Personio vs RemoFirst (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, RemoFirst grades higher than Personio: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Personio grades higher on platforms. RemoFirst grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
RemoFirst
Employer of record and contractor payments for global hiring
Free plan · from $25/mo
Which one is for you
Pick Personio if
- Fits if you're a European company that wants HR, payroll and hiring together
- Works for teams that already use a separate shift planner
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to see a price before talking to sales
- Not for you if you want to plan shifts inside your HR tool, as that needs a partner app
- Tight if managers mostly work from their phones, as setup and most workflows need the web
- Watch out: the pages we read don't list the countries where its payroll works
- Watch out: the listing shows no performance reviews or onboarding, so ask before you buy
Pick RemoFirst if
- Fits if you pay a few contractors abroad and only need contracts and expenses
- Works for a small company hiring one or two people in another country without opening an entity
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you employ people through it, since $199 a person a month is only the starting rate
- Watch out: payment processing for contractors is $25 each a month; managing them is the free part
- Watch out: visas, immigration and RemoHealth (from $55 a person a month) are priced separately
- Not for you if you want integrations with your HR system, as none are listed
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAPersonioWeak | 2.2GPARemoFirstFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CWe couldn't read a price: Personio's pages turned our reader away, so plans and prices aren't on record and we can't say what a ten-person company pays. With no figure to compare, it's a C. | CEmployer of record starts at $199 per person a month, far above this category's $25 dear quarter, but it is a different kind of service, and it is cheaper than its listed rival Workmotion at $549. Contractor management costs nothing. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan or trial on record. Its pages turned our reader away, so a trial may exist that we couldn't confirm. | BContractor onboarding, identity checks, contracts and expenses are free with no stated cap. Paying contractors costs $25 each a month, and there is no trial. |
| Features | CRecords and documents, time off, working hours, an approvals inbox, recruiting and payroll, with an API and webhooks. The basics are there, but the listing shows no reviews or onboarding, and shifts need a partner app. | CEmployer of record in 185+ countries, contractor payments, visas and health cover. The page does not show what a given country costs, and visas and RemoHealth are priced apart. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record. The app covers absences, hours, approvals and documents, and everything else, setup included, happens on the web. | CNo store rating on record. Hiring in another country involves contracts, payroll and tax setup, even with a vendor doing the work. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with a public API, webhooks and more than 200 integrations. No desktop app. | CWeb only, with no integrations or apps on record. |
| Best for | European firms wanting HR and payroll together | hiring abroad, with free contractor admin |
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: Personio and RemoFirst. How we grade
Where they differ
- Personio also covers time tracking, applicant tracking and time off.
- RemoFirst also covers expense tracking and payroll.
In commonWebEmployee records
At a glance
| Personio | RemoFirst | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $25 per contractor / month for payment processing |
| Free plan | None | Contractor management is free: onboarding, identity checks, contract generation and storage, and expense reimbursement. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Personio SE & Co. KG | RemoFirst |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | remofirst.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Personio
- Prices could not be confirmed: personio.com and its help center answered with a bot check, so plans, prices and any trial are not recorded.
- It presents itself as built for Europe; the pages read do not list the countries where its payroll works.
- The mobile app covers absences, time, approvals and documents; other workflows and set-up need the web app.
- Shift planning comes through partner apps that sync with Personio, where shifts are created and changed.
RemoFirst
- The $199 employer-of-record price is a starting rate; the page does not show what a given country costs.
- Payment processing for contractors costs $25 per contractor per month; managing them is free.
- Visa and immigration services and RemoHealth (from $55 per person per month) are priced separately.
Key features
Personio
- Employee records and documents
- One place for employee data and HR documents, which staff can open, download or share from the mobile app.
- Absences and time off
- Employees request time off and see their balance, and can check upcoming absences and team availability where the company allows it.
- Working-time tracking
- Staff record and review their hours on the web or phone, and approved times from partner apps can be sent back into Personio.
- Inbox for approvals
- Managers see open requests and tasks in one inbox and approve or decline them, including from the mobile app.
- Recruiting
- Applicants can be passed into Personio's recruiting module through its Recruiting API, alongside core HR and payroll.
- API, webhooks and marketplace
- Custom integrations read employees, attendance, absences and documents through the API, and webhooks push changes in real time.
RemoFirst
- Employer of record
- Employs people on the company's behalf with localized contracts, payroll, tax filings, pensions and onboarding and termination guidance.
- Free contractor management
- Onboards contractors, runs identity checks, generates and stores contracts and handles expense reimbursement at no charge.
- Contractor payments
- Premium Contractors processes payments to contractors in 150+ countries and a range of currencies, with one-click invoices.
- Visas and immigration
- Visa and work permit services are offered in 110+ countries, with pricing customized by location, visa category and employee status.
- Health insurance and equipment
- RemoHealth offers medical, dental and vision cover, and the company can ship laptops and monitors to new international hires.
Plans
Personio
Pricing could not be confirmed. See personio.com.
RemoFirst
Contractors$0
Free contractor onboarding, identity checks, contract generation and storage, and expenses.
Premium Contractors$25
per person / month
Adds payment processing in 150+ countries and one-click invoices. No minimums.
Employer of Record$199
per person / month, and up
Employ in 185+ countries with payroll, taxes, compliant contracts and 24/7 support. No minimum term.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Personio or RemoFirst?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Personio has no price we could confirm, and RemoFirst starts at $25 per contractor / month for payment processing.
Which has a free plan, Personio or RemoFirst?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only RemoFirst has a free plan. Personio does not.
Which platforms do Personio and RemoFirst run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Personio lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.