# Oyster Alternatives and Competitors: 6 EOR Options Compared > Machine-readable page from Employ Borderless (https://employborderless.com/), an independent advisory platform for global hiring solutions. > Canonical page: https://employborderless.com/review/oyster-alternatives/ > Methodology: how providers are researched, tested and scored is documented at https://employborderless.com/methodology/. > Disclosure: Employ Borderless is free to use. We may earn a referral fee from some providers; this never affects a score or ranking position (https://employborderless.com/disclosure/). > Last updated: 2026-10-15 We independently research and review the top alternatives so you don't have to. **Top pick: Remote.** Of the 6 providers ranked, Remote places first with an overall score of 4.5 out of 5. Best for: owned legal entities at the same price. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/remote/ Oyster is a people-first employer of record for growing teams that want guided onboarding. Its employer of record service starts from $699 per employee per month. If guided onboarding is what you need, it does that job. Our Oyster review names three situations where another provider fits better: you want owned legal entities for the same money, reporting depth is a core requirement, or budget decides it. Each of those points to a different provider. Below, we compare the four alternatives our review points to, say which situation each one fits, and add two more providers we review. ## The ranking | # | Provider | Score | Pricing | Best for | |---:|---|---:|---:|---| | 1 | Remote | 4.5 out of 5 | $699/mo | owned legal entities at the same price | | 2 | RemoFirst | 4.7 out of 5 | $199/mo | when budget decides it | | 3 | Deel | 4.5 out of 5 | $599/mo | teams that need deep reporting | | 4 | Multiplier | 4.5 out of 5 | $459/mo | growing teams of around 250 people | | 5 | Hire with Columbus | 4.5 out of 5 | $179/mo | teams hiring five or more people who want low, predictable pricing | | 6 | Pebl (formerly Velocity Global) | 4.5 out of 5 | $399/mo | mid-to-large companies where compliance risk matters more than cost | ### 1. Remote Remote is an Employer of Record (EOR) service that helps companies hire international employees without creating local entities. It was founded in 2019 by Job van der Voort and Marcelo Lebre, both former GitLab executives. The company has raised more than $500 million and expanded quickly. They now support hiring in 186+ countries. The platform manages the full employment cycle through a centralized dashboard (compliant contracts, onboarding, payroll, benefits, taxes, and termination). A key standout: owned entities Remote stands out in the industry because they own and directly operate legal entities in each country instead of relying on third-party partners, which is not the case with all providers. This wholly owned structure gives the company full control over employment tasks and compliance. What this means for you: Remote is a good fit for businesses that prioritize compliance and risk management when expanding into new markets because the platform keeps employment responsibilities in-house. Third-party rating average: 4.7 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/remote/ ### 2. RemoFirst RemoFirst was founded in 2021 by Nurasyl Serik and Volodymyr Fedoriv, is headquartered in San Francisco, has raised $39 million and employs between 201 and 500 people. It sells two things: employer of record services for hiring employees abroad without a local entity, and contractor management for paying freelancers compliantly. Your contract is with RemoFirst. In most countries the legal employer of your hire is an in-country partner that RemoFirst manages; we have confirmed that model in 34 countries and have no owned entities on file. RemoFirst issues the employment contract, runs payroll, files taxes and statutory contributions and administers benefits. You manage the work. For a first hire abroad that replaces the three to six months it takes to set up your own entity. Beyond EOR and contractors it offers RemoHealth, one health insurance program across countries, RemoTech equipment provisioning, and visa and work-permit support in 85+ countries. Third-party rating average: 4.5 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/remofirst/ ### 3. Deel Deel is an Employer of Record (EOR) and a global payroll platform. Companies use it to hire, pay, and manage international contractors and full-time employees without setting up local entities. Alex Bouaziz, Shuo Wang, and Ofer Simon founded the company in 2019. Deel is headquartered in San Francisco and has raised more than $980 million in seven funding rounds. The platform is now valued at $17.3 billion. How Deel works Deel supports hiring and payroll across 153 countries. Companies typically use the platform for the following services: - Employer of Record (EOR): Deel becomes the legal employer in the target country while you manage the day-to-day work - Contractor management: Allow clients to hire, manage, and pay independent contractors in multiple countries through a single platform. - Contractor of Record (COR): Deel takes on the liability, manages all HR/admin, and handles the risk for you. - Global payroll: Clients submit payroll data and approve it in one dashboard, and Deel handles taxes, deductions, and currency conversions automatically. Note: The main difference between contractor management and Contractor of Record services is who bears the legal risk and responsibility: you (with a standard Deel contractor service) or Deel (with COR). Onboarding In most cases, contracts are generated automatically based on the country, reviewed right on the platform, and approved in a few steps. What this means for you: you can hire in established markets within days. They’re also likely to find better contract standardization, clear compliance guidance, and faster onboarding compared to smaller regional providers. Third-party rating average: 4.8 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/deel/ ### 4. Multiplier Multiplier is an Employer of Record (EOR) and a global employment platform. Companies use it to hire and manage international team members without establishing local entities. Sagar Khatri, Amritpal Singh, and Vamsi Krishna founded the company in 2020. It's headquartered in New York, United States, and has secured over $77 million in funding since launch. How Multiplier works Multiplier manages employment operations across 171 countries. The core services they offer are: - Compliance management: Multiplier manages local employment laws and requirements. - Payroll processing: International payments run through the system. - Benefits administration: Companies can provide employee benefits without setting up local programs. - Contractor management: Businesses can manage both full employees and contractors in one place. Most companies can start hiring internationally within days instead of waiting months for entity setup. Who Multiplier is for Multiplier is a great fit for small to medium-sized businesses and startups entering global markets. Benefit for clients: You can hire in 171 countries through one platform without setting up local entities. Helpful reads: Best Employer of Record (EOR) for startups Third-party rating average: 4.8 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/multiplier/ ### 5. Hire with Columbus Hire with Columbus is an Employer of Record (EOR) service that enables companies to hire and pay international employees without establishing local legal entities. Operating as a high-volume discount provider, Columbus has positioned itself on price by buying capacity in bulk. When you use Hire with Columbus, they technically employ workers through their partner entities in 193 countries. Columbus manages the legal employment paperwork, local tax compliance, payroll processing, and benefits administration, while you handle day-to-day work management. This arrangement saves the 3-6 months and $15,000-$50,000 typically required for foreign entity establishment. The platform serves two primary functions: - Full EOR services for companies hiring employees internationally - Contractor management for businesses working with global freelancers What distinguishes Columbus is their pricing model, at $179 per employee per month, they offer a 10% discount on standard market rates through volume aggregation. This approach makes enterprise-level EOR services accessible to smaller businesses that previously couldn't afford international expansion. Hire with Columbus operates through strategic partnerships with established EOR providers, negotiating bulk rates based on aggregate client volumes. That is how the price is lower without the service being thinner, and compliance still runs through the partner in each country. Third-party rating average: 5.0 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/hire-with-columbus/ ### 6. Pebl (formerly Velocity Global) Pebl is an AI-powered Employer of Record platform that rebranded from Velocity Global in September 2025. Founded in 2014 by Ben Wright, the company (as Velocity Global) was an early mover in the EOR category and now operates across 175 countries through a mix of owned entities and trusted local partners. When you hire through Pebl, it becomes the legal employer for your international team, handling contracts, payroll, taxes, benefits and compliance while you manage the day-to-day work. Its AI assistant, Alfie, automates compliance checks, gives instant cost estimates, and guides you through local regulatory requirements, which can bring time-to-hire down to as little as 24 hours. The platform covers several core services: - EOR for companies without a local entity - Global payroll for existing operations - Immigration and visa support - Benefits administration worldwide What sets Pebl apart is a decade of compliance expertise, backed by 200+ in-house legal and tax specialists and support in 50+ languages. That makes it a fit for mid-to-large companies hiring across multiple countries where compliance risk matters more than headline cost. Pebl lists EOR pricing at $399 per month per employee. Third-party rating average: 4.5 out of 5. Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/pebl/ ## Selection criteria We compared each alternative against the three situations our Oyster review flags: owned legal entities at Oyster's price, deeper reporting, and a lower monthly fee. We added team size, because Oyster is built for growing teams. Prices are the providers' published starting prices for employer of record services, checked in October 2026. ## Frequently asked questions ### What are the best Oyster alternatives? It depends on why you're leaving. Remote has the same starting price and employs people through its own entities. RemoFirst starts from $199 per employee per month if budget decides it. Deel suits teams that need deep reporting, and Multiplier suits growing teams of around 250 people. ### Is there a cheaper alternative to Oyster? Yes. RemoFirst lists its employer of record service starting from $199 per employee per month, Multiplier from $459 with annual billing, and Deel from $599, compared with Oyster's $699. These are published starting prices, and your cost depends on the country you hire in. ### Is Remote better than Oyster? Neither is better for everyone. Both list $699 per employee per month as a starting price. Remote employs people through its own legal entities, while Oyster puts its effort into guided onboarding. If owned entities matter more to you, Remote is the closer fit. ### How do I choose between Oyster alternatives? Start with the reason you're leaving: owned entities, price, reporting or team size. Then book calls with two providers in the same week and ask both the same questions about total cost, the deposit, the exchange rate and who employs your hire.