What makes Oyster special is its ability to serve as a platform in over 180 countries globally whereas many payroll and benefits platforms are limited to a handful of countries, making it ideal for global organizations and remote teams.
Ratings
Ease of Use
Best For
Key Differentiator
Price
Free Trial
PROS
- Intuitive: The platform is easy to navigate and makes logical sense.
- competitively priced: The flat rate for employees and contractors makes cost comparisons simple, and is competitive in the market.
- Targeted for a remote workforce: Whether your employees are in one country or 100, Oyster can accommodate them accordingly, and this is a feature few platforms can boast.
CONS
- Slight delays in processing times for payments in the local currency are somewhat common.
- Immediate communication via phone support is not an option, but they do offer live support via Zoom when necessary.
- An initial security deposit is necessary to begin the engagement and is refundable.
- The platform lacks native time-tracking functionality and provides only an in-app tool for managing time off.
- If you’re looking to co-employ your employees and partially outsource HR responsibilities, Oyster isn’t for you. They are more akin to employer of record services (EOR) than a Professional Employer Organizations (PEO).
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Oyster is a human resources solution specifically designed with the remote workforce in mind. It enables leaders and HR teams to onboard contractors and employees, in almost any country on earth, manage payroll, and offer local health insurance, paid time off, and other perks, all on one platform.
Using the platform, you’ll be given guidance on the hiring process as well as relevant compliance information anywhere employees live. You can also benefit from Oyster’s EOR offering, which includes employee liability insurance, direction on employee privacy compliance, and intellectual property protection.
We like that Oyster’s pricing is transparent, which is remarkable in an industry that often saves sticker shock for demos/sales calls. Although custom pricing is available, pricing for contractor and employee services is fixed and published on their website which makes their service easy to compare to competitors. Oyster’s chatbot is also remarkably helpful when browsing their website, which can connect you to a sales representative when you are ready.
The company will use Oyster to hire employees in different countries without setting up legal entities or subsidiaries. It will be used to handle payroll processing for international employees. It will be used for benefits administration.
This includes health insurance, retirement plans, and other employee benefits. Of course, it will be used for HR administration, such as employee data management, time tracking, and employee support services.
It simplifies the process of hiring and managing international employees. It provides a centralized hub for managing all aspects of global workforce administration. It guarantees stability, which is important for a global tool.
My organisation bought Oyster to facilitate hiring and to scale operations globally more efficiently. With it, it is easier to onboard new employees across different countries.
Oyster also focuses on improving the experience for remote employees by offering localized benefits and support, which can enhance employee satisfaction and retention. The company is currently implementing the tool. The plan is to use it globally till the end of the current year.
For smaller businesses or startups, the cost of using Oyster's services may be perceived as high, particularly if they have a limited budget for global expansion or HR management.
Integrating Oyster with existing HR or payroll systems requires additional effort or customization, depending on the company's IT infrastructure and requirements. Some users find that certain features or functionalities they desire are not available or fully developed within Oyster's current offering.
Oyster offers dedicated support from experts in global employment and compliance, ensuring that customers receive personalized assistance and guidance throughout their international expansion journey.
Consider whether the platform can scale with their business as you expand internationally. Evaluate the comprehensiveness of the services offered. A user-friendly interface and intuitive navigation are crucial for ease of use.
Oyster has continuously expanded its coverage to include more countries and jurisdictions.
Oyster supports the complexities of remote workforce management seamlessly.
Oyster is not needed for organizations that operate exclusively within a single country and do not have plans for international expansion.
Oyster is regularly used as part of our global HR operations, particularly when hiring and managing international team members. The platform plays a central role in our onboarding process by allowing us to issue compliant employment contracts and set up payroll across multiple countries.
We rely on Oyster to manage benefits, track time-off policies, and handle region-specific employment compliance requirements. It also provides valuable resources on global compliance laws, supporting a streamlined and compliant HR workflow. This has helped maintain a smooth experience for our international employees.
- I like Oyster because it simplifies global compliance by managing local employment laws, taxes, and benefits.
- The platform is intuitive for onboarding and managing international employees.
- Their support team is responsive and provides helpful resources for global hiring best practices.
Oyster was considered to streamline international hiring and manage global employment compliance efficiently. It enabled us to confidently hire talent in new markets without the need to set up local entities, saving significant time and reducing legal risk.
The platform makes it easy to onboard international team members, manage their contracts, and comply with local regulations. These benefits addressed our need for a scalable and compliant global hiring solution.
- The cost can be relatively high.
- The system is complex, requiring dedicated time with the onboarding specialist to ensure each feature is utilized effectively.
- Some features may take time to fully understand without hands-on guidance.
Oyster stands out from competitors like Rippling due to its strong focus on global compliance and user experience. Compared to other EOR platforms we’ve used, Oyster offers more transparent pricing and better country-specific insights.
Their support team is more responsive and knowledgeable about international employment regulations. I also value the localized benefits recommendations, which help us remain competitive in global hiring. Overall, Oyster acts more like a strategic partner than a standard service provider.
When buying a global employment tool like Oyster, it's important to assess its compliance capabilities—make sure the provider has expertise in local labor laws and tax requirements in your target countries. Customer support quality is also crucial; verify that the team is responsive and knowledgeable.
Look for pricing transparency to avoid unexpected costs. Finally, evaluate how quickly the provider can onboard employees in new regions, especially if your organization is scaling rapidly.
Oyster has evolved significantly to support the growing demands of a global workforce. They have expanded their country coverage and improved onboarding speed, making it easier to hire talent in more regions with reduced delays.
Oyster is well-suited for large organizations that frequently hire internationally.
Oyster may not be a good fit for small organizations that do minimal or no international hiring.
I use Oyster regularly to manage our global workforce. It simplifies onboarding by providing structured workflows for new hires in different countries. The platform also handles payroll across multiple currencies, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time.
We rely on it for administering localized benefits and for staying compliant with international labor laws. Customer support is responsive, and the built-in analytics help us track workforce trends and needs.
- Oyster provides strong global compliance and employment expertise.
- The international onboarding process is fast and efficient.
- Payroll management across different currencies is reliable and flexible.
- The benefits administration tools help attract and retain global talent.
- The platform includes useful analytics and reporting.
- Customer support is responsive and knowledgeable.
- The product evolves based on user feedback.
Our organization was expanding globally and needed help navigating international compliance and employment regulations. With a small HR team of just three people, we lacked the in-house expertise to manage international hiring effectively.
Oyster helped us solve those challenges with a platform that covers global compliance, onboarding, payroll, and benefits. It gave us the support we needed without having to hire additional staff.
The company has been using Oyster for over a year, and it has become an essential part of our HR operations.
- The cost can be high, especially for smaller companies.
- Integration options with other HR or business tools are limited.
- Time tracking and performance features are basic.
- Customization options are minimal.
- Learning and development tools are underdeveloped.
- Absence management is limited compared to specialized platforms.
- The mobile app lacks some functionality available on desktop.
- Document management features are very basic.
I haven’t used other tools like this before, so I can’t directly compare it with competitors.
When choosing a tool like Oyster, consider your specific HR needs and how well the platform addresses them. Budget is important, but you should also think about how the tool integrates with your current systems. For us, compatibility with our existing setup was key. Be clear on the problems you're trying to solve so the solution aligns with your goals.
We have only used Oyster for about a year, so I’m not sure if any significant changes were made to the platform.
Oyster is well-suited for global or fast-growing companies, especially in industries like manufacturing, where international hiring is common.
Oyster may not be a good fit for smaller organizations that don’t need extensive HR support or global capabilities.
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If you would prefer your business to remain the employer of record for all hires, this platform is likely not a great fit for you (our article on the difference between EORs and PEOs has more information). Additionally, if the majority of your employees are located in one country, you won’t experience the full benefit of Oyster so you can do without it.
Quora, Wagestream, Impala, and Grover are some of the companies on Oyster’s long list of customers.
- Compliant global hiring: Oyster takes responsibility for ensuring local compliance with new hires in each location they serve.
- Onboarding: The onboarding process is automated and you can have the Oyster team assist you in it.
- Automated, multi-currency payroll: Oyster can be configured to pay your employees in their local currency, on a certain delivery schedule.
- Benefits administration: Oyster sources local benefit plans for employees in each of your locations.
- Time off management: Employees can request time off on their own through the portal, reducing the admin work your HR team otherwise needs to do.
- Employee document management: The platform offers storage for onboarding documents, employee counseling, and the ability to access and store pay information.
- Automated expense reimbursement: Employees can submit requests for reimbursement through the platform and approvals happen remotely.
- Contractor conversion: You can convert contractors to employees using the platform quite easily, without having to reenter information a second time.
Oyster integrates with many of the tools your business already uses, including Xerox, QuickBooks Online, Bamboo HR, Bob, and Greenhouse, and the list is always growing. If a product you depend on isn’t listed, you can reach out to the Oyster team using their handy chat feature and a sales representative will assist you.
Oyster pricing starts at $29 per month for each contractor, and between $499-$699 per month for each employee (price per employee depends on the selected country). If your business is looking to scale quickly, custom pricing is also available.
Businesses whose employees either reside in or often move to different countries, as well as businesses looking to hire globally would get the most from Oyster.
Oyster's list of countries they service has been growing since we've been aware of the tool. Further, they're integration options have gotten more varied over time. Recent additions include Greenhouse, BambooHR, HiBob, Workday, and numerous other HR and business tools.
Oyster’s team will assist you in implementation, which will include the migration of employee, benefit, payroll, and administrative information into the Oyster system.
Oyster has a support chat function on the main page for any sales-related questions. While they don't do phone support due to the distributed nature of their organization, they do offer Zoom calls for live assistance. They also offer onboarding support, and will work with you to ensure you get on successfully, especially when hiring new employees.
Founded in 2019, Oyster is an HR software vendor that helps companies expand their workforce beyond local borders, particularly from emerging markets. As an organization, Oyster practices what they preach; their staff is made up of a remote workforce with 25% of corporate employees in emerging business markets and a goal to increase that number to 30% by the end of 2024. The company has a robust annual impact report and plan stemming from its mission to support emerging business regions and their employees. Among their goals is to add 15 employees per week to the global roster and to continuously support its clients in hiring within emerging business markets.
Company HQ
Wilmington, Delaware
Number of Employees
Approximately 500
Year Founded
2019
Amount Raised
In 2022, Oyster announced its $150 million series C, and has a current valuation of 1 billion dollars.
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