Lano vs Workmotion (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Lano grades higher than Workmotion: 1.8 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Lano grades higher on value for money and features. Workmotion grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Workmotion
Employer of record, direct hiring and contractor management
Which one is for you
Pick Lano if
- Fits if you employ people in several countries and want payroll in one dashboard
- Works for firms that need an employer of record in a country with no entity
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want self-serve sign-up, as every plan goes through a sales call
- Pricey if you need employer of record at €499 per employee a month
- Watch out: the €3 plan only consolidates other providers' payroll
- Watch out: prices are 'from' figures, with volume deals and add-ons settled on a call
- Skip it if you want a free plan or trial, as none is listed
Pick Workmotion if
- Fits if you hire full-time staff abroad and want one provider to employ them
- Works for companies that pay contractors in many countries
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you hire one or two people, as $549 a person a month is a starting rate
- Skip it if you want to try first, because there is no free plan or trial
- Not for you if you want a self-serve sign-up, as every plan routes to sales
- Watch out: its AI candidate matching takes 10% of gross annual starting salary unless the hire goes through its employer-of-record or direct hiring
- Watch out: hiring in Switzerland is on a separate site
How we grade them
| 1.8GPALanoWeak | 1.6GPAWorkmotionWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFrom €3 per employee a month to consolidate payroll, €19 for multi-country payroll and €499 for employer of record. 'From' prices, with add-ons scoped in sales. | D$549 a person a month for employer of record, $429 for direct hiring and $31 a contractor, all above the category's $86 dearest-tenth line. It is a different service, but it costs more than its listed rival RemoFirst at $199. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial listed; every plan is bought through a demo. | FNo free plan and no trial on record in the listing, and a money-back guarantee would not count as one. |
| Features | BPayroll consolidation, local payroll in 170+ countries, employer of record, contractor payments and an API. The listing names no gap in its global-payroll job. | CEmployer of record, direct hiring, contractor management and payroll in 160+ countries. Switzerland is handled on a separate site. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Connecting payroll providers and entities takes setting up. | CNo store rating on record. Hiring abroad means contracts and onboarding in each country. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with an API but no apps or integrations list on record. | BWeb only, with BambooHR, HiBob, Personio and Workday listed. |
| Best for | companies with staff in many countries | hiring abroad through an employer of record |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Lano and Workmotion. How we grade
Price against what you get
Lano starts at about $3.35 a month for each person and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Workmotion starts at $31 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Lano starts $27.65 a month lower. Of the other HR software on the chart, 1 scores higher than Lano for less, and 8 score higher than Workmotion for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Lano also covers reports.
- Workmotion also covers employee records.
At a glance
| Lano | Workmotion | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | €3 per employee / month for payroll consolidation | $31 per contractor / month |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Lano Software GmbH | WorkMotion |
| Price read from | lano.io | workmotion.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Lano
- Prices are in euros and shown as 'from' figures; volume discounts and add-ons are scoped in a sales call.
- Every plan is bought through a demo or sales conversation; there is no self-serve sign-up on the pricing page.
- Payroll consolidation connects to existing payroll providers; it does not run payroll itself.
Workmotion
- Every plan routes to Talk To Sales; the listed figures are starting prices per person.
- Synmatch AI is free only when the hire goes through Workmotion's EOR or Direct Hiring; otherwise it takes a 10% commission on gross annual starting salary.
- Hiring in Switzerland is handled on a separate site, WorkMotion Switzerland.
Key features
Lano
- Payroll consolidation
- Pulls payroll data from several providers and systems into one platform with standardized gross-to-net data and multi-entity reporting.
- Multi-country payroll
- Global payroll handled through local partners, which the site lists in 170+ countries, with salary changes and payroll closing in one tool.
- Employer of record
- Lets a company employ staff where it has no entity, with locally compliant contracts, local tax and HR expertise, and visa support.
- Contractor management
- Handles contractor contracts, onboarding, invoices and payments in local currencies across the same platform.
- Integrated payments
- Included on all plans: bulk payments, local payments in 70+ currencies and one-click payouts to employees and contractors.
- API and integrations
- A Lano API and HRIS and finance integrations connect the platform to existing systems; integrations are charged in several ways.
Workmotion
- Employer of record
- Hires people in 160+ countries through Workmotion's subsidiary network, with contract negotiation, payroll and benefits handled for the employer.
- Direct hiring
- Helps a company register as an employer in another country, with legal and HR guidance and custom benefits, for a longer-term presence.
- Contractor management
- Manages international contractors and freelancers, their invoices and projects, and pays them in 160+ countries.
- Payroll and expenses
- Payroll management and expense management are part of the platform, which also covers onboarding and offboarding.
- AI-sourced candidates
- Synmatch AI supplies pre-screened candidates through AI interviews and identity checks, free when hired through Workmotion's EOR or Direct Hiring.
Plans
Lano
Payroll consolidation€3
per employee / month
One dashboard over payroll from existing providers, with multi-entity reporting and AI-assisted payroll audits.
Multi-country payroll€19
per employee / month
Payroll run for you through local partners in 170+ countries, with entity incorporation and PTO tracking.
Employer of record€499
per employee / month
Employ people in countries without your own entity, with local contracts, visa support and payroll.
Contractor management€19
per contractor / month
Compliant contracts, onboarding, invoicing and payment in each contractor's local currency.
Workmotion
Contractor management$31
per contractor / month, and up
Contractor invoices, projects and payments in 160+ countries, with misclassification checks.
Direct Hiring$429
per talent / month, and up
Register as an employer in another country for a longer-term presence; sold through sales.
Employer of Record$549
per talent / month, and up
Hire in 160+ countries without opening entities; the euro price is €499. Sold through sales.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Lano or Workmotion?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Lano is cheaper to start with: about $3.35 a month for each person, against $31 a month for each person for Workmotion. Lano starts at €3 per employee / month for payroll consolidation, and Workmotion starts at $31 per contractor / month.
Which has a free plan, Lano or Workmotion?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Lano nor Workmotion has a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.