Kontrable vs Emerald Technology: Contractor management alternative to EOR services

Emerald Technology is built for companies hiring full-time remote employees with comprehensive EOR services: payroll processing, employment management, compliant contracts, and global payments across 150+ countries. Kontrable is a contractor management alternative for teams managing independent contractors who handle their own taxes and already have payment accounts.

These are fundamentally different services. Understanding which one you actually need determines whether you're hiring employees or managing contractors.

The core difference

Emerald Technology is an Employer of Record platform. When you use Emerald Technology, they become the legal employer. They handle comprehensive payroll processing, employment management, compliant contract generation, and global payments for your full-time remote employees across 150+ countries. Your money flows through Emerald Technology. They manage the entire employment relationship.

Kontrable is a contractor management platform and alternative to EOR systems for teams working with freelancers. You manage contractors directly. You pay them through your own payment methods—Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, or direct bank transfers. Kontrable organizes contracts, tracks milestones, stores documents, and creates audit trails. Your contractors handle their own taxes.

These solve completely different problems. Emerald Technology is for hiring employees. Kontrable is for managing contractors.

When you need Emerald Technology

You need Emerald Technology if:

• You're hiring full-time remote employees (not contractors)
• You want Emerald Technology to be the legal employer and handle all employment compliance
• You want integrated payroll processing and global employment management
• You need compliant contract generation across 150+ countries
• You're hiring globally and want centralized employment services
• You want someone else to bear the risk of employment law compliance
• You're building a traditional employee base, even if remote

Cost: £500-750/month per employee.

Example: 5 employees on Emerald Technology = £2,500-3,750/month minimum.

When Kontrable works better as a contractor management alternative

You're better served by Kontrable if:

• You're working with independent contractors (not employees)
• Your contractors already have their own payment accounts and payment methods
• Your contractors handle their own taxes in their jurisdiction
• You want to pay contractors directly and maintain full control
• You need simple, organized contractor record-keeping
• You want to avoid per-person monthly fees
• You're looking for a contractor management alternative to EOR platforms
• You want flexibility in payment methods—Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, or direct bank transfers

Cost: Starting at $49/month for up to 10 contractors. $99/month for up to 25 contractors.

The financial reality

Emerald Technology cost for 5 employees: £2,500-3,750/month (£500-750 × 5). This is for actual full-time employees with comprehensive payroll, employment management, and global compliance.

Your money flow: You → Emerald Technology → Employee (processing delay + compliance overhead).

Kontrable cost for 5 contractors: $49/month (or $99/month for up to 25). Flat rate.

Your money flow: You → Contractor directly via Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, or bank transfer (no middleman).

The financial difference is enormous. But it's important to understand why: Emerald Technology provides comprehensive employee management across 150+ countries. Kontrable provides contractor management. They're not the same service.

The fundamental distinction

This isn't a pricing comparison. It's a category difference.

Emerald Technology manages employees. You hire someone as a full-time employee. Emerald Technology becomes their legal employer. They get benefits, payroll, employment compliance, and legal protection. Emerald Technology charges £500-750/month because they're bearing significant legal and compliance responsibility across 150+ countries.

Kontrable manages contractors. You work with independent contractors. They manage their own taxes and benefits. You organize the relationship, track milestones, and maintain records. Kontrable is a contractor management alternative that costs $49-99/month because you're managing the relationship directly, not outsourcing employment.

You don't choose between Emerald Technology and Kontrable based on price. You choose based on whether you're hiring employees or working with contractors.

What Kontrable actually does

Contractor database: Store contractor information, payment details, business information, and preferred payment methods in one organized place instead of scattered emails and spreadsheets.

Contract and document management: Upload and organize contracts, statements of work, and compliance documents. AI-assisted contract generation (reviewed by your legal counsel before use). Track signature status and document versions.

Project and milestone tracking: Create projects with specific milestones, deliverables, and payment amounts. Track progress and what's pending. Know exactly what needs to be delivered.

Payment management: Approve payments, record transaction IDs and proofs from any payment method (Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, or bank transfer), track contractor confirmations. Complete audit trail showing approval flow and payment history.

Compliance organization: Centralize tax forms (W-9, W-8BEN), contractor status documentation, and other records needed for audits and compliance.

Alerts and notifications: Get reminded of approaching deadlines, pending approvals, and contractor confirmations. Stay on top without manual tracking.

Monthly reporting: Export contractor lists, payment records, and status summaries for finance and operations.

Kontrable as a contractor management alternative

If you're evaluating contractor management alternatives to traditional EOR platforms, Kontrable offers:

• Direct control: You maintain contractor relationships. Your money stays with you until payment.
• Flexible payment methods: Pay via Wise for low-cost international transfers (0.35-1% FX), PayPal for quick processing, Payoneer for mass payouts, or direct bank transfers for simplicity and auditability.
• Predictable pricing: $49/month for up to 10 contractors, $99/month for up to 25. No scaling with headcount.
• Simplified operations: Focus on contractor relationship management and milestone tracking, not employment compliance.
• Global support: Manage contractors worldwide with multi-currency support and flexible payment options.

Kontrable is purpose-built for contractor management—not as a stripped-down EOR alternative, but as a dedicated platform for freelancer operations.

Payment flexibility with Kontrable

Unlike EOR platforms that funnel payments through their systems, Kontrable lets you pay through your preferred method:

Wise transfers: Low foreign exchange fees (0.35-1%), fast delivery (1-3 days), strong coverage globally. Best for cost-efficient international payments.

PayPal: Instant wallet delivery, ubiquitous, higher fees. Best for contractors who prefer PayPal.

Payoneer: Mass payout support, popular in emerging markets, 2-5 day delivery. Best for large contractor bases.

Bank transfers (ACH/SEPA/wire): Direct to contractor bank accounts, universal, auditable, fully traceable. Best for formal relationships and large payments.

You choose the method that works best for each contractor. No single platform controlling your entire payment flow. This flexibility also means lower overall costs—you're not paying per-contractor processing fees.

Who this is for

Small agencies, remote-first startups, and growing teams working with 3-25 independent contractors who:

• Already use flexible payment methods (Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, or bank transfers)
• Have contractors managing their own taxes (as they should)
• Want transparent, predictable pricing for contractor management
• Need organized record-keeping without EOR complexity
• Value direct control over contractor relationships and payments
• Are actively looking for a contractor management alternative to EOR platforms

Who needs Emerald Technology instead

Organizations that:

• Are hiring full-time remote employees (not contractors)
• Want comprehensive employment management across 150+ countries
• Need integrated payroll, employment management, and compliance
• Want a vendor bearing employment compliance responsibility globally
• Are building a traditional employee base

The honest distinction

Emerald Technology is expensive compared to Kontrable because they're solving a completely different problem. Emerald Technology manages employment relationships across 150+ countries. They're legally responsible for payroll, employment compliance, and global payments. That complexity costs £500-750/month per employee.

Kontrable manages contractor relationships. You're responsible for the relationship. It costs $49-99/month regardless of contractor count.

The price difference reflects the service difference. Emerald Technology is an employment service provider. Kontrable is a contractor management platform. They're solving fundamentally different problems.

What you give up with Kontrable

Kontrable doesn't handle employment compliance, payroll processing, or global employment management. This is fine if you're working with contractors—contractors handle all of that themselves.

But if you're hiring employees, Kontrable doesn't solve your problem. You need an employment solution like Emerald Technology.

What you give up with Emerald Technology

Emerald Technology is built for employees. If you're working with contractors, you're paying for employee management infrastructure you don't need. Emerald Technology charges £500-750/month because they're taking on significant global employment compliance responsibility. Contractors don't need that service.

Choosing a contractor management alternative

When evaluating contractor management alternatives to EOR platforms, consider:

What are you actually doing? Managing contractors or hiring employees? If contractors, Kontrable is simpler and much cheaper than EOR platforms.

How many contractors? If 10 or fewer, Kontrable's $49/month tier is significantly cheaper. If 25, the $99/month plan still provides enormous savings.

Do your contractors handle their own setup? Independent contractors should already have payment accounts, payment methods, and tax systems in their country. If they do, you don't need EOR services.

What's your payment flexibility need? EOR platforms control the payment flow. Kontrable lets you choose payment methods based on what works best for each contractor.

Are you hiring globally or managing contractors globally? Emerald Technology excels at hiring employees across 150+ countries. Kontrable excels at organizing contractor relationships globally without the employment complexity.

The choice

Choose Emerald Technology if: You're hiring full-time remote employees and want comprehensive global employment management with payroll, compliance, and centralized administration across 150+ countries.

Choose Kontrable if: You're managing independent contractors and need a contractor management alternative with transparent pricing, flexible payment methods, and direct control. You want to organize contractor relationships without employment complexity.

These aren't competitors. Emerald Technology is an employment service provider. Kontrable is a contractor management platform. They serve different purposes.

Get started

If you're managing independent contractors and need a contractor management alternative with transparent pricing, flexible payment methods, and direct control, Kontrable is built for you.

Kontrable works as a better alternative to EOR platforms when your actual need is contractor management—not employee hiring. Keep it simple. Use the right tool for the job.

Start organizing your contractor relationships today.