Global hiring doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all solution.

While Oyster remains a popular EOR choice for distributed teams, many companies benefit from exploring other providers that may be a better fit for them based on budget, global expansion plans, contractor usage, or compliance needs. 

Below, we compare seven strong alternatives to Oyster HR, each with different strengths in pricing, coverage, flexibility, or simplicity.

Why Explore Alternatives to Oyster HR?

Oyster HR supports global hiring in more than 180 countries, offering payroll, compliance, and localized benefits for remote workforces, with EOR services starting at $699 per employee/month.

It’s known for its user-friendly design and has numerous useful integrations, including BambooHR, QuickBooks, and Slack. It also gives users access to Oyster Academy, an educational platform for remote workers.

That said, there are scenarios where it may not be the optimal choice — especially if you:

  • Want more predictable or lower pricing for global hires
  • Need a platform with faster onboarding or simpler workflows
  • Manage a mix of full-time employees and contractors or need hybrid hiring models
  • Operate on lean budgets (startups/SMBs) and want transparent costs
  • Prefer deeper integrations with HR/IT/payroll workflows or enterprise-grade payroll infrastructure

Given those trade‑offs, it’s worth evaluating a variety of EOR providers beyond Oyster.

Oyster HR Alternatives to Consider

1. WorkMotion

Overview: WorkMotion is a European-based EOR provider that boasts its ability to onboard employees in more than 160 countries within minutes. It enables users to manage global payroll, expenses, taxes, time tracking, PTO, and employee contract changes all from one platform.

Pricing: EOR services start at approximately $585/employee per month.

Why choose WorkMotion over Oyster: WorkMotion is a top choice for companies expanding across Europe, EMEA, and other international markets where it has coverage and compliance expertise. It also offers flexibility for full-time, contractor, or hybrid staffing models, which can be helpful for teams with mixed employment types.

Visit WorkMotion’s website or read its G2 reviews to learn more.

2. Rippling

Overview: Rippling combines employer-of-record services with a comprehensive HR, payroll, and IT‑management platform. Instead of just covering employment compliance and payroll, it provides a unified system for managing HR, payroll, benefits, hardware or software provision, and global employee data.

Pricing: Rippling provides pricing upon request, but public comparisons list its EOR services as starting at about $499/employee per month.

Why choose Rippling over Oyster: Rippling is a strong choice for tech-forward, fast-growing companies that need integrated HR + IT + payroll workflows rather than stand-alone EOR services. It offers a consolidated platform — reducing administrative overhead by unifying employee management, payroll, benefits, and IT asset provisioning.

Visit Rippling’s website or read its G2 reviews to learn more.

3. Papaya Global

Overview: Papaya Global is widely recognized for global payroll, workforce management, and EOR/contractor‑of‑record services in 160+ countries. Its infrastructure supports hybrid workforces, which makes it a good choice for companies that need a flexible global hiring and payment solution.

Pricing: You must request a quote from Papaya Global for its various services, but many public comparisons list its EOR pricing at $699 per employee/month, which is similar range to other premium EORs.

Why choose Papaya Global over Oyster: For companies managing mixed workforces, Papaya Global provides a unified, scalable solution. It works well for organizations that need more than basic EOR services.

Visit Papaya Global’s website or read its G2 reviews to learn more.

4. Native Teams

Overview: Native Teams is a London-based EOR that enables companies to hire global talent in more than 95 countries. Its lower price and user-friendly platform makes it a popular choice for smaller or mid-size companies, with a focus on flexibility and cost savings.

Pricing: Native Teams EOR pricing is approximately $135/employee per month.

Why choose Native Teams over Oyster: Native Teams is a great fit for startups or SMBs seeking a global employment partner without enterprise-level cost or overhead.

Visit Native Teams’ website or read its G2 reviews to learn more.

5. Globalization Partners (G‑P)

Overview: Globalization Partners, or G‑P, is a well-known name in global employment. As a larger, enterprise-grade EOR provider, it offers coverage, compliance support, benefits, and long‑term global HR infrastructure in more than 180 countries.

Pricing: G-P operates on a quote-based pricing model, but its lowest published pricing starts at $699/month per employee for EOR services.

Why choose Globalization Partners over Oyster: G-P is ideal for large companies planning heavy global expansion. It’s an especially good fit for companies that need a vendor capable of handling complex, multi-country employment arrangements and regulatory compliance at scale.

Visit G-P’s website or read its G2 reviews to learn more.

6. Pebl

Overview: Formerly known as Velocity Global, Pebl is a long-standing EOR provider offering international hiring services in more than 185 countries. It’s often selected by larger organizations or those needing more robust infrastructure and support.

Pricing: Pebl typically charges $599 per employee/month, but it offers a starting price of $399 per employee/month for a limited time.

Why choose Pebl over Oyster: Pebl might be a better fit for companies scaling across multiple continents and requiring deep compliance and payroll infrastructure. It offers a blend of tech-enabled platform features and managed services, especially for enterprises or those with complex hiring needs.

Visit Pebl’s website or read its G2 reviews to learn more.

7. RemoFirst

Overview: RemoFirst empowers companies to hire employees and contractors in more than 185 countries, and it’s well known for its transparent and affordable pricing and ability to quickly onboard employees. In addition to EOR services, RemoFirst can also assist with employee visas and work visits and ship equipment to new hires.

Pricing: RemoFirst offers flat-rate pricing starting at $199/month per employee with no hidden fees.

Why choose RemoFirstover Oyster: RemoFirst offers strong value for startups, SMBs or lean teams that want global hiring without enterprise-grade costs or complexity. Its fast onboarding and straightforward workflows make it a good choice for companies that need to expand quickly into multiple countries.

Visit RemoFirst’s website or read its G2 reviews to learn more.

How These Alternatives Compare to Oyster HR

What you care about Oyster HR (baseline from EORcompare) When an alternative may make sense
Cost efficiency $699/month per employee RemoFirst or Native Teams for lower-cost, scalable global hiring
Global coverage & compliance Broad global coverage (180 countries) Globalization Partners, Pebl, or Papaya Global for enterprise-grade reach or hybrid workforce support
Platform flexibility & features EOR + payroll + benefits + basic global HR support Rippling for integrated HR + IT + payroll; Papaya Global for hybrid workforce and payroll complexity
Onboarding speed & simplicity Solid UX, but can be rigid WorkMotion or RemoFirst for faster onboarding and simpler workflows
Mixed workforce support (employees + contractors) Basic contractor support, mainly full-time EOR contracts Papaya Global, Native Teams, or RemoFirst for teams supporting contractor + employee mix globally
SMB / startup friendliness High cost per employee that may make it less suited for small teams RemoFirst or Native Teams are designed for startups and cost-conscious teams
Enterprise‑scale global expansion Good global coverage, but price and features may not scale as optimally Globalization Partners or Pebl are built for large-scale, multi-country operations with many integration needs
Integration with HR / IT / payroll workflow Basic payroll & HR tools Rippling offers unified HR, payroll, and IT asset management

Which Alternative Is Right for You?

  • For startups, SMBs, or lean global teams: Go with RemoFirst or Native Teams. They deliver global compliance and flexible hiring at startup-friendly pricing.
  • Companies hiring globally but seeking ease and speed: WorkMotion or RemoFirst provide straightforward hiring workflows and broad global support without high overhead.
  • Organizations needing full HR/payroll/IT integration and global scale: Rippling or Globalization Partners offer enterprise‑grade infrastructure, compliance, and cross‑system capabilities.
    Companies with mixed workforce (employees + contractors) or complex payroll needs: Papaya Global and Globalization Partners deliver flexibility, multi‑jurisdiction payroll, and hybrid workforce support.
  • Large companies expanding rapidly: Pebl can meet your needs for compliance, local support, and enterprise-grade payroll infrastructure.

Final Thoughts

Oyster HR offers solid global hiring tools, benefits, and compliance support, but it’s not an ideal match for every company, depending on their team size, hiring model, or growth stage.

From cost‑conscious, lean alternatives like RemoFirst and Native Teams, to enterprise‑grade, integrated platforms like Rippling, Globalization Partners, and Pebl, there’s an EOR provider tailored for every type of global hiring need — whether you’re scaling a startup or managing a multinational workforce.

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