Oyster and Deel are both international leaders in payroll and HR services, providing comprehensive solutions for global contractors and Employer of Record (EOR) needs. While both providers seem similar on the surface, Oyster provides a more affordable way to hire and pay contractors while Deel offers more contractor payment options.
Oyster and Deel were among our top choices for the best EOR services and the best international payroll services. To help you determine whether Oyster vs Deel is right for you, here are our recommendations:
- Oyster: Best for SMBs paying international employees and contractors
- Deel: Best for flexible payment options and immigration assistance
Oyster vs Deel Compared
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Free Plan | Explore its platform for free and access global HR tools (monthly fees will start if they hire workers) | Automate HR admin tasks, collect custom documents, manage analytics, and manage time off, expenses, and bonuses |
First month is free for the contractor plan | None | |
Contractor Plan Monthly Pricing | $29 per contractor | $49 per contractor |
Monthly Pricing(for EOR services) | Between $599-$699 (depends per country) | $599 per employee |
Payroll Coverage | Contractors: 180+ countries Employees: 130+ countries | 150+ countries for both contractors and employees |
Contractor Payment Options | Bank transfer | Bank transfer, digital payment platforms such as Revolut, PayPal, or Wise, and cryptocurrencies via Coinbase |
Dedicated Representative | ✓(for its highest tier) | ✓ (for enterprise accounts) |
Generate Reports by Country | ✕ | ✓ |
Time Tracking Tools | Only in select countries | ✕ |
Customer Support |
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User Reviews |
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Our Full Review |
When to Use Each
Oyster provides a range of online tools tailored to streamline the processes of recruiting, compensating, and overseeing a worldwide workforce. It even offers Employer of Record (EOR) services that facilitate the hiring and management of international employees and contract personnel. Additionally, Oyster offers solutions and support to help you stay in compliance with local labor, payroll, and tax regulations.
Oyster is a better choice for:
- SMBs wanting affordable international contractor management tools
- Nonprofit and B-corp businesses needing global EOR services
Check out Oyster’s pros and cons below.
Pros
- Global HR services for contractors available for more than 180 countries (130+ for employees)
- Easy-to-use platform
- Automated hiring and employee management features
- Pay workers in more than 120 currencies
- Extensive library of hiring guides and self-serve tools to get salary and benefits insights and analyze worker misclassification risk
- Assigns a dedicated client success (CSM) manager to its customers
Cons
- EOR fees vary depending on country
- Charges a refundable security deposit for new clients
- Localized employee benefits is a paid add-on
- Dedicated CSM available only in its higher tier
Deel stands out as an international payroll and recruitment solution specially designed for businesses aiming to expand their global presence. Like Oyster, it also extends EoR services, letting you seamlessly recruit, onboard, and remunerate employees and contractors across 150+ countries. Managing global payroll is made effortless through its user-friendly online interface and an array of payment alternatives. Additionally, its expansive network of over 200 in-country expert partners ensures steadfast compliance with local labor laws and tax regulations.
Deel is the better choice for:
- Businesses needing immigration services for their global team members
- International businesses prone to contractor misclassification claims
Learn more about Deel’s benefits and drawbacks.
Pros
- Explore its features by signing up for free; charges are incurred once you hire and pay global workers
- Assigns a dedicated customer success (CSM) manager to clients
- Workers can receive payments in more than 200 currencies
- Offers various payment options including bitcoin, crypto, bank transfer, and a contractor card
- Offers dedicated support for contractor misclassification instances
- Offers immigration and visa sponsoring services for employers expanding globally to locations they don’t own an entity
Cons
- No special discount or plan for hiring refugees
- Dedicated customer service manager not applicable for SMBs, only for enterprises
- Contractor misclassification protection only for highest tiers
Top Alternatives to Oyster & Remote
Oyster HR or Remote may not be the best HR software for your small business. If you’re looking for something else, consider the following alternatives.
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Best for | IT and tech-heavy companies that need global HR features and PEO services | Businesses needing solid international payroll and IP protection tools | Small businesses needing immigration services and work permits |
EoR Pricing | $599 per employee monthly | ||
Starter Monthly Pricing for Global Contractor Payroll | $29 per worker | $30 per worker | |
Looking for other options? If you’re in search of an online system or service provider to assist with your US payroll management, you’ll find our recommended solutions in our guides to the top payroll services or the best payroll software. If you’re in need of guidance to make the right provider choice, our guide on choosing a payroll service can offer valuable insights.
Best for Pricing: Tied
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Free plan | New clients can create an account and access its platform for free (monthly fees will start if they hire workers) | Free account sign up and explore features for free; charges are only incurred when you start hiring and paying global workers |
Special Promotion for New Clientsⓘ | First month is free for the contractor plan | ✕ |
Employee Monthly Pricing | $599 per employee ($499 if billed annually); price varies per country | $599 per employee |
Contractor Pricing | $29 per contractor monthly | $49 per contractor monthly |
Payroll | Included | Included |
Client Onboarding and Setup Fees | None | None |
Global Payroll Only | None | Custom-priced |
Required Deposit | ✓ | ✕ |
It’s straightforward when comparing Oyster vs Deel in terms of pricing since both providers offer similar price points. However, it’s challenging to decide which provider is best for pricing since the value you get depends on what tools you’re looking for.
If you’re only paying contractors and don’t need EOR services, Oyster offers more value for money. Even without Oyster’s special promotion, paying contractors with it is more affordable compared to Deel.
However, in terms of EOR services, Oyster’s pricing starts at $599 but varies per country (some are priced at $699) compared to Deel’s fixed pricing of $599. Yet if you just need to pay global teams, only Deel offers this custom-priced solution.
Key Takeaways:
- Oyster offers a more affordable solution for paying contractors.
- Deel is the way to go if you only need a global payroll solution.
- Oyster and Deel offer similar values for EOR services.
Best for HR Features: Tied
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Online Onboarding and Offboarding Tools | ✓ | ✓ |
Employee self-service portal | ✓ | ✓ |
Intellectual Property (IP) Protection | ✓ | ✓ |
Localized Benefits Options | ✓ | ✓ |
International Compliance | ✓ | ✓ |
Online Contracts with Digital Signatures | ✓ | ✓ |
Immigration and/or Work Permit Services | ✓ | ✓ |
Employee Self-Service Portal | ✓ | ✓ (also has a mobile app for viewing payslips) |
Both Deel and Oyster offer a comprehensive set of essential HR features to effectively manage a global workforce. These capabilities include employee onboarding and offboarding processes, employee self-service portals, robust IP protection, and compliance support. Moreover, both platforms provide locally compliant contract templates that can be easily reviewed and signed by new hires. They also offer competitive global employee benefits packages that not only align with in-country labor regulations but also serve as a valuable tool for attracting and retaining talent.
Key Takeaway:
- When it comes to Oyster vs Deel HR features, these providers offer similar functionalities to help manage and retain a global workforce.
Best for Payroll Features: Tied
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Handles Payroll & Payroll Taxes | ✓ | ✓ |
Payroll Coverage | Contractors: 180+ countries Employees: 130+ countries | 150+ countries for both employees and contractors |
Local Entities in Covered Countries to Handle Payroll | ✓ (in some countries) | ✓ (in some countries) |
Supported Currencies | 120+ | 200+ |
Contractor Payment Options | Bank transfer | Bank transfer, digital payment platforms such as Revolut, PayPal, or Wise, and cryptocurrencies via Coinbase |
Time Tracking | In select countries | ✕ |
Time Off Requests & Approvals | ✓ | ✓ |
Contractor Invoices | System automatically generates monthly invoices for fixed contractors; | Automatically generates invoices; contract workers can add and remove extra items and upload their invoices for approval |
Both Oyster and Deel offer strong international payroll solutions, and the choice between them depends on your specific business needs:
- Oyster has a broader coverage in terms of countries where it provides payroll services and is a solid choice for global payroll management.
- Deel offers a wider range of supported currencies and more flexible contractor payment options, which can be advantageous if you need diverse payment methods for contractors. Additionally, its streamlined approach to contractor invoicing may be a benefit.
Deel’s payroll dashboard shows country pay runs for approval, including those that need funding and require additional data from you. (Source: Deel)
Ultimately, the decision should be based on your specific requirements, such as the countries where you operate, the preferred payment methods for your workforce, and whether time tracking features are crucial for your business. It’s recommended to assess which one aligns best with your unique needs.
Key Takeaway:
- The choice between Oyster and Deel should be made based on your specific business needs and priorities, such as the countries in which you operate, your currency requirements, and the preferred payment methods for your workforce.
Best for Reporting: Deel
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Basic Reports | ✓ | ✓ |
Customization Options | ✕ | ✓ |
Robust Analytics | ✕ | ✓ |
Deel is the clear winner in this criterion as it stands out for its customization options and robust analytics, making it a suitable choice for businesses that require tailored reports and deeper data analysis to make informed decisions about their global workforce.
Oyster offers basic reporting capabilities, which may be sufficient for businesses looking for straightforward payroll and workforce reporting without extensive customization or advanced analytics.
Best for Ease of Use & Customer Support: Oyster
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User Friendly and Intuitive | ✓ | ✓ |
Help with setup | ✓ | ✓ |
Dedicated Client Success Manager | Available in highest plan | For enterprises |
Customer Support |
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Online Guides & Tools |
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Software Integration | Some of the options include:
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Oyster excels in terms of user-friendliness and customer support, giving it a slight edge. While both providers offer user-friendly solutions with valuable setup assistance, Oyster stands out by offering a dedicated client success manager—albeit exclusively in its highest-tier plan. In contrast, Deel provides a similar feature, but it’s exclusively available for enterprise-level clients, not SMBs.
Aside from generating locally compliant contracts and helping in new hire onboarding, Oyster offers free tools to help you manage global hiring and an international workforce. (Source: Oyster)
Key Takeaway:
- Both Oyster and Deel provide excellent customer support, but if you prioritize having dedicated support for your team, Oyster is a compelling choice to consider.
Best for Popularity Among Users: Deel
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User Feedback | Mostly Positive | Mostly Positive |
Average User Ratings* |
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Number of Reviews* |
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*Data from third-party review sites (such as G2 and Capterra) as of this writing | ||
Based on third-party review sites, Deel appears to be more popular and with higher user ratings. Users lauded Deel for its ease of use and its efficiency in managing employee payments. Reviewers also mentioned that the invoice management and time-tracking tools simplified transactions. However, some users complained that the chat support can sometimes take long to reply.
Oyster reviews were also mostly positive, with many users commenting on its seamless hiring support. However, some users complained about its reporting tools being clunky.
Key Takeaway:
- Deel has more and higher ratings and reviews compared to Oyster.
Oyster vs Deel: How We Evaluated
In evaluating the choice of Oyster vs Deel for small businesses, our assessment looked at multiple factors. We checked the pricing structures, evaluated the standout HR features, examined the payroll handling capabilities, and considered the overall popularity and customer satisfaction levels. Additionally, we looked at user feedback to gain insights into what users appreciate and find lacking in each software.
Bottom Line
Oyster and Deel stand at a close match in their capabilities for effectively overseeing and compensating a global workforce. The decision between these two platforms should be contingent upon your unique business needs, considering factors such as the extent of available support, integration possibilities, and the sophistication of reporting tools tailored to your specific HR and payroll needs.
With its useful global payroll and compliance tools, Oyster is recommended for nonprofit organizations needing EOR services and businesses paying international employees and contractors. Meanwhile, if you have employees all over the world and need immigration assistance or different ways for your employees to receive their pay, choose Deel.
