Oyster HR at a glance

Oyster launched in January 2020 and operates as a fully distributed company, with its registered office in Wilmington, Delaware. It has no conventional central workplace headquarters. EOR costs USD 699 per employee per month on monthly billing, with negotiated annual seat discounts.

Before choosing annual billing, I recommend checking how many seats you will keep occupied, since prepaid annual fees are non-refundable. I would also compare the employee’s actual benefits package, deposit and currency-conversion costs.

Worth considering if

I’d give Oyster a closer look when benefits affect whether a candidate accepts the offer. It also warrants a careful monthly-versus-annual comparison if you can predict the number of occupied seats.

My view

Monthly EOR fee
US$699

per employee/month

Annual discounts are available, with the seat price quoted for your team and locations.

Countries
120+

Oyster lists EOR employment in 120+ countries. Its contractor reach is broader, and employment may use Oyster or a local partner; confirm the arrangement for your hire.

Founded
2020
Employer / delivery model
Both

Oyster describes Direct+ as combining owned entities and vetted partners. Ask for the legal employer named in the proposed employment contract and the local escalation route for your hire.

The service fee excludes salary, employer contributions, benefit costs and agreed add-ons. Confirm deposits, FX charges and final settlement in the country quote.

Check before signing: Confirm deposits, FX charges and final settlement in the country quote.

Where Oyster HR stands out

Monthly EOR fee

$699

per employee/month

Annual discounts are available, with the seat price quoted for your team and locations.

Annual seats are a commitment

Annual seats are prepaid and nonrefundable under Oyster’s help guidance. An empty seat can be reused for a new employee; it does not create a cash refund.

Guided offers and onboarding

Hiring templates and local benchmarks help you prepare the offer. Employees enter their details and sign agreements in the platform, with onboarding specialists available.

Benefits priced for the hire

Oyster offers local and global benefits packages as add-ons. Check the cover, employee contribution, enrolment process and extra cost before promising a package to your candidate.

120+ advertised EOR countries

Oyster lists EOR employment in 120+ countries. Its contractor reach is broader, and employment may use Oyster or a local partner; confirm the arrangement for your hire.

Payroll changes and time off

Manage bonuses, allowances and expenses, download payroll reports, and approve leave in Oyster. Ask the team to demonstrate your payroll cutoffs and approval responsibilities.

Rating

TheBestEOR’s rating for Oyster is 4.5/5, updated 8 November 2026.

Category Review focus
Category
Compliance & risk
Review focus
Public terms, specialist-led employment workflows and a SOC 2 Type II report document a strong offer, with country employer and audit scope still to verify.
Category
Cost & contract terms
Review focus
USD 699 monthly pricing is clear, but deposits and nonrefundable annual commitments impose material cost and funding constraints on smaller teams.
Category
Country coverage
Review focus
The rate card and EOR product consistently specify 120+ countries, while owned/partner delivery and broader 180+ engagement coverage are separately described.
Category
Onboarding & platform
Review focus
The documented guided hiring flow and country-specific specialists support a strong onboarding offer, with local prerequisites and actual timing still hire-specific.
Category
Support & service
Review focus
Local-expert support and a ticket workflow are documented, but dedicated-account access is plan-specific; check whether the 72-hour marketing target is in your contract SLA.
Category
Exit flexibility
Review focus
Published rules help planning, but continuing employment costs, transition charges and nonrefundable seats constrain exit flexibility.

My assessment draws on my hands-on test of Oyster’s platform, its terms and accounts from employers and workers.

4.5/5

Rating: 4.5/5. Updated 8 November 2026.

TheBestEOR may earn a referral fee from provider links.

Services

Oyster separates employment through EOR from independent-contractor administration and additional People Partner services. For an employee hire, I’d compare the employment package alongside payroll and ongoing support. Optional benefits need their own coverage and cost check.

Compare benefits employees can use

Local packages

Essential statutory benefits, with Competitive and Best-In-Class upgrades

Premiums, local network, dependents and effective date.

Global health option

Oyster reports Allianz-linked cover across 165+ countries

Where care is available, claims process and employee out-of-pocket funding.

Combined cover

Global benefits can supplement local benefits

Overlap, exclusions and the additional cost.

Global benefits cover 165+ countries, while EOR employment covers 120+. Optional benefit packages are add-ons; obtain the actual schedule and price for each employee before describing the package in an offer.

Coverage

Oyster’s current pricing page lists EOR employment in 120+ countries. Its broader 180+ country reach includes contractor services. The Direct+ model combines Oyster-owned entities with vetted partners, so the legal employer varies by country.

Music software company Muse Group used Oyster to hire 30 people in eight countries, including in markets where it had no entity of its own. Oyster’s customer interview describes that expansion.

In Oyster’s country directory, Andorra is listed for contractors, while Albania’s EOR entry warns that more time or a minimum number of hires may be required. Search the intended product before treating a country name as confirmation that a single employee can start there.

For every proposed hire, I recommend asking for the legal employer’s registered name, whether it is owned by Oyster, and who runs payroll and handles an employment dispute. When a partner employs the worker, I would also establish who can approve a local correction and which Oyster contact is accountable for resolving it.

Country confirmation

1
Confirm the role, work location and right-to-work position before approving an offer.
2
Match the benefits and payroll schedule to the actual employing arrangement.
3
Keep the employer name and escalation owner with the signed employment documents.

Pricing

Prices by product

Employer of Record

From$699

USD per employee/month

Salary and employment costs are additional.

Global Contractors

$29

USD per contractor/month after 30 days free

Contractor compensation is separate.

People Partner Services

$300

USD per hour

Agree the project scope and expected hours.

EOR annual seats

Discounted annual seats are quoted by team size and country. Seats can be reused; annual fees are non-refundable. Compare the committed annual amount and payment schedule.

For EOR, Oyster says setup, onboarding, routine HR expert access and termination processing are included in the subscription. Employee notice pay, severance and other final employment costs are extra. Project-based People Partner work is priced separately; Global Payroll has its own implementation fee.

Ask Oyster to itemize optional benefits and advisory work separately from the EOR fee. For services marked “Custom quote,” request a rate for the country where you will use them.

Payroll and contractors

Global Payroll

$290 + $29

USD per entity/month + USD per employee/month

One-time setup costs US$500 per entity. Local monthly rates are €270 + €27, £230 + £23 or C$390 + C$39 (entity + employee); setup is €465, £395 or C$685 respectively.

Payroll payment processing

$2

USD per employee/month

Optional payment processing for Global Payroll. Published local rates are EUR 2, GBP 2 or CAD 3 per employee/month, according to the entity’s billing currency.

Oyster Shell

$49 extra

USD per contractor/month

Added to the USD 29 contractor fee. Protection depends on country, contract and classification eligibility, with policy limits and exclusions.

People services

Employee benefits

Custom quote

by country, package and covered members

Choose local or global supplemental benefit packages. Premiums and eligibility depend on the employee’s country and selected cover.

Visa sponsorship

Custom quote

by application and country

For talent engaged through Oyster in supported destinations. The quote depends on the visa route and the person’s eligibility.

Tools and subscriptions

Platform access and planning tools

Free

account and listed planning tools

Explore the platform and use employment-cost, entity-comparison and classification tools. Paid employment services and Salary Insights have separate charges.

Salary Insights

$3,500

per year; confirm the dollar currency

Salary benchmarking is available without making an Oyster hire. The Help Center lists an annual subscription and a three-day trial; confirm invoice currency at checkout.

What to include in your budget

Recurring employment budget

Put salary, employer contributions, benefits and the subscription on separate lines.

Initial funding

Show the deposit and first payroll funding separately from annual expense.

Variable charges

Request currency-conversion terms, applicable service taxes and any benefits administration charge.

Departure

Obtain the employee-specific final payroll and transition estimate.

Service fees for ten employees

Service fees only

At the advertised monthly EOR rate, service fees for ten employees would total $6,990 per month or $83,880 across 12 unchanged months. Those totals are before any negotiated discount and exclude salary, employer contributions, benefits, taxes, add-ons and funding balances.

Oyster’s refundable EOR deposit and credit notes

Oyster normally requires a refundable deposit of about one month of gross salary plus employer costs and Oyster’s platform fee for each EOR hire, due when you sign the service agreement. The customer terms set one month of fees under the agreement as the minimum. Oyster can request a top-up on five days’ written notice if costs rise or it expects additional liabilities.

After an employee leaves, Oyster usually issues a credit note about 60 days after the end date, once final payments have cleared. The contractual deadline for returning the unused balance is 60 days after Oyster receives all amounts owed or confirms they have been paid, whichever is later. You can apply the credit to unpaid invoices. Oyster may offer a cash refund if you have no team members left with it.

I’d budget for the deposit separately from Oyster’s monthly EOR fee and payroll funding. Check the service agreement and any additional documents for your hire, since their terms can take precedence over the general terms.

How Oyster invoices payroll

Pre-funding

An estimate collected before payroll. It can omit costs and cannot be disputed through this process.

Settlement

Actual costs reconcile the estimate; a difference becomes an amount due or credit. This invoice can be disputed.

Adjustments

Backdated benefits enrollment can add earlier-month premiums. Benefit fees and applicable service taxes have separate treatment.

Final payroll

Local accruals, termination costs and unused leave can appear in the settlement.

Oyster’s Help Center invoice example separates EOR and contractor billing. The displayed balances are sample amounts. Provider documentation image, captured 24 September 2026.

Use the downloadable invoice breakdown for reconciliation. Have finance compare the employee cost, Oyster charge and adjustments separately.

Salary, employer costs and extras are additional.

Best For

I’d compare Oyster if you expect to keep international roles filled throughout the year. Relationship app company Paired hired 23 people in six countries through Oyster. In 2024 it bought 15 prepaid annual seats. Its head of finance said this made costs easier to forecast.

Prepaid annual seats are non-refundable. Compare the cost of your expected vacancies with the annual discount before you commit. For the employee offer, ask to see the local benefits policy and who handles an urgent claim.

Oyster offers both country-tailored packages and a global option linked to Allianz. The value to an employee depends on the policy’s coverage, local network and reimbursement rules.

Benefits influence acceptance or retention

Shortlist Oyster and compare the actual policy schedule with the candidate’s needs.

Hiring plans are stable for the coming year

Explore the annual-seat quote, including vacancy periods and likely replacement hires.

You need a basic hire at the lowest service fee

Compare a lower-priced country offer before committing to Oyster.

Headcount may shrink materially

Keep the monthly option in the comparison; an annual discount needs to compensate for unused capacity.

Alternatives to compare

Oyster HR is often compared with Remote and Deel.

I’d use the same employee, country, salary and benefit requirements in each request. A lower headline fee is a useful benchmark, but compare the total cost and the employee’s cover as well.

Explore Oyster alternatives if you are reconsidering the provider. The Deel vs Oyster comparison examines the employee offer and annual-seat utilization; Remote vs Oyster focuses on commitments and cash requirements for a small international team.

Provider Published EOR fee Why include it
Provider
Remote
Published EOR fee
From USD 599 per employee/month on an annual contract; standard USD 699 monthly by active usage. Confirm invoice schedule.
Why include it
★★★★★3.8/5.
A lower advertised starting fee, with entities Remote says it owns; confirm the applicable offer and any reserve.
Provider
Deel
Published EOR fee
From USD 599 per employee/month; month-to-month available. Mandatory salary-based Employer Liability Cost is additional.
Why include it
★★★★★4.7/5.
Compare employee and contractor administration in the same platform.
Provider
RemotePeople
Published EOR fee
EOR Global from USD 499 per employee/month; Select from USD 199 only for eligible countries and salary ranges. Confirm commitment.
Why include it
★★★★★4.9/5.
Compare the country-specific quote, Select eligibility, recruitment scope and deposit terms.

Remote

★★★★★3.8/5.

EOR service fee From USD 599 per employee/month on an annual contract; standard USD 699 monthly by active usage. Confirm invoice schedule.

Why include it:

A lower advertised starting fee, with entities Remote says it owns; confirm the applicable offer and any reserve.

Deel

★★★★★4.7/5.

EOR service fee From USD 599 per employee/month; month-to-month available. Mandatory salary-based Employer Liability Cost is additional.

Why include it:

Compare employee and contractor administration in the same platform.

RemotePeople

★★★★★4.9/5.

EOR service fee EOR Global from USD 499 per employee/month; Select from USD 199 only for eligible countries and salary ranges. Billing commitment is set in the proposal.

Why include it:

Compare the country-specific quote, Select eligibility, recruitment scope and deposit terms.

Service fees only

For ten employees over 12 months, a $100 monthly fee difference equals $12,000 in service fees before discounts. Ask what that difference buys in benefits administration, support and work your own team would otherwise do.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Integrations

Oyster connects with HR, recruitment, accounting and collaboration tools. Its integration materials include BambooHR and HiBob, while its current directory lists options such as Ashby, Workable, ADP Workforce Now and Concur Expense. Oyster says its integrations are free for account holders, although the other software may carry its own charges. The workflow depends on the connection: some move candidate or employee records, while others handle expenses or invoices. Check which system owns each record, how changes are synced and whether your required fields are supported. I’d run a short trial with a real onboarding or expense scenario.

Expensify requirements and payroll deadlines

Oyster’s guide requires the Control plan, policies in each employee’s payout currency and matched employee profiles. Final-approved reimbursable expenses sync daily at 03:00 UTC. Missing receipt images prevent a sync; matched employees submit new expenses in Expensify.

The integration FAQ says approval before the applicable monthly cutoff (listed as the 6th or 10th) puts reimbursement into that month’s payroll; later approval moves it to the next month. Synced approvals cannot simply be reversed by the customer; Oyster support must assist. Alerts appear in the app and email.

Before connecting the systems, I’d run a small demonstration with a mismatched employee email, a missing receipt and a late approval. Assign someone to resolve alerts and explain timing to employees.

Platform & Process

Oyster documents payroll changes for bonuses, allowances, expenses and salary adjustments, alongside payroll reports and time-off tracking. Demonstrate these as one monthly process: a manager approves the change, payroll applies it and finance can find the resulting cost.

Oyster’s help-center example shows native expense approval, including the receipt, amount and decision buttons. The sample dates are from 2022 and 2023. Source: Oyster expense-approval guide (accessed 23 October 2026).

Onboarding & support

Oyster advertises onboarding as fast as 48 hours with country-specific specialists. A useful start-date commitment includes contract signature, required documents, funding, benefit activation and the first payroll date.

From the offer to ongoing support

1

Scope the hire. Confirm the employer, role and employment package, then agree the complete country cost.

2

Approve the agreement. Resolve probation, variable pay and benefit choices before the employee signs.

3

Complete funding and documents. Assign an internal owner for the deposit, payroll funds and missing information.

4

Check the first payroll. Match the payslip and settlement breakdown to the agreed salary, deductions and approved changes.

5

Agree ongoing support. Record the contact for an urgent pay issue, the escalation route and the owner of employment changes.

The public terms defer to each invoice’s due date and use a five-day fallback where no date is shown. Agree who can approve and release funds when the usual finance approver is away.

For a departure, work back from the employee’s final day. Obtain the final-pay calculation, benefit end date, required documents and outstanding expenses. Keep the deposit return and any annual-seat reuse as separate tasks.

Contract Terms

I’d start with the monthly or annual commitment, then check how the service agreement handles employee departure. Cancelling a subscription, ending employment under local rules and returning the deposit are separate events.

What happens when an annual seat is empty

Annual EOR seats are paid upfront and are non-refundable. A vacant seat can be reused, while employees beyond the purchased capacity incur the standard subscription fee. Oyster also offers quarterly or semiannual payment at a higher per-seat price. Its guide states a renewal increase ceiling of 5%; confirm the provision in your order.

Oyster’s public customer terms allow either party to give 30 days’ written notice to end the agreement or an individual service agreement. Employment may continue beyond that period while Oyster completes the local termination procedure, with fees and applicable transition costs continuing until the service actually ends. Those costs can include notice pay, unused leave, severance and other liabilities. The service agreement and additional documents can take priority over the general terms, so check the version attached to your quote. Ask Oyster to distinguish the commercial notice period from the employee’s local notice and the expected final settlement.

Compare the annual quote against your expected occupied months, then run a second case with delayed hires.

Customer Reviews

Oyster’s Trustpilot profile shows 3.8 out of 5 from 272 reviews, and its G2 profile shows 4.4 out of 5 from 1,634 reviews (both checked 9 November 2026). The accounts below illustrate individual employment and EOR experiences; they are not a guarantee of the service in every country.

Trustpilot

Employer coordination

Vilte Dewar’s employer account, published 21 January 2025, describes an easy-to-use platform and coordinated onboarding and offboarding for the team.

Trustpilot

Clear setup, with a request for faster updates

Arnold Cuesta, writing on 28 January 2026 about his employment setup, praised clear onboarding, accessible contract and benefit information, and centralized HR records. He also wanted faster handling of time-sensitive questions and more proactive updates.

Trustpilot

Health benefits in Colombia

Alejandro Gomez’s 17 July 2025 account explicitly discusses Oyster EOR health benefits in Colombia. He argued that paying medical costs upfront and waiting for reimbursement could make the cover hard to use on a modest salary.

For a hire in Colombia, ask which providers bill the insurer directly, when the employee has to pay first and how quickly a reimbursement is due under the proposed plan.

Employee reviews

Glassdoor logo identifying employee reviews referenced in The Best EOR provider comparisons.

Glassdoor

Checked 2026-11-09 · Glassdoor

Employee rating: 3.6 out of 5 from 257 reviews.

Employees rate Oyster 3.6 out of 5 on Glassdoor, from 257 reviews. This counts for one-seventh of our overall rating, because happy employees give better service. For an EOR, the people you hire become its employees too.

Read Oyster reviews on Glassdoor

Sort the reviews by date and read what payroll and support staff say: they will handle your account.

Rating and research evidence

Rating: 4.5/5

On 3 November 2026, TheBestEOR recorded medium confidence in the evidence for all six categories.

I would shortlist Oyster for a distributed team that needs local benefits options and help with hiring. I would compare the US$699 monthly fee with a quote for prepaid annual seats, then budget separately for the deposit and any months a seat could sit empty.

Compliance & risk

Oyster has a SOC 2 Type II report and conducts regular penetration testing. The latest report is available through its security dashboard. I recommend checking its scope alongside the country employer and contractual protections.

Strengths

  • Public customer terms, documented security-report access and country specialists.

Watch-outs

  • Match partner/owned employer and insurance protections to the country agreement.

What remains to confirm

  • Actual country employer, insurance and liability protections, and latest report scope.

Cost & contract terms

USD 699 monthly pricing is clear, but deposits and nonrefundable annual commitments impose material cost and funding constraints on smaller teams.

Strengths

  • Explicit USD pricing and itemised invoices clarify the purchase.

Watch-outs

  • The high monthly fee, prepaid annual seats and deposit create budget constraints.

What remains to confirm

  • Final monthly/annual quote, deposit, benefit premiums, FX markup and payment costs.

Country coverage

The rate card and EOR product consistently specify 120+ countries, while owned/partner delivery and broader 180+ engagement coverage are separately described.

Strengths

  • Product-specific EOR scope is distinguishable from contractor reach.

Watch-outs

  • Confirm availability and the actual legal employer in each hiring country.

What remains to confirm

  • Country/role/visa eligibility and the specific employing entity.

Onboarding & platform

The documented guided hiring flow and country-specific specialists support a strong onboarding offer, with local prerequisites and actual timing still hire-specific.

Strengths

  • Guided in-app agreements and country onboarding specialists.

Watch-outs

  • Published 48-hour possibility is conditional and not a universal hiring SLA.

What remains to confirm

  • Country prerequisites, realistic start and first-payroll dates.

Support & service

Local-expert support and a ticket workflow are documented, but dedicated-account access is plan-specific; check whether the 72-hour marketing target is in your contract SLA.

Strengths

  • Ticket routing and local-expert support have public descriptions.

Watch-outs

  • Confirm dedicated-manager eligibility and the scope of resolution promises.

What remains to confirm

  • Dedicated-manager entitlement and binding response/resolution commitments.

Exit flexibility

Published rules help planning, but continuing employment costs, transition charges and nonrefundable seats constrain exit flexibility.

Strengths

  • Public terms make notice, transition duties and deposit treatment visible.

Watch-outs

  • Client notice is 30 days; employment charges continue until employment ends under local rules. Deposit return is within 60 days after all amounts are paid/confirmed; annual seats are nonrefundable.

What remains to confirm

  • Final country settlement, transition charges and account-specific cash-refund conditions.

EOR scope is 120+ countries, distinct from broader 180+ engagement reach. Annual seats are prepaid and nonrefundable; deposits return only after applicable settlement.

FAQ

What does Oyster’s EOR price include?

Oyster’s published monthly EOR fee is US$699 per employee. Its pricing page includes employment administration, payroll, expense and time-off tools, and reports, plus onboarding and offboarding specialists. Oyster says setup, onboarding, routine HR expert access and termination processing carry no extra service charge.

Salary, employer contributions, optional benefits and agreed add-ons are additional; termination processing does not cover the employee’s notice pay or severance. Check applicable FX charges, taxes and separately scoped advisory work. Annual discounts are quoted separately, and prepaid annual seats are non-refundable. Request an itemized country quote and show the security deposit and payroll pre-funding separately from recurring costs.

Can I recover the annual-seat fee if an employee leaves?

Oyster’s annual-seat guide says the prepaid fee is non-refundable. You can reuse a vacant seat for a replacement hire. Compare the savings with the possibility that the seat remains empty.

Does Oyster require an upfront deposit?

Yes. Oyster normally requires an upfront refundable deposit of one month of gross salary plus recurring compensation, employer costs, service taxes and its platform fee. Some hires require more. Payment is due when the service agreement is signed; confirm the amount for your employee.

Oyster normally issues a deposit credit note about 60 days after the employee’s end date, once final payments and invoices are settled. The credit can offset invoices; a cash refund may be offered if no team members remain. Release can be delayed by unsettled costs. This security deposit is separate from regular payroll pre-funding and any prepaid annual service fee.

Does Oyster HR run payroll and benefits for international employees?

Yes, for employees hired through its EOR service, which Oyster reports in 120+ countries. Oyster documents payroll changes such as bonuses, expenses and salary adjustments, and invoices payroll in two steps: a pre-funding estimate, then a settlement of actual costs. For benefits, it offers country-tailored packages and an Allianz-linked global option that can supplement local cover; optional packages are add-ons.

For staff employed through your own entity, Oyster offers a separate Global Payroll service. Its published fees are US$290 per entity/month plus US$29 per employee/month, with a one-time US$500 implementation fee per entity. Optional payment processing costs US$2 per employee/month. Billing currency depends on the entity’s location. Check the supported-country list and confirm scope and local pricing in your quote.

Are Oyster’s global benefits the same as local benefits?

They are different options. Country-tailored packages address local needs; global cover can supplement them. Check the employee’s policy, network, reimbursement process, dependents and premium before selecting either.

Does Oyster directly employ everyone through its own entities?

Oyster describes Direct+ as combining owned entities and vetted partners. Ask for the legal employer named in the proposed employment contract and the local escalation route for your hire.

What happens if an Expensify expense misses payroll cutoff?

Oyster’s integration FAQ says expenses approved after the applicable cutoff move to the following month’s payroll. Confirm the cutoff for the employee and make sure profiles, currency policies and receipts are correct.

When should I choose Oyster over a cheaper EOR?

I’d choose Oyster when its benefits, employment support and administration justify the extra service fee for your team. Compare the same country’s benefits, employee costs and funding requirements across providers.

Verdict

For me, the strongest reason to evaluate Oyster is the employment package you can put in front of a candidate. Compare medical cover, local benefits and enrollment support together. Cover is less useful if the employee must fund treatment upfront or cannot use the expected local network.

See how Oyster compares with the nine other providers in the ranking of the 10 best EOR services.

The decision depends on the benefits available in the employee’s country and the cash required before the first payroll.

Sources

The sources behind this review, grouped by topic. Dates show when we last checked a page. Prices and terms change, so confirm them in your quote.

Oyster pricing, contract terms and deposits

9 sources
  1. Oyster · Pricing

    Pricing, coverage and add-ons

    EOR from USD 699 per employee per month on month-to-month pricing; lists EOR employment in 120+ countries. Salary, statutory employer contributions, benefits, deposits or payroll funding, FX and separately agreed services are additional or need confirming in the country quote. Checked 3 Nov 2026

  2. Oyster · Help Center

    How EOR Annual works

    Annual seats have a negotiated price, are prepaid and non-refundable, and unused seats can be reused. Semiannual or quarterly payment can cost more per seat. Checked 3 Nov 2026

  3. Oyster · Help Center

    Invoicing Process for EOR Team Members

    EOR invoices, benefits and extra charges. Checked 3 Nov 2026

  4. Oyster · Legal

    Customer Terms & Conditions

    Sets one month of fees under the agreement as the minimum deposit. Used for the compliance, cost and exit ratings. Checked 20 Oct 2026

  5. Oyster · Help Center

    Why is a deposit required?

    A refundable deposit of about one month of gross salary plus employer costs and Oyster’s platform fee for each EOR hire, due when you sign the service agreement. Checked 3 Nov 2026

  6. Oyster · Help Center

    When is the refundable deposit returned?

    Oyster usually issues a credit note about 60 days after the end date, once final payments have cleared; the credit can be applied to unpaid invoices. Checked 20 Oct 2026

  7. Oyster · Help Center

    How much does global payroll cost?

    US$290 per entity/month plus US$29 per employee/month, a one-time US$500 implementation fee per entity and optional payment processing at US$2 per employee/month. Billing currency depends on the entity’s location. Checked 3 Nov 2026

  8. Oyster · Help Center

    In which countries does Oyster support global payroll?

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  9. Oyster · Help Center

    How to use the Salary Insights Tool for salary benchmarking

    Salary Insights subscription and trial. Checked 3 Nov 2026

Oyster product, help-centre and company pages

25 sources
  1. Oyster · Product

    EOR product and platform features

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  2. Oyster · Product

    Direct+ infrastructure

    Combines Oyster-owned entities with vetted partners, so the legal employer varies by country.

  3. Oyster · Coverage

    Country availability

  4. Oyster · How it works

    Employee guidance and legal employer

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  5. Oyster · How it works

    Benefits

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  6. Oyster · Product

    Enterprise payroll

  7. Oyster · Product

    Global Employment Tools

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  8. Oyster · Product

    People Partner Services

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  9. Oyster · Product

    Talent mobility

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  10. Oyster · Product

    Salary Insights

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  11. Oyster · Help Center

    Oyster Shell overview

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  12. Oyster · Integrations

    Integrations and API

    Checked 20 Oct 2026

  13. Oyster · Help Center

    HiBob: Connecting to Oyster

    Checked 20 Oct 2026

  14. Oyster · Help Center

    Expensify: Connecting to Oyster

  15. Oyster · Help Center

    Expensify FAQs

  16. Oyster · Help Center

    How do I approve expenses?

    Shows native expense approval with the receipt, amount and decision buttons; the sample dates are from 2022 and 2023. Checked 23 Oct 2026

  17. Oyster · Help Center

    Oyster Platform Roles

    Checked 18 Oct 2026

  18. Oyster · Help Center

    How do I request support?

    Used for the support rating.

  19. Oyster · Security

    Security

    Describes a SOC 2 Type II report and regular penetration testing; the latest report is available through the security dashboard.

  20. Oyster · Trust Center

    Trust dashboard

    Used for the compliance rating.

  21. Oyster · Company

    Media kit

    Source for the 2020 founding year.

  22. Oyster · Library

    Oyster is changing the future of work by aligning investment and mission

    Source for the January 2020 launch.

  23. Oyster · Legal

    Website terms of use

    Gives the registered office in Wilmington, Delaware.

  24. Oyster · Case study

    Muse Group case study

    Muse Group hired 30 people in eight countries through Oyster, including markets where it had no entity of its own.

  25. Oyster · Case study

    Paired case study

    Paired hired 23 people in six countries and bought 15 prepaid annual seats in 2024.

Customer and employee reviews

2 sources
  1. Trustpilot

    Oyster reviews

    3.8 out of 5 from 272 reviews. Used for current accounts. Checked 3 Nov 2026

  2. Trustpilot

    Oyster reviews: employer and benefits accounts

Other providers’ pricing used for comparison

3 sources
  1. Deel

    Pricing

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  2. Remote

    Pricing

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

  3. RemotePeople

    Pricing

    Checked 3 Nov 2026

Our research

2 sources
  1. The Best EOR

    Review methodology

  2. The Best EOR

    Oyster pricing and features infographic (archived version)

    Checked 18 Oct 2026

If you spot a changed price or a conflicting source, send it through the contact page and we’ll review it.