Multiplier vs Oyster HR (2026): EOR Pricing, Exit Terms and Which Fits
Multiplier is the better buy when price and owned entities in Asia matter most and you can commit to an annual order form. Oyster HR costs $200 to $240 more per employee each month, and earns it when you want month-to-month terms, no exit fees and more guided support.
Multiplier or Oyster HR: which EOR should you choose?
Choose Multiplier if cost per head decides it: EOR is $459 per employee per month on annual billing, and it lists its own legal entities in 37 countries, most of them in Asia. Choose Oyster HR if you want to stay flexible: $699 a month, no termination fees, no minimum term, and more hands-on guidance when a hire gets complicated.
Verdict from HR Stacks editors, based on vendor pricing and terms pages and both full reviews.
Choose Multiplier if
- You can commit to an annual order form
- You hire in Asia, where it lists 17 of its entities
- Some workers need Contractor of Record cover
Choose Oyster HR if
- Your hiring plan may change within a year
- You want offboarding and terminations included
- Your team lacks in-house global HR expertise
- EOR priceMultiplier$459 vs $699, or $2,880 less per employee a year
- Owned entitiesMultiplier37 entity countries listed; Oyster publishes no split
- Security certificationsMultiplierSOC 2, SOC 3 and ISO 27001 vs SOC 2 Type II
- Exit termsOyster HRNo minimum term or termination fees vs a fixed order form
- Contractor feeOyster HR$29 after 30 free days vs $40
- Support and ease of useOyster HR4.0 and 4.5 in our scoring vs 3.6 and 4.3
Multiplier vs Oyster HR at a glance
We took every figure below from the vendors’ own pricing, help centre, legal and security pages in October 2026. Both vendors contradict themselves in places, Multiplier more so, and where that happens we use the stricter source and flag it. Shaded cells mark the leader on each row.
| Multiplier | Oyster HR | |
|---|---|---|
| Built around | Low per-head EOR cost on a self-serve platform, with owned entities across Asia | Guided EOR with HR experts, flexible terms and offboarding included |
| EOR price | $459 per employee/month billed annually, $499 monthly | $699 per employee/month; annual seats quote only |
| EOR countries | 160+ | 120+ |
| Owned entities | 37 countries listed on its About page | Own entities plus local partners; split not published |
| Contractors | $40 per contractor/month | $29 per contractor/month after 30 days free |
| Contractor of Record | $400 per contractor/month | Not offered |
| Payroll on your own entities | From $20 per employee/month, plus setup fees | $290 per entity/month plus $29 per employee and $500 setup |
| First hire | 48 to 72 hours for most customers | As fast as 48 hours |
| Support | 24/5 local HR and legal experts for EOR | Replies within 24 hours, resolution under 72 hours |
| Minimum term and exit | Order form cannot be cancelled for convenience; renews for 12 months | No minimum term; terminations included |
| Deposit | Calculated per hire; refunded within 60 days of the last working day | About one month of total cost per hire; refunded after final invoices |
| Security | SOC 2 Type I and II, SOC 3, ISO 27001:2022, GDPR | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, EU-US Data Privacy Framework |
| Integrations | Workday, SAP and Oracle HCM, on the $519 Growth plan only | 20+ free HRIS, ATS and accounting integrations, Zapier and API |
HRS score is our editorial rating from the full Multiplier review and Oyster HR review.
The core difference: entity footprint vs expert service
Multiplier competes on reach and price. It lists legal entities in 37 countries, 17 of them in Asia, and sells a self-serve platform where the lowest EOR rate goes to buyers who commit for a year. That model suits a company that knows where it is hiring and wants the lowest dependable cost per head in those markets.
Oyster competes on how the hire feels. Each new employee gets a Hiring Success Manager, People Partners sell HR advice by the hour, and terminations, offboarding and setup are part of the monthly fee. You pay more per person, but you can leave without a penalty. If you are still building your employer of record shortlist, the real question is whether you value a lower bill or an easier exit.
Multiplier: an entity network weighted to Asia
Oyster HR: people around every step of the hire
How Multiplier and Oyster HR score
Both products are scored on the same eight parameters as every HR Stacks EOR review, so these match the two review pages. Oyster wins six rows and the overall score by a tenth, mostly on service: onboarding, support and ease of use. Multiplier’s two wins, price and coverage, are the ones that show up on an invoice.
Multiplier vs Oyster HR pricing, and what you actually pay
Both vendors publish their EOR rates, which makes this one of the easier pairs to cost. Multiplier repriced in August 2026: EOR is now $459 per employee per month on annual billing and $499 on monthly billing. Many comparison sites still show Multiplier at $400, which is now its Contractor of Record price, not its EOR price. Oyster is unchanged at $699.
The bigger gap is in the terms. Multiplier’s low rate comes with an order form you cannot cancel early. Oyster’s higher rate includes the exit. For rates across the market, see our EOR provider ranking.
Multiplier
- EOR CoreBilled annually; $499 on monthly billing$459 /emp/mo
- EOR GrowthAdds integrations, custom reports, open APIs$519 /emp/mo
- Contractor of RecordBilled annually$400 /mo
- Contractor management$40 /mo
- Global payrollYour own entities; setup fees applyFrom $20 /emp/mo
Oyster HR
- Employer of RecordMonthly; setup and terminations included$699 /emp/mo
- EOR annual seatsPaid upfront, non-refundable, reusableQuote only
- Global contractorsFirst 30 days free$29 /mo
- Global payrollPlus $29 per employee and $500 setup$290 /entity/mo
- People Partner servicesProject-based HR advice$300 /hour
Costs that don’t appear on either pricing page
Security deposit
Multiplier: calculated from salary, fees and notice periods; refunded within 60 days of the last working day.
Oyster: about one month of total cost per hire, sometimes more; refunded once final invoices are paid.
Contract length
Multiplier: fixed order-form term, no exit for convenience, auto-renews for 12 months unless you give 90 days’ notice.
Oyster: no minimum term on monthly billing.
Per-country rates
Multiplier: about 11% of countries carry adjusted pricing, plus compliance add-ons in some markets.
Oyster: one published rate; some smaller markets need extra time or a minimum hire count.
Termination and offboarding
Multiplier: 30 days’ lead time, and a penalty of 15% of the final invoice if you give notice to the employee directly.
Oyster: no termination fee. Severance and statutory notice pay are yours with either provider.
Implementation
Multiplier: implementation fees “as applicable”, set in the quote.
Oyster: no EOR setup fee; $500 per entity for payroll.
Processing and FX
Multiplier: a payment processing fee each payroll cycle, shown only in the platform.
Oyster: FX fee only if you pay in a currency other than the contract currency.
Renewal uplift
Multiplier: renewals reset to list price, which can rise up to 7% on 90 days’ notice.
Oyster: annual seat price rises no more than 5% at renewal.
Offers
Multiplier: 3 months free for new customers, until December 31.
Oyster: startups save up to $1,200; nonprofit and B Corp discounts.
12-month EOR cost at three team sizes
| EOR employees | Multiplier ($459) | Oyster HR ($699) | Gap per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 employees | $27,540 | $41,940 | $14,400 |
| 25 employees | $137,700 | $209,700 | $72,000 |
| 100 employees | $550,800 | $838,800 | $288,000 |
Provider fees only, at Multiplier’s annual-billing rate and Oyster’s monthly rate. Salary, employer taxes and benefits are the same with either provider and are excluded, as are Multiplier’s implementation and processing fees and any adjusted country rates. On monthly billing Multiplier is $499, which cuts the gap to $2,400 per employee a year.
Run your own numbers
Enter 499 for Multiplier’s monthly billing, or paste in the per-country quotes you receive.
Multiplier vs Oyster HR features
On core EOR work the two are closer than the price gap suggests. Multiplier offers more products, including Contractor of Record and cheaper entity payroll. Oyster includes more in the base fee, such as integrations, terminations and expert access. Open a group for the detail.
Global employment
160+ countries
37 countries listed, 17 in Asia
$400 a month, with IP assignment to you
Misclassification cover via Oyster Shell instead
Visa support in 140+ countries
48 to 72 hours for most customers
As fast as 48 hours
Payroll and payments
From $20 per employee, 100+ countries
120+ currencies, crypto for contractors
120+ currencies
Localized health, life and travel; price on request
Benefits packages; price on request
HR tools and expert help
In-house experts plus People Partners at $300 an hour
Salary Insights in 130+ countries
Leave, attendance, timesheets, expenses
Time off, expenses, payslips in app
ESOP support
Offboarding specialists, no termination fee
Integrations
Free on every plan
Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM
HiBob, BambooHR, Personio, Greenhouse, Ashby, Workable and more
API, Zapier and an embedded option
Country coverage: where each one can hire
Both cover the markets most teams hire in first, so coverage rarely decides this pair on its own. Where it does, it’s because Multiplier employs through its own entity in more of the big Asian markets and covers China. Here are 24 common hiring markets.
Multiplier’s entity countries come from the legal entity list on its About page. Oyster employs through its own entities in some countries and partners in others but doesn’t publish which; each employee’s contract names the employer. Confirm the employing entity for every country before you sign.
Implementation and support
Setup is light with both: neither needs a long implementation for EOR, and both quote first hires in about two days. Support is where they differ. Oyster publishes response and resolution targets. Multiplier publishes hours but gives different numbers on different pages.
Multiplier
- Setup
- Self-serve account; implementation fees can apply and are set in the order form.
- First EOR hire
- Contracts generate in under five minutes; most customers onboard a first employee in 48 to 72 hours.
- Support model
- 24/5 local HR and legal experts for EOR and contractors, 24/7 for global payroll customers.
- Employee access
- Employee app and dashboard for payslips, leave and expenses.
Oyster HR
- Setup
- Free account; billing starts with the first hire, and the deposit is due before onboarding.
- First EOR hire
- As fast as 48 hours, guided by a Hiring Success Manager for each new team member.
- Support model
- In-app support centre with replies within 24 hours and resolution in under 72 hours.
- Employee access
- Employee app for time off, expenses and payslips.
Which one to pick for your situation
Most buyers of this pair fall into one of four situations. The price gap is real in every one of them. What changes is whether flexibility, coverage or the budget itself matters more.
Scale-up with a fixed plan for Asia
Multiplier lists its own entity in all three countries, and the hiring plan is settled, so the annual order form costs nothing in flexibility. At $459 against $699, it saves $57,600 a year on 20 people.
First European hires while the plan is still moving
The company may cut or swap roles inside a year and has nobody who knows German or Spanish employment law. Oyster’s monthly terms, included terminations and expert access cost about $11,500 more a year than Multiplier for four people, and that buys a clean exit.
Engineers in China and Vietnam, plus contractors
China isn’t on Oyster’s current EOR list, and Oyster doesn’t offer Contractor of Record. Multiplier lists its own entity in both countries and sells Contractor of Record at $400 a month, so the whole team fits on one provider.
Bootstrapped startup with two hires abroad
At this size, Multiplier’s order form is a risk the company doesn’t need, and Oyster’s $699 is the highest rate in the conversation. A low-cost EOR with no annual contract saves $3,120 to $6,000 per hire a year against these two.
Where each one falls short
The limitations below are the ones that matter when these two are on the same shortlist. Each review page has the full list of pros and cons.
Multiplier
- Hard to leave mid-termOrder forms can’t be cancelled for convenience, auto-renew for 12 months, and early termination makes the rest of the term payable.
- Inconsistent public numbersIts own pages give 150+ and 160+ countries, and both 24/5 and 24/7 support, so get the figures that apply to you in the contract.
- Integrations cost extraHRIS and accounting connectors sit on the $519 Growth plan, not on the $459 Core rate.
Oyster HR
- Highest list price of the pair$699 is $240 a month above Multiplier’s annual rate, and annual seat discounts are quote only.
- No Contractor of RecordContractors are managed, not employed, so you carry the misclassification risk beyond Oyster Shell’s cover.
- Thinner enterprise linksNo Workday, SAP or Oracle connector is listed, and entity payroll at $290 per entity is expensive for small entities.
What users say about Multiplier and Oyster HR
Multiplier’s public review sample is more than twice the size of Oyster’s, though many of its recent reviews were invited by the vendor and written by employees paid through it rather than by the companies buying the service. Oyster’s reviews skew toward the admins who run it, so read both with that in mind.
Multiplier
Based on 4,402 public reviews
Praised for
- Named support staff. Reviewers name contacts who follow issues through.
- A clean dashboard. Payslips, leave and expenses are easy to find.
- On-time pay. Most employee reviewers report salaries arriving as expected.
Criticised for
- Invoice errors. The most common complaint, cited in 157 reviews.
- Late or wrong salaries. A minority, 65 reviews, report payroll mistakes.
- Hard exits. Slow deposit refunds and disputes when leaving.
Oyster HR
Based on 1,972 public reviews
Praised for
- Simple daily admin. Ease of use comes up in 687 reviews.
- Account contacts who know your countries. Mentioned in 348 reviews.
- Guidance on local rules. Useful for teams without global HR staff.
Criticised for
- Slow escalations. 141 reviews, mostly on contract or partner issues.
- Payment and document delays. Raised in 127 reviews.
- Rigid reports. Thin payslip detail and limited exports, in 67 reviews.
Switching between Multiplier and Oyster HR
Changing EOR means changing each employee’s legal employer, so everyone signs a new contract and re-enrols in benefits. With this pair, timing is decided almost entirely by Multiplier’s order form, in whichever direction you move.
Multiplier to Oyster HR
Higher effort- Find your order-form end date and give non-renewal notice at least 90 days before it.
- Send termination requests through Multiplier with its 30-day lead time; never notify employees directly.
- Confirm each country is on Oyster’s list (China is not) and fund a one-month deposit per hire.
- Track Multiplier’s deposit refund, due within 60 days of each last working day.
Oyster HR to Multiplier
Moderate effort- On monthly billing there’s no term to wait out; annual seats are non-refundable, so time the move to renewal.
- Check whether your countries fall in Multiplier’s 11% with adjusted pricing.
- Multiplier issues new contracts and calculates a refundable deposit per hire.
- Read the order form closely before signing, since it can’t be cancelled early.
If neither fits: three alternatives
Two of these cost less than both, and one sits between them with monthly terms. Our full EOR ranking compares 15 providers on price per employee.
RemoFirst
The lowest published rate here, with no setup, termination or annual commitment. Suits small, budget-led teams.
Read RemoFirst vs Multiplier →Pebl
Employs most staff through its own entities, for buyers who want Multiplier’s entity model at a lower rate.
Read Pebl vs Multiplier →Deel
Month-to-month terms like Oyster at $100 less, with Contractor of Record and payroll on the same platform.
Read Deel vs Oyster HR →Final verdict
Multiplier is the cheaper commitment. Oyster HR is the easier one to walk away from.
If your hiring countries and headcount are settled for the next year, Multiplier saves $2,880 per employee at list prices and employs through its own entity in more large markets, especially in Asia. If the plan may change, or you want experts on hand for each hire, Oyster’s $699 buys monthly terms, included terminations and better support scores.
Go with Multiplier when
- You can sign a 12-month order form with confidence
- You hire in Asia or need China
- Contractor of Record or cheap entity payroll is on the list
Go with Oyster HR when
- Headcount may shrink or move within the year
- You want terminations and offboarding in the fee
- Your team needs HR guidance, not just a platform
Get these in writing before you sign
- Per-country EOR rate for every country on your plan, including Multiplier’s adjusted-price markets.
- Deposit amount per employee, and the refund date in days.
- Order-form term, renewal notice and uplift cap, and any exit right Multiplier will add.
- Termination costs per country, and the notice process you must follow.
- Who employs your staff in each country: the provider’s own entity or a partner.
- Implementation and processing fees, with amounts rather than “as applicable”.
- FX rate and margin on invoices and payroll funding.
- Support hours and response targets that apply to your plan.
Multiplier vs Oyster HR: FAQs
Is Multiplier or Oyster HR cheaper for EOR?
Multiplier, at list prices. Its EOR Core plan is $459 per employee per month billed annually, or $499 billed monthly. Oyster HR charges $699 per employee per month. That is $2,880 less per employee per year with Multiplier on annual billing, or $2,400 on monthly billing, before Multiplier’s implementation and processing fees.
Does Multiplier still charge $400 per employee?
No. Multiplier repriced in August 2026. EOR now costs $459 per employee per month on annual billing and $499 on monthly billing. The $400 figure on many comparison sites is now Multiplier’s Contractor of Record price.
Can I cancel a Multiplier or Oyster HR contract early?
Oyster HR, yes: monthly billing has no minimum term and terminations carry no fee. Multiplier’s order forms cannot be cancelled for convenience, renew for 12 months unless you give 90 days’ notice, and early termination makes the rest of the term payable. Oyster’s annual seats are also non-refundable once paid.
How much deposit do Multiplier and Oyster HR require?
Oyster asks for about one month of the hire’s total cost, sometimes more, refunded once final invoices are settled. Multiplier calculates its deposit from salary, fees and notice periods, and refunds it within 60 days of the employee’s last working day.
How many countries do Multiplier and Oyster HR cover?
Multiplier offers EOR in 160+ countries and lists its own legal entities in 37 of them. Oyster HR offers EOR in 120+ countries and contractor payments in 180+. China is on Multiplier’s entity list but not on Oyster’s current EOR list.
Which is better for contractors?
It depends on the risk you want to carry. Oyster is cheaper for managed contractors at $29 a month after 30 free days, against Multiplier’s $40. Only Multiplier offers Contractor of Record, at $400 a month, where it takes on the classification risk.
Which one has better support?
Oyster HR, on our scoring: 4.0 against Multiplier’s 3.6. Oyster targets a reply within 24 hours and resolution within 72 hours. Multiplier offers 24/5 support from local HR and legal experts for EOR, and 24/7 for global payroll.
Do Multiplier and Oyster HR charge termination fees?
Oyster HR includes terminations and offboarding in its fee. Multiplier needs 30 days’ notice to process a termination, passes the costs through, and charges a penalty of 15% of the final invoice if you tell the employee directly. With both, statutory severance and notice pay are your cost.
Which integrates with Workday or SAP?
Multiplier lists connectors for Workday, SAP SuccessFactors and Oracle HCM, but only on its $519 Growth plan. Oyster’s free integrations cover tools such as HiBob, BambooHR, Personio, ADP Workforce Now and TriNet, plus an API and Zapier, with no Workday or SAP connector listed.
How we compare products
Every HR Stacks comparison uses the same method, so scores line up across all our reviews and comparisons. Affiliate links never change a verdict.
Vendor-sourced pricing
Prices come only from each vendor’s own pages. Unpublished prices are marked quote only.
Same eight parameters
Both products are scored on the parameters we use for every review in the category.
Public review analysis
We read verified buyer reviews for recurring themes, weighted by sample size.
Dated and rechecked
Every comparison shows when its prices were checked and is updated when vendors change pricing.