Oyster HR vs Remote: Which EOR Fits Your Hiring?
Remote lists EOR at $599 a month on annual contracts and Oyster at $699, and Remote says it owns every entity and takes no standard deposit. Oyster counters with 120+ countries to Remote’s 90+.
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.
Remote
Owned-entity EOR and payroll
Best for: teams hiring inside its 90+ countries that want one legal employer, IP transfer in the contract and no standard deposit.
Oyster HR3.8vsRemote4.2Remote Lists $100 Less. Oyster Reaches 30 More Countries.
If you want EOR at the lower published rate, we would pick Remote. It lists $599 per employee a month on annual contracts against Oyster’s $699, says it owns every entity it uses, and charges no standard deposit. Oyster requires a refundable deposit on every EOR hire and does not publish the amount.
Oyster is the better fit when expert support and reach matter more than the fee. It lists EOR in 120+ countries to Remote’s 90+, includes in-house HR and legal access in the subscription, and states that setup, onboarding and terminations cost nothing extra. Our editor score is 4.2 for Remote against 3.8 for Oyster.
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.
Oyster HRRemote- You hire in a market outside Remote’s 90+
- You want in-house HR and legal experts included
- You want HR advisory available by the hour
- You want the lower list rate
- You want one owned legal employer per hire
- You want no standard deposit
How We Scored Oyster HR and Remote
We score every EOR on the same five factors, out of 5, and average them. The reasoning behind each score is in our Oyster HR review and Remote review, and the method is in our editorial guidelines.
Oyster HR3.8Oyster’s 4.3 public rating sits above our 3.8 because we also weigh its unpublished deposit, FX fee and entity split. Remote’s 4.6 draws on a Trustpilot base made up mostly of employees, and its 97 Capterra reviews from buyers average 4.4.
Oyster HR vs Remote 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.
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.
Remote
Listed on Remote’s pricing page for annual contracts. The monthly rate is not shown.
Ask what monthly billing costs, and when Remote would ask for a refundable reserve payment.
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.
Oyster HR$699 x 10 hires x 12 months
Remote$599 x 10 hires x 12 months
Oyster’s $699 is its listed rate, and annual seat discounts are not priced. Remote’s $599 is for annual contracts.
Oyster HR vs Remote Features
What each provider lists on its own product, pricing and security pages. Remote also sells a US PEO, and our EOR vs PEO guide explains where that model fits.
Oyster HRRemoteWhere You Can Hire With Each
Oyster lists EOR in 120+ countries to Remote’s 90+. Remote says all its entities are owned, while Oyster mixes owned entities with partners and does not say where.
Oyster HR
Oyster runs EOR in 120+ countries through owned entities and vetted partners, and does not publish which markets use which. Its 180+ figure covers contractors, not employees.
Countries both providers list, with our hiring guides:
Remote
Remote says it runs 100+ legal entities that it owns and uses no third parties for EOR. Its pricing page cites contractor coverage in 190+ countries, but EOR stops at 90+.
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 hire in a market outside Remote’s 90+
Oyster lists EOR in 120+ countries, about 30 more than Remote. Check your country on both sites before you shortlist.
Oyster HRYou need one named legal employer per hire
Remote says all 100+ of its entities are owned, with no third parties. Oyster mixes owned entities and partners and does not say which markets use which.
RemoteYou want the lower rate and no deposit
Remote lists $599 for annual contracts and charges no standard deposit. Oyster lists $699 and requires a refundable deposit per hire.
RemoteYou want in-house HR and legal answers
Oyster includes access to its own HR and legal experts in the EOR fee. Remote does not publish its support model or hours.
Oyster HRYou run many contractors
Both list $29 a month for contractor management. Oyster adds Shell cover up to $500,000 and Remote lists Contractor of Record from $325, so compare protection, not the base fee.
Check terms firstYou want HR advisory on top of EOR
Oyster sells project-based HR advisory at $300 an hour for EOR staff and your own entities. Remote does not list one.
Oyster HRContract and Exit Terms to Check
Oyster publishes more on fees but not the deposit amount. Remote ties its $599 rate to an annual contract and publishes little on exit.
Oyster HRRemoteEnding a contract abroad also triggers local rules, so check severance pay by country before you plan an exit.
What Users Say About Oyster HR and Remote
Ratings weighted by review count across G2, Trustpilot and Capterra, checked for this comparison.
Oyster HR
Remote
For how the wider EOR market rates on price, coverage and compliance, see our employer of record statistics.
Alternatives to Oyster HR and Remote
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
Lists $100 less than Oyster, bills month to month and reaches more countries than Remote.
Read our Deel review →
Multiplier
- EOR price
- $459 annual, $499 monthly
- Countries
- 160+
- Extras
- Add-ons priced separately
Lower than both at list price, with add-ons and implementation fees on top.
Read our Multiplier review →
Pebl
- EOR price
- $399 /month
- Countries
- 185+
- Contract
- Billing terms not published
The lowest listed rate here and the widest country list, with terms to confirm in a quote.
Read our Pebl review →More comparisons
Deel vs RemoteRead comparison
Rippling vs RemoteRead comparisonRemote vs MultiplierRead comparisonRippling vs Oyster HRRead comparisonMultiplier vs Oyster HRRead comparisonDeel vs Oyster HRRead comparisonSee every head-to-head on our EOR comparisons page.
Oyster HR vs Remote FAQ
Short answers from our research and both vendors’ published pages.
Is Remote cheaper than Oyster HR for EOR?
On list price, yes. Remote shows $599 per employee a month for annual contracts and Oyster shows $699. Oyster offers seat-based annual discounts without printing the discounted rate, and Remote does not show its monthly rate, so compare both on a written quote.
Which covers more countries, Oyster HR or Remote?
Oyster, with EOR in 120+ countries against Remote's 90+. Oyster's 180+ figure counts contractor locations, so use 120+ for employees.
Do Oyster HR and Remote own their entities?
Remote says all 100+ of its entities are owned, with no third parties. Oyster uses owned entities and vetted partners and does not say which countries run on which.
Do Oyster HR and Remote require a deposit?
Oyster requires a refundable deposit before each EOR engagement starts and does not publish the amount. Remote charges no standard deposit, though it may ask for a refundable reserve in certain cases.
Which has cheaper contractor management?
They match at $29 per contractor a month. Oyster gives 30 days free and adds Oyster Shell misclassification cover up to $500,000. Remote lists Contractor of Record from $325.
Which has better support?
Oyster includes access to in-house HR and legal experts in the EOR fee and sells advisory at $300 an hour. Remote does not publish support hours. Reviewers of both report uneven escalations, so 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. Remote lists no setup or platform fees. 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