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Retention-First EOR for India Hires

Your India team sits on borrowed time if pay drifts away from the market or engagement fades while you are busy with product. A retention-first EOR catches pay drift early, flags burnout before resignations land, and keeps your hiring costs down. Five-day onboarding, statutory compliance across 28 states, and one USD invoice per month.

Holding onto an India hire costs a fraction of replacing one. Our EOR is built to catch attrition risk early and keep your team stable.

Speak to sales EOR vs entity, in detail

G2 4.8 / 5 on G2, from companies employing teams in India through us.

Teams building in India. First hire to full team.

Keeping your India team costs less than rebuilding it.

The choice between an EOR and a subsidiary differs on six lines. We lead on retention and compliance certainty.

You open an Indian subsidiary

You use a retention-first EOR

Time before first hire
Six months of subsidiary incorporation, then hiring begins.
Five business days from signed offer to payroll.
Compliance responsibility
PF, ESIC, professional tax and TDS all fall to you each month.
We file everything. Monthly proof sent to your inbox.
Attrition risk visibility
You monitor resignations as they happen, reactive only.
We flag pay drift and engagement drops before people leave.
Exposure to penalties
Late filings draw 12% annual interest and up to 25% damages against your company.
Statutory liability sits against our registration.
Monthly employment cost
Incorporation setup, CA consultants, payroll software subscriptions.
$149 per employee. $129 past twenty heads.
Ending the arrangement
Formal company dissolution, lengthy regulatory process.
Thirty days notice, no exit fees.

You open an Indian subsidiary
Time before first hire Six months of subsidiary incorporation, then hiring begins.
Compliance responsibility PF, ESIC, professional tax and TDS all fall to you each month.
Attrition risk visibility You monitor resignations as they happen, reactive only.
Exposure to penalties Late filings draw 12% annual interest and up to 25% damages against your company.
Monthly employment cost Incorporation setup, CA consultants, payroll software subscriptions.
Ending the arrangement Formal company dissolution, lengthy regulatory process.

You use a retention-first EOR
Time before first hire Five business days from signed offer to payroll.
Compliance responsibility We file everything. Monthly proof sent to your inbox.
Attrition risk visibility We flag pay drift and engagement drops before people leave.
Exposure to penalties Statutory liability sits against our registration.
Monthly employment cost $149 per employee. $129 past twenty heads.
Ending the arrangement Thirty days notice, no exit fees.
Month 1
Director details verified, name registered
Month 2
Subsidiary incorporation completed
Month 3
PAN, TAN, GSTIN registration issued
Month 4
PF and ESI registrations granted
Month 5
Bank account activated, payroll systems live
Month 6
Hiring can begin

Late PF payments do not sleep.

Each day a challan sits unpaid, 12% yearly interest accrues, and damages can add another 25%, multiplying the longer the debt stands.

Through our entity both the filing and the liability land against our registration, so a demand notice reaches our team, not yours.

Speak to sales
One missed PF challan, accruing over time 12% annual interest, damages to 25%
₹6,200 Day 1
₹41,500 Day 30
₹1,84,000 Day 90
₹3,12,000 Day 180
Illustration for a small payroll and one missed filing. Real figures scale with salary levels and delay duration.
Notice destination by employment model
Your own Indian entity You
Through Versatile's registration Versatile

At high headcounts your entity will eventually make financial sense. The FAQ below sets the breakeven point. Model both paths in the EOR versus entity calculator to see your exact numbers.

Keep your team stable while we run the compliance side.

You lead, develop and retain. Employment contracts and filings operate under our Bengaluru entity with proof sent monthly.

You run

  • Vision, strategy and product direction
  • One-to-ones, coaching and career plans
  • Salary, promotions and development

We handle

  • Contracts under our registration
  • Monthly payroll and itemised payslips
  • PF, ESIC, professional tax and TDS filings
  • Attrition risk monitoring and alerts
  • Leave management, exits and settlements

You run
  • Manage the work and growth
  • Run career development conversations
  • Set compensation and promotions
  • Lead your usual way

We handle
  • Draw contracts under our name
  • Process payroll each month
  • File every statutory return
  • Track retention risk signals early
  • Handle leave records and exits
  • Answer all payroll questions from team

When something happens in India, it is ours.
Government sends a notice We receive and handle
A payslip has an error We fix it
Regulation changes drop We brief you clearly

A named compliance manager owns your account. Not a queue, not a chatbot, one person who already knows your headcount and your last filing.

Account managerMedian first reply 4 to 6 hours
Recruitment coordinatorBrief to shortlist 9 days
Finance associateFilings on time 8 / 8

Attrition risk, spotted early.

We track each hire's pay against the market, watch for scope creep and burnout patterns, and flag flight risks before a resignation hits. Fixes are cheapest when early.

Pre-screened hires land in nine days.

Communication, reliability and timezone fit get vetted first. Your interview loop sees a shortlist, not a stream of mismatches.

Payroll questions go straight to us.

Employees route Form 16 checks, PF balance inquiries, leave rules and tax questions to our team, not to you.

Employment history transfers intact.

When people move to your future entity or leave us, UAN, tenure and gratuity dates move with them unbroken.

Attrition risk, spotted early.

We track each hire's pay against the market, watch for scope creep and burnout patterns, and flag flight risks before a resignation hits. Fixes are cheapest when early.

A hire that stays is the actual product.

Pre-screened hires land in nine days.

Communication, reliability and timezone fit get vetted first. Your interview loop sees a shortlist, not a stream of mismatches.

Retention starts before day one.

Payroll questions go straight to us.

Employees route Form 16 checks, PF balance inquiries, leave rules and tax questions to our team, not to you.

You focus on retention. We field the admin.

Moving someone across

Migrate your existing India team without disruption.

If contractors or hires are already in India, moving them to our proper employment preserves their start dates, PF history and tenure without payroll gaps.

Tenure Kept
Gratuity clock Kept
PF and UAN Continuous
Payroll gap 0 days

We have moved 200 people in one payroll cycle without missing a day.

Supporting evidence

Check our registration before reaching out.

Your team works under Foo Falcon Technologies Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru, registered since 2022.

  • Incorporation
  • GST
  • EPFO code
  • ESIC
  • Shops and Establishments
  • PAN and TAN
  • Udyam MSME
What we verify
  • Incorporation Ministry of Corporate Affairs
  • GST Goods and Services Tax
  • EPFO code Employees Provident Fund Organisation
  • ESIC Ministry of Labour and Employment
  • Shops and Establishments Government of Karnataka
  • PAN and TAN Income Tax Department
  • Udyam MSME Government of India

We email the certificate as a PDF and step back.

200

people transferred to our payroll in one cycle, UAN records preserved

33

consecutive monthly invoices for one client, all on schedule, none disputed

5 days

from signed offer to employee working and earning

G2 4.8 / 5 on G2, from companies employing teams in India through us.

G2 4.8 / 5 on G2, from companies employing through us.

Teams that stayed stable on our EOR describe it.

Clients who hired through us and kept their people talk about retention and the experience.

Video
Bharath Rasoi KS Rajeshwari Founder, Bharath Rasoi
Video
Open Theatre Anand Raj Founder, Open Theatre
Abid Hassan Verified client
Sensibull
“They moved fast and took the whole compliance side off my plate. For a founder making an early India hire, that is exactly what you want.”
Abid Hassan Founder and CEO, Sensibull
Via G2
Moonshot
“Every option was either 'set up your own entity' or a platform that quotes a great price then hits you with add-ons. Versatile was the one that actually made it simple. First payroll ran on time. No scramble.”
Angad S. Co-Founder, Moonshot
Via G2
Digital Marketing Agency
“Contracts, PF, ESI, TDS and payroll all in one place. Invoicing in USD meant zero exchange rate surprises. The compliance rigour is genuinely reassuring.”
Vedant T. Founder, Digital Marketing Agency
Via G2
Design Studio
“Setting up in a new country can get messy fast, but their India EOR made onboarding feel easy. The team is responsive, clear, and great to work with.”
Setu C. Studio Owner, Design Studio
Via G2
US Startup
“We used Versatile to hire our first employee in India after months of putting it off because the compliance side seemed like a mess. They walked us through it and now we don't think about it.”
Verified US Founder First-time Founder, US Startup
Via G2
Mid-Market Tech Co.
“Versatile consistently delivered work that was both strategically sharp and execution-ready. Their turnaround times are impressive, and they think about problems the way an in-house team would.”
Shivani K. Senior Manager, Tech TA
Via G2
Growth-stage Startup
“Their team was highly responsive, professional, and easy to work with. They made a complex process feel simple.”
Mukul S. Core Team, Growth-stage Startup

Case studies.

Largest food delivery app in India, decacorn View case study The world's largest professional network, part of Microsoft View case study Legacy US software company, publishing platforms View case study

Pricing that keeps retention in focus.

One flat monthly fee per employee covers employment, all statutory filings and retention monitoring. Add recruitment for sourcing. No setup, no lock-in, exit anytime.

Employer of Record

Keep your India team stable
$149 /employee/mo

Drops to $129 per employee for the entire team past twenty heads. Monthly billing in your currency, no lock-in.

Start hiring
  • Full-time employment on our entity
  • PF, ESIC, professional tax and TDS monthly
  • Invoiced in your currency, one bill
  • Five business days to first payroll
  • Your dedicated compliance contact
  • Retention risk monitoring and alerts
  • Portal access and monthly payslips
  • Migrate to your entity when ready
  • Full-time employment on our entity
  • PF, ESIC, professional tax and TDS monthly
  • Invoiced in your currency, one bill
  • Five business days to first payroll
Four more features
  • Your dedicated compliance contact
  • Retention risk monitoring and alerts
  • Portal access and monthly payslips
  • Migrate to your entity when ready

Twenty-plus employees or an existing team to migrate? Contact our sales team.

Recruitment

We find and vet candidates
12% of annual CTC

Junior and mid-level searches included. 15% for senior roles, leadership quoted per scope. Referrals from you cost nothing.

Send us a role
  • Shortlist of vetted candidates in nine days
  • Benchmarked pay for the role level
  • Interview coordination by our team
  • Invoice at day ninety
  • Senior roles billed at 15%
  • Leadership positions quoted per scope
  • Free for candidates you refer
  • Onboarding to our entity or yours
  • Shortlist of vetted candidates in nine days
  • Benchmarked pay for the role level
  • Interview coordination by our team
  • Invoice at day ninety
Four more details
  • Senior roles billed at 15%
  • Leadership positions quoted per scope
  • Free for candidates you refer
  • Onboarding to our entity or yours

Building a leadership team or scaling fast? Reach out to sales.

At twenty-one employees

$149 $129 /employee/mo

The entire team moves to $129 per head with no renegotiation and no contract term.

What your monthly fee includes

  • Employment contract signed by our entity
  • Monthly payroll run and itemised slips
  • PF, ESIC, professional tax and TDS filing
  • Gratuity accrual from start date
  • Group health cover through partner
  • One USD invoice at the RBI rate
  • Background checks, onboarding and Form 16
  • Exit processing and final settlement

Employee twenty-one triggers the volume drop

$149 $129 /employee/mo

Every seat reprices to $129 automatically, no new agreement needed, same entity.

What your fee covers

  • Employment contract signed by our entity
  • Monthly payroll run and itemised slips
  • PF, ESIC, professional tax and TDS filing
  • Gratuity accrual from start date
  • Group health cover through partner
  • One USD invoice at the RBI rate
  • Background checks, onboarding and Form 16
  • Exit processing and final settlement

Recruitment bills at 12% of annual CTC on day ninety for junior and mid-senior hires. Salary and statutory employer costs pass through at cost. Devices, desks and insurance bill through partners as used. Model your scenario in the EOR versus entity calculator to compare both paths.

Retention-focused hiring, answered.

Eight questions that come up with companies focused on keeping their India teams, answered as we answer them on calls. Eight covers who should skip us.

How do we improve employee retention when hiring in India?

Start with retention in hiring, not just speed. Screen for cultural fit and genuine interest in your mission before making offers. Then monitor pay and engagement continuously. An EOR that tracks attrition risk, not just payroll, keeps your costs down.

What makes an EOR retention-focused?

One that watches for pay drift against the market, flags engagement drops before resignations, and alerts you to scope creep and burnout patterns. Most EORs only do payroll. We monitor the people side.

Does an EOR handle employee engagement in India?

We monitor engagement signals and pay competitiveness, not run culture programs. You handle team building and mission alignment. We watch for the early warning signs that people are fading.

How do retention rates compare across EOR providers?

Most do not track retention at all. We flag pay drift, burnout and scope creep before people leave, so fixes are cheaper and faster. Replacement costs dwarf the small EOR fee difference.

Can we transition people from contractor to full-time with an EOR?

Yes. Moving contractors to proper employment on our entity preserves their start dates, tenure for gratuity and PF continuity without payroll gaps. We have moved 200-person teams this way.

If someone leaves, what happens to their gratuity?

We calculate final settlement including gratuity accrued, process it within thirty days of exit, and handle all statutory closeout. If they were with you in a prior role, we preserve their tenure dates for gratuity calculation.

What if we need to scale to our own entity down the line?

We transfer the whole team with UAN, gratuity dates and tenure intact, with no payroll interruption. Incorporation is the natural graduation path, and we support the move cleanly.

When is a retention-focused EOR not the right fit?

If your India payroll already runs successfully through a subsidiary you own, adding an EOR creates overhead. If the role is under three months, contract work is cheaper. And if permanent staff stays on contractor agreements indefinitely, we decline the engagement.

Longer reading: EOR India 2026 · EOR India playbook · Pay employees in India

Tell us where you are on the decision.

A role you want to hire, a team you want moved, or just the two routes to compare. A named person replies in 4 to 6 hours.

A named person replies in 4 to 6 hours, not an autoresponder.

We use these details to respond to your enquiry.

A named person replies in 4 to 6 hours, not an autoresponder. We use these details to respond to your enquiry.

What the first call covers

30 minutes

A cost comparison for your headcount, on your numbers, both routes.

  • A written cost breakdown
  • Entity documents before the call
  • PF, ESI, TDS, termination law
  • No follow-up sequence
Book a call →

You pick the time, we send a Meet link. Any timezone.

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