The #1 alternative
Commenda vs Deel vs Globalization Partners
Two ways into Malaysia: hire through an EOR and never form a company, or set up your own Sdn Bhd and own the entity.
Comparison at a glance
Deel and G-P employ people in Malaysia for you. Commenda runs four suites across 70+ countries, so one platform takes you from your own Malaysia entity to a full multi-country group.
Commenda
Global entity management software with complete compliance. Sets up your own Malaysia Sdn Bhd (SSM registration, resident director, company secretary, registered address, bank account with a local authorizer) and runs it alongside entities in 70+ countries, with consolidation and transfer pricing.
Deel
Employer of Record. From $599/employee/month (platform fee), plus gross salary and Malaysian statutory contributions (EPF, SOCSO, EIS, HRDF), plus a security deposit. 110+ countries. Deel is the legal employer; you do not form a company.
Globalization Partners
Employer of Record. Quote-based (industry estimates around $800 to $1,000+ per employee per month). 180+ countries. G-P is the legal employer; you do not form a company. Suited to enterprise hiring across many countries without entities.
Feature comparison
Why we do it better
 | Deel | Globalization Partners | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $4,000 (incorporation) | from $599/emp/mo | Quote ~$800-1,000+/emp/mo |
| You own a Malaysia entity (Sdn Bhd) | |||
| Who is the legal employer | You | Deel | G-P |
| SSM registration (Sdn Bhd) | n/a | n/a | |
| Resident / nominee director | n/a | n/a | |
| Company secretary + registered address | n/a | n/a | |
| Local corporate bank account | |||
| Payroll for local employees | |||
| Corporate tax (LHDN) & accounting | |||
| Transfer pricing (cross-border + CbCR) | |||
| Multi-entity consolidation / audit trail | |||
| Manage entities in other countries | 70+ | n/a | n/a |
| 100+ ERP integration support | |||
| Cost scales with headcount |
Built for different buyers
Pricing compared
Advertised rates as of June 2026. Competitor pricing changes often.
Commenda
$4,000incorporation, billed USD
- Includes year-1 registered address, company secretary, and bank account opening with a local authorizer
- Resident director $3,500/yr; tax and accounting compliance $3,600/yr
- One entity you own; cost is fixed and does not scale with headcount. Retires 3 to 5 vendors
Deel
$599per employee / mo (EOR)
- Platform fee only; excludes gross salary and statutory contributions (EPF, SOCSO, EIS, HRDF)
- Security deposit typically 1 month gross salary per employee, returned after offboarding
- 110+ countries; Deel is the legal employer, you do not own an entity
Globalization Partners
Quote~$800-1,000+/emp/mo (EOR)
- No public price page; quote from day one, before salary and statutory contributions
- 180+ countries; G-P is the legal employer, you do not own an entity
How each model works
What's the difference?
How Deel and Globalization Partners stack up against Commenda for entity management in Malaysia.
Commenda: your own Malaysia entity, managed as part of your global group
- Sets up the Sdn Bhd (SSM registration, resident director, secretary, registered address, bank account)
- You are the employer; you bank, contract, invoice, and hold IP in Malaysia
- Runs accounting, corporate tax (LHDN), SSM filings, and transfer pricing; consolidates across 70+ countries
Deel and Globalization Partners: employees without an entity
- The provider is the legal employer; you never form a company
- Per-employee monthly fee plus salary and statutory contributions (Deel also a deposit)
- No corporate tax filing, consolidation, or transfer pricing for an entity you do not have
Making a decision
Which one should you choose?
The right fit depends on your footprint and stage in Malaysia.
Choose Commenda if…
- You want to own your Malaysia Sdn Bhd, with local banking, contracting, and IP onshore
- You operate in Malaysia and at least one other country and want consolidation
- You have, or are heading toward, more than one or two people in Malaysia
Choose Deel if…
- You want to place one or a few employees in Malaysia without forming a company
- You want a per-employee monthly model and do not need an entity, local banking, or IP onshore
Choose Globalization Partners if…
- You are an enterprise hiring across many countries without entities
- You want EOR coverage in 180+ countries and are comfortable with quote-based pricing
Common questions
For one or two hires with no need to bank, contract, or hold IP locally, an EOR like Deel or G-P is the faster route and you never form a company. Once you want your own entity, local banking, IP onshore, or several Malaysia hires, your own Sdn Bhd through Commenda is usually lower total cost of ownership, because the entity cost is fixed rather than scaling per employee.
No. Commenda sets up and manages your own Malaysia entity (a Sdn Bhd you own), then runs its compliance: SSM filings, corporate tax with LHDN, accounting, and transfer pricing. Deel and G-P are EORs, where the provider is the legal employer and you do not form a company.
Deel starts at $599 per employee per month (platform fee only), plus gross salary, Malaysian statutory contributions (EPF, SOCSO, EIS, HRDF), and a security deposit. G-P is quote-based, with industry estimates around $800 to $1,000+ per employee per month before salary and contributions.
$4,000 incorporation (one-time), including year-1 registered address, company secretary, and bank account opening with a local authorizer. A resident director, if you need one, is $3,500/year, and ongoing tax and accounting compliance is $3,600/year. The cost is fixed and does not scale per employee.
Yes. Every Sdn Bhd must have at least one director ordinarily resident in Malaysia (CA 2016 s196(4)). Commenda provides a resident director for $3,500/year, subject to KYC approval. With an EOR you do not form a company, so this does not apply.
100 questions, from real customer calls.
The questions finance teams actually ask about entity management: EINs for non-residents, Delaware vs Wyoming, cleaning up the entities a previous provider left behind, and more. If you're looking for something, you'll find it here.
