An employer of record (EOR) in Spain costs three things added together: the provider's monthly fee per employee, the Spanish employer cost of the hire, and a few extras. In November 2026 the published EOR fees start between $399 and $699 per employee per month, depending on the provider. On top of that, the employer pays Spanish Social Security of 30.65% of gross salary in 2026, plus a workplace-accident premium. The extras are mainly a refundable deposit at some providers, currency conversion and, if the employment ends, the severance set by Spanish law.
This guide covers hiring employees who live and work in Spain.
What an employer of record costs in Spain
The cost of an employer of record in Spain is the sum of three layers. The first is the EOR fee, a fixed monthly amount per employee that pays the provider for employing the person on its Spanish payroll. The second is the Spanish employer cost: the gross salary plus employer Social Security, which the client company funds through the EOR every month. The third is the extras: deposits, currency conversion and, if the employment ends, severance.
The EOR fee is the only layer that changes from one provider to another: salary and Social Security are set by the contract and by Spanish law.
An EOR is a company that employs the worker in Spain on your behalf while you direct the day-to-day work. Whether an EOR, your own entity or a contractor suits you best is covered in the guide to hiring in Spain without an entity, and how an EOR differs from a Spanish temporary work agency (ETT) is explained in EOR vs ETT in Spain.
EOR providers for Spain compared (2026)
The six EOR providers below publish a starting price for their employer of record service, ranging from $399 to $699 per employee per month on 2 November 2026. These are "starting at" prices published for the service as a whole, so the quote for a specific hire in Spain can be different.
| EOR provider | Published EOR fee (from) | Deposit, as published | Setup or onboarding fees, as published | Contract terms, as published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playroll | $399 per employee per month | Refundable security deposit equal to 1 month's salary | No onboarding or offboarding fees | No minimum commitments |
| Papaya Global | $499 per employee per month | Not stated on the pricing page | Not stated on the pricing page | Not stated on the pricing page |
| Deel | $599 per employee per month (Spain page) | Not stated on the pricing page | "No hidden fees"; costs included in the quoted price | Not stated on the pricing page |
| G-P | $599 per employee per month | Not stated on the pricing page | Not stated on the pricing page | Not stated on the pricing page |
| Remote | $599 per employee per month | No standard deposit; a refundable reserve may apply | No setup or onboarding fees | Starting price is for annual contracts |
| Oyster | $699 per employee per month | Refundable deposit required | No extra charge for setup, onboarding or terminations | Annual seat-based billing available at a reduced fee |
Sources: each provider's own pricing page, checked on 2 November 2026, and Deel's page on hiring employees in Spain. The table is ordered by published starting price, from lowest to highest.
Deel is the employer-of-record partner of Kulturo, a Barcelona tech recruitment agency with clients in more than 8 countries. Kulturo runs the search for the engineer and, when the client has no Spanish entity, employs the hire through Deel. Kulturo is not the EOR: the formal employer is Deel.
What the monthly EOR fee covers in Spain
The monthly EOR fee in Spain pays for the employment itself: the Spanish employment contract, monthly payroll, income tax (IRPF) withholding and the Social Security filings. It does not pay the salary or the contributions, which are billed on top.
Playroll says its fee for Spain covers contract drafting in Spanish, monthly payroll processing, IRPF and Social Security filings, registrations with the Seguridad Social and the Agencia Tributaria, statutory leave administration and support for terminations. Oyster says setup, onboarding, access to HR experts and processing terminations are included in its subscription fee. Deel says local compliance, payroll and benefits administration are included in the quoted price.
When you compare quotes, ask each EOR provider for this same list in writing.
Employer social security you pay through an EOR in 2026
Employer Social Security in Spain is 30.65% of gross salary in 2026 for an employee on a permanent contract, before the workplace-accident premium. That total adds up the employer rates for common contingencies, unemployment, the wage guarantee fund (FOGASA), vocational training and the intergenerational equity mechanism (MEI), as published by the Spanish Social Security for 2026.
Three points shape the final number:
- The maximum contribution base caps the cost. In 2026 the maximum base is €5,101.20 a month, according to the Spanish Social Security. Contributions stop growing once the monthly salary base passes that figure.
- Salaries above the cap pay a solidarity contribution. Article 19 bis of Spain's General Social Security Law adds an extra contribution on the part of the salary above the maximum base, split between employer and employee in the same proportion as common contingencies.
- The accident premium depends on the activity. The workplace-accident and occupational-disease premium is paid only by the employer, at the rate set for the activity in Spain's official premium table.
The full rate-by-rate breakdown and the cost by seniority are in the guide to what a software engineer costs an employer in Spain.
Total cost of a senior engineer through an EOR in Spain
A senior engineer on €60,000 gross a year costs about €78,390 a year in salary and employer Social Security through an EOR in Spain, plus the accident premium and the EOR fee. At a $599 monthly fee, the fee adds $7,188 a year.
The example uses a salary inside the band Kulturo sees in its recent placements: a senior developer with five or more years of experience, B2 English or better and two or three office days a week usually earns €50,000–70,000 gross a year in Madrid or Barcelona, and €45,000–60,000 in other Spanish cities, according to Kulturo.
| Cost line | Per year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | €60,000 | Example inside Kulturo's senior band |
| Employer Social Security (30.65%) | €18,390 | Spanish Social Security rates for 2026 |
| EOR fee at $599 a month | $7,188 | Deel, Remote and G-P published starting price |
| Workplace-accident premium | Rate for the activity | Spain's official premium table |
A gross salary of €60,000 equals €5,000 a month over twelve months, below the €5,101.20 maximum base, so the full 30.65% applies.
What an EOR price in Spain includes, and what it does not
An EOR price in Spain includes the provider fee and, billed with it, the salary and contributions. What it may not include are the deposit, currency conversion and the cost of ending the employment. All three are predictable if you ask for them before signing.
Deposits and reserves
Some EOR providers ask for money up front to cover the first payrolls. Playroll requires a fully refundable security deposit equal to one month's salary, and Oyster requires a refundable deposit for EOR team members. Remote says it charges no standard deposit, although a refundable reserve payment may apply in certain circumstances.
Currency conversion
An EOR provider pays the employee in euros, so a company billed in dollars carries an exchange-rate cost. Remote sets one exchange rate for each monthly billing cycle, and Oyster charges a conversion fee only when the client pays in a currency different from the contract currency. Ask each provider which rate it uses and when it is fixed.
Severance if the employment ends
Severance in Spain follows fixed rules you can budget for before you hire. Under Spain's Workers' Statute, a dismissal for objective reasons pays 20 days of salary per year of service, up to 12 months' pay, with 15 days' notice. A dismissal declared unfair pays 33 days per year of service, up to 24 months' pay. The severance calculator works out the amount for a given salary and length of service.
EOR contract terms in Spain: annual commitments and minimums
EOR contract terms differ more than the headline prices. Remote's $599 starting price applies to annual contracts. Oyster sells annual EOR seats at a reduced fee, and a seat left empty can be reused for a new hire or a backfill. Playroll states that it has no minimum commitments and no minimum number of employees.
For a first hire, the useful question is how long you commit to paying the fee: an annual contract can lower the monthly price, and a monthly one ties it to the months the engineer is actually employed.
How to choose an EOR provider for Spain
Choosing an EOR provider for Spain comes down to the total cost of the hire over the time you will use the service, not the headline monthly fee. These steps make the quotes comparable:
- Ask for a Spain quote for the actual salary. The published "starting at" price is a floor; the quote for the role is what you will pay.
- Get the scope in writing. Check that contracts, payroll, IRPF and Social Security filings, leave administration and terminations are all in the fee.
- Ask about the deposit. Note whether a deposit or reserve applies, how much it is and when it is returned.
- Compare contract terms. Weigh an annual commitment against a monthly one for the time you expect to use the EOR.
- Check the currency. Ask in which currency you are billed and how the exchange rate is set.
- Check work permits if the hire is from outside the EU. A non-EU engineer needs a Spanish work authorisation, such as the highly qualified professional permit, before starting.
Once the team grows, opening your own Spanish entity can cost less than an EOR; the guide to hiring without an entity explains when.