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Independent · Algorithm-scored · No pay-to-rank

Oyster EOR review

Built forStartupsSMBsMid-marketEnterprise
Scored by the EOR Select rating systemSee the methodology →Built and maintained by Robbin SchuchmannUpdated July 18, 2026
01

The decision layer

Should you pick Oyster?

// oyster at a glance

Oyster is an Employer of Record provider offering EOR, payroll and contractor payments. It scores 66/100 on the EOR Select index, covers 140 countries, and starts from $699 per employee per month.

What it is
Employer of Record (EOR, payroll and contractor payments)
Select Score
66/100
Country coverage
140 countries
Entry EOR price
from $699/mo
Third-party rating
4.6/5 from 104 reviews

As of July 10, 2026 · scored by the EOR Select rating system (methodology)

// the verdict

The verdict

Oyster scores 66/100 on the Select Score, strongest on support and platform. EOR pricing starts from $699 per employee per month. Its weakest axis is pricing, the clearest trade-off to weigh before committing.

Oyster is an EOR platform founded in 2020, offering broad coverage across EOR, payroll, and contractor management. Its pricing sits toward the higher end of the market, and it carries a strong third-party review rating of 4.4 out of 5 across 1901 reviews. It is a fit for companies that prioritize platform capability and support quality over cost.

// strengths & watch-outs

Strengths and watch-outs

// strengths

  • Broad country coverage (140 countries)
  • 5 security certifications on file
  • Wide integration support (8 integrations)
  • Positive community sentiment on Reddit

// watch-outs

  • Premium pricing, from $699/mo

// how it scores

How Oyster scores

Coverage76/100

Covers 140 countries, 76% of the 185-country benchmark.

Pricing45/100

EOR pricing from $699 per employee per month. Lower is scored higher.

Compliance71/100

5 security certifications on file, with a blended third-party review score of 4.61 out of 5 across 104 reviews (weighted by review volume).

Platform77/100

8 listed integrations.

Support82/100

4 support channels on file, with a blended third-party review score of 4.61 out of 5 across 104 reviews (weighted by review volume).

Reputation69/100

Based on 19 approved Reddit mentions (8 positive, 6 neutral, 5 negative; 13 first-hand). First-hand accounts weigh more than second-hand remarks; 8 mentions from possible promotional accounts are down-weighted. Net community sentiment leans positive; Reputation scored 69.

The total is weighted by how much independent review evidence backs this provider, so it can sit below the average of the categories above. How scoring works

// watch our review

Watch our Oyster review

02

The data record

Oyster by the numbers

// pricing

What Oyster costs

EOR

from $699

per employee / month

Contractor

from $29

per employee / month

Payroll

Pricing on request

Normalized starting prices from our dataset. Final pricing depends on country and headcount. Full Oyster pricing breakdown →

verified July 8, 2026provider pricing pages

// country coverage

Where Oyster operates

Verified Employer of Record coverage in 116 countries, from the same normalized dataset used to score every provider.

Americas24Europe40Africa21Asia29Oceania2
Show all 116 countries
Americas24
  • Argentina
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • El Salvador
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana
  • Honduras
  • Jamaica
  • Mexico
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • United States
  • Uruguay
Europe40
  • Albania
  • Austria
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Kosovo
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Moldova
  • Montenegro
  • Netherlands
  • North Macedonia
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Serbia
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom
Africa21
  • Botswana
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cameroon
  • Egypt
  • Ghana
  • Ivory Coast
  • Kenya
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mauritius
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Nigeria
  • Rwanda
  • Senegal
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
Asia29
  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bangladesh
  • Cambodia
  • Georgia
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Lebanon
  • Malaysia
  • Mongolia
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Philippines
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Singapore
  • South Korea
  • Sri Lanka
  • Taiwan
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vietnam
Oceania2
  • Australia
  • New Zealand

verified July 10, 2026normalized EOR coverage dataset

// platform & operations

How Oyster runs

Oyster integrates with 8 tools, holds 5 security certifications and bills clients in 4 currencies.

Security & compliance
soc2iso27001gdprhipaapci-dss
Integrations
BambooHRHiBobGreenhouseQuickBooks OnlineXeroNetSuiteWorkdayOkta
Payroll & platform
Multi-currencyAutomated taxTax filingPayslip generationEmployee portalAPI accessHRIS integrationCompliance dashboardDedicated support24/7 supportMobile appOn-demand pay
Pay-run frequency
Bi-weeklySemi-monthlyCustom
Payment methods
Bank transferWisePayPalCrypto
Support channels
Live chatDedicated CSMKnowledge base24/7 support
Employee payouts
Local currency, across 140 countries: 89 currencies including EUR, USD, GBP, INR
Bills clients in
CADEURGBPUSD
Founded
2020
Headquarters
Charlotte, US
Employees
501-1000
Funding
$291M
CEO
Tony Jamous

verified July 10, 2026provider disclosures

// fee transparency

What Oyster tells you before you ask

25/100 transparency
1 of 6 disclosed with a source

This scores only what Oyster publishes, not whether its prices are low. A cost counts as disclosed when we can link the provider’s own page stating it. See the full ranking or how this is scored.

EOR base price
FX / currency markup
UndisclosedNot published by Oyster
Security deposit
UndisclosedNot published by Oyster
Setup fee
UndisclosedNot published by Oyster
Offboarding fee
UndisclosedNot published by Oyster
Minimum term
UndisclosedNot published by Oyster

verified July 8, 2026provider disclosures, own-domain sourced

03

Outside evidence

What the market says about Oyster

// reviews across the web

What Oyster customers say

RATING4.354.35steadyREVIEWS1,7931,901+108since 2026-05-25
review count blended rating
05-2506-0106-0806-1506-2206-2907-0607-13
PlatformRatingChangeReviewsChange
G24.4steady1,542+106
Capterra4.6steady91steady
Trustpilot4.0steady268+2

// reddit reputation

Oyster on Reddit

Across 19 approved Reddit mentions of Oyster (as of Jun 2026), 42% were positive, 32% neutral and 26% negative. The most-discussed topics were compliance, onboarding, pricing. We screen each mention for relevance, then label sentiment. Unfiltered operator experience, separate from our Select Score.

19 mentions · 13 first-hand · 8 from promotional accounts, down-weighted

// key takeaways

What people praise

  • Pricing (3)

Common complaints

  • Compliance (5)
  • Onboarding (2)
  • Support (2)
Positive8 · 42%Neutral6 · 32%Negative5 · 26%

Raw counts. The Reputation score also weighs recency, first-hand directness and author trust.

// most discussed topics

TopicMentionsSentiment
Compliance8Mostly negative
Onboarding4Mostly negative
Pricing4Mostly positive
Support3Mostly negative
Comparisons1Mixed

Reputation subscore

69/100

This sentiment feeds the Reputation dimension of the Select Score.

We re-check Reddit monthly; newest mention as of Jun 2026. How we screen and score mentions →

// individual mentions

Sort
NeutralOnboardingFirst-hand
r/AusFinance308Oct 2023

HR asked me to write a resignation letter to transition our EOR

The HR team told me that in order to do this, we need to write a resignation letter to safeguard and later on will be given a contract from oyster. AFAIK this is not normal?

AI summary: Employee describes being asked to write a resignation letter as part of a transition from Safeguard to Oyster as EOR, questioning whether this process is normal amid impending redundancy.

PositiveOnboardingFirst-hand
r/Payroll34Jul 2025

Best global payroll software experiences?

Human support is their biggest strength - no chatbots when you need help. Platform feels dated but handles custom contracts well. Proactive on compliance changes which saved us headaches.

AI summary: Author is early in testing Oyster for Asia-Pacific roles and found onboarding painless with a good employee experience, though it is still early days.

NeutralComparisons
r/human_resources14Feb 2026

Best global payroll providers worth it long term?

We’re expanding internationally and looking at global payroll solutions instead of setting up entities. Comparing Deel, Remote, Oyster, Papaya, etc but most content feels sponsored. For those who’ve used international payroll services Are costs really…

AI summary: Post lists Oyster among providers being compared for global payroll but asks general questions without sharing any direct experience of it.

NegativeCompliance
r/Payroll3Mar 2026

Best global payroll software experiences?

If you're still heavy in APAC Oyster is okay but I’ve found that Brio HR handles the specific statutory stuff in those regions (like Malaysia/Singapore/Thailand) way more accurately !

AI summary: Commenter says Oyster is okay for APAC but suggests Brio HR handles statutory requirements in Malaysia/Singapore/Thailand more accurately.

PositiveFirst-hand
r/AskHR2Oct 2025

[CAN-ON] Converting a contractor to a full-time employee?

Oyster is the second EOR we've used and have been happy with them.

AI summary: HR professional says Oyster is their second EOR and they have been happy with it.

NegativeComplianceFirst-hand
r/Payroll1Dec 2025

Best global payroll software experiences?

Oyster is horble platform to work with. I catched them twice that they didnt paid health insurence on time, both times was urgency.

AI summary: User reports Oyster failed to pay health insurance and taxes on time in Bosnia, made excuses, and is now consulting a lawyer about suing them.

PositivePricing
r/Startups_EU1Jun 2026

Oyster, Remote or Workmotion for EU?

Oyster giving us the most transparent pricing and the sharpest first-call rep, Remote covering the most countries through their own entities, and Workmotion getting the most consistent recommendations across Google, ChatGPT and Reddit threads on EU-native EOR.

AI summary: Author evaluating Oyster among three EOR options notes Oyster stood out for transparent pricing and a strong first sales call, but seeks real platform experience with country-specific payroll quirks.

PositivePricingFirst-hand
r/eupersonalfinance1Nov 2024

Employer of Record, remote hiring

We use Oyster HR. It's nice because they just charge a flat rate per employee, not taking a percentage of salaries. No complaints!

AI summary: Author's company uses Oyster HR as their EOR, praising the flat per-employee fee model with no complaints.

PositivePricingFirst-hand
r/remotework1Aug 2025

Employer of Record minimum effort

Yeah we’ve decided to go with Oyster for a heavy discount on their EOR rate. Remote was similar.

AI summary: User says their team chose Oyster after negotiating a heavy discount on their EOR rate, noting Remote was similarly priced.

PositiveComplianceFirst-hand
r/eupersonalfinance1Feb 2025

Employer of Record, remote hiring

I'd say local knowledge and compliance is big which is why i chose them, they offered chat directly on their website.

AI summary: Employee chose Oyster themselves after evaluating it, citing strong local compliance knowledge and accessible chat support as key reasons.

NeutralPricing
r/remotework1Aug 2025

Employer of Record minimum effort

Remote, Deel and Oyster tend to be priced about the same after discount.

AI summary: Brief comparison placing Oyster in the mid-tier price band alongside Remote and Deel after discounts.

NegativeComplianceFirst-hand
r/founder1Jun 2026

what 800 international hires taught me before i fire'd at 51

we had a Berlin hire whose maternity leave question sat unanswered for 11 days because the EOR's Berlin team turned out to be staffed in Bangalore.

AI summary: Experienced HR consultant states Oyster is partner-only (no owned entities) across the board, framing this as a key risk factor in EOR selection.

NeutralComplianceFirst-hand
r/QatarCareers1May 2026

Employer of Record (EOR) companies in Qatar

oyster and globalization partners felt more structured but slower, while others were faster but less clear on the weird edge cases.

AI summary: User found Oyster more structured on compliance but slower, with onboarding hampered by repeated document rejections.

NegativeComplianceFirst-hand
r/AskHRUK1May 2026

umbrella vs EOR vs direct hire, how are UK teams handling contractors after JSL?

i can't get a straight answer from any of them on which run UK as a true Employer of Record vs which run umbrella structures with EOR painted on the door, since the second one walks us straight back into the JSL liability we're trying to escape.

AI summary: Head of People has Oyster on their EOR shortlist but cannot get a clear answer on whether it runs true EOR or an umbrella structure in the UK.

PositiveFirst-hand
r/remotework1Sep 2024

Concerning Experiences with Remote.com as an Employer of Record (EoR) Provider

Happy as a 'clam' here and haven't had an issue in over 5 years.

AI summary: User found Oyster HR and has been happy with the service for over 5 years with no issues.

PositiveFirst-hand
r/remotework1Apr 2025

Multiplier EOR reviews

I have used Rippling and Oyster before, and know lots of people in the industry that have used others. Both great just depends on your situation.

AI summary: Author used Oyster to hire engineers in Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico and describes it as a great option depending on the situation.

NeutralCoverage
r/Netherlands0Jun 2026

can a Dutch EOR hire still get the 30% ruling?

the EOR reps i've talked to all dance around the question

AI summary: Oyster is mentioned as one of three shortlisted EOR options for a Dutch hire, but no specific experience or evaluation of Oyster is provided.

NegativeOnboardingFirst-hand
r/PersonalFinanceNZ0Dec 2025

OysterHR experiences

the local expert of record feel like complete scum bags. I negotiated a decent salary+health insurance but this local company seems to keep on dropping the rates

AI summary: User reports Oyster HR's local NZ partner is misrepresenting salary figures by stripping leave allowances from the contract amount, describing the local entity as acting like 'complete scum bags'.

NeutralCompliance
r/AskMexico0May 2026

Alguien en nómina por Deel, Oyster o algo parecido?

Si te contrataron por nómina via EOR como Deel, Multiplier, Papaya o alguna de esas plataformas, ¿te depositan en tu cuenta?, ¿te descuentan alguna tarifa por servicio?, ¿en realidad te dan de alta en una empresa mexicana?, ¿te dan recibo de nómina timbrado o…

Translation: If you were hired on payroll via an EOR like Deel, Multiplier, Papaya, or any of those platforms, do they deposit directly into your account? Do they deduct any service fee? Do they actually register you with a Mexican company? Do they give you a stamped payroll receipt or…

AI summary: Mexican worker asks the community how EOR payroll platforms like Oyster (and others) handle deposits, service fees, local registration, and CFDI payslips in Mexico.

A note on Reddit: not every comment is a genuine, independent user. Some posts come from marketing agencies, competitors or the providers themselves. We screen mentions for relevance before they count toward a score, but we show this discussion as community signal, not verified fact, so weigh it with that in mind.

// founder on record

Tony Jamous

What Tony Jamous says on record

Tony Jamous (CEO & Co-founder, Oyster) across 14 analyzed podcast interviews (2021-2026). These are the company’s own claims in its founder’s words, on the record and linked to source, shown as evidence rather than endorsement. They play no part in the Select Score.

Industry outlook
Bullish
AI adoption
Enthusiastic
Competitive stance
Confident
Remote work
Bullish
Regulation
Concerned

Quotes are extracted by AI from interview auto-captions, so wording is near-exact rather than verbatim; every quote links to its timestamped source video. Stance labels are the dominant position across the analyzed interviews, weighted toward the most recent. The full seven-founder corpus analysis lives on Employ Borderless, our parent publication.

04

History & background

Oyster track record & company

// the record over time

How Oyster has moved

Longitudinal readings we keep and most comparison sites don’t. Every point is a real dated snapshot.

Select Score66/100-3

Down 3 points since Jun 27, 2026.

DateSelect Score
Jun 27, 202669/100
Jul 1, 202669/100
Jul 16, 202666/100

updated Jul 18, 2026weekly Select Score recompute

// recent updates

What changed for Oyster

Tracked changes to Oyster's Select Score and review ratings

  1. Select ScoreJul 16, 2026

    Now 66/100, from 69.

  2. G2Jul 14, 2026

    Rating now 4.4. +106 new reviews (1,542 total).

Review scores are re-verified weekly. How we verify the data →

// funding history

Oyster funding

$279M raised across 4 disclosed rounds

  1. Series D$59MSep 4, 2024
    $1.2B valuation · Led by Silver Lake Waterman

    Emergence Capital, Stripes, Georgian, G2 Venture Partners, Endeavor Catalyst

    Source →
  2. Series C$150MApr 20, 2022
    $1B valuation · Led by Georgian

    Salesforce Ventures, LinkedIn, Base10 Partners Advancement Initiative, Okta, Endeavor Catalyst, Stripes, Emergence Capital, PayPal Ventures, Slack Fund, Avid Ventures, PeopleTech Partners, HR Tech Investments

    Source →
  3. Series B$50MJun 1, 2021
    Led by Stripes

    Emergence Capital, The Slack Fund, Avid Ventures

    Source →
  4. Series A$20MFeb 1, 2021

    Emergence Capital, The Slack Fund

    Source →

// inside the Oyster platform

Inside the Oyster platform

// head to head

How Oyster compares

comparison.matrix
Oyster compared with rival EOR providers
Provider Select PickOyster logoOyster66/100RemoFirst logoRemoFirst79/100Remote logoRemote76/100Remote People logoRemote People75/100
How it compares
Countries covered140185186150
EOR / employee / mo$699$199$699$199
Contractor / employee / mo$29$25$29$29
Payroll / employee / mo$29
Billing currencies48
Security certifications5555
Support channels4645
Blended rating4.64.43.04.7
Fee transparency25/10025/10025/10025/100
Select Score66797675