Papaya Global vs Wave Payroll
A detailed comparison of Papaya Global and Wave Payroll. See how they stack up on features, pricing, and user ratings.
At a Glance
| Papaya Global | Wave Payroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $12/mo | $40/mo |
| Free Trial | No | Yes |
| Free Plan | No | No |
| Features | 7 | 7 |
| Best For | Enterprise | SMB |
Papaya Global
Global payroll and EOR platform for enterprises, offering payroll processing in 160+ countries with workforce analytics and compliance automation.
Rating
4.3/5
Best for
Enterprise
Free trial
No
Free plan
No
Wave Payroll
Affordable payroll solution from Wave, designed for small businesses and freelancers already using Wave's free accounting software.
Rating
4.1/5
Best for
SMB
Free trial
Yes
Free plan
No
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Papaya Global | Wave Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | ||
| Reporting Dashboard | ||
| EEO/OFCCP Compliance | ||
| GDPR Compliance | ||
| API Access | ||
| HRIS Integration | ||
| Mobile App |
Pricing Comparison
Papaya Global
Payroll
$12/mo
Employer of Record
$650/mo
Contractor
$30/mo
Wave Payroll
Tax Service
$40/mo
Self Service
$20/mo
Integrations
Both tools integrate with
Zapier
Only Papaya Global
Azure AD
BambooHR
Microsoft 365
Microsoft Teams
NetSuite
Okta
Outlook
QuickBooks
SAP SuccessFactors
Slack
Only Wave Payroll
Gmail
Google Workspace
Pros & Cons
Papaya Global
Pros
- +Global payroll processing in 160+ countries with own payment rails
- +Strong analytics and workforce intelligence dashboards
- +Can handle both EOR and payroll-as-a-service (own entity) models
- +Cross-border payment capabilities with competitive exchange rates
Cons
- -Higher EOR pricing (~$650/employee/month) than some competitors
- -Platform can feel complex for small teams
- -Enterprise focus — less suitable for companies with fewer than 50 employees
- -Implementation can take longer than simpler EOR platforms
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?
Choose Papaya Global if:
- • Your company is Enterprise size
- • Higher user ratings matter to you (4.3 vs 4.1)
- • Budget is a priority (starts from $12/mo vs $40/mo)
- • Global payroll processing in 160+ countries with own payment rails
Choose Wave Payroll if:
- • Your company is SMB size
- • You want to try before committing (free trial available)
- • 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.