6 Best Laptop Retrieval Services for Remote Teams in 2026

Getting laptops back from remote employees is harder than it sounds. When your team is distributed across continents, coordinating returns means juggling different carriers, time zones, and local logistics for each offboarding. IT and People teams end up tracking down employees who left weeks ago, figuring out which device they have, and arranging shipping from dozens of different locations.

And not everyone wants to return their laptop. According to Gartner, only about 30% of devices come back on time, with some high-turnover industries seeing return rates as low as 50%. Employees delay returns because the process feels unclear, they're worried about losing personal data, or they simply don't see it as urgent once they've moved on.

That's where laptop retrieval services come in. Instead of IT teams coordinating pickups manually, these services handle the entire process—shipping materials to employees, tracking devices as they move back, and managing data wiping, storage, or redeployment once equipment arrives. They're built specifically for distributed teams, prioritizing asset safety, real-time tracking, and data security at every step.

This guide covers how these services work, what separates providers that actually deliver from those that just promise global coverage, and how to choose a partner that scales with distributed teams across 130+ countries.

How companies handle laptop returns today

Most companies handle laptop returns the same way: someone offboards in Singapore, and IT sends them a FedEx label with basic packing instructions. The employee finds a box, packs the laptop themselves, and drops it off. Then IT waits.

This approach creates friction at every step. Employees aren't sure whether to wipe the device first. They use whatever box they have available, which may or may not protect the laptop during transit. Some ship right away, others let it sit for weeks because returning equipment isn't a priority once they've moved on.

For IT teams, this means manual coordination for each return. You send the label, then follow up to confirm the employee received it. A week passes. No tracking update. You send a follow-up email. Nothing. You ping them on Slack—oh wait, they don't have access anymore. Now you're asking their former manager to reach out. Meanwhile, that laptop is sitting in their apartment with full access to company data, and you have no way to remotely lock or wipe it without MDM.

When you're managing returns across São Paulo, San Francisco, London and New Delhi simultaneously, the coordination compounds. Different carriers operate in each region. Some employees respond quickly, others take weeks, and a few don't respond at all. You're updating spreadsheets, sending reminders, and manually logging each device's status. You're spending hours on logistics that have nothing to do with your actual job.

When the device finally arrives, there's no guarantee it's intact. Standard shipping treats laptops like any other package, which means no specialized handling and a higher chance of damage in transit. And beyond delivery, general shipping carriers don't handle data wiping, storage coordination, or compliance documentation. You're managing multiple vendors and processes for what could be a single workflow.

This is where dedicated laptop retrieval services come in. They handle the entire workflow from the moment someone offboards to the moment the device is wiped, stored, or redeployed. They're built specifically for IT equipment and the people managing it, not general shipping.

What to look for in a laptop retrieval partner

Returning a laptop shouldn't feel like an obstacle course—not for your IT team, and not for the employee who just offboarded. The right service makes the process effortless on both sides, which means fewer delays, less manual coordination, and devices that actually come back. Here are the seven most important factors when choosing a provider:

Geographic coverage
Your provider needs local operations in the countries where you actually hire—not just coverage in major markets. The difference between local ops and third-party regional services shows up immediately: local teams handle pickups in days, while outsourced arrangements take weeks and constant follow-up. If you have employees in Brazil, India, the US, and the UK, your provider should work reliably in all four, not just one or two. Limited geographic coverage means you're coordinating multiple vendors or leaving gaps in coverage.

Ease of use
The process should be simple for everyone. Employees get clear instructions, pre-labeled shipping materials, and flexible return options—either schedule a courier pickup or drop off at a nearby location. If your IT team is still manually coordinating each step or employees are confused about what to do, the service isn't working.

Data security
Laptops hold sensitive company data, so you need a secure data-wiping solution or encrypted storage until the device is returned to IT. The best providers offer certified data wiping that meets NIST or DoD standards, plus the ability to remotely lock or wipe a device if it's delayed or goes missing.

Tracking and accountability
You should know exactly where each device is at every stage—when it's picked up, in transit, and received. Real-time tracking means no more follow-up emails, no checking multiple carrier websites, and no wondering if a laptop is actually on its way back. This becomes critical when you're managing dozens of returns across different countries simultaneously.

Speed and turnaround time
When someone leaves, you want their laptop back quickly so you can wipe it, refurbish it, and get it to your next hire. The best services retrieve devices within days, not weeks. Every day a laptop sits unreturned is a day you can't redeploy it—and that delay costs money.

Pricing structure
How you're charged matters as much as what you're charged. Pay-per-use models bill you only when you retrieve a device. Subscription models charge monthly regardless of how many retrievals you actually do. Watch for hidden costs: platform fees, per-seat charges, storage fees, and minimum commitments. These add up fast, especially if your headcount changes throughout the year.

Integration with existing systems
HRIS integration means retrieval requests trigger automatically when someone offboards in BambooHR, Rippling, or Deel. No manual data entry. No copying addresses into forms. No checking email for status updates. If you're still doing these tasks manually, you're working harder than you need to.

Full lifecycle management
The best providers don't just retrieve devices—they handle procurement, delivery, storage, redeployment, and buyback from a single platform. This eliminates the need to coordinate multiple vendors for what should be one seamless workflow.

Other important points to look at are flexibility and scalability as your company grows or contracts, and support responsiveness that matches your team's time zones when something goes wrong.

Laptop retrieval services: how leading solutions compare

quipteams

quipteams operates local retrieval and logistics in 130+ countries with no subscriptions, minimums, or platform fees. You pay per retrieval, with transparent pricing that shows exactly what each return costs before you commit.

This local presence matters because quipteams retrieves devices from in-country operations rather than coordinating through third-party regional vendors who add delays and coordination overhead. When someone offboards in San Francisco and someone else onboards in New York, the laptop moves between them without crossing borders or waiting in international transit. Average retrieval time runs 4 to 7 days globally because local operations eliminate the delays that come from relying on third-party networks.

The process starts automatically through HRIS integrations with BambooHR, Rippling, Gusto, and Deel. When your HR system shows someone offboarding, quipteams triggers the retrieval request automatically—no manual data entry, no copying addresses into forms. The device gets picked up, wiped to NIST or DoD standards, and prepared for the next hire, all without manual coordination. Once retrieved, devices can go into secure local storage for redeployment, through certified data destruction and asset disposal, or into buyback programs that recover residual value based on your company's needs.

The platform handles the full device lifecycle: equipping employees, retrieving devices when they leave, storing equipment until it's needed again, buying back devices you no longer want, and secure data wiping throughout. This eliminates the need to coordinate multiple vendors for what should be one seamless workflow. Companies like Mercor, Scale AI, X, Revolut, Ramp, Wise, and Webflow use quipteams to manage devices for teams ranging from 30 to 7,000+ employees—check out verified reviews on G2.

Workwize

Workwize covers 100+ countries with subscription-based pricing starting at approximately $15-20 per employee per month, which includes platform access and logistics coordination. The service handles both IT equipment and office furniture, which works well if you want one vendor for multiple asset types.

The subscription model means you're paying monthly per seat regardless of how many retrievals you actually do. A company with 100 employees pays $1,500-2,000 monthly even if only 5 people offboard that month. For companies with stable headcount and predictable turnover, this can work fine. For those hiring seasonally or scaling up and down, you end up paying for capacity you're not using—if you scale from 50 to 150 employees mid-year, your monthly costs triple even before retrieval volume catches up.

For a detailed comparison of alternatives, check out our Workwize alternatives guide.

Retriever

Retriever focuses exclusively on device retrieval and certified data wiping, operating primarily in the US, UK, and EU. The service offers per-retrieval pricing with no subscription requirements, which works well if you already have procurement handled and need a reliable offboarding partner.

The service includes secure packaging, logistics coordination, and certified data destruction with strong data security practices. However, Retriever doesn't handle procurement or delivery, so you'll need separate vendors for onboarding. Geographic coverage is also more limited compared to global platforms—if you have employees in APAC, Latin America, or other regions outside their core markets, you'll need additional providers to fill those gaps.

Allwhere

Allwhere handles the complete device lifecycle—procurement, retrieval, storage, and redeployment—through a unified dashboard that tracks equipment across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania. The platform integrates with HR systems like BambooHR and Workday, automating retrieval workflows when employees offboard.

Pricing is per-device rather than usage-based, and the platform typically requires minimum commitments upfront. This works well for mid-sized companies with predictable headcount, but can feel restrictive for smaller teams or those with variable hiring patterns. Coverage reaches about 27 countries, concentrated in the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. If your team has significant presence in Asia, Africa or LatAm, you'll need a provider with established operations in those regions. Retrieval times and support responsiveness can vary in markets outside their core coverage areas.

Firstbase

Firstbase offers flat per-seat pricing with automation features and a modern interface that operations teams tend to like. The platform covers device procurement, shipping, and retrieval, with integrations for common HRIS and communication tools.

The catch comes with minimum commitments and exclusivity agreements. You can't use Firstbase for some countries and another vendor for others, and you're locked into paying per seat even during quarters when hiring slows down. Pricing is bundled per seat rather than usage-based, so you pay the same rate whether an employee needs a laptop refresh every year or every three years. Support responsiveness varies across time zones, which can slow down issue resolution for globally distributed teams.

Remote Retrieval

Remote Retrieval specializes in shipping kits for device returns within the US. The service keeps things simple and cost-effective for domestic retrievals.

The US-only focus and lack of additional services—no storage, redeployment, or buyback—means this works best as a point solution rather than a comprehensive asset management platform.

Other vendors in this category include Growrk and Hofy, which follow similar models with varying regional focus and pricing structures.

Want to streamline retrievals globally without the coordination overhead? Schedule a call with quipteams to see how local operations in 130+ countries eliminate the delays and manual follow-up that come with managing returns internally.

Common laptop retrieval challenges and how to avoid them

Employees often delay returns because the process feels complicated or time-consuming. Pre-paid labels and clear instructions help, but the real solution is making returns completely effortless. HRIS integration catches offboarding automatically so retrieval starts without anyone having to remember to submit a request.

Devices get lost or damaged in transit more often than you'd expect. Purpose-built padded boxes protect laptops better than generic packaging, and tracking with insurance coverage mitigates financial risk. Providers with established carrier relationships typically see lower damage rates than ad-hoc arrangements.

Frequently asked questions

How quickly can laptop retrievals happen internationally?

Timelines vary by country and provider. Services with local operations usually complete retrievals in 4 to 7 business days. Major business hubs are faster, while remote or low-infrastructure regions take longer. The biggest factor is whether the provider has established local partners or relies on ad-hoc coordination. Note that most providers, including quipteams, handle retrievals locally within each country rather than shipping devices across borders—so a laptop retrieved in India stays in India for local storage, redeployment, or buyback rather than being shipped internationally.

What happens to company data on retrieved laptops?

Reputable providers offer certified data destruction following NIST or DoD standards. This includes multi-pass overwrites that make data unrecoverable. Companies typically receive a certificate of destruction for compliance. Some vendors charge separately for wiping, while others include it. Highly sensitive environments can request physical drive destruction for an additional fee.

Can retrieval services handle other IT equipment besides laptops?

Yes. Most providers also retrieve monitors, tablets, phones, keyboards, mice, and other peripherals. Some can even manage office furniture, although this is less common and requires specialized logistics. If you’re retrieving several items from one employee, confirm the provider can consolidate everything into a single shipment.

How do retrieval costs compare to managing returns internally?

Internal retrieval usually includes staff time, retail-rate shipping fees, unreturned devices, and storage expenses. When you consider IT time, shipping costs of 30 to 80 dollars per device, and device loss rates, dedicated retrieval services tend to be cheaper, more secure, and faster. The ROI improves as retrieval volume increases and when you use buyback programs to recover device value.

What happens when employees refuse to return laptops or delay indefinitely?

Not everyone returns their laptop willingly. Some employees ignore retrieval requests entirely, others keep delaying, and a few intentionally damage devices before returning them. We've worked with hundreds of companies dealing with employees who break laptops, claim they "lost" them, or simply stop responding once they've moved on.Retrieval services can help with follow-up, but enforcement ultimately depends on your employment contracts and local labor laws. Many companies include equipment return clauses that allow withholding final paychecks until devices come back, though this varies by jurisdiction. Some providers offer persistent follow-up and documentation for compliance purposes, while others simply send a shipping label and wait.