Pilot vs. competitors
Searching for the right company to manage your global payroll, benefits, and compliance? Here’s how Pilot compares with our competitors.
Searching for the right company to manage your global payroll, benefits, and compliance? Here’s how Pilot compares with our competitors.
You don’t expect your US employees to have to pay withdrawal fees or use an e-wallet to get their paychecks. We don’t think your international contractors should have to do that either.
Unlike our competitors who require contractors to use an e-wallet or a third-party service to receive their funds, Pilot sends payments directly to your contractors’ bank accounts. This means faster payments that don’t touch our corporate accounts.
Another advantage to direct payments and no e-wallet? Pilot does not charge withdrawal fees, which means your contractors get paid more. In addition, we support local currency payments in 70+ countries, plus payments to 240+ countries, and we do not mark up exchange rates.
Pilot is compliant throughout the US, while some competitors rely on the agent of a payee exemption to transfer money, which means they are not compliant for all states.
Pilot uses regulated financial institutions to process payments, and our sponsor bank ensures compliance with money transfer regulations in all 50 states. This means that you’re compliant throughout the US, too, when you use Pilot.
Because Pilot doesn’t rely on an agent of a payee exemption, contractor agreements are between just you and your contractor. Our competitors require contractors to sign an extra third-party agreement. If you prefer white-label payment processing, your contractor doesn’t need to know about Pilot at all.
Unlike competitors, Pilot sends funds in your company’s name, and the funds never touch Pilot’s corporate accounts. This means your funds remain yours, until your contractors get them. Also, contractors are paid quickly, since KYC (Know Your Customer) verification goes much faster when it’s clear who the sender is.
Not sure if you should hire an employee or a contractor? Unlike competitors, Pilot has always been set up to support hiring both employees and contractors. Our team will advise you on the best option for you, with no bias.
Because Pilot has always supported both options, some competitors may have employee-only or contractor-only features that Pilot does not offer, and we will let you know if that’s the case.
Pilot exclusively works with companies that are based in the US or that have a legal US entity. This enables us to provide expert services, such as localized contracts that are double-reviewed by both US and local lawyers.
More of a chart person? We broke it down for you.
No minimum number of contractors required.
| Feature | Pilot | Competitors |
|---|---|---|
|
Pricing Pilot believes in simple, transparent pricing. |
Flat rate of $29/month/contractor |
From $0 + payment processing fees to $49/month/contractor + transaction fees |
|
No long-term contracts or minimums We offer monthly and annual plans and only charge for active contractors. |
|
|
|
No e-wallet required Pilot’s direct payments means funds get paid fast with no e-wallet withdrawal fees. |
|
|
|
No per-transaction or ACH pull fees Transaction fees reduce how much your contractors receive. |
|
|
|
Ability to lock currencies on the receiving end Your contractors can receive the exact currency amounts that you agreed to. |
|
|
|
Exchange rate markups Markups can greatly reduce the amount your contractors end up receiving. |
Pilot does not mark up exchange rates. |
Markups typically range from 0.6% to 6%. |
|
Payment processing time We know it’s important for your team members to get paid quickly. |
As soon as 2 business days |
Typically 5 to 10 business days |
|
Money transfer security Pilot ensures that your funds remain yours until your contractors receive them. |
Funds do not touch Pilot’s corporate accounts. |
Funds touch corporate accounts. |
|
Money transfer compliance Faster KYC verification means contractors get paid sooner. |
Payments are sent in your company’s name, for easier KYC verification. |
Payments are not sent in your company’s name, slowing down KYC verification. |
|
Complete white-labeling Contractors don’t need to use Pilot themselves or sign contracts with our name. |
|
|
|
Fully automated payments Schedule payments so that you can set it and forget it. |
|
|
|
Self-serve for contractors If you prefer, contractors can manage their own payment details and submit payment requests. |
|
|
|
Localized, double-reviewed contracts Both US and local lawyers review Pilot’s contracts. |
|
|
|
Ability to use your own contracts If you prefer to use your own contracts, that option is available with Pilot. |
|
|
|
Country-specific IP clauses Pilot’s contracts are localized for IP (intellectual property) and labor laws. |
|
|
|
Compliance in all 50 US states Pilot is compliant throughout the US. |
|
|
|
1099 Filing We prepare and submit 1099-NEC forms for you to the IRS. |
|
|
|
Unbiased worker classification guidance Pilot’s platform fully supports hiring both employees and contractors. |
|
|
No minimum number of employees required.
| Feature | Pilot | Competitors |
|---|---|---|
|
Pricing We believe in simple, transparent pricing. |
From $249/month in select countries and from $599/month in others |
From $299/month to $3,000/month, depending on the country |
|
No setup fees or hidden costs Pilot charges a flat monthly fee. |
|
|
|
No long-term contracts or minimums We offer monthly and annual plans and only charge for actual usage per employee. |
|
|
|
Self-serve platform You can onboard team members yourself, without any back-and-forth with Pilot. |
|
|
|
Cloud-based, user-friendly software Our secure platform is intuitive and flexible for your workflow. |
|
|
|
Global HR policy guidance Our team of experts can provide free guidance on local policies and employment laws. |
|
|
|
Visa and immigration assistance Pilot helps with visas, work permits, and other immigration processes for global employees and their dependents. |
|
|
|
Unbiased worker classification guidance Pilot’s platform fully supports hiring both employees and contractors. |
|
|
See how Pilot can help you.