Pricing
subscription
Best For
Remote-first companies hiring across multiple countries
Rating
8.0/10
Last Updated
Mar 2026
TL;DR
Oyster HR handles the legal and payroll headaches of hiring internationally. Their Employer of Record service covers 180+ countries, and they've raised $224M to build what's essentially a global HR department in a box. EOR runs $599/employee/month, contractors start at $29.
What is Oyster HR?
What Oyster HR Actually Does
Oyster HR launched in 2020 with a simple pitch: hire anyone, anywhere, without setting up local entities. They act as the legal employer in 180+ countries through their Employer of Record model. You pick the talent, Oyster handles contracts, payroll, taxes, and local compliance. It's the kind of service that didn't exist five years ago and now feels essential for remote-first companies.
Employer of Record and Contractor Management
The EOR service is the core product. At $599/employee/month, Oyster employs your team members on your behalf in countries where you don't have a legal presence. They handle local labor law compliance, statutory benefits, tax withholding, and termination procedures. The contractor management tier starts at $29/contractor/month and covers invoice processing, payments in local currencies, and compliance checks to avoid misclassification.
Onboarding and Benefits
New hires get a guided onboarding flow with locally compliant contracts generated automatically. Oyster's benefits administration varies by country—they offer health insurance, retirement plans, and equity compensation where available. The platform shows you country-specific requirements so you don't accidentally violate local labor laws. Time-off policies auto-adjust to local statutory minimums.
Where Oyster Falls Short
The $599/month per employee adds up fast. A 20-person international team costs $143,760 annually just in Oyster fees before salaries. The platform's analytics are basic compared to established HCM tools, and customer support response times can stretch to 24-48 hours. If you only hire in 2-3 countries, setting up your own entities might save money long-term.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Covers 180+ countries through a single platform
- Contractor management starts at just $29/month
- Automated locally compliant contract generation
- Guided onboarding adapts to each country's requirements
- Equity compensation support in supported markets
- Clean interface that doesn't require HR expertise to navigate
Cons
- $599/employee/month gets expensive as your international team grows
- Analytics and reporting lag behind traditional HCM platforms
- Customer support can take 24-48 hours to respond
- Benefits options vary significantly by country
- Limited HRIS features for domestic employees
Oyster HR Pricing
Contractor
- Contractor payments
- Locally compliant contracts
- Invoice management
- Expense management
- Misclassification protection
Employer of Record
- Full employment in 180+ countries
- Payroll processing
- Benefits administration
- Tax compliance
- Onboarding workflows
- Equity compensation support
Scale
- Volume discounts
- Dedicated account manager
- Custom integrations
- Priority support
- Advanced reporting
Pricing last verified: March 22, 2026
Who is Oyster HR Best For?
- Remote-first companies hiring across multiple countries
- Startups expanding internationally without local entities
- Companies managing a mix of contractors and full-time global employees
- Teams of 10-500 distributed workers
Technical Details
The Bottom Line
Oyster HR scores 8/10. It stands out for covers 180+ countries through a single platform. Best suited for remote-first companies hiring across multiple countries. Keep in mind that $599/employee/month gets expensive as your international team grows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on editorial analysis
