Introduction

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Oyster Versus the Competition

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.

If you're ready to get a Oyster demo, we suggest getting in touch for a look at the product and quote. Otherwise, read on!

Ratings

4.4

Ease of Use

Best For

Key Differentiator

Price

Starts at $29/month

Free Trial

Yes

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).
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast

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Oyster Review

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.

Who shouldn't buy Oyster

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.

Oyster Customers

Quora, Wagestream, Impala, and Grover are some of the companies on Oyster’s long list of customers.

Oyster: Hiring, payroll, and benefits in 180+ countries
visit Oyster

Oyster Key Features

  • 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 Key Integrations

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

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.

Oyster is Best For

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.

How has Oyster Changed Over Time?

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 Implementation

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 Customer Success

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.

About Oyster

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.

FAQ

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Review Methodology

We take our research process seriously and want to make sure we are presenting our readers with the very best solutions in a given software category. Check out this guide to learn how we evaluate vendors before featuring them in our buyer guides.

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