What is an employer of record in Bulgaria?

An EOR in Bulgaria employs your hire legally on your behalf, handling payroll, NRA filings, social security contributions, and Labour Code compliance. You do not need to incorporate locally first.

How much does an EOR in Bulgaria cost?

Published EOR platform fees range from $399 to $699/month. Employer-side social security adds roughly 17 to 18% of gross salary on top, passed at cost by all providers.

Is Bulgaria a good location for EOR hiring?

Bulgaria is an EU member with a euro-pegged currency, 10% corporate tax, and a growing tech talent pool in Sofia and Plovdiv. EU right-to-work and GDPR apply from day one.

Can an EOR hire non-EU nationals in Bulgaria?

Yes. Non-EU nationals need a work permit or EU Blue Card in Bulgaria. Confirm the EOR manages the application process end-to-end before signing.

What is the minimum notice period for termination in Bulgaria?

The Bulgarian Labour Code sets a minimum 30-day notice for indefinite contracts, extendable to 3 months by agreement. Probationary periods can be up to 6 months. Your EOR handles termination compliance.

How long does EOR onboarding take in Bulgaria?

Typical onboarding in Bulgaria takes 3 to 7 working days. Non-EU-national hires need additional work-permit lead time. Oyster publishes the most explicit SLAs in this set.

When should a company move from EOR to its own Bulgarian entity?

Most companies consider a Bulgarian EOOD or JSC at 7 to 10 local employees. Teamed's GEMO service manages the EOR-to-entity migration. Other providers in this set do not offer a named path.

Best EOR in Bulgaria · 2026

The best EOR providers in Bulgaria in 2026

No single winner. Eight EOR providers are scored on a published rubric built around Bulgaria's rules: the Labour Code, NRA registration, the BGN/EUR currency-board peg, and the month your own EOOD beats EOR on cost. Teamed leads on cost transparency and lifecycle. Oyster leads on onboarding. Deel and Rippling lead on platform.

Get a Bulgaria quote

1,000+ companies advised

8
EOR providers scored on one Bulgaria-focused rubric: $599
Teamed flat fee, FX absorbed at zero markup on the fee: 5
Bulgaria-specific rubric criteria, no overall winner

Disclosure

This guide was produced by Teamed, one of the eight providers scored below on the same rubric as the rest. We don't crown an overall winner, we don't claim to be the lowest-priced, and we say plainly where another provider is the better fit for your Bulgaria hire.

Last reviewed 18 June 2026By Tom Price-Daniel, Co-founder, Teamed

Which EOR provider is best for hiring in Bulgaria in 2026?

What is an EOR in Bulgaria?

An employer of record (EOR) in Bulgaria legally employs your people through its own Bulgarian entity or a vetted local partner, so you can hire compliantly before you have an EOOD (single-member limited liability company) of your own. The EOR issues a Bulgarian-law employment contract, runs payroll in Bulgarian lev (BGN), remits income tax and social insurance contributions (employer-side contributions run roughly 17 to 18% of gross salary), and carries the obligations of the Bulgarian work relationship while you direct the work.

Bulgaria has been an EU member since 2007, so EU right-to-work rules and GDPR apply from the first day of any hire. Its currency, the Bulgarian lev, is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate under a currency-board arrangement in place since 1997. That peg reduces FX volatility for euro-billing companies but does not eliminate the need for a provider that shows you exactly how it handles currency conversion on the monthly invoice. Ask before you sign.

Methodology

How we scored this comparison

Each provider is scored 1 to 5 on five Bulgaria-focused criteria. There's no weighted total and no overall winner. Different providers lead different columns. Teamed is scored on the same criteria as the rest.

Bulgaria and EU compliance: Depth in the Bulgarian Labour Code, NRA registration, EU right-to-work obligations, and works-committee considerations for larger teams. How fast a real EU employment-law expert responds at the hard moments, alongside the owned-vs-partner entity question.
Cost and FX transparency: Whether the headline fee is the real bill in Bulgaria. FX methodology on BGN salary conversions disclosed and itemised, no undisclosed spread or surprise setup fees.
Platform and self-serve: Dashboard depth, integrations and API surface for teams running Bulgarian hiring themselves.
Onboarding and speed: Speed to first Bulgarian payroll and how well the product keeps pace with a fast-growing team adding people in Bulgaria quickly.
Lifecycle to Bulgarian entity: Whether the provider moves you from contractor to EOR to your own EOOD or JSC on one system, flags the crossover point, and can set up the entity through a service like Global Entity and Employment Operations (GEMO).

How we gathered evidence

Competitor facts come from Teamed's global provider fact-cache, last verified 18 June 2026 against each provider's own pricing page and G2 listing. Where a provider does not publish pricing (G-P is quote-only; Rippling lists a figure only on its blog), we say so rather than presenting a third-party estimate as the provider's own number. Bulgarian statutory facts reference the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency and Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. Teamed's claims come from teamed.global.

Considered & excluded

We scored the eight providers a rapidly growing company hiring its first employee in Bulgaria would realistically evaluate.

Skuad, Atlas: Capable but with a thinner public track record than the eight scored.
Remofirst, Native Teams: Micro-business or lowest-price positioning, a different buyer than this list.

How they score, criterion by criterion

There’s no overall winner. Each column is a different priority. Pick the ones that matter to you, then read the write-ups below.

Provider	Bulgaria and EU compliance	Cost and FX transparency	Platform and self-serve	Onboarding and speed	Lifecycle to Bulgarian entity
Teamed(us)	Leads	Leads			Leads
Deel			Leads
Remote
Oyster				Leads
Rippling
Papaya Global
G-P
Velocity Global

Scored 1–5 on each criterion from the published rubric above. The highlighted cell leads that column. Teamed is scored on exactly the same criteria as every other provider.

Teamed

Us, scored on the same rubric

Best for: rapidly growing companies hiring in Bulgaria that want real HR and legal experts on call for Labour Code questions, FX absorbed at zero markup, and one partner from first Bulgarian contractor to their own EOOD.

Teamed leads with EU employment-law depth in Bulgaria. Real HR and legal experts handle the hard moments directly: an NRA compliance query, a termination that needs careful handling under Article 328 of the Labour Code, or a right-to-work check for a non-EU national. Expert access is standard on every plan, with no AI bot wall and no Enterprise tier to unlock it.

The cost wedge is transparency. Teamed shows the applied FX rate on your Bulgarian lev payroll conversions next to the mid-market reference and absorbs it at zero markup on the fee. The BGN is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate, so euro-billing clients see the peg working in their favour, but the transparency principle holds regardless of the billing currency.

Teamed isn't trying to be your HRIS. It connects to the tech you already run and moves you from the first Bulgarian contractor to EOR to your own entity on one system with no re-onboarding. Global Entity and Employment Operations (GEMO) sets up and runs your own EOOD or JSC in 90+ markets, so the lifecycle advice is built in from day one.

Countries: ~180 total reach via a mix of owned entities and vetted local partners
Entity model: Mix of owned entities and vetted local partners; Bulgaria is served via a partner entity. Teamed owns 57 entities globally, with real EU employment-law experts covering the Bulgarian market directly.
Onboarding: Typically 5 to 7 working days for Bulgaria
Contractors: Yes, with misclassification cover (Guard / Protect tiers)
Pricing: $599 USD / £479 GBP / employee / month, flat, FX absorbed · verified 2026-06-18
G2: 4.8/5

Strengths

Real HR and legal experts handle Bulgarian Labour Code compliance and NRA filings directly. Expert access is standard on every plan, not gated behind a higher tier.
Zero FX markup on the fee. The applied rate sits next to the mid-market reference on every invoice. Teamed also models the month your own EOOD beats EOR and flags it proactively.
A real escalation contact who knows your account, rated 4.8 on G2 for service. No AI bot wall when a Bulgarian compliance deadline is approaching.
One system from first Bulgarian contractor to EOR to your own entity, via Global Entity and Employment Operations (GEMO) across 90+ markets. No re-onboarding at any stage of the lifecycle.

Watch-outs

Bulgaria is served via a partner entity, not a Teamed-owned subsidiary. Verify the entity arrangement for your specific compliance needs.
Lighter self-serve platform and shallower API than Deel or Rippling. The model is advisory, not dashboard-first.
Smaller brand and review base than Deel or G-P. Less recognition with a procurement team that wants the market-leading name.

Source: teamed.global/pricing

Deel

Best for: teams that want the broadest EOR platform, one of the widest native integration catalogues in the category, and a settled brand for their Bulgaria hire, and who will manage compliance questions through the platform rather than via a dedicated expert.

Deel is the largest EOR platform in the category and covers Bulgaria within its broad country reach across 150-plus markets. Its platform leads this rubric alongside Rippling: one of the broadest native integration catalogues in the category, polished self-serve flows and tooling that suits teams running Bulgarian hiring without a dedicated HR manager.

The compliance gap in Bulgaria is advisory depth. Deel does not publish a specific FX rate or spread on payroll conversions, so the salary-conversion cost is not visible as a line on the invoice. Industry analysis puts undisclosed EOR FX margins at roughly 1.5 to 3% of salary, which is real cost even when the invoice doesn't break it out. The dedicated Slack or Teams support channel sits on the Enterprise tier, meaning a real person is not the default response to a tricky Labour Code question unless you are on the higher plan.

For a team that wants platform depth and can manage Bulgarian compliance edge cases through documentation, Deel is a strong choice. Model the conversion cost on your real Bulgarian salary before comparing with the flat-fee providers.

Countries: 150-plus via owned entities and local partners
Entity model: Mix of owned entities and vetted partners; Bulgaria covered
Onboarding: Days, self-serve
Contractors: Yes, contractor-of-record and direct contractor payment products
Pricing: From $599 Standard, from $899 Enterprise per employee per month · verified 2026-06-18
G2: 4.8/5

Strengths

One of the broadest EOR platforms in the category, with a large native integration catalogue and polished self-serve flows. Leads the platform column on this rubric alongside Rippling.
The largest brand and review base in the category. A procurement team that wants the market-leading name will recognise it immediately.
Fast self-serve onboarding into Bulgaria and most other markets, with a mature contractor-management product alongside EOR.
Holds ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications, which clears a procurement security gate without a follow-up question.

Watch-outs

Does not publish a specific FX rate or spread. The salary-conversion cost on Bulgarian salaries is not visible as a line on the invoice.
The dedicated Slack or Teams support channel sits on the Enterprise tier. On the Standard plan, a Labour Code question or termination goes to a shared support queue.
Advisory depth on Bulgarian employment-law edge cases is lighter than specialist providers, which matters in a jurisdiction where termination protections and works-committee obligations can catch teams off guard.

Source: deel.com/pricing

Remote

Best for: teams that want a polished self-serve product, a disclosed FX rate they can budget, and a wide owned-entity network, with annual billing acceptable.

Remote operates owned legal entities in approximately 90 countries and markets this as a compliance differentiator. Its platform is polished and self-serve, with strong benefits and document-management tooling. For Bulgaria, whether the hire falls under a Remote-owned entity or a partner is worth confirming before signing, as the owned-entity footprint covers core markets and partners fill the extended reach.

On FX, Remote is more transparent than Deel. It discloses its approach rather than concealing it. The disclosed Remote FX rate is a variable spread above mid-market, not a zero-markup or itemised mid-market line. The $599 headline needs annual billing; the month-to-month rate is $699.

The fit is a team that wants to run Bulgarian hiring as a product rather than a service. Benefits administration and IP protection are mature in-product. Model the disclosed FX spread on your real Bulgarian salary before comparing with the flat-fee providers, then decide whether the product depth and owned-entity network justify the variable cost.

Countries: 190+ locations, ~90 via owned EOR entities, remainder via partners
Entity model: Mix of owned entities (~90 core markets) and vetted partners for extended coverage; Bulgaria entity status worth confirming
Onboarding: Days to a few weeks
Contractors: Yes, at $29/month per contractor
Pricing: $599/mo on annual billing ($699 month to month). Contractor: $29/mo. · verified 2026-06-18
G2: 4.6/5

Strengths

Owned entities in approximately 90 core markets, so in those countries a hire is employed by a Remote entity rather than a partner.
A polished self-serve platform with strong benefits administration and IP-protection tooling. Product experience is among the best in the category.
Pricing is published: $599 on annual billing, $699 month to month. You can budget it without a sales call.
Discloses its FX approach rather than concealing it. The Remote FX rate is visible on the in-platform invoice breakdown each month, though it is a blended rate, not zero markup.

Watch-outs

The $599 rate requires annual billing. Month to month is $699, so the real comparable price depends on the commitment you can make.
The disclosed Remote FX rate is a variable spread above mid-market. Transparent, but not zero markup.
No formal EOR-to-entity migration path for teams planning to set up their own Bulgarian EOOD when headcount justifies it.

Source: remote.com/pricing

Oyster

Best for: smaller and fast-scaling teams that want automated onboarding into Bulgaria and a dedicated customer success manager, with published pricing they can budget from day one.

Oyster is the automation-first choice for getting a Bulgarian hire done quickly. Onboarding is fast and clean, a dedicated Hiring Success Manager is consistently praised in reviews, and a 24-hour response and sub-72-hour resolution SLA is published on the pricing page. The product is built so a small team can run a Bulgarian hire without a payroll specialist in-house.

Oyster does not publish how Bulgaria specifically is served or its owned-vs-partner split. That is worth pinning down when Labour Code termination protections or NRA compliance questions come into play. Oyster may require a refundable security deposit, and a conditional currency-conversion fee applies on payroll disbursements in some currencies. For Bulgarian lev payroll (pegged to the euro), the conversion fee may not apply to euro-billing clients, but confirm before signing.

Pricing is predictable: the published $699 per-employee headline means the first Bulgarian hire costs what the tenth does, with setup, onboarding, and termination processing stated as included. B Corp certification carries weight with procurement teams that screen on values. Against the specialist providers, you trade advisory depth for speed, published pricing and a strong customer-success relationship.

Countries: 180+ all products, 120+ for EOR
Entity model: Mix of owned entities and vetted local partners; owned-vs-partner split for Bulgaria not published
Onboarding: Fast, automated; typically 2 to 5 days with a structured onboarding checklist
Contractors: Yes, at $29/month per contractor (first 30 days free)
Pricing: $699/employee/month. Contractor: $29/mo, first 30 days free. · verified 2026-06-18
G2: 4.4/5

Strengths

A consistently praised Hiring Success Manager and clean automated onboarding, with a published 24h response and sub-72h resolution SLA. Oyster leads the onboarding column on this rubric.
Certified B Corp with a published flat $699 headline. Procurement teams that screen on values get a straightforward yes.
Automation that keeps pace when a fast-growing team adds Bulgarian hires quickly, with one of the larger G2 review bases in the category.
Holds SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance, a mature security posture that clears a procurement gate.

Watch-outs

Oyster does not publish whether Bulgaria is owned-entity or partner-served. For a Labour Code termination or NRA query, ask clearly where the accountability sits.
No productised path from EOR to your own Bulgarian EOOD as headcount builds. EOR is positioned as the alternative to an entity, not a step toward one.
Deposit amount and conversion-fee trigger conditions are not publicly disclosed. Confirm these before signing.

Source: oysterhr.com/pricing

Rippling

Best for: companies already running Rippling HRIS who want EOR as an add-on module for a multi-country footprint that includes Bulgaria.

Rippling is an HRIS platform first, with EOR added as a module. EOR pricing is demo-gated; a $499 per month figure appears in Rippling blog content rather than on its primary product pricing page, so treat it as indicative only. Rippling EOR coverage runs to approximately 80 countries, materially below most purpose-built EOR providers in this set. Confirm Bulgaria is within that footprint before committing.

Rippling publishes 600+ integrations, the only provider in this set to put an independently verifiable integration count on a primary product page. That breadth is a real differentiator for buyers whose HR stack is complex. If Bulgaria is one of several EOR markets and you're already deep in the Rippling ecosystem, the consolidated platform view is genuine.

FX methodology for payroll disbursement is not disclosed publicly. For teams hiring only in Bulgaria (or a small CEE footprint) without an existing Rippling HRIS investment, the demo-gated pricing and narrower EOR coverage make other providers easier to evaluate upfront on cost.

Countries: ~80 countries for full EOR; 185+ for contractor payments
Entity model: Mix of in-house subsidiaries and in-country partners; owned-vs-partner split not disclosed
Onboarding: Varies; speed tied to whether the country is integrated into the Rippling HRIS module
Contractors: Yes, contractor payments to 185+ countries
Pricing: Demo-gated for EOR. A $499/month figure appears in Rippling blog content. · verified 2026-06-18
G2: 4.8/5

Strengths

600+ published integrations, the highest verifiable count in this comparison set.
Consolidated HRIS and EOR on one platform for Rippling-native teams, reducing admin overhead.
Strong self-serve payroll visibility for teams already in the Rippling ecosystem.
SOC 1 Type II and SOC 2 Type II certified, clearing enterprise security gates.

Watch-outs

EOR coverage limited to ~80 countries; confirm Bulgaria is within scope before committing.
EOR pricing is demo-gated. No published primary-page rate makes upfront cost comparison impossible.
FX methodology for payroll disbursement is not disclosed publicly.

Source: rippling.com/employer-of-record

Papaya Global

Best for: enterprise payroll teams that need a payments-first global workforce platform with ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certification on the EOR vendor.

Papaya Global starts at $499 per employee per month for EOR, one of the lower published entry points in this set. It covers 160+ countries with a mix of approximately 40 owned entities and partner-served markets, including EU coverage for Bulgaria. Its compliance posture includes ISO 27001, SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II, and GDPR alignment.

Papaya positions itself as a payments and payroll platform first, with EOR and contractor-of-record as modules. The product has strong enterprise payroll workflow tools and AI-assisted contractor classification, which is useful in markets like Bulgaria where contractor-vs-employee misclassification carries NRA risk.

Support availability is stated as 24/7 on the pricing page and 24/6 on the EOR product page, a discrepancy worth clarifying before signing. FX methodology is not publicly declared for payroll disbursements. For CEE markets including Bulgaria, confirm whether your country is owned-entity or partner-served.

Countries: 160+ countries; ~40 owned EOR entities, remainder via partners
Entity model: Mix of ~40 owned entities and vetted partners; Bulgaria likely partner-served
Onboarding: Typically 2 to 4 weeks for enterprise onboarding; faster for SMB-tier accounts
Contractors: Yes, contractor-of-record from $295/month; direct contractor solution from $5/month
Pricing: EOR from $499/employee/month. Contractor-of-record from $295/month. · verified 2026-06-18
G2: 4.4/5

Strengths

Competitive entry price at $499/month for EOR, the second-lowest published rate in this set.
Strong enterprise payroll workflow and payments infrastructure for complex multi-country HR stacks.
ISO 27001, SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II certified, clearing enterprise security procurement.
AI-assisted contractor-vs-employee classification tool, relevant for Bulgaria NRA compliance.

Watch-outs

Support hours stated differently on two product pages. Clarify before signing.
FX methodology not publicly declared for payroll disbursements.
No published EOR-to-entity migration path for growing teams ready to incorporate a Bulgarian EOOD.

Source: papayaglobal.com/pricing

G-P

Best for: large enterprises that need a quote-backed SLA, access to 180+ country legal coverage, and a long-established category partner for their Bulgarian hire.

G-P (Globalization Partners) covers 180+ countries with a combination of 100+ owned legal entities and 200+ global partners. It is one of the longest-established providers in the EOR category and positions its in-country legal and compliance team as a primary differentiator. EOR pricing is fully quote-only; contractor management starts at $39 per contractor per month and is the only published rate.

G-P runs two service tiers. The Core tier routes support queries through its G-P Assist AI tool. The Prime tier provides a dedicated customer success manager and direct access to HR and legal experts. For teams that want expert access in Bulgaria without paying for the Prime tier uplift, this tiering is worth pressing on during the sales conversation.

The platform integrates with 13 to 14 named HRIS and payroll connectors. G-P does not offer a formal EOR-to-entity migration service. Its compliance posture includes ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and CCPA. The 4.4 G2 rating (approximately 1,028 reviews as of June 2026) reflects enterprise buyer experience at scale.

Countries: 180+ countries; 100+ owned legal entities plus 200+ partners
Entity model: Mix of 100+ owned legal entities and 200+ in-country partners
Onboarding: Varies by service tier; Prime customers receive dedicated onboarding support
Contractors: Yes, self-serve contractor product at $39/contractor/month
Pricing: EOR: quote-only. Contractor management: $39/contractor/month. · verified 2026-06-18
G2: 4.4/5 (1028)

Strengths

180+ country coverage with 100+ owned legal entities and a large in-country legal and compliance team.
ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and CCPA certified, clearing the highest-tier enterprise security procurement requirements.
Long-established category presence with an enterprise procurement track record across regulated industries.
Transparent $39/month contractor pricing, the only published rate in its catalogue.

Watch-outs

EOR pricing is fully quote-only, making upfront cost comparison impossible before a sales conversation.
Core tier routes support through an AI tool rather than direct expert access. Prime tier required for a dedicated CSM.
No published EOR-to-entity migration path for teams planning to incorporate a Bulgarian EOOD at scale.

Source: g-p.com/pricing

Velocity Global

Best for: budget-conscious teams entering new markets at the lowest published flat rate in this set, comfortable with the provider trading under a new brand name.

Velocity Global rebranded to Pebl in September 2025. Its published EOR rate is $399 per employee per month, the lowest flat rate in this scored set. It covers 185+ countries via a mix of 65 owned entities and partner-served markets. Bulgaria falls within its CEE and EU coverage.

Pebl positions its platform as AI-first, with an in-house assistant (Alfie) handling routine queries and human experts escalating where needed. It publishes a broad connector catalogue for teams with complex HRIS stacks. Compliance infrastructure is backed by a Baker McKenzie legal partnership and ISO 27001:2022 plus SOC 2 Type 2 certification.

The $399 rate is for the standard tier; enterprise pricing is quote-only. FX methodology is not publicly declared. The brand change from Velocity Global to Pebl is recent, so enterprise procurement teams should verify vendor-name alignment in existing contract frameworks before signing. G2 data for Pebl reflects the prior Velocity Global entity.

Countries: 185+ countries; 65 owned entities, remainder via partners
Entity model: Mix of 65 owned entities and vetted in-country partners; Bulgaria likely partner-served
Onboarding: Typically 5 to 7 working days; Alfie AI assistant handles routine onboarding queries
Contractors: Yes, with 50 localised contractor contracts
Pricing: $399/employee/month for standard tier. Enterprise pricing on request. · verified 2026-06-18
G2: 4.6/5

Strengths

$399/month published flat rate, the lowest in this comparison set.
A broad connector catalogue for complex HRIS stacks, one of the widest in this set.
Baker McKenzie legal partnership for compliance backing and ISO 27001:2022 plus SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Global equity support, useful for fast-growing companies offering equity to Bulgarian hires.

Watch-outs

Rebranded from Velocity Global to Pebl in September 2025. Verify vendor-name alignment in procurement and contract frameworks.
FX methodology not publicly declared for payroll disbursements.
AI-first support model means human escalation may take longer for complex Bulgarian Labour Code queries.

Source: hellopebl.com/eor-pricing

Why the shortlist matters

Behind every line item is a real person, in a real place.

The fee, the FX and the support model are not abstractions. They decide whether the person you hired in Barcelona or Rome is paid right, on time, by someone who knows their employment law. That is what the ranking is really measuring.

What each stakeholder evaluates

Criterion	Legal	Finance	People Ops	Security
Cost you can read before signing	FX methodology must be declared in the MSA or absorbed entirely from the fee structure. Ask for the FX clause before you sign.	Teamed and Velocity Global (Pebl) publish flat rates with zero or low undeclared FX exposure on the fee. G-P and Rippling are quote-only.	Flat published rates simplify budget forecasting for Bulgarian headcount. Ask every provider how payroll in BGN is treated at disbursement.	Cost transparency does not directly affect security posture, but opaque billing can indicate broader contract opacity worth scrutinising.
Bulgaria-specific compliance depth	Verify whether your market is owned-entity or partner-served. EU law applies throughout, plus Bulgarian Labour Code specifics on termination notice and works-committee obligations.	Employer-side social security contributions run roughly 17 to 18% of gross salary. Confirm the all-in cost model with every provider before headcount planning.	Termination notice periods (minimum 30 days, up to 3 months by agreement) and NRA filing obligations are specific to Bulgaria. Your EOR must handle these without you filing separately.	ISO 27001 or SOC 2-certified providers in this set include G-P, Oyster, Papaya Global, Rippling, and Velocity Global (Pebl).
Path to a local Bulgarian entity	If Bulgarian headcount exceeds roughly 7 to 10 employees, entity incorporation (EOOD or JSC) typically becomes cost-competitive. Ask who owns the migration.	EOR-to-entity migration can release the monthly per-head fee. Teamed's GEMO service keeps that transition within one commercial relationship at a declared cost.	Employee contracts must be novated to the new entity under Bulgarian law. Plan the transition with HR and legal input 3 to 6 months ahead.	Data migration from EOR to a new Bulgarian entity is a GDPR-relevant event in the EU. Confirm data-handling obligations with the provider before starting.

Decision checklist

Read the small print before you sign. Most EORs require a deposit and many layer on setup, offboarding, minimum-term, no-exit, termination or admin fees. Teamed takes a one-month refundable deposit, charges no onboarding or offboarding fees (an early-exit fee may apply if you leave within 3 months, set out in your contract), and sets the costs out up front.
If cost clarity is the priority: choose a provider with a flat published rate and declared FX methodology. Teamed ($599, zero markup), Remote ($599 annual), and Velocity Global/Pebl ($399) all publish rates. G-P does not.
If Bulgaria compliance depth is the priority: ask each provider whether Bulgaria is served by an owned entity or a partner. Remote and G-P have larger owned-entity networks. Teamed uses a partner for Bulgaria but provides direct access to EU employment-law experts on every plan.
If platform self-serve is the priority: Deel and Rippling lead on platform breadth. Rippling's 600+ integrations is the most verifiable count in this set. Deel's dashboard covers payroll, equity, and contractor in one view.
If onboarding speed is the priority: Oyster publishes the most explicit SLAs at 24h response and sub-72h resolution. Deel and Remote typically onboard in a few days in established markets.
If a lifecycle path to your own Bulgarian entity is the priority: Teamed is the only provider in this set with a named service (GEMO) for EOR-to-entity migration. Others require a separate local adviser.
If you are already on Rippling HRIS: Rippling EOR adds the least friction, but confirm Bulgaria is within its ~80-country EOR footprint before committing.
If ESG procurement requirements apply: Oyster is B Corp-certified. G-P and Papaya Global hold ISO 27001; Rippling holds SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II.
If you need to hire a non-EU national in Bulgaria: confirm right-to-work processing and EU Blue Card support with the provider. Work-permit lead times add weeks to the onboarding timeline.

Email this to legal

Honest take

When another provider is the better choice

Your team already uses Rippling HRIS and Bulgaria is one of several EOR markets in a multi-country footprint. The consolidated platform view is real.
You need a single dashboard for equity, payroll, and contractor management across 15 or more countries and platform breadth outweighs cost transparency.
Your procurement team requires ISO 27001 or SOC 2 certification from the EOR vendor and wants a provider with a larger published review base than Teamed.
You are a large enterprise with a procurement SLA that G-P's Prime tier explicitly covers, and quote-only pricing is acceptable.
You need the lowest flat rate and Velocity Global (Pebl)'s $399 fits your budget model better than Teamed's $599.

Teamed is the right fit for teams that want to see the real cost, reach a real person, and plan for the entity transition. It is not the right fit for every buyer.

Frequently asked questions

What is an employer of record in Bulgaria?
An employer of record (EOR) in Bulgaria is a company that becomes the legal employer of your Bulgarian hire on your behalf. It handles Bulgarian Labour Code compliance, social security contributions (employer-side runs roughly 17 to 18% of gross salary), NRA filings, and payroll. You direct the work; the EOR carries the legal employment obligations. You do not need to incorporate a Bulgarian entity first.
How much does an EOR in Bulgaria cost?
Published EOR platform fees in this set range from $399 per employee per month (Velocity Global/Pebl) to $699 (Oyster). Teamed and Deel both start at $599. G-P and Rippling are quote-only. Employer-side social security contributions in Bulgaria run roughly 17 to 18% of gross salary and sit on top of the platform fee, passed through at cost by all providers.
Is Bulgaria a good location for EOR hiring?
Yes. Bulgaria is an EU member state (since 2007), so EU right-to-work rules and GDPR apply from the first day of any hire. Its currency, the Bulgarian lev, is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate under a currency-board arrangement in place since 1997, reducing FX volatility for euro-billing companies. Corporate tax is flat at 10%, one of the lowest rates in the EU. Sofia and Plovdiv have a growing technology talent pool, with employment costs below the Western EU average.
Can an EOR hire non-EU nationals in Bulgaria?
Yes, but the EOR must manage the right-to-work and work-permit process. Non-EU nationals in Bulgaria typically require a long-stay visa (Type D) and a work permit, or an EU Blue Card for highly-qualified workers. The process adds time and documentation overhead. Confirm with your chosen EOR that it actively manages Bulgarian work-permit applications end-to-end before signing.
What is the minimum notice period for termination in Bulgaria?
Under the Bulgarian Labour Code (Art. 328), the minimum statutory notice for terminating an indefinite employment contract is 30 days. Notice can be extended up to 3 months by written agreement. Probationary periods of up to 6 months are permitted. Your EOR manages termination compliance, but understanding the obligations before extending an offer avoids surprises later.
How long does EOR onboarding take in Bulgaria?
Most providers in this set estimate 3 to 7 working days from signed contract to first paycheck in Bulgaria. Oyster publishes the most specific SLA (24h response, sub-72h resolution). Speed depends on the employee's documentation readiness and whether the provider has an established Bulgarian payroll run. Non-EU-national hires require additional work-permit lead time.
When should a company move from EOR to its own Bulgarian entity?
The common threshold is 7 to 10 employees in Bulgaria, at which point the cumulative per-head EOR fee often exceeds the cost of running your own EOOD (single-member LLC) or joint-stock company. The comparison depends on compliance overhead, payroll complexity, and whether you want direct employment contracts under your own brand. Teamed's GEMO service manages this transition within one commercial relationship. Other providers in this set do not offer a named migration path.

Common questions

Which EOR providers serve Bulgaria with owned entities rather than partner networks?
Most major EOR providers use a mix of owned entities and vetted local partners. Remote operates owned entities in approximately 90 core markets; Bulgaria's status should be confirmed directly. G-P claims 100+ owned legal entities across its 180+ country footprint. Teamed, Oyster, Papaya Global, and Velocity Global (Pebl) all use partner-served models for some markets, including potentially Bulgaria. No provider in this set claims 100% owned-entity coverage in every country they serve.
How does the Bulgarian lev to euro peg affect EOR payroll costs?
The Bulgarian lev (BGN) is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of 1.95583 BGN per EUR under a currency-board arrangement in place since 1997. For EOR providers that bill in USD or EUR and disburse payroll in BGN, this peg means minimal FX volatility between the euro and the lev. However, providers that charge a percentage-based FX conversion fee on top of the base rate will still apply it on USD-to-BGN or USD-to-EUR conversions. Ask your provider specifically whether the BGN peg is treated as zero-FX or whether a conversion fee still applies.

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