Deel and Oyster are global payroll and HR companies that offer international contractor and Employer of Record (EOR) services. While they may seem very similar at first glance, a deep dive reveals key differences between these two providers.
In this guide, we will compare Deel vs. Oyster in depth to help you decide on the right choice for your business.
Deel vs. Oyster: Comparison table
| Deel | Oyster | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom pricing only | $29/contractor/mo. |
| Our star rating | 4.7 out of 5 | 4.4 out of 5 |
| Countries available | 150+ | 180+ |
| Global payroll | Yes | Yes |
| Contractor-only plan | Yes | Yes |
| Employer of Record services | Yes | Yes |
| Forever free plan | Yes | No |
Plan and pricing information verified as of 1/29/2024.
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Deel and Oyster: Pricing
Deel pricing
Until recently, Oyster listed its plans and pricing information upfront. However, it recently switched to using a custom-pricing-only model.
Deel’s key payroll services break down as follows:
- International contractor payroll plan: Custom pricing only.
- EOR service: Custom pricing only.
- Global payroll: Custom pricing only.
- Deel HR: Free for businesses with up to 200 people.
For more information, see the full Deel review.
Oyster pricing
In contrast to Deel, Oyster offers transparent pricing for most of its international payroll services:
- Contractor: $29 per contractor per month.
- Employee EOR: $499 per employee per month billed annually or $599 per employee per month billed monthly.
- Scale: An annual plan with custom pricing that supports five or more global employees.
As a plus, anyone can create a Deel account and explore the system for free — the pricing plans only kick in once you’ve engaged a contractor or employee.
For more information, see the full Oyster review.
Deel vs. Oyster: Feature comparison
Figure A
Global payroll and HR
Winner: Deel
Deel has a native payroll platform and staffs local payrolls experts for 100 countries to advise customers on tax and compliance issues. It also includes HR features such as benefits administration, a people database, onboarding and offboarding tools, HR reporting and analytics and employee engagement surveys. However, it does not include certain HR features like native time tracking or recruiting software.
SEE: The 8 Best International Payroll Services
In addition to running payroll in 120 currencies, Oyster lets you get a cost estimate before you hire an employee, streamline your onboarding process, and get advice from a team of dedicated legal experts to ensure compliance. It does include some additional HR tools, such as time off management and benefits administration, but not as many as Deel.
Figure B
Employer of Record services
Winner: Deel
Both Deel and Oyster are known for their Employer of Record (EOR) services, which means they act as a third-party organization that takes care of hiring and paying international employees, assuming the risk on your company’s behalf.
Deel currently offers EOR services in 100+ countries. Deel owns all of its own entities except for China, which means you’ll have a seamless experience no matter what country you plan to hire in. Localized benefits are provided for each country, and you can sign and edit contracts right in the Deel app to make document management easy.
SEE: The Top Oyster Competitors and Alternatives
Oyster currently offers EOR services in 130+ countries. Once you figure out your new hire, Oyster will provide a series of pre-created local benefit packages so you can choose a competitive one. The self-service process helps to reduce time-to-hire and get new employees onboarded fast. However, Oyster does not own all its local entities, so the experience might not be seamless depending on which country you are hiring in.
Figure C
Contractor payments
Winner: Oyster
Both Deel and Oyster allow you to pay international contractors, though each offers a slightly different set of features in this arena. Deel offers the option to get a Deel card, a debit card that allows contractors to spend funds directly from their Deel balance in a stable currency.
The Deel Advance feature allows each contractor to get their payment up to 30 days early, and the service offers additional misclassification protections for employers on the upgraded Deel Shield and Deel Premium plans.
SEE: The Best Contractor Payroll Services
Oyster offers a self-serve platform that helps your team hire a new contractor in just four steps. For U.S.-based contractors, you can also automatically generate 1099 and W9 tax forms.
Figure D
Deel pros and cons
Pros of Deel
- Free HR tool for companies with less than 200 employees.
- Easy-to-use payroll tool.
- Many HR features, including advance reporting and employee engagement.
- Dedicated support manager for enterprise accounts.
Cons of Deel
- No transparent pricing on site.
- Available in fewer countries than Oyster.
- No discounts for nonprofits or companies hiring refugees.
- CSMs are only provided to enterprise clients.
Oyster pros and cons
Pros of Oyster
- Available in more countries and currencies than Deel.
- Transparent pricing for most services.
- 30-day free trial for contractor plan.
- Contractor vs. Full-Time Employee Analyzer tool helps companies decide which to hire.
- Discounts for nonprofits and companies hiring refugees.
Cons of Oyster
- Lacks certain HR features such as advanced reporting.
- Pricing may be too expensive for small businesses.
- Focus on global teams makes it less helpful for companies only hiring domestically.
- Could use more advanced automation.
Review methodology
To compare Rippling and Deel, we looked at their global payroll and HR tools. We also considered their Employer of Record (EOR) services and contractor payment plans, and we weighed other factors such as pricing, user experience and ease of use. Additionally, we consulted product documentation, user reviews and demo videos during the writing of this review.
Should your organization use Deel or Oyster?
Both Deel and Oyster offer Employer of Record services for companies who want someone else to handle the hassle of international hiring for them. If you know the specific countries that you want to hire in, we recommend checking both Deel and Oyster to make sure you’ll be covered. There is a slightly higher chance that Oyster will cover any given location, since it offers employee management in 180+ countries versus Deel’s 150+ countries.
However, Deel is unique because it offers a forever free HR plan to businesses under 200 employees, making it a great choice for small businesses on a budget. Deel’s more comprehensive HR features are also very helpful for businesses looking for a combined HR and payroll platform, even if they don’t intend to hire internationally.
In contrast, Oyster offers special discounts for nonprofits and businesses hiring refugees, so it might be more affordable if your company belongs to these two very specific categories. Oyster is also more focused on global hiring and offers fewer HR features, so it may not be as helpful for companies looking for a general use payroll and HR platform.
Still not sure if either of these choices is right for your company? Check out our guide to the best payroll software to expand your search.
1 Paylocity
Simplify payroll, automate processes, and stay tax compliant, all in one spot. Our tools help you tackle the day-to-day, so you can focus on your people. Empower employees to view checks, request time off, clock in/out and update their personal data with Employee Self Service. Pull expense reimbursements into paychecks and run custom reports to get the data you need. Build a better future for your organization with a scalable solution focused on your business outcomes, priced for your budget.
2 Paychex
Paychex makes payroll easy for businesses of all sizes. Automate pay runs, file taxes, manage benefits, and stay compliant—all in one secure platform. With 24/7 support, mobile access, and flexible HR tools, Paychex helps you focus on growing your business.
3 Deel
Run US and international payroll in all 50 states, 100+ countries and 200+ currencies from a single place. Deel handles everything from salary and tax payments to payslip distribution and compliant hiring processes. With 24/7 in-app support featuring a rapid 1.25-minute response time and dedicated Customer Success Managers, Deel is with you every step of the way.
4 SurePayroll
SurePayroll is online payroll for small businesses and household employers. Run payroll anytime with automated tax filings, direct deposit, and mobile access. With flexible plans and U.S.-based support, SurePayroll makes paying your team easy and worry-free.
5 Paycor
Paycor, a Paychex company, empowers leaders to revolutionize every aspect of people management, saving time and giving them the powerful analytics they need to build winning teams. Paycor provides a full suite of HCM solutions with a single source of truth for employee data, so users never have to switch platforms, log-in to multiple systems, re-key data or open multiple spreadsheets. Everyday processes become simplified, allowing organizations to focus on their most important work.