Oyster payroll review: coverage, features & pricing
What is Oyster?
Oyster HR operates in 88 countries and accepts cryptocurrency payments, which is rare in the global payroll space. They've built a platform that combines payroll with employer of record services, letting you hire and pay international teams without setting up local entities.
Pricing is $25 per employee, which undercuts competitors like Deel ($29-49) and Remote ($29). They've earned a 4.5-star rating across 1,161 reviews, showing consistent performance at scale.
In this review, we'll break down their country coverage, pricing structure, key features like crypto payments, and who gets the most value from their platform.
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
- Mid-sized companies (50-200 employees) looking for 24/7 support without enterprise-level pricing
- Not ideal for US-only companies, where domestic providers like Gusto ($6-12/employee) offer better value
What makes Oyster unique
- Accepts cryptocurrency payments in addition to standard bank transfers, PayPal, and Wise, giving companies flexibility in how they compensate international contractors and employees
- Combines global payroll with employer of record services in one platform, eliminating the need to juggle multiple vendors for international hiring and payments
- Offers on-demand pay functionality, allowing employees to access earned wages before scheduled pay periods, which is uncommon among international payroll providers
- Provides 24/7 dedicated support across all time zones, important when managing payroll for teams spread across multiple continents
- B Corp certified, appealing to companies prioritizing social responsibility and ethical business practices in their vendor selection
What countries does Oyster support?
Oyster operates in 88+ countries with local compliance expertise.
- Argentina
- Poland
- Mexico
- Algeria
- Malta
- Slovakia
- Saudi Arabia
- France
- Germany
- Ghana
- Ecuador
- Lithuania
What is Oyster's payroll pricing?
Global payroll
Run payroll for your own entities
- Multi-currency payroll processing
- Automated tax calculations
- Direct deposits
- Pay stubs & reporting
- Year-end tax documents
Pricing for other services
Employer of Record
Hire employees without a local entity
- Full employment compliance
- Local tax withholding & filing
- Statutory benefits administration
- Employment contracts
- Onboarding support
Contractor management
Pay and manage contractors globally
- Contractor onboarding
- Compliant contracts
- Global payments
- Invoice management
- Tax document collection
Note: Prices may vary based on country, employee volume, and contract terms. Contact Oyster for a custom quote tailored to your needs. Volume discounts may be available for larger teams.
What are Oyster's features?
A comprehensive look at Oyster's platform capabilities and tools.
Payroll processing
Payment methods
Payroll frequencies
Employee experience
- Self-service portal
- Pay stub access
- Document management
Mobile app
iOS and Android apps for on-the-go access
Reporting
Real-time analytics and custom reports
Support
Dedicated customer success team
What are the pros and cons of 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
What do users say about Oyster?
Average across 3 platforms • 1,161 total reviews
| Platform | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
G2 | 4.4/5 | Read reviews |
Capterra | 4.5/5 | Read reviews |
Trustpilot | 4.5/5 | Read reviews |
About these ratings: Ratings are sourced directly from each platform and updated regularly. Click the links above to read detailed user reviews on each platform.
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