Oyster publishes an EOR price of US$699 and Playroll US$399 per employee per month, so Playroll's headline fee is US$300 a month (US$3,600 a year) lower per employee. Country costs, benefits and add-ons can outweigh that difference.
Oyster: Global employment platform aimed at small and mid-sized distributed teams, with EOR, contractor payments and benefits administration.
Playroll: Global employment platform offering EOR, contractor management, payroll and immigration support, with public cost and regulation tools.
| Oyster | Playroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Published EOR price | From US$699 / month | From US$399 / month |
| Pricing model | Per employee / month | Per employee / month |
| Products | Employer of Record, Contractor management, Benefits, Payroll | Employer of Record, Contractor management, Global payroll, Immigration support |
| Coverage | 180+ countries (provider claim) | 180+ countries (provider claim) |
| Headquarters | Fully distributed (incorporated in the USA) | Not stated |
| Founded | 2020 | Not stated |
| Factor | Oyster | Playroll |
|---|---|---|
| Published EOR price | US$699 / employee / month | US$399 / employee / month |
| What the price covers | Published EOR price of USD 699 per employee per month; contractor management is priced separately (USD 29 per contractor per month). | Published 'starting at' price of US$399 per employee per month, with no minimum commitment; also shown in local currencies. |
Consider Oyster if…
- You are a small or mid-sized team hiring a handful of people abroad
- You want a published EOR price rather than quote-only pricing
Consider Playroll if…
- You want the lower published EOR price (US$399 vs US$699 per employee per month)
- You want a low published starting price with no minimum commitment
- You'd like to see prices in your own currency
- What is the all-in monthly fee for my specific countries, on annual and monthly billing?
- Do you employ through your own entity or a partner in each country?
- What deposit is required, and how and when is it refunded?
- What currency conversion margin applies to invoices?
- How are benefits, termination costs and offboarding billed?
- Is there a fee for transferring employees to our own entity later?
Use our provider due-diligence checklist for the full list. To check the employment cost on top of either fee, see our country guides.
Is Oyster or Playroll cheaper?
On published prices, Playroll is cheaper: US$399 vs US$699 per employee per month. Compare itemised quotes for your countries, since deposits, currency conversion and benefits affect the total.
What's the main difference between Oyster and Playroll?
Oyster: Global employment platform aimed at small and mid-sized distributed teams, with EOR, contractor payments and benefits administration. Playroll: Global employment platform offering EOR, contractor management, payroll and immigration support, with public cost and regulation tools.
Do Oyster and Playroll use their own entities?
Delivery models (owned entity or local partner) can vary by country. Ask each provider to confirm in writing for the countries you hire in.
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