The Rise Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Rise in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Rise
The Insider’s Guide
Global contractor, EOR and US payroll paid in fiat or crypto
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among payroll services, read from Rise’s own pages.
Made by Rise Works Inc. · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Rise’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Rise’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.6
GPA, above 0 of the 61 other payroll services we grade
Rise is a payroll and workforce platform that pays global contractors, acts as agent of record or employer of record, and runs direct payroll in the US. Workers can be paid in fiat or crypto. The company is based in Ohio.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Rise, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating is on record, and paying across countries means setting up contracts and payout methods.
- 1
Best for paying contractors worldwide in fiat or crypto
Rise pays contractors around the world in fiat or crypto, and also acts as agent or employer of record and runs US direct payroll.
- 2
Paid plans start at $49 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $49 per contractor / month.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Fiat and crypto payouts
Contractors can be paid in 90+ local currencies or in crypto, and the site cites support for 100+ cryptocurrencies.
- 5
Global contractor pay
Compliant contracts, compliance checks and annual tax reporting for contractors.
- 6
Agent and employer of record
Rise can act as the contracting entity for contractors or as the legal employer for employees, with coverage the vendor states for 190+ countries.
- 7
A 1.6 GPA, above 0 of 61
That is against the other payroll services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Rise you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Rise at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $49 per contractor / month
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Rise Works Inc.
- Category
- Payroll
- Our grade
- 1.6 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for paying contractors worldwide in fiat or crypto
Rise pays contractors around the world in fiat or crypto, and also acts as agent or employer of record and runs US direct payroll. It starts at $49 per contractor a month, and direct payroll covers the US only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $49 per contractor a month, $299 for agent of record and $399 per employee for employer of record. Those are far above plain payroll software, but this is a different kind of service, and the EOR price is below Toku's $599. |
| Free plan and trial | F | Nothing is free: no free plan and no trial are listed, so the way in is paying. |
| Features | C | Global contractor pay, agent and employer of record, and US direct payroll. Direct payroll is US only, and its $49 starting price does not say what it scales with. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating is on record, and paying across countries means setting up contracts and payout methods. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, with no apps and no integrations on the listing. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Rise is for
- Fits if you pay contractors in several countries and some want crypto
- Works for teams that want contractor pay and a US payroll under one provider
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you pay many people, since every price is per worker per month
- Watch out: Direct Payroll covers the US only, and the page does not say what its $49 scales with
- Not for you if you want a free plan or trial, as none is listed
- Skip it if you want integrations or an API, because none is listed
Good to know
Good for
- Startups paying a distributed team in stablecoins or crypto
- Web3 companies mixing contractors and employees
Worth knowing
- The $49 Direct Payroll price is shown as a starting price; the page does not say what it scales with.
- Direct Payroll covers US payroll only.
- The $399 EOR and $299 AOR prices are per worker per month.
- Rise Works Inc. says it is registered as a Money Service Business in the United States.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$49
A month to start, for each person
Rise is a paid product, starting at $49 per contractor / month.
Nothing is free: no free plan and no trial are listed, so the way in is paying.
Global Contractor
$49
per contractor / month
Fiat and crypto payments, compliance checks, annual tax reporting and compliant global contracts. The page mentions discounts for startups and nonprofits.
Direct Payroll
$49
per month and up
US payroll with same-day paychecks in all 50 states, payroll taxes paid, unlimited payrolls and year-end W-2s and 1099s. Priced as starting at.
Agent of Record
$299
per contractor / month
Rise acts as the legal contracting entity to reduce misclassification risk.
Employer of Record
$399
per employee / month
Hire employees without local entities, with payroll, benefits, insurance and HR support.
Read from riseworks.io on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Startups
Discounts for startups and nonprofits
The pricing page lists discounts for startups and non-profits on the contractor plan without giving terms.
Stated on riseworks.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Global contractor, EOR and US payroll paid in fiat or crypto. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: payroll, employee records, partner payouts.
Global contractor pay, agent and employer of record, and US direct payroll.
- Fiat and crypto payouts
- Contractors can be paid in 90+ local currencies or in crypto, and the site cites support for 100+ cryptocurrencies.
- Global contractor pay
- Compliant contracts, compliance checks and annual tax reporting for contractors.
- Agent and employer of record
- Rise can act as the contracting entity for contractors or as the legal employer for employees, with coverage the vendor states for 190+ countries.
- Direct US payroll
- Payroll for US employees with tax payments, new hire onboarding and year-end forms.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Rise is made by Rise Works Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/61
Other payroll services it is graded above
Rise's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 0 of the 61 other payroll services we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on value for money (C, above 3 of 61) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $49 a month for each person, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 22 of the 32 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 18 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 62 payroll services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Rise’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 61
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 61
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 61
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 61
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 61
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 33 payroll services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Rise is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Rise you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 52 of the 61 other payroll services grade higher. It costs $588 a year.
What you could make
- Employee records: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
- Payouts to partners in many countries, with their tax forms.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
What this rests on. Rise’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Deel, Toku, Remote and Niural
The 4 tools Rise is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Deel
From $29/mo
Global payroll, contractor payments and employer of record.
- Only Deel lists iOS and Android apps.
- Rise also covers employee records and partner payouts.
- Deel also covers expense tracking.
- 1.6GPA
Toku
From $19/mo
- 2.2GPA
Remote
From $29/mo
Employer of record, global payroll and contractor payments.
- Only Remote lists iOS and Android apps.
- Rise also covers employee records and partner payouts.
- Remote also covers reports and expense tracking.
- 2.2GPA
Niural
From $29/mo
US payroll, PEO, employer of record and global payments in one.
- Rise also covers employee records and partner payouts.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Rise free?
No. Rise is a paid product, starting at $49 per contractor / month.
How much does Rise cost?
Rise lists 4 plans. Global Contractor: $49 per contractor / month.
What platforms does Rise work on?
Rise is available on Web.
Does Rise offer any discounts?
Rise publicly lists the following: Discounts for startups and nonprofits.
Does Rise have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Rise is listed for Web.
Does Rise have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Rise is listed for Web.
Is Rise open source?
Rise is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Who makes Rise?
Rise is made by Rise Works Inc.
What are the alternatives to Rise?
The closest alternatives to Rise in our directory are Deel, Toku, Remote and Niural.
How does Rise compare with other payroll services?
Rise's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 0 of the 61 other payroll services we grade, and level with 9.
Is Rise good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Rise C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $49 a month for each person, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 22 of the 32 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Rise?
To replace Rise you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Rise’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Rise's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Rise Works Inc. Prices change, so check riseworks.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Rise, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/rise-works
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Rise: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/rise-works
Know someone choosing between payroll services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/rise-works/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded payroll services after Rise, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Payroll Insider's GuideEvery one of the 62 payroll services we grade, compared
- Roll by ADP Insider's GuideChat-based payroll app for very small US businesses2.8 GPA
- SimplePay Insider's GuideSouth African online payroll with leave and self-service2.8 GPA
- BrightPay Insider's GuideUK cloud payroll with HMRC submissions and auto-enrolment2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Rise’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Rise is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Rise Works Inc. Prices and plans change: check riseworks.io before you buy.