Both relokate and Jobbatical help companies relocate international employees. But they take very different approaches. Jobbatical is a global immigration platform covering 30+ countries. relokate focuses exclusively on Germany — with deeper local expertise, attorney escalation, and transparent per-case pricing. This comparison helps you decide which is the right fit for your team.
Platform overview
Jobbatical
- Founded in Estonia, global coverage (30+ countries)
- Hybrid model: software platform + immigration consultants
- 16,000+ completed relocations worldwide
- 99.9% visa success rate claimed
- ISO 27001 certified
- Integrations with Personio, Pipedrive
- Clients include N26, Personio, TravelPerk
relokate
- Founded in Berlin, Germany-only focus
- Software platform + dedicated immigration experts + independent partner attorneys
- 1,500+ completed relocations to Germany
- 5.0 Google rating (66 reviews)
- Attorney escalation built into every case
- Pay-per-case pricing — no retainers
- Clients include Volkswagen, Henkel, KoRo, HomeToGo
Head-to-head comparison
| Category | Jobbatical | relokate |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic coverage | 30+ countries | Germany only |
| Germany expertise depth | Broad coverage across 30+ countries | Deep — all visa types, city-specific expertise |
| Pricing transparency | Custom quotes via demo | Transparent per-case pricing, visible on website |
| Attorney escalation | Available through external partners | Built into every case (§75 VwGO inaction letters) |
| Dedicated case partner | Case manager assigned | Single dedicated partner for the entire journey |
| Pre-hire visa check | Country-specific calculators | Full eligibility assessment in 24-48 hours |
| Employee portal | HR-facing platform | Employee-facing portal with doc upload + timeline |
| Family reunification | Available as add-on | Included — parallel process for spouse and children |
| Settlement services | Available (accommodation, tax, healthcare) | Included (Anmeldung, insurance, bank, housing) |
| Fast-track processing | Standard processing timelines | §81a accelerated procedure — 4-8 weeks |
| Google rating | 4.8/5 (34 reviews) | 5.0/5 (66 reviews) |
| Certifications | ISO 27001, OISC regulated | GDPR compliant, EU-hosted, Made in Germany |
Germany expertise: where the difference shows
German immigration is uniquely complex. The Ausländerbehörde processes vary by city, qualification recognition through Anabin and IHK FOSA is mandatory for many visa types, and processing delays of 3-6 months are common. Here's where the depth difference matters:
- Visa type coverage: relokate handles every German visa type — Blue Card, §18a/18b Skilled Worker, Chancenkarte, ICT Card, §16d Recognition Partnership, and §81a Fast-Track. Jobbatical covers the most common types; as a global platform, the depth on newer German-specific pathways like Chancenkarte transitions may vary.
- Authority relationships: relokate works directly with Ausländerbehörden in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Stuttgart, and Düsseldorf. City-specific quirks (appointment availability, document requirements, processing times) are built into every case.
- Attorney escalation: When German authorities stall, relokate escalates with a formal Untätigkeitsschreiben under §75 VwGO — a legal tool that forces a decision. If needed, partner immigration attorneys take over the case directly. This is included in every relokate case at no additional cost.
Pricing comparison
Jobbatical does not publish pricing — you need to request a quote through a demo. Based on market data, their pricing is typically structured as a per-case fee plus potential platform costs.
relokate publishes its pricing model transparently: monthly platform subscription + per-case fees, with three tiers (Starter, Growth, Enterprise). No retainers, no minimum commitments, and volume discounts from 10 cases/year. Traditional immigration lawyers in Germany charge EUR 3,000-8,000 per visa case — relokate's bundled software + service approach typically comes in below that.
Who should choose which
Choose Jobbatical if:
- You relocate employees to multiple countries and need one platform for all
- You need ISO 27001 certification for enterprise compliance
- You want HRIS integrations with Personio or Pipedrive out of the box
- Your company is enterprise-scale with established global mobility processes
Choose relokate if:
- Germany is your primary or only immigration destination
- You want transparent pricing without surprise costs
- You need attorney escalation built into every case
- You want a dedicated human partner who owns the process end-to-end
- You value fast-track processing (§81a accelerated procedure)
- You want full relocation — not just visa, but Anmeldung, housing, settling-in
Our perspective
“Jobbatical is a strong platform for multi-country mobility. Where we see the difference is in Germany-specific depth: city-specific Ausländerbehörde requirements, qualification recognition timelines, and fast-track options like §81a. Companies hiring primarily to Germany benefit from a specialist partner — and that's exactly what we've built relokate to be.”
Team relokate
The bottom line
Jobbatical is a strong global immigration platform — excellent for companies with multi-country mobility needs and enterprise compliance requirements. The natural difference between a global and a specialist platform is one of breadth versus depth.
If Germany is your focus, relokate offers what a global platform can't: deep local expertise, direct authority relationships, built-in attorney escalation, and a dedicated partner who knows your hire by name. Combined with transparent pricing and a 5.0 Google rating, it's the purpose-built choice for companies hiring to Germany.
See relokate in action
Book a 30-minute demo to see the platform, understand pricing, and discuss your specific hiring needs.
Book a demoDisclosure
This comparison is published by relokate. We've aimed to be factual and fair. Jobbatical is a strong platform for multi-country immigration. relokate is purpose-built for Germany. We encourage you to evaluate both based on your company's specific needs.
Ready to streamline your relocations?
See how relokate compares — book a demo and get a custom pricing estimate for your team.
About the author
relokate Team
Immigration & Relocation Experts
The relokate team combines global mobility expertise, immigration law knowledge, and operational precision — supported by a network of independent partner attorneys and institutional partners including the Business Immigration Service (BIS) at Berlin’s LEA. 1,500+ successful relocations since 2020.
Keep reading
Market Insights
Best Global Mobility Platforms for Germany 2026: Top 5 Compared (Features, Pricing, Pros/Cons)
Side-by-side comparison of the best relocation and global mobility platforms for hiring to Germany in 2026. relokate,...
Market Insights
Looking for a Localyze Alternative? Why German Companies Are Switching to relokate
Localyze was acquired by Boundless. For companies focused on Germany, relokate offers deeper expertise, attorney esca...
