Remofirst vs Oyster HR: Which EOR Fits Your Hiring?
Remofirst lists a flat $199 a month for EOR in 185+ countries and Oyster $699 in 120+. Oyster answers with in-house HR and legal experts, Shell contractor cover and 48-hour onboarding.
Remofirst
Flat-rate EOR through local partners
Best for: startups and small teams making first international hires that want a low flat rate, no minimum term and no setup fee.
Oyster HR
Compliance-first EOR with in-house experts
Best for: mid-market teams that want in-house HR and legal experts and published terms for setup and terminations.
Remofirst3.8vsOyster HR3.8Remofirst Costs $500 Less. Oyster Adds Experts.
If price and reach decide it, Remofirst is the pick. It lists a flat $199 per employee a month against Oyster’s $699, covers 185+ countries to Oyster’s 120+, and says there is no annual contract. Both say setup and termination cost nothing extra.
Oyster is the better buy when you want people, not only a platform. It includes in-house HR and legal experts, sells advisory at $300 an hour, covers contractors at $29 with Shell protection up to $500,000 and lists 22 native integrations in our review. Both score 3.8 with us. Oyster requires a refundable deposit it does not price, and Remofirst publishes no deposit policy at all.
New to the model? Our guide to what an employer of record does covers the basics, and our best EOR providers list ranks both against the wider market.
RemofirstOyster HR- You want the lowest flat rate
- You hire in a market outside Oyster’s 120+
- You want no minimum term
- You want in-house HR and legal experts included
- You want Shell cover on contractors
- You want more native integrations
How We Scored Remofirst and Oyster HR
We score every EOR on the same five factors, out of 5, and average them. The reasoning behind each score is in our Remofirst review and Oyster HR review, and the method is in our editorial guidelines.
Remofirst3.8Oyster’s 4.3 rests on 1,909 reviews, mostly from G2. Remofirst’s 4.5 comes from G2 and Capterra only, because Trustpilot shows no score for it, and its 5 Capterra reviews are too few to count for much.
Remofirst vs Oyster HR Pricing
Both charge a monthly fee per employee on top of salary, employer taxes and benefits. Those employer costs often outweigh the fee, so check your countries in our employer cost by country tool.
Remofirst
Listed on Remofirst’s pricing page as a starting price. It says the rate may vary with local country requirements.
Ask which countries sit above $199, and what deposit applies before the first payroll.
Oyster HR
Listed on Oyster’s pricing page. Annual seat-based discounts exist, but the discounted rate is not shown.
Ask for the deposit per hire, the FX conversion fee and the annual seat price in writing.
For published rates across more providers, see our EOR Pricing Index.
Calculate the Fee Gap for Your Team
Move the slider to see what the list-price gap adds up to. It covers the EOR fee only, not salary, employer taxes, deposits or FX.
Remofirst$199 x 10 hires x 12 months
Oyster HR$699 x 10 hires x 12 months
Remofirst’s $199 can vary by country. Oyster’s annual seat discounts are not priced, so the real gap may be smaller.
Remofirst vs Oyster HR Features
What each provider lists on its own product, pricing and security pages. Oyster also sells HR advisory by the hour, and our EOR vs PEO guide explains the other employment model.
RemofirstOyster HRWhere You Can Hire With Each
Remofirst lists about 65 more EOR countries. Remofirst places every contract through a local partner, while Oyster mixes owned entities with partners and does not say where.
Remofirst
Remofirst lists EOR in 185+ countries, contractor payments in 150+ and visa support in 110+. It works only through vetted local partners and owns no entities.
Countries both providers list, with our hiring guides:
Oyster HR
Oyster runs EOR in 120+ countries through a mix of owned entities and vetted partners, and does not say which markets run on which. Its wider platform, including contractors, reaches 180+ countries.
Moving contractors onto payroll? Our guide on switching contractors to full-time EOR employees covers the steps.
Planning enough hires in one country to set up your own company? Compare the two routes in EOR vs entity setup.
Which One Fits Your Situation
Six situations we see most often from teams choosing between these two. For sector-specific needs, see how to choose an EOR for your industry.
You want the lowest rate
Remofirst lists a flat $199 a month, though it may vary with local requirements. Oyster lists $699, with annual seat discounts it does not price.
RemofirstYou hire in a market outside Oyster’s 120+
Remofirst lists EOR in 185+ countries, about 65 more than Oyster. Check your country on both sites before you shortlist.
RemofirstYou want HR and legal experts included
Oyster includes in-house HR and legal experts in the fee and sells advisory at $300 an hour. Remofirst includes an account manager.
Oyster HRYou run many contractors
Remofirst offers a free tier and $25 for payments. Oyster lists $29 with 30 days free and Shell cover up to $500,000.
Oyster HRYou want no minimum term
Remofirst says there is no annual contract or minimum headcount. Oyster bills monthly and discounts annual seats.
RemofirstYou want a platform with more integrations
Oyster lists 22 native integrations in our review. Remofirst lists four and no mobile app.
Oyster HRContract and Exit Terms to Check
Both say setup and termination cost nothing extra. Oyster requires an unpriced deposit, and Remofirst publishes no deposit policy.
RemofirstOyster HREnding a contract abroad also triggers local rules, so check severance pay by country before you plan an exit.
What Users Say About Remofirst and Oyster HR
Ratings weighted by review count across G2, Trustpilot and Capterra, checked for this comparison.
Remofirst
Oyster HR
For how the wider EOR market rates on price, coverage and compliance, see our employer of record statistics.
Alternatives to Remofirst and Oyster HR
The three EORs buyers most often shortlist next to these two. For a longer list, see our roundup of Deel competitors.
Deel
- EOR price
- $599 /month
- Countries
- 130+
- Contract
- Month to month
Costs less than Oyster and more than Remofirst, with 24/7 support listed.
Read our Deel review →
Remote
- EOR price
- $599 annual
- Countries
- 90+
- Entities
- 100+ owned, stated
Owns its entities and charges no standard deposit, with fewer countries.
Read our Remote review →
Multiplier
- EOR price
- $459 annual, $499 monthly
- Countries
- 160+
- Extras
- Add-ons priced separately
Sits between the two on price, with add-ons and implementation fees on top.
Read our Multiplier review →More comparisons
Oyster HR vs RemoteRead comparisonDeel vs Oyster HRRead comparisonMultiplier vs Oyster HRRead comparisonRemofirst vs RemoteRead comparisonDeel vs RemofirstRead comparisonRemofirst vs MultiplierRead comparisonSee every head-to-head on our EOR comparisons page.
Remofirst vs Oyster HR FAQ
Short answers from our research and both vendors’ published pages.
Is Remofirst cheaper than Oyster HR for EOR?
Yes, by $500 at list price. Remofirst shows a flat $199 per employee a month and says it may vary with local requirements, while Oyster shows $699 with annual seat discounts it does not price. Compare both on a written quote.
Which covers more countries, Remofirst or Oyster HR?
Remofirst, with EOR in 185+ countries against Oyster's 120+. Oyster's 180+ figure includes contractor locations, so use the EOR numbers for employees.
Do Remofirst and Oyster HR own their entities?
Remofirst owns none and places every contract through a vetted local partner. Oyster uses owned entities and vetted partners and does not say which countries run on which.
Do Remofirst and Oyster HR require a deposit?
Oyster requires a refundable deposit before each EOR engagement starts and does not publish the amount. Remofirst publishes no deposit policy, so ask for it before you sign.
Which has cheaper contractor management?
Remofirst, with a free contractor tier and $25 per contractor for payments. Oyster lists $29 per contractor with 30 days free and Shell cover up to $500,000.
Which has better support?
Remofirst lists 24/7 support and a dedicated account manager, though G2 reviewers cite delays. Oyster includes HR and legal experts in the EOR fee and sells advisory at $300 an hour. Test each with a hard question.
Does Oyster HR charge for setup or termination?
No. Oyster says setup, onboarding, HR expert access and terminations are included in the subscription. Remofirst says the same for setup, onboarding and terminations. Local severance and notice costs still apply under both.
About the author
Manjuri Dutta is Co-Founder and Content Editor at EmployerRecords.com, covering Employer of Record providers and global hiring platforms. She evaluates providers on entity ownership, statutory compliance, and real pricing rather than vendor claims, and built the verification process used across EmployerRecords' country guides, checking vendor claims against government registries and public filings.
View all articles by ManjuriTools and research