This comparison uses public information only: relokate's own figures and the pages Jobbatical publishes on jobbatical.com, checked on 21 October 2026. Every statement about Jobbatical links to its source. If something has changed, write to hello@relokatehr.com and we will update the page.
relokate vs Jobbatical at a glance
Based on public information on jobbatical.com and relokatehr.com, as of October 2026.
| relokate | Jobbatical | |
|---|---|---|
| Country focus | relokate: Focus on Germany, nationwide; for other countries relokate coordinates trusted partners, so you keep one contact | Jobbatical: 45+ destination countries; top locations listed include Germany, Spain, the UK, Portugal, France, the Netherlands and Estonia source |
| Based in | relokate: Berlin, Germany (founded 2020) | Jobbatical: Tallinn, Estonia (“since 2014”) source |
| What you get | relokate: HR case dashboard and Compliance Watch, plus immigration specialists who prepare and file each application | Jobbatical: Platform (case management, real-time tracking, renewal alerts) plus a dedicated immigration expert per package source |
| Legal work | relokate: Not a law firm. relokate follows up with the authorities directly, including formal follow-up letters (Untätigkeitsschreiben); legal action through independent partner attorneys, engaged and paid by the client | Jobbatical: Describes an “in-house team of corporate immigration lawyers and local experts” source |
| Germany settling-in | relokate: Anmeldung, health insurance and bank account can be added to a case; help finding a long-term rental or buying a house through local consultants | Jobbatical: Lists Anmeldung, health insurance, bank account opening and tax class changes source |
| Published pricing | relokate: Cases from €950, plus an annual software & compliance subscription (Compliance Watch included) | Jobbatical: Germany: Immigration Assessment €150, Immigration Package €1,500; government fees, translations, apostilles and legal fees billed separately at cost source |
| Minimum volume | relokate: No case minimum; the subscription is billed annually | Jobbatical: No minimum headcount; one relocation qualifies source |
| Track record (self-reported) | relokate: 1,500+ relocations since 2020; 99%+ success rate; 95%+ of cases without attorney escalation | Jobbatical: 17,000+ completed relocations; 99.9% visa success rate source |
| Data & security | relokate: HR software data hosted in Germany; GDPR-compliant | Jobbatical: ISO 27001 certified; GDPR-compliant; OISC registered (UK) source |
| Languages | relokate: Service and website in English and German | Jobbatical: Website in English and German source |
| Public reviews | relokate: 5.0 on Google (77 reviews) Google; G2 profile G2 | Jobbatical: Shows 4.9 on Google (87 reviews) on its website source; 4.5 on Trustpilot (20 reviews) Trustpilot |
Where the two differ
A focus on Germany or many countries
This is the biggest difference. relokate focuses on moves into Germany, anywhere in Germany, and coordinates trusted partners for other countries, so you keep one contact. Jobbatical lists 45+ destination countriessource. If you move people to Spain, Portugal and Germany in the same year, one multi-country provider means one contract and one process. If Germany is where nearly all of your hires go, a team focused on Germany works with German authorities every day.
Software and people
Both combine software with people. With relokate, HR teams track every case in one dashboard (visa status, documents, deadlines, permit expiries). Compliance Watch is included with every engagement: it sends permit-expiry alerts 6, 3 and 1 month(s) ahead and flags statutory employer duties such as §45c AufenthG. Each employee has a dedicated relocation partner, and relokate's immigration specialists prepare and file the applications. Jobbatical says every package includes a dedicated immigration expert, document processing, automated form filling, real-time tracking and renewal alertssource, and it lists HRIS/ATS integration solutionssource.
Germany routes and settling-in
relokate handles the EU Blue Card, skilled worker permits (§18a/§18b AufenthG), the ICT Card, the fast-track procedure (§81a AufenthG), family reunification, extensions, employer changes and settlement permits. Anmeldung, health insurance and bank account setup can be added to a case, and relokate helps with finding a long-term rental or buying a house through local consultants, with job search coaching for the partner and help with pets. Jobbatical's Germany page lists nine routes, including the Skilled Worker Visa, EU Blue Card, ICT Card, Family Reunification and Change of Employer, and post-arrival help with Anmeldung, health insurance, bank accounts and tax class changessource.
Case start and filing across Germany
relokate onboards a new case within 24 hours (business days) and files it with the responsible immigration office, at any of the more than 500 immigration offices in Germany. In Berlin, relokate is registered with the Business Immigration Service (BIS) at the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA); BIS registration is free and open to companies and the service providers or lawyers they authorise.
Pricing: what each provider publishes
Both publish prices, but they are built differently, so the figures are not like for like.
- relokate: cases from €950, plus an annual software & compliance subscription that covers the dashboard, support and Compliance Watch. A case includes the visa route assessment, document preparation and review, coordination with the embassy and authorities, the residence permit application and status updates in the dashboard. Settlement services can be added. See relokate pricing.
- Jobbatical: for Germany, €150 for an Immigration Assessment and €1,500 for an Immigration Package, which covers “eligibility check, document collection, application preparation and submission”. Government fees, health surcharges, translations, apostilles and legal fees are billed separately at cost, and each dependant is priced as a separate family member case. You pay case by case or buy prepaid credits (“FlexyPocket”)source.
To compare fairly, ask both for a written quote for the same case, for example one EU Blue Card holder with a spouse and one child, and check which third-party costs each quote includes. With relokate, add the annual subscription to the case fees.
Legal support when a case gets stuck
relokate is not a law firm. Its specialists follow up with the authorities directly, including formal follow-up letters (Untätigkeitsschreiben). If a case needs legal action, an independent partner attorney, engaged and paid by the client, takes over with full insight into the case. The partner network includes a certified specialist lawyer for migration law (Fachanwalt für Migrationsrecht). More than 95% of relokate cases need no attorney escalation.
Jobbatical describes its own legal capability: it “combines the legal expertise of accredited immigration lawyers, registered immigration advisors and local experts” with its platformsource. If you want legal advice from the same company that runs your cases, that is a point in Jobbatical's favour.
Who each is best for
Jobbatical is likely the better fit if:
- You relocate employees to several countries and want one provider for all of them
- You want immigration lawyers at the same provider that manages your cases
- You want per-service prices by country published up front
relokate is likely the better fit if:
- You want a full-service visa and relocation provider that takes over every single step: visa, residence permit, family, Anmeldung, health insurance and bank account, housing through local consultants, partner job search coaching, pets and compliance tracking, while HR follows everything in the dashboard
- Germany is your main destination. For other countries, relokate coordinates trusted partners, so you keep one contact.
- You want permit monitoring included: expiry alerts and employer-duty alerts such as §45c
- You want HR software data hosted in Germany and service in German and English
- You need a new case onboarded within 24 hours (business days)
Some employers use both kinds of provider: a multi-country provider for most destinations and a Germany specialist for German cases.
Questions to ask both providers in a demo
- Who prepares and submits the application, and who is the authority's contact person?
- Which costs are outside the quoted fee: government fees, translations, apostilles, legal fees?
- What happens if the immigration office does not respond: who follows up, and who pays for legal action?
- Where is our employees' data hosted? Can we see the data processing agreement and sub-processor list?
- How do you remind us about permit expiries and employer duties after the employee has started?
- What does a single case cost us if we only hire one or two people this year?
See relokate in a 30-minute demo
We show you the dashboard, walk through one of your upcoming hires and give you a written quote you can put next to any other provider's.
Book a 30-minute demoSources
All pages checked on 21 October 2026.
- Jobbatical homepage (countries, relocations, success rate, certifications, reviews shown, headquarters, minimum headcount): https://www.jobbatical.com/
- Jobbatical pricing (Germany prices, what is billed separately, payment models): https://www.jobbatical.com/pricing
- Jobbatical Germany page (routes, settling-in services): https://www.jobbatical.com/countries-we-relocate-to/germany
- Jobbatical immigration law services (in-house lawyers): https://www.jobbatical.com/immigration-law-services
- Jobbatical website in German: https://www.jobbatical.com/de
- Jobbatical on Trustpilot: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/jobbatical.com
- relokate pricing: relokatehr.com/pricing · Google reviews: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PF4dHHzPHmPxeWE26 · G2: https://www.g2.com/products/relokate/reviews
Disclosure
relokate publishes this page and competes with Jobbatical. We describe Jobbatical only by what it publishes itself, with links, and we say where Jobbatical is the better choice. Figures can change after the date above; please check the linked pages before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between relokate and Jobbatical?
relokate focuses on Germany and coordinates trusted partners for other countries, so you keep one contact: HR software plus Berlin-based immigration specialists who prepare each case and file it with the responsible immigration office, wherever in Germany, with independent partner attorneys when legal action is needed. Jobbatical covers 45+ destination countries with a platform, immigration experts and, according to its website, an in-house team of corporate immigration lawyers. Employers hiring mainly into Germany often look at relokate; multi-country programmes often fit Jobbatical better.
How much do relokate and Jobbatical cost for a German work permit?
relokate: cases from €950, plus an annual software & compliance subscription that includes Compliance Watch. Jobbatical publishes €150 for an Immigration Assessment and €1,500 for an Immigration Package in Germany, with government fees, translations, apostilles and legal fees billed separately at cost (jobbatical.com/pricing, October 2026). The two are built differently, so compare written quotes for the same case.
Which is better for hiring into several countries?
If you want one provider with its own coverage in many countries, Jobbatical: it lists 45+ destination countries. relokate focuses on Germany; for other countries it coordinates trusted partners, so you keep one contact. Some employers use a multi-country provider for most destinations and a Germany specialist for their German cases.
Does relokate have its own lawyers?
No. relokate is not a law firm. Its specialists prepare and file the applications and follow up with the authorities directly, including formal follow-up letters (Untätigkeitsschreiben). If a case needs legal action, an independent partner attorney, engaged and paid by the client, takes over with full insight into the case; the partner network includes a certified specialist lawyer for migration law (Fachanwalt für Migrationsrecht). More than 95% of relokate cases need no attorney escalation.
Where do relokate and Jobbatical store employee data?
relokate's HR software data is hosted in Germany. Jobbatical states that it is ISO 27001 certified and GDPR-compliant. Before signing with either provider, ask for the data processing agreement and the list of sub-processors.
How quickly can relokate start a case?
relokate onboards a new case within 24 hours (business days) and files it with the responsible immigration office, at any of the more than 500 immigration offices in Germany. In Berlin, relokate is registered with the Business Immigration Service (BIS) at the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA); BIS registration is free and open to companies and the service providers or lawyers they authorise.
