Oyster HR positions itself as a flexible global employment platform designed to simplify how companies hire, pay, and care for distributed teams worldwide. It offers Employer of Record (EOR) services for full-time employees and robust contractor management capabilities, supporting payroll in over 120 currencies and operations across a vast number of countries.
Oyster's primary offerings cater to the needs of a global workforce:
This service enables companies to hire full-time employees in over 120 countries where they don't have a local legal entity. Oyster acts as the legal employer, managing compliance with local labor laws, IP protection, global payroll processing, expense reimbursements, allowances, and bonuses. Local benefits plans are available as add-ons.
For businesses engaging international contractors, Oyster facilitates hiring in over 180 countries, helps draft and manage compliant contracts, processes invoices, and handles payments in 120+ currencies.
Integrated within both its EOR and contractor services, Oyster’s platform allows businesses to process payroll for their global team in one place, accommodating various payroll frequencies (monthly/bimonthly) as per country regulations, and simplifying tax withholding and accounting.
Oyster is noted for its user-friendly interface and an easy onboarding process for new hires. The platform provides a self-service portal for employees to manage tasks like requesting time off and submitting expenses, with admins gaining instant visibility to these requests on their dashboard. Helpful tools such as a global hiring cost calculator, international recruitment guides, and invoice management are readily accessible. A key attraction is the ability for companies to sign up and explore the platform, HR tools, and help documentation for free, only incurring costs once they actually hire someone. Customer support and a help center are also available.
Oyster offers three main pricing plans:
Despite its strengths, there are limitations to consider. Oyster currently only supports bank transfers for processing payments, which may not suit all users. There have also been some reports of potential delays in salary transfers. While Oyster provides global employment guidance, the most thorough and dedicated support is reserved for customers on the highest-tier "Scale" plan. The "flat rate" for EOR services should be understood as a starting point, as actual costs will differ based on the employee's country of residence. Additionally, some users have noted occasional inaccuracies in the provided country-specific resource guides. The cost of the EOR service, while competitive for the market, might still be a significant investment for very early-stage startups.
Oyster HR offers a compelling and accessible solution for companies looking to build and manage a distributed global workforce. Its strengths lie in its broad country coverage, user-friendly platform, easy onboarding, and the unique ability to explore the system for free before making a financial commitment. It is particularly well-suited for organizations embarking on global expansion or those needing to compliantly manage both international contractors and EOR employees. However, potential users should carefully consider the limitations around payment methods, the nuanced EOR pricing by location, and the level of global employment guidance available on standard plans.
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