Kontrable vs RemoFirst: Contractor management for small teams

RemoFirst is built for companies that want both contractor and employee management in one platform: free basic contractor management with optional Premium features, plus employee of record services for full-time remote hires. Kontrable is built for teams managing independent contractors who handle their own taxes and already have payment accounts set up.

These serve different needs. Understanding which one fits your situation determines whether you need flexible contractor plus employee management, or simple contractor-only organization.

The core difference

RemoFirst is a hybrid platform offering both contractor and employee management. They provide a free tier for basic contractor management, with paid Premium plans ($25/month per contractor) for automated payments and advanced features. They also offer employee of record services ($199+/month per employee) for full-time remote hires.

Kontrable is a contractor-focused management platform. You manage contractors directly. You pay them through your own Wise, PayPal, or Payoneer account. Kontrable organizes contracts, tracks milestones, stores documents, and creates audit trails. Your contractors handle their own taxes.

These solve different problems. RemoFirst tries to do everything. Kontrable focuses on contractors.

When you need RemoFirst

You need RemoFirst if:

• You want one platform for both contractors and employees
• You want automated payment processing across 150+ countries
• You want to potentially upgrade contractors to employees later
• You prefer having everything integrated in a single vendor
• You want their free tier to get started with no upfront cost
• You're considering both contractor and employee hiring

Cost: Free basic tier. $25/month per contractor for Premium. $199+/month per employee for EOR.

Example: 10 contractors at $25/month = $250/month.

When Kontrable works better

You're better served by Kontrable if:

• You're managing independent contractors (not hiring employees)
• Your contractors already have their own payment accounts
• Your contractors handle their own taxes
• You want to pay contractors directly and maintain full control
• You need simple, organized contractor record-keeping
• You want flat pricing regardless of contractor count
• You don't need employee of record services

Cost: $99/month for up to 25 contractors. Flat rate. No per-contractor charges.

The financial reality

RemoFirst cost for 10 contractors: $0 (free tier) to $250/month (Premium tier at $25 × 10).

Your money flow: You → RemoFirst → Contractor (processing delay with Premium).

Kontrable cost for 10 contractors: $99/month. Flat rate.

Your money flow: You → Contractor directly via Wise/PayPal/Payoneer (no middleman).

Financial comparison:

• 5 contractors: RemoFirst Free $0 vs Kontrable $99/month (Kontrable costs more if you use free tier)
• 10 contractors: RemoFirst Premium $250/month vs Kontrable $99/month = $151/month savings
• 25 contractors: RemoFirst Premium $625/month vs Kontrable $99/month = $526/month savings

If you use RemoFirst's free tier, it's cheaper. If you need Premium features (automated payments, one-click invoicing), Kontrable becomes significantly cheaper as your contractor count grows.

The real tradeoff

RemoFirst's advantage: Free tier gets you started with no upfront cost. Premium features add automation for payments and invoicing. One platform handles both contractors and future employees if you scale. Good for teams unsure if they'll hire employees later.

RemoFirst's cost: Per-contractor monthly fees if you go Premium. Automated payment processing adds delays and fees. You depend on their platform for payments.

Kontrable's advantage: Flat pricing regardless of contractor count. You maintain direct control of money and contractor relationships. You use payment tools you already have. No per-contractor fees. Simple, predictable costs.

Kontrable's cost: You use free tier if you want to start cheap, but you lose organized tracking. Premium features require a dedicated platform. You manage some administrative work yourself (initiating payments, organizing documents). But if your contractors are independent, this is mostly just record-keeping.

What Kontrable actually does

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

Contract and document management: Upload and organize contracts, statements of work, and compliance documents. Track signature status.

Project and milestone tracking: Create projects with specific milestones, deliverables, and payment amounts. Track progress and pending items.

Payment management: Approve payments, record transaction IDs and proofs, track contractor confirmations. Complete audit trail.

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

Alerts and notifications: Get reminded of approaching deadlines, pending approvals, and contractor confirmations.

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

Who this is for

Small agencies, remote-first startups, and growing teams working with 2-15 independent contractors who:

• Already use Wise, PayPal, or Payoneer for payments
• Have contractors managing their own taxes (as independent contractors should)
• Want organized contractor management without per-contractor fees
• Need milestone tracking and audit trails
• Value direct control over money and contractor relationships
• Don't plan to hire employees in the near term

Who needs RemoFirst instead

Teams that:

• Want to start with a free tier for basic contractor management
• Plan to potentially hire employees later and want one platform for both
• Want automated international payment processing integrated into the platform
• Prefer having all hiring (contractors and employees) in a single vendor
• Are willing to pay per-contractor fees for integrated automation
• Want simplicity and integration over direct control

The honest assessment

RemoFirst is smart for teams that might hire employees later. Their free tier costs nothing to start. If you need Premium features (automated payments, invoice automation), their pricing becomes competitive with Kontrable for small teams.

But RemoFirst's advantage disappears as your contractor count grows. At 10 contractors, RemoFirst Premium costs $250/month vs Kontrable's $99/month. At 25, it's $625/month vs $99/month.

RemoFirst makes sense if:

• You want to start free
• You might hire employees later
• You want integrated automation

Kontrable makes sense if:

• You're managing contractors long-term
• You want flat pricing regardless of contractor count
• You want direct control and simple record-keeping

Neither is universally better. It depends on your growth plans and preference for automation vs control.

What you give up with Kontrable

Kontrable doesn't automate international payments. You initiate payments yourself through Wise/PayPal/Payoneer. This means:

• You're responsible for payment execution
• You don't have integrated payment processing
• You manage the payment flow directly

If you want fully automated payments across 150+ countries without lifting a finger, RemoFirst's automation is valuable.

What you give up with RemoFirst

RemoFirst Premium costs per contractor. As your team grows:

• Your monthly costs scale linearly with contractor count
• Money flows through them first (processing delays)
• You depend on their platform for payment automation
• You lose the simplicity of flat pricing

If cost predictability and direct control matter to you, Kontrable's flat pricing is better.

The choice

Choose RemoFirst if: You want to start free, might hire employees later, and want integrated automated payment processing. You're comfortable with per-contractor monthly fees.

Choose Kontrable if: You're managing contractors long-term, want flat pricing regardless of team size, and prefer direct control over automation. Cost predictability matters to you.

Neither is universally better. RemoFirst wins on automation and flexibility. Kontrable wins on cost predictability and direct control.

Get started

If you're managing independent contractors and want simple, organized record-keeping with predictable pricing, Kontrable is built for you.

Start organizing your contractor relationships today.