Deel vs Heard
Features, use cases, pros and cons, and pricing side by side — and which one to pick.
Quick verdict: Pick Deel if you're hiring across borders; choose Heard if you run a US-based solo therapy or wellness practice and want bookkeeping plus taxes handled for you.
Best for: Companies hiring employees or contractors in multiple countries, HR teams that want payroll, compliance, and people data in one HRIS
Read the full Deel reviewBest for: Solo therapists (LLC or sole prop) who want bookkeeping and taxes off their plate, S corp owners and group practices that need payroll bundled in
Read the full Heard reviewCommission may apply at no extra cost
Deel vs Heard: features compared
Compare key features side by side
Feature Comparison Summary
Which should you choose?
Choose Deel if
- You hire employees or contractors in multiple countries
- You want payroll, compliance, and HR data in one HRIS
- You need US PEO benefits or EOR hiring without a local entity
Choose Heard if
- You're a US solo therapist wanting done-for-you monthly bookkeeping
- You want federal and state returns plus quarterly estimates filed for you
Deel vs Heard: pros and cons
Deel
Deel bundles global payroll, compliance, and HR into one platform, with EOR coverage in 130+ countries, a 50-state US PEO, and contractor payments in 120+ currencies. Per-worker pricing is clear, but EOR costs climb fast and there's no free trial or published refund terms. Overall, it's a strong pick for teams hiring across borders that are comfortable with a demo-first sales process.
Pros
- EOR service provides full legal employment in 130+ countries, so you can hire full-time staff abroad without opening a local entity
- US PEO covers all 50 states with healthcare, dental, vision, mental health, fertility, and 401(k) benefits included in the $125 per-employee monthly price
- Contractor payments run in 120+ currencies with automated invoicing and tax form collection for $49 per contractor per month
Cons
- EOR pricing at $599 per employee per month adds up quickly — ten international full-time employees cost roughly $71,880 per year on top of salaries
- There is no free trial; evaluating the platform requires booking a demo, and refund terms are not published anywhere public
- The 3-months-free PEO offer requires a qualifying two-year agreement, and canceling early means repaying full list-price fees for the whole term including the credit's value
Heard
Heard pairs therapists with bookkeepers and tax pros who work only with private practices, bundling monthly bookkeeping, quarterly estimates, and full tax filing in one dashboard. Support is human and responsive, though annual plans are billed upfront and non-refundable. Overall, it's a strong fit for solo US practices that want taxes handled, provided you're comfortable committing a year.
Pros
- Specialist tax knowledge — Heard's team files returns only for mental health and wellness private practices, so therapy-specific deductions are tracked automatically instead of you hunting for them.
- Documented savings — providers using Heard save an average of 60 hours a year and $5,000 in taxes, per company figures.
- True all-in-one — monthly done-for-you bookkeeping, quarterly estimates, federal and state filing, banking, payroll, and S corp support run under a single login with plain-language reports.
Cons
- Narrow eligibility — only US-based, single-owner health and wellness practices (sole props, single-member LLCs, S corps) are supported — no C corps, multi-owner practices, or non-US businesses.
- Annual plans are billed upfront and non-refundable; Premium members can't downgrade, and Essential downgrades are only allowed if you haven't filed taxes with Heard yet.
- Extra costs stack up — a one-time catch-up bookkeeping fee of $99 per month in business this year applies at signup, Lite's annual tax filing is a $750 add-on, payroll runs $39/mo plus $6 per person via Gusto, and government and license filing fees are excluded.
Deel and Heard in detail
Deel
Deel is an HR information system (HRIS) built for companies that work across borders. It combines global payroll, compliance support, and core HR solutions in one platform. It's aimed at businesses that hire employees or contractors in multiple countries and want to manage payments, legal requirements, and people data without stitching together separate tools. If your team is spread across regions, Deel is designed to centralize how you pay and manage them.
Standout features
- Hire full-time employees anywhere
- Pay and manage contractors in one place
- Screen and hire candidates with AI
- HR, benefits, and expert support in one system
- Fits your stack, with guided onboarding
Use cases
- Pay global contractors on time
- Hire full-time staff abroad, no entity needed
- Cover your US team with PEO
- Find and screen candidates faster
Heard
Heard is a financial platform built for therapists and wellness practitioners in private practice. It combines bookkeeping, tax filing, business banking, payroll, and S corp support in one dashboard. A dedicated team reviews your books monthly, and experts answer questions with no per-question fees. It serves solo practices, LLCs, sole proprietors, S corps, and group practices—more than 5,000 therapists use it.
Standout features
- Monthly bookkeeping, done for you
- Taxes without the overwhelm
- S corp and payroll, made simple
- Real humans who know therapists
- One dashboard, plain-language reports
Use cases
- New practice, clean books from day one
- Tax season without the dread
- Group practice payroll, handled
Pricing compared
List prices from each vendor's pricing page, before taxes and add-ons. Costs are per month.
| Pricing compared | Deel | Heard |
|---|---|---|
| From (cheapest paid plan) | $14/mo Find Talent | $129/mo Lite |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| Money-back guarantee | Not stated | Not stated |
| Annual billing savings | — | — |
| Pricing model | Per-user and flat plans | Flat price |
| Cost for 1 user | $14/moCheaper Find Talent plan, billed monthly | $129/mo Lite plan, billed monthly |
| Cost for 5 users | $625/mo Hire Full-Time Employees plan, billed monthly | $129/mo Lite plan, billed monthly · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Cost for 10 users | $1,250/mo Hire Full-Time Employees plan, billed monthly | $129/mo Lite plan, billed monthly · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Cost for 25 users | $3,125/mo Hire Full-Time Employees plan, billed monthly | $129/mo Lite plan, billed monthly · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Plans | 3 | 3 |
| Prices checked | Checked Oct 12, 2026 | Checked Oct 13, 2026 |
| Price history | Tracking prices since Sep 30, 2026. No price change detected yet. | Tracking prices since Oct 1, 2026. No price change detected yet. |
- Cheapest plan that fits each team size. Per-user plans are multiplied by the number of users (respecting stated minimums and seat packs). Plans that include some users cost their base price plus the extra-user price for each user beyond those included. Flat-priced plans with no stated user limit are counted as one licence per user.
Cheaper for your team size
For 1 user (billed monthly), Deel costs $14/mo vs Heard at $129/mo.
Computed from published list prices on the dates shown. Excludes taxes, add-ons and promotions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Deel and Heard together?
Possibly. They solve different problems: Deel handles global hiring and payroll, while Heard manages bookkeeping and taxes. A practice paying contractors abroad could use both.