Remote vs Oyster HR Comparison Summary
Remote and Oyster HR are two of the most trusted platforms in the Employer of Record (EOR) space, designed to help companies hire, pay, and manage international talent.
Both platforms offer global payroll, compliance, contractor management, and benefits administration, but they have a few differences when it comes to pricing transparency, feature depth, and country coverage.
Remote focuses on providing a fully self-serve and developer-friendly platform for hiring employees or contractors in 190+ countries.
It’s known for its transparent pricing, strong emphasis on data security, and IP protection. Remote also owns legal entities in all supported countries, which means better control over compliance and employment quality.
Oyster HR is a people-first platform that focuses on making global employment accessible and equitable. It offers a slick interface, helpful onboarding flows, and built-in tools to support hiring in 180+ countries.
Oyster stands out for its commitment to social impact, local benefits guidance, and support for distributed work culture.
In essence, Remote is perfect for fast-moving startups and tech companies that want control and scalability. Oyster HR is ideal for remote-first organizations looking for a user-friendly and globally inclusive platform.
Remote vs. Oyster HR: Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | Remote | Oyster HR |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Global hiring, EOR, contractor payments | Global employment, EOR, distributed team support |
| Best For | Startups, tech companies, scaling remote teams | Remote-first companies, socially responsible orgs |
| Countries Supported | 190+ (with owned entities) | 180+ (mix of owned and partner entities) |
| Entity Ownership | Owns legal entities in all supported countries | Mix of owned and partner entities |
| Onboarding | Self-serve, automated onboarding | Guided onboarding with HR support |
| Contractor Management | Yes – includes invoicing & global payouts | Yes – manage and pay contractors |
| Payroll | Built-in global payroll | Built-in payroll in 130+ countries |
| Benefits Administration | Country-specific benefits via owned entities | Global benefits packages with localized guidance |
| IP Protection | Strong – built-in IP & invention rights transfers | Offered, but varies by location |
| Compliance | Local contracts, tax filings, legal compliance | Compliance support with templates & local laws |
| Time Off Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Greenhouse, BambooHR, QuickBooks, API access | Greenhouse, HiBob, Personio, and more |
| Security & GDPR | ISO 27001 certified, SOC 2, GDPR-compliant | GDPR-compliant, secure infrastructure |
| Support | 24/7 support, live chat, knowledge base | Dedicated success manager + support team |
| Pricing Transparency | Starts at $599/mo for EOR, $29/mo for contractors | Custom pricing (varies by country and employee type) |
| Free Trial/Demo | Demo available | Demo available |
Detailed Breakdown
1. Global Reach & Entity Control
- Remote owns its entities in every supported country. This ensures tighter control over compliance, faster updates to local laws, and full accountability.
- Oyster HR supports more countries overall but uses a hybrid model of owned entities and local partners, which may affect consistency in some cases.
2. Onboarding & User Experience
- Remote offers a self-serve model, ideal for teams who want to move fast and manage onboarding independently.
- Oyster HR provides a more guided onboarding experience with localized support, which is helpful for companies newer to international hiring.
3. Payroll & Benefits
- Both platforms offer built-in global payroll and country-specific benefits, but Remote’s owned-entity model provides better consistency in benefits delivery and tax filings.
- Oyster HR excels in employee experience and benefits education, helping teams make informed decisions for each geography.
4. IP & Compliance Protection
- Remote places a heavy emphasis on IP protection and compliance, especially for IP-sensitive industries like tech and SaaS.
- Oyster offers solid IP handling, though in some countries it relies on third-party partners.
5. Integrations & Developer Tools
- Remote includes a public API, making it easy for dev teams to plug it into existing systems.
- Oyster HR offers growing integrations with ATS and HR tools, but it’s more focused on HR teams rather than developers.
6. Pricing
- Remote is very transparent—$599 per employee/month for EOR and $29 per contractor/month.
- Oyster HR follows a custom pricing model, which may vary by country and services but often offers discounts at scale.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Remote if: You want a transparent, API-friendly, and tightly controlled global hiring solution, especially if you’re in a tech-heavy or IP-sensitive industry.
Choose Oyster HR if: You’re building a remote-first, globally inclusive team and value a user-friendly platform that emphasizes employee well-being and equity.
