What is EPF and how does it affect EOR hiring in Malaysia?

EPF (KWSP) is Malaysia's national retirement savings scheme. Employer contributions are 13% of monthly wages for employees earning RM5,000 or below, and 12% above. Employees contribute 11%. Applies to citizens and PRs; foreign EP holders are exempt but may opt in. Your EOR handles EPF filing for eligible hires. Ask for the full statutory cost breakdown per hire type before comparing headline fees.

What changed in the Malaysia Employment Act in 2022?

The 2022 amendment extended the Employment Act to all employees regardless of salary (previously mainly those earning up to RM2,000/month). All Malaysian EOR hires now get the full Act: minimum annual leave (8 to 16 days by years of service), sick leave (14 to 22 days), statutory public holidays, overtime rights, and flexible working provisions. Any EOR must have applied these changes to every Malaysian contract since the amendment took effect.

What does an EOR really cost when hiring in Malaysia?

Three layers: the headline EOR fee ($399 to $699 for most; higher for enterprise), Malaysia statutory contributions for citizen and PR hires (EPF at 12 to 13%, SOCSO at 1.75% capped at RM4,000, EIS at 0.4% capped at RM4,000, all passed at cost), and FX on MYR salary conversions for providers that don't disclose their rate (an undisclosed FX margin, typically in the 1.5 to 3% industry range). Teamed absorbs FX at zero markup and shows the rate against mid-market.

When does it make sense to set up my own Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. instead of using an EOR?

Typically around 10 to 15 full-time employees, where Sdn. Bhd. running costs (company secretary, SSM annual return, audit where required) drop below the cumulative EOR per-seat fee. Malaysia entity setup via SSM takes a few business days. Teamed models and flags the crossover month. Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) sets up the Sdn. Bhd. on the same system with no re-onboarding.

How current is this comparison, and how was it scored?

Pricing verified 18 June 2026 against each provider's pricing page. Malaysia statutory facts from kwsp.gov.my, perkeso.gov.my and mohr.gov.my, same date. Security re-checked 22 July 2026. G2 from g2.com 17 June. Eight providers scored 1 to 5 on six Malaysia-focused axes, no overall winner. Reviewed quarterly, pricing monthly.

Best EOR in Malaysia · 2026

The best EOR providers in Malaysia in 2026

Q: Which EOR is best for hiring in Malaysia in 2026?

Depends on priority. Teamed leads the service model and employment intelligence and the path to your own Sdn. Bhd. It contests pricing transparency with Remote and Malaysian coverage with G-P. Deel and Rippling lead platform; the certified providers lead security. Ask any provider: real Malaysian employment-law experts, or a generalist ticket queue?

No single winner. We scored eight EOR providers on a published six-axis rubric built around Malaysia's rules: EPF contributions, SOCSO and EIS obligations, the Employment Act 1955 after its 2022 amendment, and the month your own Sdn. Bhd. beats EOR. Teamed leads on the service model and employment intelligence and on the path to your own Sdn. Bhd. It contests pricing transparency with Remote and Malaysian coverage with G-P. Deel and Rippling lead on platform, and the certified providers lead on security.

Talk to an expert

1,000+ companies advised

8
EOR providers scored on one Malaysia-focused rubric: $599
Teamed flat fee, same headline as Deel, FX absorbed at zero markup: 6
Malaysia-focused rubric axes, no overall winner

Disclosure

This guide was produced by Teamed, which is 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 cheapest, and we say plainly where another provider is the better fit for your Malaysia hire.

Last reviewed 22 July 2026By Tom Price-Daniel, Co-founder, Teamed

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

What is an EOR in Malaysia?

An Employer of Record (EOR) in Malaysia legally employs your people through its own entity or a vetted local partner, so you can hire compliantly without first incorporating a Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (Sendirian Berhad, the local private limited company). The EOR issues a Malaysian-law employment contract, runs payroll, manages statutory contributions, and carries the legal employer obligations while you direct the work.

Malaysia adds layers most EOR contracts do not anticipate. Every qualifying hire triggers EPF contributions at 13% employer-side for wages at or below RM5,000 per month (12% above that level), plus SOCSO at 1.75% and EIS at 0.4%, both capped at RM4,000 of wages. The Employment Act 1955, overhauled in 2022, now covers all employees regardless of salary, extending annual leave, sick leave and overtime protections across the board. Foreign professionals on Employment Passes are generally exempt from EPF and SOCSO but carry their own Immigration Department requirements tied to salary bands. Ask any EOR provider whether real HR and legal experts with Malaysian employment-law experience handle these statutory obligations and work pass renewals directly, or whether those questions route to a generalist ticket queue.

Methodology

How we scored this comparison

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

Pricing transparency: Whether the all-in cost of a Malaysian hire (the fee, the deposit, onboarding, and offboarding or termination) is stated up front and predictable. Scored on clarity, not on price level: a flat published fee you can read beats a lower base with unstated setup, deposit and exit terms. The FX rate on MYR salary conversions is one clause of that test, not the whole frame.
Malaysian coverage and compliance: Depth and legal robustness of in-country coverage for Malaysia: EPF administration at the correct 13% and 12% employer rates, SOCSO and EIS filings, HRD Corp levy management where applicable, Employment Act 1955 obligations after the 2022 amendment, Employment Pass categories for foreign hires, Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) monthly tax deduction (PCB) accuracy, the owned-entity versus partner structure behind delivery, and how fast a real Malaysian employment-law expert responds at the hard moments, from a termination dispute to a work pass complication.
Platform and self-serve: Product surface, self-serve flows, integration and API depth, and speed to first Malaysian payroll for teams running the hire themselves, including automated EPF, SOCSO and EIS filing as part of the payroll engine.
Security and certifications: ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II held today: the certifications a Malaysian procurement or security review asks to see, checked against each provider on 22 July 2026.
Service model and employment intelligence: Ongoing human employment expertise plus AI assistance across the lifecycle (for Teamed, the Ted layer): whether real HR and legal experts with Malaysian credentials own the hard moments directly, and how well the system flags statutory changes and the crossover point before they reach you.
Path to your own entity: Whether the provider moves you from contractor to EOR to your own Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. on one system, flags the crossover point, and can set up the entity through a service like Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO).

How we gathered evidence

The six axes are pricing transparency, Malaysian coverage and compliance, platform and self-serve, security and certifications, service model and employment intelligence, and the path to your own Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. Pricing came from each provider's own pricing page on 18 June 2026. Where a provider does not publish pricing, we use g2.com and cited industry estimates and say so. Security reflects each provider's current published ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II status, re-checked 22 July 2026. G2 ratings came from g2.com on 17 June 2026. Malaysia statutory compliance facts reference kwsp.gov.my, perkeso.gov.my, mohr.gov.my and imi.gov.my, verified 18 June 2026. Teamed's claims come from teamed.global.

Considered & excluded

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

Payoneer Workforce Management (formerly 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 targets.

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	Pricing transparency	Malaysian coverage and compliance	Platform and self-serve	Security and certifications	Service model and employment intelligence	Path to your own entity
Teamed(us)	Leads	Leads			Leads	Leads
Deel			Leads	Leads
Remote
Oyster
Rippling
Papaya Global
G-P (Globalization Partners)
Pebl (formerly 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 Malaysia that want real Malaysian employment-law expertise, FX absorbed at zero markup on MYR conversions, and one partner from first contractor to their own Sdn. Bhd.

Teamed delivers Malaysian employment through a mix of owned entities and vetted local partners, backed by DLA Piper as global counsel, with real HR and legal experts who hold Malaysian employment-law credentials at the hard moments: an Employment Act dispute, a work pass complication for an expatriate hire, an EPF calculation query or a payroll tax filing under LHDN. No AI bot wall, no Enterprise tier to unlock. Real expert access is included on every plan, with the Ted layer flagging statutory changes and the crossover point before they reach you.

The cost wedge is transparency. Teamed shows the FX rate on your MYR salary conversions next to the mid-market reference and absorbs it at zero markup on the fee. For companies billing MYR salaries from a USD, GBP or EUR ledger, that single line can represent a meaningful annual saving over providers that do not disclose the rate. Teamed also tells you the month when your own Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. starts to beat EOR on cost, a question that comes up fast as your ASEAN headcount builds.

Teamed isn't trying to be your HRIS. It plugs into the technology you already run and moves you from the first Malaysia contractor to EOR to your own entity on one system with no re-onboarding. Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) sets up and runs your own entity in 100+ countries, so the lifecycle advice is built in from the first hire.

Countries: 187+ countries covered through owned entities plus vetted partners
Entity model: Mix of owned entities and vetted local partners; 57 owned entities worldwide, backed by DLA Piper as global counsel, across the 187+ country footprint
Onboarding: As little as 24 to 48 hours to first payroll
Contractors: Yes, with misclassification cover (Guard / Protect)
Pricing: $599 USD / £479 GBP / employee / month, flat, FX absorbed · verified 2026-07-22
G2: 4.8/5

Strengths

Real HR and legal experts with Malaysian employment-law credentials handle EPF disputes, SOCSO queries, Employment Act edge cases and work pass questions directly, backed by DLA Piper as global counsel. No AI bot wall, no support tier to unlock. Rated 4.8 on G2.
Zero FX markup on the fee. The applied conversion rate sits next to the mid-market reference on every invoice, so you can see what your MYR payroll actually costs in your home currency from month one.
Proactively models when your own Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. beats EOR and alerts you to the crossover. Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) sets up and runs the entity on the same system with no re-onboarding of existing employees.
One system from first Malaysia contractor through EOR to Sdn. Bhd., with the Ted layer surfacing statutory changes and the crossover early. The lifecycle is built in from day one, not an afterthought when your headcount makes entity setup urgent.

Watch-outs

Lighter self-serve platform and shallower API than Deel or Rippling. The model is advisory, not dashboard-first, so it concedes the platform column here.
ISO 27001 and SOC 2 aligned with accreditation in progress, so the badge isn't in hand yet. Several rivals on this list hold current certifications, so if your Malaysian procurement or security review needs the certificate issued today, ask each provider for current reports and dates. Teamed concedes the security column for now.
The advisory model earns its weight across multiple Malaysia hires or a growing ASEAN headcount. A single experimental hire with no scale plans may suit a lighter self-serve platform better.

Source: teamed.global/pricing

Deel

Best for: teams that want the broadest EOR platform, one of the broadest native integration catalogues in the category and a settled brand for their Malaysia hire, and can manage EPF and Employment Act questions through the platform rather than via a dedicated expert.

Deel is the market-leading EOR platform and covers Malaysia within its broad footprint. Its platform leads this rubric alongside Rippling, with one of the broadest native integration catalogues in the category and polished self-serve flows that let teams run Malaysia hiring without a dedicated HR manager on the ground.

On Malaysian compliance, Deel handles EPF, SOCSO and EIS filings as standard and pairs the platform with AI-assisted support, so the service model scores well. The gap is advisory depth. Deel does not publish its FX terms, so the salary-conversion cost on MYR-denominated salaries is not visible on the invoice. Deel does not publish which plan includes its dedicated Slack or Teams support channel, so confirm whether real employment-law expert access is the first response to an Employment Act query or a work pass renewal at your rate.

For a team that wants platform depth and can manage Malaysian compliance questions through documentation, Deel is a strong choice. Model the FX cost on your real MYR salary volumes before comparing with the flat-fee providers: undisclosed FX on MYR conversions can be material across a team.

Countries: 150-plus reach, full legal employment in 130+
Entity model: Mix of owned entities and vetted partners; Malaysia covered
Onboarding: Days, self-serve
Contractors: Yes, mature contractor and misclassification tooling
Pricing: From $599 per employee per month, a starting rate · verified 2026-07-22
G2: 4.8/5

Strengths

The broadest EOR platform in the category, with one of the broadest native integration catalogues in the category and polished self-serve flows. Leads the platform column on this rubric alongside Rippling.
The largest user and review base in the category. A procurement team that wants the market-leading name will recognise it without a briefing.
Fast self-serve onboarding into Malaysia and most other markets, with a mature contractor-management product sitting alongside EOR.
Holds ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications today, near the top of the security column, plus mature equity, IP and contractor tooling alongside EOR.

Watch-outs

Does not publish FX terms. The salary-conversion cost on MYR salaries is not visible on the invoice. Industry analysis puts undisclosed EOR FX at 1.5 to 3% of salary, which is material on Malaysian compensation packages.
Dedicated support channel not published per plan; confirm what your rate includes before assuming an Employment Act query or work pass renewal reaches a dedicated channel rather than a shared support queue.
Advisory depth on Malaysian Employment Act edge cases and EPF disputes is lighter than the specialist providers that carry real employment-law experts on every plan.

Source: deel.com/pricing

Remote

Best for: teams that want a polished self-serve product, solid Malaysia coverage and a disclosed FX rate they can budget, with annual billing acceptable.

Remote covers Malaysia through its mixed network, built around owned entities in its core 90+ EOR countries with vetted partners extending the map to about 180 countries. Its platform is polished and self-serve, with a strong benefits and IP product that handles Malaysian EOR without requiring a dedicated HR manager. Product-led compliance is a genuine differentiator for teams that want to run Malaysia hiring themselves.

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, shown after the fact on the invoice, not a zero-markup or itemised mid-market line. The $599 headline needs annual billing; the month-to-month rate is $699. A dedicated onboarding specialist and a named customer success manager come standard on every EOR plan.

The fit is a team that wants to run Malaysia hiring as a product rather than a service. Benefits administration and IP protection are mature in-product, and the self-serve flows hold up as headcount scales. Owning the entities across its core EOR markets also gives one accountable employer in the chain when a statutory question arises, which product-led compliance handles well for teams comfortable running Malaysia hiring themselves. Model the disclosed FX spread on your real MYR salary volumes before comparing with the flat-fee providers, then decide whether the product depth justifies the variable cost against a zero-markup flat fee.

Countries: ~180 via owned entities + local partners
Entity model: Owned-entity led in its core 90+ EOR countries; vetted partners elsewhere
Onboarding: Days to a few weeks, with a dedicated onboarding specialist
Contractors: Yes, tiered with indemnity options
Pricing: $599/mo on annual billing ($699 month to month) · verified 2026-07-22
G2: 4.6/5 (591)

Strengths

A polished self-serve platform with strong benefits administration and IP-protection tooling. The product experience is among the best in the category and holds up under Malaysian employment obligations. It holds current ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications, so it sits at the top of the security column.
Owned entities across its core 90+ EOR markets reduce partner hand-offs in the countries you are most likely to hire in.
Pricing is published in full: $599 on annual billing, $699 month to month. You can budget it without a sales call, which is not true of every provider here.
Discloses its FX approach rather than concealing it. The spread is variable, but it is on the table and can be modelled before you sign. A dedicated onboarding specialist and named CSM come standard on the EOR plan.

Watch-outs

The $599 rate needs annual billing. Month to month is $699, so the real comparable price depends on the commitment you can make.
The Remote FX rate is a variable spread above mid-market, shown after the fact on the invoice. Transparent, but not a zero-markup or flat-rate line.
The model is product-led rather than advisory. A team that wants a real Malaysian employment expert on call for Employment Act questions may find the self-serve flows are the primary support channel.

Source: remote.com/pricing

Oyster

Best for: smaller and fast-scaling teams that want automated onboarding into Malaysia, a dedicated customer success manager and a flat published price from day one.

Oyster is the automation-first choice for getting a Malaysia hire done quickly. Onboarding is fast and clean, dedicated customer success managers are consistently praised in reviews, and pricing is published at a flat $699 per employee per month. The product is built so a small team can run a Malaysian hire without a payroll specialist in-house, handling EPF, SOCSO and EIS filings automatically.

Its compliance posture in Malaysia leans on local partners, which is worth understanding when Employment Act edge cases, EPF disputes or work pass renewals come into play. The dedicated customer success managers provide a human layer, but deep Malaysian employment-law advisory on harder edge cases is lighter than the specialist providers. The B-Corp certification and published flat pricing carry genuine weight with procurement teams that screen on values and want predictability.

One watch-out beyond the compliance depth: Oyster requires a refundable deposit to start an EOR engagement, with no amount published, and charges a currency-conversion fee on any currency mismatch, with no rate published. Against the specialist providers, you trade advisory depth for speed, a published price and a strong customer-success relationship.

Countries: 180+ via local partners
Entity model: Hybrid, own and partner entities across 180+ countries; no published split
Onboarding: Fast, automated; a few weeks with a dedicated hiring success manager
Contractors: Yes, $29/contractor/month with misclassification protection
Pricing: $699 / employee / month, flat · verified 2026-07-22
G2: 4.4/5 (1447)

Strengths

Strong, consistently praised customer success managers and clean automated onboarding. Oyster is among the quickest routes to a first Malaysian payroll on this list.
Certified B-Corp with a flat published price of $699 per employee per month, no setup, onboarding, HR-expert-access or termination charges. A straightforward procurement yes for teams that screen on values. It holds SOC 2 Type II, though its ISO 27001 status is less clearly published.
Automated EPF, SOCSO and EIS filing as part of the standard service, with a large G2 review base of roughly 1,447 reviews giving third-party weight to the onboarding claims.
Contractor tooling at $29 per contractor per month, payments across 120+ currencies and country-specific IP agreements, so a mixed Malaysia contractor-and-employee workforce runs on one platform.

Watch-outs

Requires a refundable deposit to start an EOR engagement, with no amount published, and charges a currency-conversion fee on any currency mismatch, with no rate published.
White-glove HR advisory is billed separately at $300 an hour rather than included. There is no productised path from EOR to your own Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
Malaysia delivery runs through local partners, with no owned-versus-partner split published. Ask clearly where accountability sits on Employment Act edge cases or work pass renewals.

Source: oysterhr.com/pricing

Rippling

Best for: teams consolidating HR, IT and payroll onto one platform, where Malaysia EOR is part of a broader system migration rather than a standalone hiring decision.

Rippling is the alternative if you want to run HR, IT and payroll on one platform. Rippling publishes 600+ integrations on a single employee graph, so new Malaysia hires slot into the same workflow as every other employee in your company. That consolidation argument is where Rippling wins against every other provider on this list.

EOR is the newer part of the Rippling product and its country coverage is materially lower than the dedicated EOR providers. Rippling does not publish EOR pricing on its primary pages, adds a base HR-platform fee on top of the per-employee EOR charge, and advisory depth on Malaysian Employment Act, EPF edge cases and work pass requirements is lighter than providers that treat Malaysia as a core EOR market.

Get the all-in monthly number in writing before you compare: Rippling platform base plus EOR fee plus any per-employee module charges. If you are not consolidating your whole stack, the base fee buys capability you will not use. For a team with a Malaysia hire and no broader consolidation plans, a dedicated EOR is a cleaner fit.

Countries: 80 for EOR via owned subsidiaries and partners; Malaysia available
Entity model: Hybrid, owned subsidiaries plus partners; split not published
Onboarding: Fast, heavy self-serve; white-glove for enterprise accounts
Contractors: Yes, contractor payments and Contractor-of-Record product
Pricing: Not published on primary pages; about $499 on its own blog, plus an HR-platform base fee · verified 2026-07-22
G2: 4.8/5

Strengths

The most powerful unified HR, IT and payroll platform here. Rippling publishes 600+ integrations on one employee graph. It leads the platform column on this rubric, and holds one of the broadest certification sets in the category, including ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II.
New Malaysia hire setup, payroll and access provisioning live in one workflow with every other employee. Device and app provisioning is built in from day one.
Fast, heavily automated self-serve onboarding if you are standardising your whole people stack across APAC and beyond on a single system of record.
A distinct Global Payroll product and a live entity-versus-EOR cost calculator on the same platform, so the transition from EOR to your own Malaysia entity has tooling already built in.

Watch-outs

EOR is less mature than the core Rippling product. Country coverage is materially lower at around 80 countries against roughly 180 for the dedicated EOR providers.
Does not publish EOR pricing on primary pages; a blog figure of about $499 circulates, but a base HR-platform fee sits on top. Get the all-in number before you compare.
Built to replace your HR stack, which is more than a focused Malaysia hire needs. Advisory depth on Malaysian Employment Act and EPF edge cases is lighter than the specialist EOR providers.

Source: rippling.com

Papaya Global

Best for: enterprises running multi-country payroll at scale across APAC, where Malaysia is one of many markets and finance-grade payroll consolidation across 130+ currencies matters more than advisory agility.

Papaya Global is the payroll-at-scale choice for enterprises managing Malaysia alongside many other APAC and global markets. Its platform is payments infrastructure as much as HR software: reach across 180+ countries, 130+ payroll currencies, and a strong data backbone for finance teams consolidating multi-country payroll under one reporting layer. EPF, SOCSO and EIS filings for Malaysia slot into the same automated payroll engine.

That scale comes at enterprise price and complexity. The EOR base starts from $499 per employee per month, but most of the EOR footprint is partner-delivered, with Papaya owning only 40 full EOR entities against its 180+ country reach. An FX processing fee applies on MYR conversions, with no percentage published and country-variable margins supplied through your customer success manager. The wallet must be pre-funded with a buffer, which affects cash flow.

For a finance team consolidating Malaysia payroll alongside other APAC markets, the backbone is the draw: audit-ready filings across 130+ currencies in one reporting layer. Price the full stack, including any setup and year-end filing fees, before comparing with the flat-fee providers. Against the advisory providers, you trade speed and transparency for enterprise-grade payroll scale.

Countries: 180+ reach, owned full EOR entities in 40
Entity model: Hybrid, owned entities in 40 EOR countries, certified accounting-firm partners elsewhere
Onboarding: Weeks, enterprise-paced
Contractors: Yes, COR and AOR products with AI-plus-human classification
Pricing: From $499 / employee / month (EOR); FX processing fee not published · verified 2026-07-22
G2: 4.5/5 (55)

Strengths

A strong enterprise payroll and data backbone across 180+ countries and 130+ payroll currencies. Few providers consolidate multi-country APAC payroll data at this scale, including EPF, SOCSO and EIS alongside other jurisdictions.
Mature automation and reporting for finance teams running complex multi-country payroll, with audit trails built in rather than assembled at year-end.
A broad named-connector catalogue spanning Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, NetSuite, BambooHR and HiBob, so Malaysia slides into an existing enterprise HR and finance stack.
A deep certification set for procurement gates: ISO 27001, ISO 27701, SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II and GDPR, plus global legal teams across the US, Israel, Europe and Asia.

Watch-outs

Most of its EOR delivery in Malaysia is partner-led, with only 40 owned EOR entities across 180+ country reach. Edge cases and disputes route through a vetted accounting-firm partner.
An FX processing fee applies on MYR conversions with no percentage published and country-variable margins. The wallet must be pre-funded. The real cost is not clear until a sales conversation.
Built for Fortune-500 scale. Smaller fast-growing companies find the complexity and the price a poor trade for their Malaysia hire volume.

Source: papayaglobal.com/pricing

G-P (Globalization Partners)

Best for: large enterprises where a wide owned-entity footprint, a deep certification stack and analyst recognition matter more than published pricing or advisory speed in Malaysia.

G-P operates one of the widest owned-entity networks in the category, part of 180+ country coverage (its active owned entities number closer to 125), with 200+ global partners and a long enterprise track record. For a large enterprise running a significant Malaysia operation where governance and audit are the primary bar, G-P clears it more completely than most providers here, which is why it contests the Malaysian coverage column.

For a rapidly growing company, though, it is usually heavyweight. G-P does not publish EOR pricing on any of its own pages, only a demo request and a proposal button. Base-tier support leans on the G-P Assist AI assistant. A dedicated customer success manager, quarterly reviews and direct access to G-P's HR and legal teams are reserved for the higher EOR Prime tier. Buyers report a pre-funding model of roughly one to two months' salary, though G-P does not publish that.

The case for G-P in Malaysia is governance at scale: a deep certification stack, a large in-country legal team and the procurement posture large organisations require. Procurement, security and legal reviews tend to pass it quickly because it is built to be reviewed. Against the advisory providers, you trade speed, agility and published pricing for enterprise breadth and analyst recognition.

Countries: 180+ country coverage, active owned entities closer to 125 plus 200+ partners
Entity model: Owned-entity led, one of the widest footprints in the category; no clean owned-only split published for Malaysia
Onboarding: Enterprise governance pace; AI-led base support
Contractors: Yes, self-serve contractor product at $39/contractor/month
Pricing: Quote-only; no per-employee EOR price published · verified 2026-07-22
G2: 4.4/5 (1028)

Strengths

Genuine enterprise-grade scale: 180+ country coverage, active owned entities closer to 125 and 200+ global partners across a long track record.
One of the deepest compliance and security certification stacks here: ISO 27001, 27017, 27018 and 42001, plus SOC 2 Type II, available on a self-serve trust portal.
A large in-country HR, legal and compliance team and strong analyst recognition, a trust signal for enterprise procurement processes in Malaysia and globally.
A transparent, genuinely self-serve contractor product at $39 per contractor per month, with Wise-powered payments and AI misclassification checks in 40+ countries.

Watch-outs

Publishes no EOR per-employee price on any of its own pages, only a demo request and a proposal button. A like-for-like comparison takes a sales conversation.
Base-tier support leans on the G-P Assist AI assistant. A dedicated customer success manager, quarterly reviews and direct HR and legal access are reserved for the higher EOR Prime tier.
Buyers report a pre-funding model of roughly one to two months' salary, though G-P does not disclose deposit or pre-funding terms publicly.

Source: globalization-partners.com

Pebl (formerly Velocity Global)

Best for: companies that want broad APAC reach and a simple flat headline for their Malaysia hire, and are comfortable with an AI-first support model.

Velocity Global rebranded to Pebl in September 2025 and repositioned as an AI-first global hiring platform. It carries reach across 185+ countries, owned entities in 65 of them, and a centralised Global Work Platform with a broad integration catalogue. For a company hiring in Malaysia and multiple other APAC markets simultaneously, the broad footprint and single platform simplify the vendor count.

On its own pricing page it now publishes a flat $399 per employee per month, branded its lowest standard pricing ever, with no FX terms published. Most of its reach is partner-served, 65 owned entities against 185+ country footprint, so Malaysia delivery runs through an in-country partner. Buyers and reviewers report an undisclosed FX spread and a refundable security deposit, though neither appears on the company pages, so we frame them as reports rather than published terms.

Day-to-day support is AI-first through the Alfie assistant, which routes complex questions to a human specialist when expertise is needed. The customer experience is still settling after the September 2025 rebrand. Against the advisory providers, you trade a settled relationship model and deeper Malaysian employment-law advisory for a low flat headline and a broad APAC footprint.

Countries: 185+ reach, owned entities in 65
Entity model: Owned entities in 65 markets, in-country partners for the rest; Malaysia via local partner
Onboarding: AI-led, onboarding in as little as 24 hours
Contractors: Yes, 180+ countries (no price published)
Pricing: $399 / employee / month, flat (FX terms not published) · verified 2026-07-22
G2: 4.6/5

Strengths

One of the widest published footprints in the category, 185+ countries, with owned entities in 65. Malaysia coverage sits within that broad APAC and global reach.
A simple flat headline of $399 per employee per month on its own pricing page, the lowest published standard rate on this list.
A broad platform and integration ecosystem across HRIS and finance tools, with the Alfie AI assistant routing complex cases to a human specialist and a full contractor and global-equity offering running alongside EOR.
Enterprise-grade compliance posture: ISO 27001:2022, SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR, plus an in-house legal team backed by Baker McKenzie.

Watch-outs

Publishes no FX terms and no contractor price. Buyers and reviewers report an undisclosed FX spread and a refundable security deposit not shown on the company pages.
Malaysia delivery is through a local partner, not an owned entity, so ask directly about the accountability chain for Employment Act and EPF edge cases.
Day-to-day support is AI-first through the Alfie assistant, and the customer experience is still settling after the September 2025 rebrand to Pebl.

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
EPF, SOCSO and EIS compliance	Ask whether the provider has real HR and legal experts with Malaysian employment-law credentials who handle EPF disputes, SOCSO queries and Employment Act edge cases, or whether those go to a generalist ticket queue.	EPF adds 12 to 13% employer cost on monthly wages depending on salary level, SOCSO adds 1.75% on the first RM4,000 of wages, and EIS adds a further 0.4% on the same capped base. Know the full statutory cost split before you hire, and ask any EOR for the itemised breakdown per hire type.	You want a direct line to a real Malaysian employment expert when an EPF dispute arises or an Employment Act query comes in on a tight timeline. A generalist queue cannot move fast enough on a statutory deadline.	An owned Malaysian entity means one data-processing chain under Malaysia's Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA). A local partner adds a sub-processor that needs its own review.
FX on Malaysian salaries	Ask for the FX policy in writing. MYR salaries billed from a USD, GBP or EUR ledger make the FX spread material at any salary level above the national minimum wage.	On an MYR 180,000 gross annual salary (about USD 40,000), a 2% undisclosed FX spread is roughly MYR 3,600 per year per employee. At five employees in Malaysia that is MYR 18,000 of invisible cost per year. Teamed absorbs FX at zero markup and shows the rate against mid-market on every invoice.	An itemised FX line avoids salary-reconciliation surprises at Malaysia year-end and makes the cost of each hire forecastable from month one.	A timestamped rate against a public reference is an auditable record for LHDN payroll tax purposes.
Path to your own Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.	Ask when EOR stops being the right model. The crossover in Malaysia is typically around 10 to 15 full-time employees, at which point a Sdn. Bhd. often saves more than EOR costs, especially with Malaysia entity costs among the lower ones in ASEAN.	An EOR that models the crossover and helps you set up the Sdn. Bhd. keeps you from overpaying EOR fees past the breakeven month. The SSM registration process in Malaysia is relatively straightforward and can be completed in a few business days.	A managed transition via Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) avoids re-onboarding employees onto a new contract at entity setup, which matters when your Malaysia team is already productive and mid-project.	Your own Sdn. Bhd. gives you full control over data residency and employment contracts in Malaysia under the PDPA.

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.
Choose on the service model and employment intelligence if ongoing human expertise matters more than platform breadth or price. Teamed leads this column: direct access to real HR and legal experts with Malaysian Employment Act, EPF and SOCSO credentials, with the Ted layer flagging statutory changes and the crossover point early. Teamed is rated 4.8 on G2.
Choose on pricing transparency if a salary invoice you can read matters. Teamed and Remote lead here with published, itemised terms; Teamed absorbs FX at zero markup against the mid-market reference, while Remote discloses a variable spread. Deel publishes a starting rate but not its FX terms, and the quote-led providers (G-P, Papaya, Rippling, Pebl) sit lower.
Choose on Malaysian coverage and compliance if EPF, SOCSO, Employment Act and Employment Pass depth is the priority. Teamed contests this column with G-P: Teamed through real Malaysian employment-law experts plus DLA Piper as global counsel, G-P through one of the widest owned-entity footprints in the category. Remote and Pebl also bring strong in-country coverage.
Choose on the path to your own Sdn. Bhd. if you plan to incorporate. Teamed leads this column, with the crossover modelled proactively and Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) for entity setup.
Choose on security and certifications if your procurement review needs ISO 27001 or SOC 2 in hand today. Deel, Remote, Rippling, G-P, Papaya and Pebl hold current certifications. Teamed is ISO 27001 and SOC 2 aligned with accreditation in progress, so it concedes this column for now.
Choose Deel if platform breadth, one of the broadest native integration catalogues in the category and the largest brand matter most for your Malaysia hire.
Choose Remote if you want a polished self-serve product, solid Malaysia coverage and a disclosed FX rate, with annual billing acceptable.
Choose Oyster if fast, automated onboarding and a dedicated customer success manager matter more than Malaysian employment-law advisory depth.
Choose Rippling if you want HR, IT and payroll on one platform across Malaysia and every other market you operate in, and EOR is part of a broader stack consolidation.
Choose Papaya Global if enterprise payroll automation across Malaysia and multiple other APAC markets is the priority and per-location fees are acceptable.
Choose G-P if you are a large enterprise where owned-entity governance, a deep certification stack and analyst recognition in Malaysia matter more than speed, price or agility.
Choose Pebl (formerly Velocity Global) if you want the lowest flat headline and broad APAC reach, and are comfortable with an AI-first support model and a partner-delivered Malaysia chain.
Ask every provider one question before you sign: do real HR and legal experts with Malaysian Employment Act and EPF credentials handle a termination dispute or an EPF query, or does it go to a generalist ticket queue?

Email this to legal

Honest take

When another provider here is the better choice.

Choose Deel if platform breadth, the broad native integration catalogue and the largest brand outweigh seeing the FX on your Malaysia salary invoice.
Choose Remote if a polished self-serve product and a disclosed FX rate matter most, and annual billing is acceptable.
Choose Rippling if you want your whole HR, IT and payroll stack on one platform across Malaysia and every other market you operate in.
Choose G-P or Papaya Global if you are an enterprise where owned-entity breadth or payroll-at-scale matters more than speed or advisory agility.
Choose Oyster or Pebl (formerly Velocity Global) if fast onboarding or broad APAC reach is the deciding factor and you have confirmed the FX and deposit terms.
Choose a certified provider such as Deel, Remote, Rippling, G-P, Papaya or Pebl if your procurement review needs ISO 27001 or SOC 2 in hand today.

Teamed leads the service model and employment intelligence and the path to your own Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., and contests Malaysian coverage and pricing transparency. It concedes the platform column to Deel and Rippling and security to the certified providers. A buyer with different priorities should pick differently. We'd rather lose the deal than mismatch the engagement.

Frequently asked questions

Which EOR is best for hiring in Malaysia in 2026?
It depends on your priority. Teamed leads on the service model and employment intelligence, with real HR and legal experts handling EPF, SOCSO and Employment Act questions directly, and on the path to your own Sdn. Bhd. It contests pricing transparency with Remote (FX absorbed at zero markup, shown against mid-market) and Malaysian coverage with G-P, which holds one of the widest owned-entity footprints in the category. Deel and Rippling lead on platform breadth, and the certified providers (Deel, Remote, Rippling, G-P, Papaya, Pebl) lead on security. The most useful question: can you reach a real HR or legal expert with Malaysian employment-law credentials when you need one, and can you see the FX on your Malaysia salary invoice?
What is EPF and how does it affect EOR hiring in Malaysia?
The Employees Provident Fund (EPF, or KWSP) is Malaysia's national retirement savings scheme. Employer contributions are 13% of monthly wages for employees earning RM5,000 or below per month, and 12% for those earning above that threshold. Employees contribute 11%. EPF applies to Malaysian citizens and permanent residents; foreign employees on Employment Passes are exempt but may opt in voluntarily. If you hire a Malaysian citizen or PR through an EOR, the EOR handles EPF registration, filing and remittance as part of the service. Ask your EOR to break out the full statutory cost per hire type before you compare against a headline monthly fee.
What changed in the Malaysia Employment Act in 2022?
The Employment Act 1955 was significantly amended in 2022. The most important change for EOR hiring: the Act now covers all employees in Malaysia regardless of salary level. Before the amendment, the core protections applied mainly to employees earning up to RM2,000 per month. Now every Malaysian hire through an EOR is covered by the full Act, including minimum annual leave provisions (8 days rising to 16 days by years of service), sick leave (14 to 22 days), statutory public holidays and overtime requirements. The 2022 amendment also introduced flexible working arrangement provisions. Any EOR operating in Malaysia must have applied these changes to every active contract since the amendment came into force.
What does an EOR really cost when hiring in Malaysia?
The real cost has three layers. First, the headline EOR fee: $399 to $699 per employee per month for most providers here, higher for the enterprise-tier providers. Second, Malaysia statutory contributions for citizen and PR hires: EPF at 12 to 13% of wages, SOCSO at 1.75% capped at RM4,000 of wages, and EIS at 0.4% also capped at RM4,000. All are passed through at cost by every provider. Third, FX on the salary conversion if you bill MYR salaries from a different currency: providers that do not disclose their FX rate add an undisclosed FX margin, typically in the 1.5 to 3% industry range, invisibly. Teamed absorbs FX at zero markup and shows the rate against mid-market.
When does it make sense to set up my own Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. instead of using an EOR?
The crossover point is typically around 10 to 15 full-time employees in Malaysia, where the fixed cost of running a Sdn. Bhd. (company secretary, registered office, SSM annual return and any required audits) becomes lower than the cumulative EOR per-seat fee. Malaysia has one of the more straightforward entity setup processes in ASEAN: a Sdn. Bhd. can be incorporated in a few business days through SSM (Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia, the Companies Commission of Malaysia). The calculation depends on your salary levels, your EOR fee, and whether you need a Malaysian trading presence, bank account or MSC Malaysia status for a technology operation. Teamed models this crossover explicitly and flags the month your own Sdn. Bhd. beats EOR. Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) can set up the entity and run the ongoing employment operations on the same system with no re-onboarding.
How current is this comparison, and how was it scored?
Provider pricing and coverage were verified on 18 June 2026 against each provider's own pricing page. Malaysia statutory compliance facts reference kwsp.gov.my, perkeso.gov.my and mohr.gov.my, verified 18 June 2026. Security reflects each provider's current published ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II status, re-checked 22 July 2026. G2 ratings came from g2.com on 17 June 2026. Each of the eight providers is scored 1 to 5 on six Malaysia-focused axes with no weighted total and no overall winner. We review the page quarterly and re-verify pricing monthly.

Common questions

Which EOR handles Malaysia EPF and Employment Act compliance best?
Teamed leads on service model and employment intelligence: real HR and legal experts handle EPF disputes, Employment Act edge cases and work pass renewals directly, backed by DLA Piper, no AI bot wall, no support tier. It contests Malaysian coverage with G-P. Remote covers Malaysia with a polished product and disclosed FX. Oyster, Papaya, Rippling, Deel and Pebl serve Malaysia but are lighter on employment-law advisory depth.
What is the real cost of hiring in Malaysia through an EOR?
Three layers: EOR fee ($399 to $699 for most, higher for the enterprise tier), Malaysia statutory contributions for citizen and PR hires (EPF at 12 to 13%, SOCSO at 1.75% capped at RM4,000, EIS at 0.4% capped at RM4,000, all passed at cost), and FX on MYR salary conversions (an undisclosed FX margin, typically in the 1.5 to 3% industry range, for providers that don't disclose). Teamed absorbs FX at zero markup. Ask for the all-in cost per hire type before comparing.

For the buying committee

Share with your team

Send this page to legal, finance, or HR for review. They will see the same statutory data and source citations you did.

The honest path

Want this scored for your countries?

Tell us your headcount and where you're hiring. A real HR or legal expert sends back a quote and a like-for-like breakdown. No demo, no deck.

Talk to an expert

Harry, sales specialist at Teamed — Harry · Sales

Mollie, sales specialist at Teamed — Mollie · Sales