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Shortlist · updated September 2026

Best Payroll Services in China (2026)

Need the payroll mechanics first? Read the China payroll guide →

Reviewed by Robbin SchuchmannUpdated September 20260 paid placements
How we picked: coverage breadth, published pricing, and third-party ratings. Full methodology →Some links are affiliate links. They never affect the ranking.

Quick answer

The best payroll providers for China in 2026 are One Global Payroll (from $26/mo), Multiplier (from $20/mo), and Remote (from $29/mo), based on our research covering 8 providers.

Running payroll in China requires employer registration with local tax and social security authorities, monthly individual income tax filings, social insurance contributions across several schemes, and housing fund deductions, all governed by rules that vary by city. Payslips must reflect each deduction line separately. Because the registration steps, filing calendars, and contribution bases differ by municipality, most companies outside China hand the work to a local payroll service rather than manage it in-house.

This page ranks the providers that run payroll in China on behalf of employers, drawing on what each publishes about pricing, country coverage, and service scope. This page focuses on choosing a provider.

Quick comparison

Quick comparison of payroll providers: ranking, rating, pricing, countries, and best use case
ProviderOne Global PayrollMultiplierRemoteDeel
Rank#1#2#3#4
Payroll price$26/mo$20/mo$29/mo$29/mo
Countries163171186153
RatingNot yet rated4.64.54.7
Best forCompanies with employees in 10+ countries who need a single platform to handle multi-country payroll complexityCompanies hiring employees across 10+ countries who need broad geographic coverage and don't want to manage multiple payroll vendorsCompanies hiring across 10+ countries who need both payroll and employer of record capabilities under one roofPayroll teams adding a second or third country who need automated tax filing and a compliance dashboard without building a separate vendor relationship for each new jurisdiction, given Deel's published coverage across 153 countries.

Our top picks

1One Global Payroll logo

One Global Payroll

Best overall
From$26
Countries163
RatingNot rated

One Global Payroll is a global payroll platform that helps companies pay international teams in 150+ countries. The platform handles local taxes, compliance, and on-time payments from a single dashboard. Key features include automated tax calculations and filings, multi-currency payments, employee self-service portals for payslips and tax documents, and integrations with HR systems like Workday, BambooHR, and Personio. One Global Payroll serves companies at all stages, from startups making their first international hire to enterprises consolidating multiple payroll providers into one platform. The platform is GDPR compliant and SOC 2 Type II certified.

Strengths

  • +One Global Payroll publishes its payroll price, so cost can be modelled before a sales call.
  • +Each customer gets an account manager, and support runs around the clock.
  • +Tax filing, payslips and multi-currency payroll are handled on the platform.

Watch out for

  • –It is a payroll service, not an employer of record, so you need your own entity in each country where you run payroll.

Pricing From $26/employee/month

Best for companies with employees in 10+ countries who need a single platform to handle multi-country payroll complexity (startups → mid-market).
2Multiplier logo

Multiplier

Runner-up
From$20
Countries171
Rating4.6

Multiplier is a global employment platform.

Strengths

  • +Multiplier publishes prices for payroll, employer of record and contractors.
  • +Multiplier states on its own site that it charges no FX markup and no offboarding fee.
  • +Each customer gets an account manager, and support runs around the clock.
  • +Contractor of record is available alongside payroll and employer of record.

Watch out for

  • –Multiplier does not publish a mobile app or webhooks, so check self-service and integration needs before you commit.

Pricing From $20/employee/month

Best for companies hiring employees across 10+ countries who need broad geographic coverage and don't want to manage multiple payroll vendors (all sizes).
3Remote logo

Remote

Great value
From$29
Countries186
Rating4.5

Remote is a Global HR Platform that helps companies hire, manage, and pay their entire team through 6 core products including EOR, Contractor Management, and Payroll.

Strengths

  • +Remote employs through its own entities, and we have matched many of them in national company registers.
  • +Remote publishes prices for payroll, employer of record and contractors.
  • +A public API and webhooks support integrations, and employees get a mobile app.
  • +Round-the-clock support is stated on Remote's own site.

Watch out for

  • –Remote charges a separate fee for each off-cycle payroll run.
  • –If you only need payroll, you are buying into a platform built around employer of record as well.

Pricing From $29/employee/month

Best for companies hiring across 10+ countries who need both payroll and employer of record capabilities under one roof (all sizes).
4Deel logo

Deel

From$29
Countries153
Rating4.7

Deel operates as a global employment platform.

Strengths

  • +Deel publishes its global payroll price, so you can model cost against headcount before talking to sales.
  • +Payroll, employer of record and contractor of record sit on one platform, which helps if your team mixes all three.
  • +A public API and webhooks let engineering teams sync payroll events into internal systems.
  • +Round-the-clock support is stated on Deel's own site, useful when pay runs cross time zones.
  • +Employees get a mobile app and their payslips on the platform, which cuts routine questions to the payroll team.

Watch out for

  • –Deel charges a separate fee for each off-cycle payroll run, so corrections and bonus runs add to the bill.
  • –If you only need payroll, you are buying into a platform built around employer of record and contractors as well.

Pricing From $29/employee/month

Best for payroll teams adding a second or third country who need automated tax filing and a compliance dashboard without building a separate vendor relationship for each new jurisdiction, given deel's published coverage across 153 countries. (all sizes).
5Rippling logo

Rippling

Countries83
Rating4.7

Rippling offers a unique approach to global employment by integrating EOR services with broader workforce management solutions. Founded with the vision of unifying HR, IT, and finance operations.

Strengths

  • +Rippling runs HR, payroll and IT management in one system, so HR records and payroll share the same data.
  • +A public API and webhooks support integrations.
  • +Contractor of record and multi-currency payroll are available on the same platform.

Watch out for

  • –Rippling charges a separate fee for each off-cycle payroll run.
  • –Rippling does not publish its support hours.
Best for companies needing both payroll and it management, particularly those issuing company devices and software licenses to remote teams (all sizes).
6Borderless AI logo

Borderless AI

From$29
Countries191
Rating4.6

Borderless AI operates through hireborderless.com as an AI-powered EOR platform.

Strengths

  • +Borderless AI publishes its employer of record price.
  • +Borderless AI states on its own site that there is no minimum contract term or security deposit.
  • +Tax filing, payslips and multi-currency payroll are handled on the platform.
  • +Employees get a mobile app for payslips and personal details.
  • +Each customer gets an account manager, and support runs around the clock.

Watch out for

  • –Borderless AI does not publish webhooks. Ask about it during evaluation if your team relies on it.

Pricing From $29/employee/month

Best for companies hiring across 5+ countries who need exceptionally wide geographic coverage, especially in less common markets (startups → enterprise).
7Papaya Global logo

Papaya Global

Countries163
Rating4.4

Papaya Global, founded in 2016, combines fintech innovation with global workforce management. As the first licensed global payroll provider authorized to hold and transfer payroll funds, they have built their own payment infrastructure specifically designed for international payroll needs.

Strengths

  • +Papaya covers payroll, employer of record and contractor of record in one platform.
  • +A public API and webhooks support integrations, and employees get a portal and a mobile app.
  • +Each customer gets an account manager, and invoices can be paid in a wide range of currencies.

Watch out for

  • –Papaya does not publish its support hours.
Best for companies with international teams who need both payroll processing and employer of record services in one platform (enterprise).
8ADP logo

ADP

Countries140
Rating3.2

ADP's Employer of Record service combines decades of payroll experience with modern global employment solutions.

Strengths

  • +Payroll, HR and benefits come from one long-established vendor, so a company already on ADP in the US can keep one supplier as it adds countries.
  • +Tax filing is handled in the platform, not left to the payroll team to submit country by country.
  • +Employees get a self-service portal and a mobile app for payslips and personal details.
  • +A public API and HRIS integrations let you connect payroll to the systems you already run.

Watch out for

  • –ADP publishes no global payroll price. Every deployment is quoted, so you cannot compare cost before a sales call.
  • –ADP publishes a country total but no per-country list. Ask in writing which of your countries run on ADP's own payroll and which run through a partner.
Best for companies that prioritize established providers with decades of compliance and tax filing experience over newer platforms (all sizes).

Feature comparison

Feature comparison across payroll providers: global payroll, EOR, and contractor management support
FeatureOne Global PayrollMultiplierRemoteDeelRippling
Global payroll✓✓✓✓✓
Employer of record–✓✓✓✓
Contractor management–✓✓✓✓
Countries16317118615383
Currencies2727522727
Starting price$26/mo$20/mo$29/mo$29/moQuote only
RatingNot yet rated4.64.54.74.7

How to choose the best payroll for payroll services in china

Check their registration with the State Administration of Taxation (SAT) and local tax bureaus. Your provider needs proper licensing to file taxes and social insurance on your behalf. Ask for proof of their business license and tax registration certificates in the cities where you operate.

Verify they handle the full social insurance and housing fund cycle. China requires contributions to five social insurances plus housing fund, with rates varying by city. We recommend providers who manage both employee and employer portions, file monthly reports, and handle the inevitable audits from local bureaus.

Confirm they process payments in RMB through compliant channels. Foreign companies can't always open local bank accounts easily. Your provider should offer RMB payment solutions that satisfy both Chinese banking regulations and your employees' expectations for timely deposits.

Ask about their Individual Income Tax (IIT) filing process. China's IIT system requires monthly withholding and annual reconciliation. The provider should file through the official tax bureau portals, issue fapiao (official receipts) when needed, and handle the year-end settlement that often catches foreign employers off guard.

Test their response time during Chinese public holidays. Payroll deadlines don't pause for Spring Festival or Golden Week. We always check whether providers have backup staff and clear holiday schedules, because a missed payment during a two-week shutdown creates serious problems.

Evaluate their experience with foreign nationals and tax treaties. If you employ expats, your provider needs to understand the 183-day rule, tax equalization, and how to apply bilateral tax treaties correctly.

Pro tip: Ask how they handle hukou-related complications. Employees from different provinces may need social insurance paid in specific locations, and providers unfamiliar with hukou restrictions will create compliance headaches.

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How we ranked these providers

Our rankings are based on extensive research, including hands-on testing, customer interviews, and analysis of public reviews. We evaluate each provider across five key criteria:

Pricing transparency

20%

How clear and competitive is the pricing structure?

Country coverage

25%

Number of countries supported and depth of local expertise.

Feature set

25%

Payroll automation, compliance, integrations, and reporting.

User reviews

20%

Aggregate ratings from G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot.

Customer support

10%

Response times, support channels, and customer satisfaction.

Editorial independence

Our rankings are based on objective criteria. While some providers on this list are partners, this does not influence our ratings or recommendations.

Want the numbers behind this market?

Employer costs, payroll taxes, pay cycles and termination rules, with the source and year for every figure.

Read the country payroll guide

Frequently asked questions

How much does a payroll agency in China cost per employee?

Expect to pay $8-25 per employee per month for basic payroll processing in China. Full-service providers with compliance support typically charge $20-40 per employee monthly. Setup fees range from $500-1,500, and some agencies add charges for year-end tax filing or social insurance adjustments.

How long does it take to set up payroll with a China agency?

Most payroll agencies complete setup in 2-4 weeks for China operations. This includes registering with local tax bureaus, setting up social insurance accounts, and configuring payment systems. Companies with existing entities move faster, while new market entrants need 4-6 weeks for full compliance setup.

What happens if my payroll agency makes a social insurance filing error in China?

Filing errors can trigger penalties of 5-20% of the unpaid amount, plus daily late fees. We recommend confirming your agency carries errors and omissions insurance and provides written guarantees. Ask who pays penalties if they make mistakes. Quality agencies accept liability for their errors.

Does a China payroll agency handle the 13th month salary and annual leave payouts?

Most agencies process statutory annual leave payouts and unused leave calculations, as these are legally required. However, 13th month bonuses aren't mandatory in China, so confirm your agency can handle discretionary payments. We verify these capabilities when evaluating providers to avoid year-end surprises.

What's the difference between a payroll agency and an Employer of Record in China?

A payroll agency processes payments for your existing China entity. An EOR legally employs your staff under their license, handling all compliance and HR. Payroll services cost $8-25 per employee monthly, while EOR services run $400-600 monthly because they assume legal employer responsibilities.

Can a payroll agency handle employees across multiple China cities with different social insurance rates?

Yes, but verify this capability upfront. Social insurance rates vary significantly between Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and other cities. Quality agencies maintain updated rate tables for all regions and calculate contributions correctly. We test multi-city accuracy when comparing providers, as errors here create serious compliance issues.

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