Oyster

Oyster stands out in the crowded Employer of Record space by combining strong operational capabilities with a genuine mission-driven approach to equitable global employment. After evaluating the platform extensively, we find it delivers a polished experience for companies serious about building distributed teams the right way. The EOR service covers 180+ countries with localized benefits packages that go well beyond the basics, offering health insurance, retirement plans, and equity distribution tools that most competitors simply do not provide. The employee onboarding experience is smooth and the self-service portal gives international hires a professional, branded experience from day one. Where Oyster truly differentiates is in its equity distribution features. Offering stock options to international employees is a legal and tax minefield, and Oyster handles this complexity elegantly, making it the clear choice for venture-backed startups that want to extend equity to their global workforce. The pricing is transparent but premium. Contractor management starts at $29/month per contractor, which is competitive. EOR services range from $499 to $699 per employee per month depending on the country, which places Oyster in the mid-to-upper range of the market. For companies that value employee experience and equitable compensation over finding the absolute cheapest EOR provider, this premium is justified. The main limitations are around scope: if you primarily hire contractors rather than full-time employees, platforms like Deel offer more focused contractor tooling. Similarly, if cost is your primary concern and you need basic EOR without the equity and benefits extras, you can find cheaper options. But for remote-first companies building teams where international employees are treated as true equals, Oyster is among the best choices available. We recommend Oyster for funded startups and mid-market companies committed to equitable distributed hiring, particularly those offering equity compensation to international team members.