Deel vs Oyster: global payroll compared
Deel and Oyster scored on the same fields: starting price, payroll countries, pay cycles, payout currencies, integrations and reviews. The verdict comes first, the evidence follows.
Should you choose Deel or Oyster for global payroll?
- Payroll countries. Deel runs payroll in 7 more countries.
- Payout currencies. Deel pays out in more currencies.
- Rating. Deel is rated higher across G2, Capterra and Trustpilot.
Pick Deel if
- +You want published pricing (from $29/mo) instead of a quote
- +You pay out in more currencies (27 vs 4)
Pick Oyster if
- +Companies hiring in 5+ countries who need both payroll processing and employer of record services bundled together
- +Businesses paying remote workers in cryptocurrency or wanting that option for international contractor payments
Pick neither if you pay people in one or two countries. At that footprint a local payroll bureau is usually cheaper and closer to the rules. Platforms like these start paying off around the third country.
Deel and Oyster both sell global payroll to companies paying staff in several countries. Deel publishes global payroll from $29 per employee per month. Oyster quotes per company. Deel runs payroll in 153 countries, Oyster in 146.
Below, the two are scored on the same fields in the same order: starting price, payroll countries, pay cycles, payout currencies, integrations and third-party ratings. Nothing is left blank to make one side look better.
Deel vs Oyster: which fields differ?
8 of 10 fields differ. Green marks the stronger figure where one is objectively better. Identical fields are folded below the table.
| Payroll field | Deel | Oyster |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll price | from $29/emp/mo | Quote only |
| Payroll countries | 153 | 146 |
| Payout currencies | 27 | 4 |
| GL & HRIS integrations | BambooHR, Workday, Google Workspace | BambooHR, HiBob, Greenhouse |
| Founded | 2019 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, US | Charlotte, US |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.3 |
| Review volume | 20,587 | 1,954 |
Same on 2 fields: pay cycles, services
| Payroll field | Deel | Oyster |
|---|---|---|
| Pay cycles | bi-weekly, semi-monthly, custom | bi-weekly, semi-monthly, custom |
| Services | Employer of record, Global payroll, Contractors | Employer of record, Global payroll, Contractors |
Prices are the published starting rate. Ratings are averaged across G2, Capterra and Trustpilot; we do not collect ratings ourselves.
Deel vs Oyster: what does global payroll cost?
Deel publishes a starting price. Oyster quotes per company, so ask for both before comparing.
| Service | Deel | Oyster |
|---|---|---|
| Global payroll | $29/emp/mo | Quote only |
| Employer of record | $599/emp/mo | $699/emp/mo |
| Contractors | $49/contractor/mo | $29/contractor/mo |
Starting rates from each provider's published pricing page. Country, headcount and contract length change the final number, so get both quotes for the same scope.
Still between Deel and Oyster? Send your countries, headcount and pay cycles once. We route the requirements to both and the proposals come back to you, priced for the same scope.
Request proposals from bothWhere can Deel and Oyster actually run payroll?
Deel supports 7 more countries than Oyster. 135 countries are covered by both.
D = Deel · O = Oyster
Only Deel (18)
Only Oyster (11)
Which payroll features do Deel and Oyster offer?
Deel and Oyster list the same payroll features. The differences are in coverage and price, not the feature list.
| Feature | Deel | Oyster |
|---|---|---|
| Services | ||
| Global payroll | ||
| Employer of record | ||
| Contractor management | ||
| PEO | — | — |
| Payroll features | ||
| Multi-currency payouts | ||
| Automated tax calculation | ||
| Tax filing | ||
| Payslip generation | ||
| Employee self-service portal | ||
| API access | ||
| HRIS integration | ||
| Compliance dashboard | ||
| Dedicated support | ||
| 24/7 support | ||
| Mobile app | ||
| On demand pay | ||
Feature lists come from each provider's own product pages. A dash means the feature is not listed there, not that it is missing from the product.
What are the pros and cons of Deel vs Oyster for payroll?
Drawn from our full reviews of each provider. Read them for the reasoning behind every point.
Deel
Pros
- +Deel's payroll coverage reaches 153 countries, which means a team hiring in a new market is more likely to find that country already supported than to hit a hard geographic ceiling mid-expansion.
- +Published payroll pricing starts from $29 per employee per month, a transparent entry point that allows a payroll lead to model costs against headcount before entering a sales conversation rather than after.
- +Tax filing is automated within the platform, so Deel submits filings on the employer's behalf rather than producing filing-ready documents for the payroll lead to action manually with each local authority.
- +The compliance dashboard centralizes jurisdiction-level payroll obligations, giving a payroll lead running in a new country a working reference point for deduction types and filing cadences without sourcing that information separately.
- +On-demand pay is included in the feature set, which directly reduces mid-cycle employee queries to the payroll team about early wage access, a common operational pressure point at pay run time.
- +The employee portal and mobile app give staff direct access to payslips and payment history, which reduces the volume of routine requests the payroll team handles in the days following each pay run.
Cons
- −Payroll pricing starts from $29 per employee per month, but total platform costs depend on which modules are active. A payroll lead managing both payroll and contractor payments across multiple countries should build a line-by-line cost model against actual headcount before signing, since per-module pricing compounds quickly at scale.
- −Custom pay frequency is listed as supported, but local labor law governs how often employees can actually be paid in any given country, independent of what the platform allows. Confirm the legally permitted frequency for each specific market with Deel before locking in your payroll calendar.
- −API and HRIS integration are available, but pre-built connector depth varies by the specific system your finance or HR team already runs. Verifying which connectors exist for your current stack before implementation avoids discovering gaps after the contract is signed.
- −Automated tax filing is a significant operational claim across 153 countries. Ask Deel to confirm in writing, for each country in your footprint, whether filing is fully end-to-end or whether the platform generates filing-ready output that still requires local review before submission.
- −Deel's platform covers payroll, employer of record, and contractor management in one place, which suits teams that need all three. A team whose only requirement is payroll processing may find they are paying for platform breadth they do not use, making a payroll-specialist provider worth comparing on a per-seat basis.
Oyster
Pros
- +At $25 per employee, they're priced below Deel ($29-49) and Remote ($29) while offering similar country coverage and features
- +They cover 88 countries with full compliance management, which hits the sweet spot for most global companies without being overwhelming
- +Cryptocurrency payment support sets them apart. If you're paying contractors in crypto or want that flexibility, this is one of the few platforms that handles it natively
- +The 4.5-star average across 1,161 reviews shows they're delivering consistently. That's a lot of feedback pointing in the same positive direction
- +You get both payroll and EOR in one system. This means onboarding an employee in Brazil or Poland doesn't require coordinating between different vendors
- +Their mobile app and employee portal are well-reviewed, making it easier for distributed teams to access payslips and tax documents on their own
Cons
- −88 countries is solid but not exceptional. Competitors like Remote cover 186 countries, which matters if you're hiring in less common markets
- −Some reviews mention the compliance dashboard can be confusing for first-time users, with a learning curve to understand local tax requirements
- −Custom pay frequencies are available, but several reviews note that setup requires back-and-forth with support rather than self-service configuration
- −While they offer API access, some users report the documentation could be more detailed for companies building custom integrations
- −The $25/employee pricing is still 2-4x higher than US-focused providers if you don't actually need international coverage
Frequently asked questions about Deel vs Oyster
Is Deel or Oyster cheaper?
Deel starts at $29/month per employee. Contact the providers directly for custom pricing based on your needs.
Which has more country coverage, Deel or Oyster?
Deel has broader country coverage. Deel supports 153+ countries, while Oyster supports 146+ countries.
Which is better rated, Deel or Oyster?
Deel has a higher average rating. Deel is rated 4.7/5 (20,587 reviews), while Oyster is rated 4.3/5 (1,954 reviews).
Is Deel or Oyster better for small businesses?
This depends on your specific needs. Deel is best for: Payroll teams adding a second or third country who need automated tax filing and a compliance dashboard without building a separate vendor relationship for each new jurisdiction, given Deel's published coverage across 153 countries., Organizations funding payroll in one currency but paying staff in multiple local currencies, because Deel's multi-currency disbursement handles the conversion within the pay run rather than outside it.. Oyster is best for: Companies hiring in 5+ countries who need both payroll processing and employer of record services bundled together, Businesses paying remote workers in cryptocurrency or wanting that option for international contractor payments. Consider factors like pricing, minimum employee requirements, and the countries you need coverage in.
Can I switch from Deel to Oyster (or vice versa)?
Yes, you can switch payroll providers. Most providers offer migration assistance to help transfer employee data and payroll history. The transition typically takes 30-60 days depending on complexity. Contact your target provider's sales team to discuss the migration process and timeline.
What services do Deel and Oyster offer?
Deel offers: Employer of Record (EOR), Global payroll, Contractor management. Oyster offers: Employer of Record (EOR), Global payroll, Contractor management. Both can handle global workforce management, but their specific service offerings differ.
Compare with other providers
Get the same quote from both.
Ask Deel and Oyster for pricing on the same countries and headcount. The starting rates above only tell part of the story.
