Oyster HR alternatives are worth a look if your hires are mostly in Asia. Oyster lists its Employer of Record (EOR) service at $699 per employee per month and covers 120+ countries, and a team with people in three of them is paying for the other 117. Oyster does publish its prices, which makes a comparison easy. We read its pricing page on October 16, 2026 and put the numbers next to Asiacruit’s starting price.
- Oyster lists its EOR service at $699 per employee per month, global contractors at $29 per month and People Services at $300 an hour.
- The EOR price includes onboarding, offboarding and payroll in 120+ currencies. A refundable deposit applies, but the amount is not stated, and visa sponsorship and benefits are add-ons with no listed price.
- For a hire on ₱35,000 a month, the Oyster fee is about 48% of the monthly bill, against about 21% at Asiacruit’s starting price.
- At list prices ten employees cost $83,880 a year in Oyster EOR fees and from $23,880 at Asiacruit.
Oyster pricing at a glance
This is what the pricing page showed on October 16, 2026. All prices are in US dollars.
| Product | Oyster list price | What Oyster says is included |
|---|---|---|
| Employer of Record (EOR) | $699 per employee per month | Compliant employment in 120+ countries, payroll in 120+ currencies, onboarding and offboarding specialists. Annual discounts available |
| Global Contractors | $29 per contractor per month | Contracts in 180+ countries, payments in 120+ currencies, identity verification and a misclassification analyzer. Free for 30 days |
| People Services | $300 per hour | Project-based HR advisory for EOR teams and your own entities |
Source: oysterhr.com/pricing, checked October 16, 2026. Prices change, so confirm them on Oyster’s site.
Oyster has no minimum headcount and charges per active team member. It also lists a promotion for startups of up to $1,200 off EOR subscription fees, plus discounts for nonprofits and B Corps.
What the Oyster pricing page does not say
Some costs are named but not priced. Ask about each one before you compare.
- The deposit. A refundable deposit is required for EOR, but the page gives no amount.
- Currency conversion. A fee applies when you pay in a currency other than your contract currency. The amount is not stated.
- Add-ons. Benefits packages and visa sponsorship are listed without prices.
- The annual discount. The page says annual billing carries a reduced fee, with no figure.
- Contract length and exit terms. Neither is stated on the page.
Oyster HR alternatives in a worked example: the Philippines
Take a Philippine hire on ₱35,000 a month. Our employer cost calculator puts the employer share of SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG at ₱4,605 and 13th-month accrual at ₱2,917. That is ₱42,522 a month before any provider fee.
For the fees we converted both prices at ₱56.83 per dollar. That is the rate implied by Deel’s own Philippines figures, and we used it on our Deel page too so the examples line up. It is an assumption, not a market quote. Oyster’s $699 becomes about ₱39,723 and the monthly total ₱82,245. Asiacruit’s starting price of $199 becomes about ₱11,309 and the total ₱53,831.
| Monthly cost line | Oyster | Asiacruit (from) |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | ₱35,000 | ₱35,000 |
| SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG (employer) | ₱4,605 | ₱4,605 |
| 13th-month accrual | ₱2,917 | ₱2,917 |
| EOR fee | ₱39,723 | ₱11,309 |
| Total per month | ₱82,245 | ₱53,831 |
Converted at ₱56.83 per dollar. Asiacruit’s fee is a starting price, and a final quote depends on headcount and scope.
The gap is about ₱28,400 a month, or roughly 35% less, which is close to ₱341,000 a year for one employee. At this salary the EOR fee is about 48% of the monthly total at Oyster. At Asiacruit’s starting price it is about 21%. Remember that Oyster offers annual discounts and startup savings, so ask what your own quote would be.
Oyster HR alternatives by team size
Both fees are charged per head, so the difference grows with the team.
| Team size | Oyster at $699 a month | Asiacruit from $199 a month | Difference per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 employee | $8,388 | $2,388 | $6,000 |
| 5 employees | $41,940 | $11,940 | $30,000 |
| 10 employees | $83,880 | $23,880 | $60,000 |
Fees only. Oyster annual discounts and startup savings may lower its figure, and Asiacruit’s final quote depends on scope.
When Oyster is the better fit
Oyster makes sense when your hiring is spread across many countries. It covers 120+ countries for EOR and 180+ for contractors, has no minimum headcount, and its People Services team sells HR advisory by the hour. If you need contractors in dozens of countries or want HR project help on demand, that range can justify a higher fee. If you need contractors in dozens of countries, a global platform stays the simpler pick among the Oyster HR alternatives.
Oyster HR alternatives: when a regional EOR costs less
Among Oyster HR alternatives, the picture changes when your hires sit in the Philippines, Indonesia or India. You pay for coverage you do not use, and you work with a team that is not in those markets every day. A regional provider has registered entities in those three countries and a lower starting fee. Our guide to EOR vs setting up a subsidiary shows when your own entity beats both.
What to check in the Philippines, Indonesia and India
Local rules apply whichever provider you choose, so check them while you compare Oyster HR alternatives.
- Philippines: 13th-month pay is due by December 24, and employer contributions to SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG usually add roughly 10% to 14% to base salary. See Employer of Record in the Philippines and the employer cost calculator.
- Indonesia: THR, a holiday allowance of one month’s salary after 12 months of service, is mandatory, and BPJS adds roughly 10% to 14%. See Employer of Record in Indonesia.
- India: employer EPF is 12%, ESI is 3.25% for eligible staff, and gratuity accrues at 15 days of wages per year of service. See Employer of Record in India.
Official sources for the country notes: SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG Fund, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, EPFO and ESIC. Confirm current rates with each agency.
Questions to ask when comparing Oyster HR alternatives
- How much is the refundable EOR deposit per employee?
- What is the currency conversion fee, and does it apply to my payroll currency?
- What does the annual billing discount come to?
- What do benefits and visa sponsorship cost?
- What are the notice period and exit terms?
- Who answers my questions on payroll day, and in which hours?
How to switch from Oyster to another provider
- Get a written quote and compare it with your current invoice.
- Check the notice period in your Oyster agreement and each employee’s contract.
- Agree a transfer date so payroll and statutory contributions have no gap.
- Move employees to the new employer and confirm benefits and leave balances carry over.
Local labor law decides what notice and consent apply, so confirm each step with the new provider.
Get a quote to compare with Oyster
Asiacruit’s Employer of Record services start at $199 per employee per month.
Schedule a call with usFrequently Asked Questions
Oyster lists $699 per employee per month for its Employer of Record service, $29 per contractor per month for Global Contractors and $300 per hour for People Services. Prices were checked on October 16, 2026 and can change.
Oyster says a refundable deposit is required for EOR, but its pricing page does not state the amount. Ask for the figure in writing.
For teams concentrated in the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Vietnam and Thailand, a regional EOR can cost less. Asiacruit starts at $199 per employee per month for those three markets, and the final price depends on headcount and scope.
Oyster says annual discounts are available for EOR and lists startup savings of up to $1,200 on EOR fees. The size of the annual discount is not stated, so ask for a quote.
Employees can usually be moved to a new employer of record. Timing and any notice depend on the contracts and local labor law, so plan the transfer date with the new provider.
Asiacruit provides Employer of Record services in the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Vietnam and Thailand.
Featured image: Photo by Diva Plavalaguna on Pexels.