- A contractor management platform is software for contracting and paying people you have already found. An Agency of Record (AOR) also finds and vets the contractor, holds the contract, and pays them.
- With HireSwiftlee as Agency of Record, you pay the contractor's hourly rate plus a flat, visible 15% platform fee. You do not need a local entity, and there are no seat minimums or long-term contract.
- Neither model employs the worker. If you need to employ someone full-time abroad, you need an Employer of Record (EOR) instead.
What does a contractor management platform do?
It gives you software to sign a contractor agreement, collect tax forms, and send payments across borders. It assumes you have already recruited the person. The sourcing, screening, and interviews stay with you, and so does the working relationship with the contractor. Platforms in this category, Deel among them, are a good fit when you have a roster and want clean paperwork.
What does an Agency of Record do?
An Agency of Record is the contracting party between you and the independent contractor. HireSwiftlee sources and vets bilingual contractors, sends a shortlist in about 24 hours, signs the contractor, collects their tax forms, and pays them weekly via Wise. You sign one agreement and receive one consolidated invoice. Because HireSwiftlee is the Agency of Record, you do not need a legal entity in the contractor's country.
| Contractor management platform | Agency of Record | |
|---|---|---|
| Finds the talent | No, you recruit | Yes, ranked shortlist in ~24 hrs |
| Vets the talent | No, you screen | Yes, before you see the profile |
| Who holds the contract | Set up through the platform, driven by you | The agency, under one Master Services Agreement |
| Payments | Sent through the platform | Weekly via Wise, one invoice to you |
| Employs the worker | No | No |
| Typical fee shape | Software fee, plus your own recruiting time | Contractor's rate + flat 15% |
Categories described generally. Confirm any provider's current features and pricing with them directly.
Which one should you choose?
Choose by where your time goes. If you already have the people, a platform may be the cheaper way to handle paperwork. If finding and vetting people is the bottleneck, an Agency of Record removes that work too. As an illustration only: a $10/hour contractor for 160 hours is $1,600 in pay plus $240 in fees, or $1,840 invoiced. See the full cost walk-through for a three-person team.
Neither is an EOR. Both models treat the worker as an independent contractor. Whether a given role qualifies is a legal question for your counsel. For true employment abroad, use an Employer of Record.
For the head-to-head with Deel, read the best Deel alternative for hiring contractors. To see how the hiring models line up more broadly, visit compare hiring models or the pricing page.
FAQ
What is the difference between a contractor management platform and an Agency of Record?
Do I need a local entity to hire contractors through an Agency of Record?
Which is cheaper, a contractor management platform or an Agency of Record?
Hiring contractors, not employees abroad?
HireSwiftlee finds, vets, contracts, and pays bilingual nearshore talent — a flat 15% on top of the contractor rate, no per-seat SaaS fees. Post a role and see a ranked shortlist within 24 hours.
HireSwiftlee is a recruiter-driven marketplace and Agency of Record for independent contractors — not an Employer of Record. Competitor product names and pricing are referenced for comparison, are accurate to the best of our knowledge as of publication, and may change — always confirm current details on the provider's own site.