyone is aligned on project goals, timelines, and expectations.
Simplified Invoice and Payment Processing: Managing invoices and payments for multiple contractors can be complex and time-consuming. Contractor management software automates these processes, ensuring that contractors are paid accurately and on time, which helps maintain good relationships and trust.
Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Evaluating the performance of contractors is essential for maintaining high-quality work. This software provides tools for monitoring project progress, evaluating contractor performance, and generating reports, enabling informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
Scalability: As your business grows and the number of contractors you manage increases, contractor management software can easily scale to accommodate your expanding needs, ensuring that your contractor management processes remain efficient and effective.
Who Typically Uses Contractor Management Software?
Contractor management software is widely used across various industries and sectors, particularly by companies that rely heavily on a flexible workforce for project-based, seasonal, or specialized work. These businesses benefit from the streamlined processes, compliance management, and efficiency gains such software provides.
Here are some types of companies that typically use independent contractor management software:
Technology and IT Services: Companies that hire freelancers or independent contractors for software development, IT support, and project-based tech initiatives often use this software to manage contracts, projects, and payments efficiently.
Consulting Firms: Consulting businesses, which often deploy teams to various client sites on a project basis, use contractor management software to oversee project assignments, manage client engagements, and ensure timely invoicing and payments.
Creative Industries: Agencies and firms in advertising, marketing, graphic design, and content creation that hire independent contractors for creative projects use this software to manage contracts, collaborations, and project deliveries.
Event Management and Hospitality: These industries hire contractors for events, catering, and temporary hospitality roles. Contractor management software aids in scheduling, contract management, and payment processing.
My Review Methodology
In assessing different providers, I considered some of the following factors to rate providers out of 10:
- Coverage: Some providers only manage and pay contractors in selected countries
- SaaS: The quality of the SaaS platform used by the provider.
- Add-on Services: Does the provider also offer Employer of Record and payroll outsourcing solutions?
- Pricing: How much is the solution? Is the provider transparent?
- Integrations: What integrations does the software provide with other apps and platforms?
Choosing the Best Contractor Management Software
The contractor management software market has never been more vibrant and competitive internationally than it is today. Any businesses interested in hiring and paying employees and contractors internationally should carefully consider the pros and cons of the providers we have reviewed and choose the best contractor management software for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes, 'freelancer' refers to individuals working on small projects for multiple clients. The word 'contractor' is reserved for self-employed individuals who may only work for one individual longer (but are not employees).
When it comes to software, 'contractor management', and 'freelancer management' software are the same thing.
No. Generally, construction contractors would be managed by a different type of software known as vendor management software.
Employer of Record platforms allow you to hire and pay employees anywhere in the world, quickly, and in full legal compliance. Contractor management software is for hiring independent contractors, rather than employees.
Many companies, such as Horizons, Deel and Remote provide software with both solutions.
