Deel vs Wave Payroll
A detailed comparison of Deel and Wave Payroll. See how they stack up on features, pricing, and user ratings.
At a Glance
| Deel | Wave Payroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $599/mo | $40/mo |
| Free Trial | No | Yes |
| Free Plan | Yes | No |
| Features | 9 | 7 |
| Best For | All | SMB |
Key Differences
Deel and Wave Payroll share 7 features. Deel has 2+ unique features.
Only in Deel
- Slack Integration
- Zapier Integration
Deel
Global payroll and compliance platform for hiring international contractors and employees, handling payments in 150+ countries with built-in EOR services and localised contracts.
Wave Payroll
Affordable payroll solution from Wave, designed for small businesses and freelancers already using Wave's free accounting software.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Deel | Wave Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | ||
| Reporting Dashboard | ||
| EEO/OFCCP Compliance | ||
| GDPR Compliance | ||
| API Access | ||
| HRIS Integration | ||
| Slack Integration | ||
| Zapier Integration | ||
| Mobile App |
Pricing Comparison
Deel
Wave Payroll
Integrations
Both tools integrate with
Only Deel
Pros & Cons
Deel
Pros
- +Industry leader for global hiring and EOR
- +Supports 150+ countries for contractor payments
- +Handles compliance and tax automatically
- +Fast onboarding for international contractors
Cons
- -EOR pricing is expensive ($599/employee/month)
- -HR features beyond payroll are basic
- -Customer support can be slow for complex issues
- -Not a full HRIS — needs pairing with other tools
Wave Payroll
Pros
- +Seamless integration with Wave's free accounting and invoicing
- +Affordable pricing for very small teams
- +Direct deposit and automatic payroll tax calculations
- +Simple interface designed for non-accountants
Cons
- -Full tax-service payroll limited to certain US states
- -No HR features — purely payroll
- -Fewer features than competitors like Gusto at a similar price point
- -No benefits administration
Which Should You Choose?
Deel leads on both user ratings and feature coverage in this comparison.
Choose Deel if:
- • You want to start with a free plan
- • Higher user ratings matter to you (4.8 vs 4.1)
- • You need a more feature-rich solution (9 vs 7 features)
- • Industry leader for global hiring and EOR
Choose Wave Payroll if:
- • Your company is SMB size
- • You want to try before committing (free trial available)
- • Budget is a priority (starts from $40/mo vs $599/mo)
- • Seamless integration with Wave's free accounting and invoicing
How we evaluate tools
Our ratings combine verified user reviews from G2 and Capterra with hands-on feature analysis. Pricing is checked against official sources. We may earn a commission through affiliate links, but this never influences our rankings or recommendations. Read our full methodology.