Deel Review: A Better Alternative for Australian Businesses?
An honest comparison of Deel and Accountee. Discover why Australian businesses are choosing our boutique service model with Big 4 expertise at 50-70% lower cost.
Book a 15-minute chat with our team. No obligation.
About Deel
Deel is a global HR and payroll platform that has revolutionized how companies hire and manage international teams. Founded in 2019, Deel enables businesses to hire employees and contractors in over 150 countries, handling everything from compliance and contracts to payroll and benefits.
The platform offers three main services: Global Payroll (starting at $29/employee/month), Employer of Record services ($599/employee/month), and Contractor Management ($49/contractor/month). Deel excels at simplifying the complexities of international hiring, offering automated compliance monitoring, multi-currency payments, and local labor law expertise.
Deel is particularly popular among tech startups, remote-first companies, and businesses expanding globally. The platform's modern interface, extensive integrations, and comprehensive global coverage make it a powerful solution for companies building distributed teams across multiple countries.
What Deel Does Well
Deel has several strengths that make it a solid choice for global teams
Global Coverage
Hire and pay workers in 150+ countries from a single platform with comprehensive compliance coverage.
EOR Services
Employer of Record capabilities let you hire internationally without setting up local entities.
Modern Technology
Intuitive platform with automated workflows, real-time calculations, and extensive integrations.
Compliance Automation
Built-in monitoring of changing tax and labor laws across 100+ countries with local expertise.
Unified Platform
One dashboard for all payments, currencies, compliance, and HR management across your global team.
Fast Onboarding
Self-guided payroll setup in as little as 10 days with automated HRIS sync capabilities.
How Accountee Compares
A different approach for Australian businesses
Smaller, More Dedicated Team
While Deel offers global-scale operations, Accountee provides a boutique service model with dedicated teams who learn your business inside and out. You're not navigating a massive platform alone—you have a named bookkeeper and accountant who know your history, understand your challenges, and provide proactive advice. This personalized approach means faster response times and better outcomes for Australian businesses.
Superior Customer Communication
Accountee's smaller size is our competitive advantage. We respond faster, communicate more proactively, and build genuine relationships with our clients. Our ex-Big 4 Australian management team is directly involved in client service, ensuring you always have access to senior expertise. You won't get lost in a global platform or wait days for responses to urgent questions.
Significantly Better Pricing
Accountee's payroll services start at just $4 per person/pay run plus a simple retainer. This is typically 50-70% less expensive than Deel's $29/employee/month for payroll (or $599/month for EOR services). We achieve this through our efficient offshore-onshore model, not by cutting corners on quality. For Australian businesses that don't need global EOR capabilities, this difference is substantial and allows you to invest savings back into growth.
Ex-Big 4 Australian Management
Our leadership team comes from BDO, NAB, and Westpac, bringing Big 4 standards to every engagement. Every piece of work is reviewed by Australian accountants who understand local compliance requirements and business practices. This ensures you get enterprise-quality service with the personal touch of a boutique firm, specifically tailored to Australian regulations.
Australian-Focused Specialization
While Deel excels at global complexity, Accountee specializes in Australian businesses—particularly recruitment agencies and growing companies. Our focused approach means we understand the specific challenges of operating in Australia, from award interpretation to STP compliance. We don't need to be experts in 150 countries; we're experts in yours.
Which Solution Is Right for You?
Choose Deel If:
- You're hiring employees and contractors across multiple countries
- You need Employer of Record services for international expansion
- You're building a remote-first, globally distributed team
- You need multi-currency payment capabilities
- Global compliance automation is a priority
Choose Accountee If:
- Your team is primarily based in Australia
- You want a dedicated team that knows your business personally
- Superior customer communication and fast response times matter
- You need Big 4 quality at 50-70% lower cost
- You value relationship-driven service over global platform features
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Deel and alternatives
Experience the Accountee Difference
Get Big 4 expertise, dedicated teams, and superior customer service at a fraction of the cost. Book a free consultation to see how we compare.