Recruit- 4.7★ on G2 · 405 reviews
Remote People VS Oyster
Evaluating an Oyster HR alternative? Here is how Oyster and Remote People compare on price, entity model, deposits, onboarding speed and recruitment.
- From $199 per employee/month vs $499+/mo at Oyster
- Entities in 150+ countries. One legal employer, one contract
- Capped security deposit that stays predictable as salaries rise
- Sourcing & recruitment built into the same relationship
- New hires onboarded and live in 48 hours
- Up to 12 months of exit fees covered when you switch
Disclosure. This comparison is published by Remote People. To keep it commercially useful, pricing and model claims are drawn from each vendor’s public materials and reputable third-party pricing guides (June 2026). Vendor offerings change, confirm the current numbers for your countries in a demo.
Book a free 30-minute demo with a global hiring expert
Tell us what you need. You'll get a tailored, transparent proposal within 24 hours, plus a free call to walk through it.
Tell us about your company
So we can match you with a specialist who knows your market — and unlock volume pricing tiers.
* All fields are required.
Where and when are you hiring?
Tell us the geography and timing and we'll quote each country line by line, with onboarding timelines.
* All fields are required.
Help us beat your current setup
We'll benchmark your current deal and send a line-by-line proposal in 24 hours — showing exactly where we cut cost, time, or risk. After you submit, you can book a call to walk through it together.
* All fields are required.
Thanks! Your proposal is on its way.
Expect a tailored, line-by-line proposal in your inbox within 24 hours. In the meantime…
Want to walk through it together?
Book a free 30-minute call with one of our specialists. We'll explain every line, answer your questions, and tailor the proposal further if you need.
No obligation. Pick a time that works for you.
Powering HR for the World’s Top Employers
Top 3 reasons to choose Remote People over Oyster
Transparent Pricing
Oyster HR is the more expensive platform on headline EOR price. Remote People’s from-$199 rate undercuts it by about $300–$500 per employee/month, for a 25-person team that is six figures a year in platform fees alone, while still including recruitment and capping deposits.
Holistic Support
Both vendors take security seriously and publish recognized certifications. The practical difference is the support path under an owned-entity model versus a partner model when a payroll-blocking issue lands on a weekend.
Flexible Approach
That gap is baked into each vendor’s model, and no add-on closes it. Remote People folds sourcing and recruitment into the EOR relationship, so you don’t run a separate agency motion; Oyster HR employs people you’ve already found.
Calculate how much you save with Remote People
At list price, ten EOR employees cost about $59,880/year with Oyster versus $23,880 with Remote People, roughly $36,000 more a year on platform fees alone, before deposits and add-ons. Drag the slider to your headcount.
With 1 employees you save $400 per month, $4,800 per year, on platform fees alone.
Monthly platform fees at list price: Remote People from $199 per employee vs Oyster $499+/mo (reported annual rate; $699/mo monthly list). Excludes deposits, FX and add-ons. Verified July 2026.
Globally compliant, universally adopted
Our 4.7-star rating across 405 verified G2 reviews comes from teams who run real payroll on us every month, not from a launch-day review push.
The best choice to build global teams
 from $199 /mo |
reported annual rate; $699/mo monthly list | |
|---|---|---|
| G2 Rating | 4.7 ★ (405 reviews) | 4.4 ★ (1,438 reviews) |
| Best Fit | Companies that want owned-entity compliance, recruitment and a low, predictable price in one platform. | Mission-driven buyers who value its b corp status and all-inclusive predictable subscription with no setup or offboarding add-ons. |
| EOR Pricing | From $199 per employee/month | $599–$699 per employee/month ($499 annual) |
| Contractor Pricing | Contractor Management from $29/mo; Contractor of Record from $199/mo | $29 per contractor/month |
| Employer of Record Coverage | 150+ countries | 130+ countries (partner-heavy delivery) |
| Entity & Delivery Model | ✓ Owns local legal entities across its core footprint | Relies substantially on in-country partners |
| Payroll Model | In-house payroll run through owned entities | Partner-supported payroll in most markets |
| Security Deposit | ✓ Capped deposit on EOR Flex; zero deposit on EOR Plus (annual) | Deposit varies by country |
| Onboarding Time | New hires live in 48 hours, not weeks | Self-serve onboarding; speed varies by market |
| Integrated Talent Sourcing | ✓ Built in (Recruit + EOR: 2% of annual salary, spread over 12 months) | ✕ No built-in recruitment |
| Switching EOR Support | ✓ Covers up to 12 months of exit fees when you switch | Not advertised |
| Dedicated Account Manager & Support | Dedicated account specialist | Tiered support; HR experts included in subscription |
| SOC 2 & GDPR Compliance | SOC 2 / ISO-aligned compliance engine, owned-entity accountability | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001; certified B Corp |
from Figures reflect each vendor’s public pricing and reputable third-party guides as of June 2026 and can vary by country, salary and contract term.
Oyster HR is a certified B Corp that built its brand on transparent, all-inclusive subscriptions and a mission-led story that resonates with people teams.
Remote People takes the opposite approach to most of this market: instead of competing on product breadth or brand, it competes on operating model and price, operating entities across 150+ countries that legally employ your team, charging pricing from $199 per employee/month, capping the security deposit, folding recruitment into the same relationship, and onboarding new hires in 48 hours. This guide weighs that model against Oyster HR fairly, on the criteria that actually move a procurement decision.
Which platform is better in 2026?
Best overall
Remote People
The pick for most teams: entities in 150+ countries, a from-$199/mo price, capped deposits, built-in recruitment, and 48-hour onboarding, with up to 12 months of exit fees covered when you switch.
Best for
Oyster HR
Mission-driven buyers who value its b corp status and all-inclusive predictable subscription with no setup or offboarding add-ons. A reasonable shortlist pick if values-led brand and simple all-inclusive subscription outweighs price and owned-entity accountability for your situation.
Choose Remote People if…
- You want the legal employer to be an entity Remote People owns, not a third-party partner.
- A flat $199/employee/month and a capped deposit matter to your cash flow.
- You still need to source and recruit the hire, not just employ someone you found.
- You're switching providers and want up to 12 months of exit fees covered.
Choose Oyster HR if…
- B Corp certification and a values-led vendor matter to your brand
- You prefer one predictable subscription with onboarding and offboarding bundled in
- You are hiring in markets where Oyster's partner network is strong
What you’re really comparing
Where Oyster HR is genuinely strong. Oyster bundles onboarding, offboarding and HR-expert access into one predictable fee with no surprise add-ons, and its B Corp status is a real differentiator for values-led brands. Where its partner network is strong, the experience is smooth and well documented.
The trade-off. Oyster’s EOR sits in the premium band ($499 annual up to $699 monthly) and leans more on in-country partners than owned entities, which adds a hand-off between the platform and your legal employer when complex tax or termination issues arise. Recruitment isn’t included.
What you are really weighing is lower 12-month operating cost and lower switching risk versus Oyster HR’s particular strength, values-led brand and simple all-inclusive subscription. A low headline number means little if recruitment, integrations, deposits or partner mark-ups are billed separately or add friction later. The sections below weigh both sides, criterion by criterion.
Remote People vs Oyster HR, criterion by criterion
Pricing and total cost of ownership
Remote People: From $199 per employee/month. Built-in sourcing & recruitment included, and the security deposit is capped so it never scales with salary.
Oyster HR: $599–$699 per employee/month ($499 annual). Contractor pricing: $29 per contractor/month. Deposit varies by country.
Balanced view. Oyster HR is the more expensive platform on headline EOR price. Remote People’s from-$199 rate undercuts it by about $300–$500 per employee/month, for a 25-person team that is six figures a year in platform fees alone, while still including recruitment and capping deposits.
Verify in demo: Ask Oyster HR for a full fee schedule, base EOR fee, setup/offboarding, FX markup, off-cycle payroll, and the exact deposit formula in your target country.
Country coverage and the entity model
Remote People: 150+ countries. Owns local legal entities across its core footprint, so the legal employer is Remote People itself, not a third party.
Oyster HR: 130+ countries (partner-heavy delivery). Relies substantially on in-country partners.
Balanced view. Country count is a shortlist input, not a compliance guarantee. Remote People’s owned-entity model keeps the legal employer, payroll and compliance under one roof; with Oyster HR, confirm whether your specific country is served by an owned entity or a local partner, because that changes who is liable and how fast escalations resolve.
Verify in demo: Ask for the exact legal-employer of record in your top three markets, and request proof of the owned entity versus a partner agreement.
Security deposits and cash flow
Remote People: Capped deposit on EOR Flex; zero deposit on EOR Plus (annual). Your exposure stays predictable even for senior, high-salary hires.
Oyster HR: Deposit varies by country.
Balanced view. Deposits are the hidden cash-flow line in EOR. A one-month-salary deposit on ten $7,500 hires ties up $75,000 before your first payroll. Remote People caps the deposit; with Oyster HR, model the deposit across your real salary bands before comparing sticker prices.
Verify in demo: Ask Oyster HR for the deposit amount in writing for your highest-salary role, and when it is returned after offboarding.
Onboarding speed
Remote People: New hires live in 48 hours, not weeks, the employee signs digitally and Remote People starts the local compliance clock immediately.
Oyster HR: Self-serve onboarding; speed varies by market.
Balanced view. Separate software onboarding from legal registration. Most vendors collect documents quickly; the binding date is local tax-authority registration. Remote People’s owned entities let it compress that step, where partner-led models add a hand-off.
Verify in demo: Ask Oyster HR to distinguish time-to-first-hire from time-to-steady-state compliance in your specific country.
Recruitment and sourcing
Remote People: Built-in sourcing & recruitment included, Remote People can source, recruit and then employ the same hire through one partner.
Oyster HR: No built-in recruitment.
Balanced view. That gap is baked into each vendor’s model, and no add-on closes it. Remote People folds sourcing and recruitment into the EOR relationship, so you don’t run a separate agency motion; Oyster HR employs people you’ve already found.
Verify in demo: If you still need to hire the headcount, ask Oyster HR what sourcing support (if any) is included before you add an external recruiter.
Switching and exit costs
Remote People: Covers up to 12 months of exit fees when you switch, which de-risks moving your existing team over.
Oyster HR: Standard contract terms; exit/offboarding fees vary and are rarely subsidized.
Balanced view. Switching providers usually stalls on exit fees and re-onboarding. Remote People covers up to 12 months of exit fees to remove that blocker; with Oyster HR, the cost of leaving your current vendor is yours to absorb.
Verify in demo: If you are already on a provider, ask Remote People to quote the exit-fee coverage for your headcount, and ask Oyster HR about its own offboarding fees.
Support, security and procurement proof
Remote People: Dedicated account specialist; SOC 2 / ISO-aligned compliance engine, owned-entity accountability.
Oyster HR: Tiered support; HR experts included in subscription. Security: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001; certified B Corp.
Balanced view. Both vendors take security seriously and publish recognized certifications. The practical difference is the support path under an owned-entity model versus a partner model when a payroll-blocking issue lands on a weekend.
Verify in demo: Ask both vendors for the DPA, audit-log access, and the exact escalation SLA for a payroll-blocking error reported on a Saturday.
Which platform is better by company stage?
Seed / early stage Remote People
A from-$199 price and capped deposit protect runway, and built-in recruitment means you don't also pay an agency to find the hire.
Series A / B Remote People
As you spread across countries, owned entities and covered switching costs lower the operational drag and re-platforming risk of a partner model.
Mid-market / global ops Depends
Remote People for owned-entity compliance and predictable economics; Oyster HR if values-led brand and simple all-inclusive subscription is a hard requirement for your stack.
Which platform is better by buyer role?
Founder / COO Remote People
Lower, predictable cost and one partner for sourcing through employment.
CFO / Controller Remote People
From $199, capped deposits and covered exit fees make the model easy to forecast.
Head of People Depends
Recruit, onboard in 48 hours and manage the lifecycle through a single owned-entity provider.
Legal / Compliance Remote People
Owned entities give a clear line of legal accountability versus a partner network.
IT / Procurement Compare
Request both trust centers; weigh Oyster HR's values-led brand and simple all-inclusive subscription against Remote People's owned model.
Talent / Recruiting Remote People
Built-in sourcing and recruitment that Oyster HR doesn't include.
Questions to ask Oyster HR in a demo
The sticker price on a slide rarely matches your 12-month invoice. Before you sign with either vendor, pin down the answers that actually drive cost and risk:
- Is the legal employer in our target country an Oyster-owned entity or a partner?
- What exactly is included in the predictable fee, and what triggers an extra charge?
- What deposit, if any, applies for our salary bands?
- Provide a complete fee schedule, base EOR fee, contractor processing, FX/transfer fees, off-cycle payroll and any implementation cost.
- What is the exact escalation path and time-to-resolution SLA for a payroll-blocking error reported on a weekend?
Frequently Asked Questions
Remote People's EOR starts at $199 per employee/month. Oyster HR lists $599–$699 per employee/month ($499 annual). That is roughly $300–$500 less per employee/month with Remote People, before factoring in capped deposits and included recruitment.
Relies substantially on in-country partners. Remote People owns local entities across its core footprint, so it is the direct legal employer, ask Oyster HR for the specific model in your target country.
An owned-entity model keeps the legal employer, payroll and compliance under one roof. Remote People uses owned entities across its core markets; with Oyster HR, verify whether your country is owned or partner-served.
Remote People caps the security deposit so it stays predictable as salaries rise. Oyster HR: deposit varies by country. Model this across your real salary bands.
No built-in recruitment. Remote People includes sourcing and recruitment, so you can find and employ the same hire through one partner.
Final verdict
Oyster HR is a credible platform, and it’s the better pick if values-led brand and simple all-inclusive subscription is what you care about most. That’s a real strength, and for some buyers it outweighs price.
For most companies building a compliant, cost-predictable global team, though, Remote People comes out ahead. It employs people through its entities in 150+ countries, charges pricing from $199 per employee/month, caps the security deposit, includes recruitment, onboards in 48 hours, and covers up to 12 months of exit fees when you switch. Its trade-off versus Oyster HR is premium pricing and heavier reliance on third-party partners rather than owned entities. Most buyers will take that trade for a lower, more predictable bill.
Sources & last verified. Pricing and model details compiled June 2026 from vendor pages and reputable third-party pricing guides.
Remote People EOR: https://remotepeople.com/solutions/employer-of-record/ · EOR cost comparison: https://remotepeople.com/employer-of-record-eor-cost-pricing/
Oyster HR pricing & EOR materials (vendor site) and third-party guides incl. eorhq.com, gloroots.com, whichpayroll.com, peoplemanagingpeople.com. Last verified: June 27, 2026.
Competitor pricing, entity model and G2 figures re-verified against vendor pricing pages, G2 listings and third-party guides on July 2, 2026.