TLDR: User-Friendly Solutions vs Compliance-Focused Hiring
- Oyster HR: Great solution for companies seeking an intuitive platform for global hiring and extensive payroll services. See what Oyster HR has to offer
- Omnipresent: : Ideal for businesses prioritizing compliance and local expertise, offering flexible employment models. Check out Omnipresent’s pricing here
Oyster HR and Omnipresent are two leading platforms in the global payroll and hiring space, each offering distinct advantages as Employer of Record (EOR) providers. However, their strengths and limitations make them better suited to different types of businesses, depending on size, complexity, and specific needs.
Oyster HR is a robust global payroll and hiring platform that ranks among the best EOR providers I’ve used. Thanks to its ability to streamline global HR processes and provide essential legal resources, it is a top choice for companies looking to hire, pay, and manage international employees easily.
However, Oyster HR’s pricing may be prohibitive for smaller operations, and its capabilities might not scale adequately for very large organizations. In this review, I’ll share insights on when Oyster HR is the right choice for expanding or managing a global workforce and when you might want to consider alternative EOR services.
On the other hand, Omnipresent aims to deliver painless, compliance-first international hiring. With a network of local legal experts worldwide, Omnipresent allows companies to employ individuals without worrying about failing labor regulations.
Its streamlined onboarding and transparent new market expansion information are major strengths. However, some users have reported issues with payslips and slow support responses. In this review, I’ll delve into Omnipresent’s key features and potential drawbacks, particularly focusing on its EOR service.
By comparing Oyster HR’s strengths and weaknesses with Omnipresent’s, I aim to help you determine which platform best meets your business needs, whether you’re managing a small startup or a large enterprise with complex global operations.
Oyster HR
Omnipresent
Overview of Oyster HR and Omnipresent
I’ve chosen to compare Oyster HR and Omnipresent because they are both leading EOR providers that enable companies to hire and manage global teams compliantly.
While they share similar core functionalities, they have distinct features and approaches that suit different business needs.
Overview of Oyster HR
Oyster HR is a comprehensive global employment platform that enables companies to hire, pay, and manage employees in over 180 countries. It stands out for its user-friendly interface, extensive compliance support, and focus on providing competitive benefits packages across different regions.
One of Oyster HR’s core strengths is its ability to simplify complex international hiring processes. The platform offers automated contracts, localized payroll processing, and built-in compliance checks to ensure businesses can expand globally without legal headaches.
Additionally, Oyster HR provides valuable resources like salary benchmarking tools and country-specific hiring guides to help companies make informed decisions when entering new markets.
Oyster HR has secured $59 million in Series D funding, with Silver Lake Waterman leading the round. This new capital elevates Oyster’s valuation to $1.2 billion and brings its total raised funds to $286 million. The company intends to use this investment to grow its product offerings, strengthen compliance measures, and assist businesses in recruiting top talent. Specializing in borderless teams through services like global payroll and visa sponsorships, Oyster aims to democratize global job access. With over 40% of its workforce in emerging markets, it operates across 180+ countries to streamline global employment.
Company Information
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California
- Founders: Tony Jamous and Jack Mardack
- Funding: Raised $286 million in multiple funding rounds
- Founding Date: 2020
Also, read our in-depth review of Oyster HR
Overview of Omnipresent
Omnipresent is a global employment solution that aims to break down barriers to international hiring. Founded in 2019, it has quickly grown to support hiring in over 160 countries.
Omnipresent’s platform is designed to handle the entire employee lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding, focusing on compliance and efficiency.
A key strength of Omnipresent is its emphasis on providing local expertise in each market it serves. The company leverages a network of in-country partners and legal experts to ensure that all employment contracts and practices are fully compliant with local laws.
Omnipresent also prides itself on its quick onboarding process and transparent pricing structure.
Company Information
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- Founders: Guenther Eisinger, Matthew Wilson
- Funding: $138M+ (A+B Series)
- Founding Date: 2019
Key Features of Oyster HR
Oyster HR offers 8 key features that set it apart.
These key features include:
- Global Hiring Platform: Simplifies hiring across borders, managing everything from job postings to employment contracts in over 180 countries.
- Compliance Management: Ensures adherence to local labor laws and regulations in each country, minimizing legal risks.
- Payroll Processing: Handles payroll calculations, payments, and tax withholdings in over 120 currencies.
- Benefits Administration: Offers locally aligned benefits packages with multiple tiers in most markets.
- Contractor Management: Allows management of both employees and contractors on the same platform, with easy conversion options.
- Global Payroll Solution: Recently introduced for companies with existing entities, expanding service offerings.
- Visa and Immigration Support: Assists with work visa and immigration processes for international hires.
- Oyster Academy: Provides a platform for upskilling employees, enhancing talent development.
Key Features of Omnipresent
Omnipresent offers 8 key features that set it apart.
These key features include:
- Global EOR Services: Enables companies to hire employees in 160+ countries without establishing local entities. This feature significantly reduces the complexity and cost associated with international expansion, allowing businesses to tap into global talent pools quickly and efficiently.
- PEO Services: Offers comprehensive HR outsourcing, including onboarding, payroll, benefits administration, and compliance management. This service allows companies to focus on their core business while Omnipresent handles the intricacies of international employment.
- Contractor Management: Provides a unified platform for hiring and managing contractors globally. This feature streamlines the process of engaging international freelancers and consultants, ensuring compliance with local regulations and simplifying payment processes.
- OmniPlatform: Omnipresent’s proprietary digital platform for managing global workforce. This intuitive interface centralizes all aspects of international employment, from onboarding to offboarding, providing a seamless experience for both employers and employees.
- Compliance Support: Offers comprehensive assistance in navigating complex international employment laws and regulations. This feature helps businesses mitigate legal risks associated with global hiring and ensures adherence to local labor laws, tax requirements, and other regulatory obligations.
- Global Payroll Services: Manages payroll across multiple countries, handling currency conversions, tax withholdings, and statutory deductions. This service ensures timely and accurate payments to employees worldwide while maintaining compliance with local payroll regulations.
- Benefits Administration: Designs and manages competitive global benefits packages tailored to local market standards and expectations. This feature helps companies attract and retain top talent by offering locally relevant and compliant benefits.
- Legal Support: Provides dedicated legal assistance for international employment complexities. This service includes contract drafting, dispute resolution, and ongoing legal advice to help companies navigate the intricacies of global employment law.
Benefits of Using Oyster HR
The benefits of using Oyster HR are:
- Simplified Global Expansion: Enables quick entry into new markets without establishing local entities.
- Compliance Assurance: Minimizes legal risks with continuous monitoring of local regulations across all operational countries.
- Time and Cost Efficiency: Speeds up the international hiring process and eliminates the need for setting up legal entities in each country.
- Scalability: Supports rapid business growth and expansion into new markets with flexible hiring solutions.
- Centralized Management: Unifies global workforce management in one platform, improving oversight and efficiency.
- Risk Mitigation: Handles complex international labor laws and regulations, reducing compliance risks.
- Ethical Employment Practices: Focuses on promoting fair and ethical employment globally.
- Comprehensive Resources: Provides country-specific hiring guides and educational resources for navigating global employment.
Benefits of Using Omnipresent
The benefits of using Omnipresent are:
- Simplified Global Expansion: Enables rapid international hiring without the need for local entity setup. This benefit allows companies to quickly enter new markets and access global talent pools without the traditional barriers to international expansion.
- Compliance Assurance: Handles complex international labor laws, tax filings, and regulatory requirements. This comprehensive compliance management significantly reduces the risk of legal issues and penalties associated with international employment.
- Time and Cost Efficiency: Substantially reduces the time and resources required for international hiring and HR management. By outsourcing these complex processes, companies can focus on their core business activities and achieve cost savings in the long run.
- Centralized Management: Provides a single platform for managing global workforce, payroll, and compliance. This centralization improves efficiency, reduces administrative burden, and provides better visibility into global operations.
- Risk Mitigation: Reduces legal and compliance risks associated with international employment. Omnipresent’s expertise in local regulations helps companies avoid costly mistakes and potential legal issues in unfamiliar jurisdictions.
- Access to Global Talent: Enables companies to hire the best talent regardless of location. This benefit allows businesses to build diverse, skilled teams without geographical constraints, potentially leading to increased innovation and competitiveness.
- Expertise Support: Offers access to local HR experts with extensive experience in various countries. This support ensures that companies receive tailored advice and guidance for each market they operate in.
- Scalability: Facilitates rapid business growth and expansion into new markets with flexible hiring solutions. As companies grow, Omnipresent’s services can scale accordingly, supporting businesses at every stage of their international development.
- Streamlined Onboarding: Provides an efficient and compliant onboarding process for global employees. This smooth onboarding experience helps new hires integrate quickly and start contributing to the company sooner.
- Ongoing Employee Support: Delivers continuous care for international team members, addressing their unique needs and concerns. This support helps maintain employee satisfaction and productivity across global teams, contributing to better retention rates.
Pricing and Plans
Oyster HR Pricing
Oyster HR offers flexible pricing plans designed to accommodate businesses of various sizes, from startups to large enterprises.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Employer of Record (EOR) Pricing | $599 per employee/month |
| Contractor Management Pricing | $29 per employee/month |
| Payroll Pricing | $25 per employee/month |
| Annual Discount | Available |
Their pricing model for Employer of Record (EOR) services starts at $599 per employee per month, which includes payroll management, tax withholding, and local compliance. Oyster HR also offers a tiered pricing system, where costs can decrease per employee as the number of employees increases, making it cost-effective for larger teams.
For contractor management, Oyster HR charges a fee starting at $25 per employee per month. This plan provides basic services such as contract generation and payment processing. For additional services like advanced tax handling or customized legal support, Oyster HR provides a quote based on the specific needs of the business.
Oyster HR also offers bespoke solutions tailored to the unique needs of organizations operating in multiple countries, with pricing dependent on the complexity and scope of the services required.
Omnipresent Pricing
Omnipresent takes a straightforward approach to pricing, focusing on transparency and flexibility. The company’s pricing structure accommodates businesses of various sizes and needs.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Employer of Record (EOR) Pricing | $499 per employee/month |
| Contractor Management Pricing | $29 per employee/month |
| Annual Discount | Not available |
For EOR services, Omnipresent’s pricing starts at $499 per employee per month. This base plan includes core services such as compliant employment, payroll processing, and basic benefits administration. For companies requiring more comprehensive services or support in multiple countries, Omnipresent offers custom pricing plans.
For contractor management services, Omnipresent’s pricing starts at $29 per employee per month. Omnipresent also provides additional services, such as global mobility support and entity setup assistance. The pricing for these services is typically customized based on each client’s specific needs.
Omnipresent offers volume discounts for companies hiring multiple employees across different countries. They also provide custom quotes for businesses with unique requirements or large-scale international hiring needs.
Pros and Cons of Oyster HR
Pros
- User-Friendly Interface: Offers an intuitive platform that’s easy to navigate and use.
- Extensive Global Coverage: Operates in over 180 countries, providing broad international reach.
- Comprehensive Compliance Management: Strong focus on keeping businesses compliant with local regulations.
- Ethical Focus: Emphasizes ethical employment practices and social responsibility.
- Integrated Cost Calculator: Helps businesses estimate employment costs in different countries.
- Third-Party Integrations: Offers integrations with various HR and business tools.
Cons
- Premium Pricing: Can be expensive compared to some competitors, with EOR services starting at $599 per employee per month.
- Feature Limitations: Some features require additional purchases, potentially increasing costs.
- Limited Analytics: Reporting and analytics capabilities may be less comprehensive than some competitors.
- Potential Overkill for Small Teams: The comprehensive nature of the platform may be more than necessary for very small businesses.
Pros and Cons of Omnipresent
Pros
- User-Friendly Platform: OmniPlatform offers an intuitive interface for managing global workforce.
- Comprehensive Compliance Support: Ensures adherence to local labor laws and regulations.
- Flexible Solutions: Offers EOR, PEO, and contractor management services.
- Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with popular HR systems.
- Dedicated Support: Provides personalized customer service and legal expertise.
Cons
- Limited Self-Service Options: Some users report relying heavily on customer support for certain tasks.
- Onboarding Time: The process can be lengthy in some countries due to complex local regulations.
- Dependency on Third-Party Services: Relies on external providers for some services in certain regions.
User Data Security and Compliance
Both Oyster HR and Omnipresent recognize the critical importance of protecting sensitive employee information and ensuring compliance with international data protection regulations.
Oyster HR takes a proactive approach to data security, implementing robust measures to safeguard client and employee information. They utilize state-of-the-art encryption protocols and maintain strict access controls to prevent unauthorized data access. Oyster HR’s commitment to data protection is evidenced by their SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certifications, demonstrating their adherence to industry-standard security practices.
Omnipresent, on the other hand, offers a comprehensive data security framework that goes beyond standard practices. Their approach includes AI-powered threat detection and response systems, providing an additional layer of protection against emerging cyber threats. Omnipresent’s ISO 27701 certification, in addition to SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, underscores their commitment to privacy information management.
Both providers place a strong emphasis on GDPR compliance, ensuring that they meet the stringent data protection requirements of the European Union. This is particularly crucial for businesses hiring employees in EU countries or handling EU citizens’ data.
One notable difference is in their data storage policies. Oyster HR primarily uses EU-based data centers, which can be advantageous for companies primarily operating in Europe or those particularly concerned about data residency. Omnipresent offers more flexibility, allowing clients to choose between EU or US-based data centers, which can be beneficial for companies with a more global focus or those with specific data localization requirements.
Here’s a detailed comparison of the key security and compliance features offered by Oyster HR and Omnipresent:
| Feature | Oyster HR | Omnipresent |
|---|---|---|
| Data Encryption | AES-256 for data at rest, TLS 1.2 for transit | AES-256 for data at rest, TLS 1.3 for transit |
| Compliance Certifications | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27701 |
| GDPR Compliance | Yes | Yes |
| Data Storage Location | EU-based data centers | Choice of EU or US-based data centers |
| Access Control | Role-based access control (RBAC) | Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and RBAC |
| Third-party Audits | Annual | Bi-annual |
| Privacy Shield Framework | EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. certified | EU-U.S. certified |
| Incident Response Plan | 24/7 monitoring and response team | AI-powered threat detection and response |
While both Oyster HR and Omnipresent demonstrate a strong commitment to data security and compliance, the choice between them may depend on your specific security requirements, data residency needs, and the regions in which you operate. Companies with a strong focus on EU operations might lean towards Oyster HR, while those requiring more flexible data storage options or advanced threat detection capabilities might prefer Omnipresent.
Oyster HR vs Omnipresent: Summary
A detailed summary of the comparison of Oyster HR and Omnipresent:
| Feature | Oyster HR | Omnipresent |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Scaling Companies Focused on Remote Team Success | Global expansion and compliance management |
| EOR Pricing | $599 per employee/month | $499 per employee/month |
| Contractor Pricing | $29 per employee/month | $29 per employee/month |
| Country Coverage | 180+ | 160+ |
| Support Channels | Email, Live Chat | |
| Support Availability | Business Hours | Business Hours |
| G2 Rating | 4.4/5 (714 reviews) | 4.5/5 (104 reviews) |
| Capterra Rating | 4.5/5 (68 reviews) | No Reviews |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.6/5 (199 reviews) | 4.5/5 (394 reviews) |
| Partnership Discount | N/A | N/A |
| Visit Website |
Recommendations
Selecting the right Employer of Record (EOR) provider is crucial for businesses looking to expand globally or manage an international workforce. Both Oyster HR and Omnipresent offer compelling solutions in this space, but they cater to different needs and company profiles. Let’s dive deeper into who each provider is best suited for.
Who do I recommend using Oyster HR to?
Oyster HR has positioned itself as a modern, user-friendly solution for companies embracing remote work and looking to build global teams. Its platform is designed to simplify the complexities of international hiring, making it particularly attractive to businesses that are just starting their global expansion journey.
Oyster HR is best for:
- Tech Startups: Fast-growing technology companies looking to quickly hire talent from around the world will appreciate Oyster HR’s streamlined processes and user-friendly platform.
- Digital Agencies: Creative and marketing agencies expanding their talent pool globally can benefit from Oyster HR’s focus on remote work culture and easy onboarding.
- E-commerce Companies: Online retailers looking to establish an international presence can leverage Oyster HR’s global payroll and benefits management to support their expansion efforts.
Who do I recommend using Omnipresent to?
Omnipresent caters to businesses with more complex global workforce needs. Its robust platform is designed to handle intricate international hiring scenarios and provide tailored solutions for larger organizations or those with specific compliance requirements.
Omnipresent is best for:
- Multinational Corporations: Large companies with diverse global operations can benefit from Omnipresent’s ability to handle complex international hiring scenarios and provide tailored solutions.
- Financial Services Firms: Banks, insurance companies, and fintech startups operating in heavily regulated industries will appreciate Omnipresent’s strong focus on compliance and risk management.
- Consulting Firms: Professional services companies that need to deploy talent globally can leverage Omnipresent’s extensive network and customizable solutions to manage their international workforce efficiently.
When to consider other EOR providers?
While Oyster HR and Omnipresent offer robust EOR solutions, they may not be the perfect fit for every organization. Here’s a table of alternative providers to consider based on specific needs:
| Provider | Best For | Key Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| Deel | Tech-savvy startups | Blockchain-friendly with cryptocurrency payment options |
| Papaya Global | Data-driven enterprises | Advanced workforce analytics and insights |
| Multiplier | APAC-focused companies | Specialized knowledge of Asian markets |
| Remofirst | Budget-conscious SMBs | Competitive pricing with broad country coverage |
| Remote | IP-intensive industries | Enhanced intellectual property protection |
| Atlas HXM | HR transformation seekers | Focus on human experience management |
Remember to thoroughly assess your company’s specific needs, budget constraints, and growth plans when selecting an EOR provider. The right choice will depend on factors such as your target markets, industry-specific requirements, and desired level of support and customization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform is better for compliance management?
While both platforms prioritize compliance, Oyster HR has a slight edge with its automated compliance checks, regularly updated legal information, and detailed country-specific resources. These features make Oyster HR particularly strong for companies operating in complex regulatory environments.
Can both Oyster HR and Omnipresent handle contractor management?
Yes, both platforms offer contractor management services. Both Oyster HR and Omnipresent charge $29 per contractor per month.
Are there any significant differences in the onboarding process between the two platforms?
Both offer streamlined onboarding, but Omnipresent is often highlighted for its efficient process. Oyster HR, while also user-friendly, emphasizes compliance checks more during onboarding.