Remote vs Oyster HR: 2025 EOR Comparison

If you’re reading this, you’re probably looking to expand your global workforce or streamline your international hiring process. You’ve heard about Employer of Record (EOR) services and are considering Remote and Oyster HR as potential solutions for your business needs.

But you’re also probably uncertain about:

1. How Remote and Oyster HR compare in terms of features, pricing, and global reach
2. Which platform offers better compliance management and risk mitigation across multiple countries
3. The user experience and ease of implementation for each service
4. Whether Remote or Oyster HR is the right fit for your specific business size and industry
5. The potential drawbacks or limitations of using either platform as your EOR

If that sounds familiar, this comprehensive comparison will provide the insights you need to make an informed decision. This detailed analysis could save you significant time in research and help you avoid potentially costly mistakes in your global expansion journey.

The key to choosing between Remote and Oyster HR lies in understanding their unique strengths and how they align with your specific business needs:

Here’s what you’ll learn:

1. Overview of Remote and Oyster HR (the essentials you need to know)
2. Key features and benefits of each platform (what sets them apart)
3. Pricing structures and value propositions (is the investment worth it?)
4. User experiences and platform interfaces (because ease of use matters)
5. Security and compliance measures (crucial for global operations)
6. Pros and cons of each service (the good, the bad, and the noteworthy)
7. Recommendations for different business types (who should choose which)

By the end of this comparison, you’ll understand the strengths and limitations of both Remote and Oyster HR, enabling you to choose the EOR solution that best fits your company’s global hiring needs, compliance requirements, and overall business strategy.

Overview of Remote and Oyster HR

Let’s examine the specifics of both platforms to help you decide which is best for your business needs.

Overview of Remote

Remote was founded in 2019 and is based in San Francisco, California. The company specializes in providing global HR solutions, particularly for businesses that manage employees across various countries without establishing local entities. Remote operations operate in over 180 countries and offer payroll, tax compliance, benefits, and more services. 

Remote supports almost all currencies, which simplifies things a lot. You can pay your employees in dollars or euros, and Remote will convert it into their local currency.  

They also own more than 60 entities, which streamlines the process of onboarding and managing employees across different regions. By owning these entities, Remote can directly handle employment contracts, benefits administration, and compliance issues, reducing the need for third-party intermediaries. This means fast, consistent, and reliable service in the regions in which they own the entities.

Also, read our in-depth Remote review

Overview of Oyster HR

Oyster HR was established in 2020 and is headquartered in London, UK. Like Remote, Oyster HR is designed to help companies manage international teams, but it strongly emphasizes ethical employment practices and provides competitive local benefits. 

They operate in over 180 countries, supporting global payroll, local compliance, and benefits management. They support more than 140 currencies, which is quite impressive. 

They do not own many entities, so they rely on a network of local partners or third-party providers to ensure compliance and manage operations in various countries. This can provide flexibility, but it also means that the quality and speed of service might vary depending on the region. 

In a recent Series D funding round, Oyster HR secured $59 million, led by Silver Lake Waterman, raising the company’s valuation to $1.2 billion and total funding to $286 million. This funding will enable Oyster to expand its product suite, improve compliance, and assist companies in attracting top talent. Oyster provides services such as global payroll and visa sponsorships to support borderless teams and aims to democratize access to global employment. With over 40% of its team based in emerging markets, Oyster operates in over 180 countries, simplifying global hiring for its clients.

Also, read our in-depth Oyster HR review

Key Services of Remote

Key Services of Oyster HR

Benefits of Using Remote

Benefits of Using Oyster HR

Pricing and Plans

Regarding pricing, Remote and Oyster HR offer plans that fit different business needs.

Remote Pricing

Remote keeps things straightforward. They have a clear pricing structure that scales with your business. You won’t find hidden fees, and It’s all laid out from the start.

Oyster HR Pricing

Oyster HR takes a slightly different approach. They offer flexible plans that can be tailored to your specific needs. This can be great if you’re looking for something more customized. However, figuring out the best fit for your business might take longer.

Pros and cons of Remote

Pros and Cons of Oyster HR

User Data Security and Compliance

Remote and Oyster HR prioritize data security and compliance in their global employment platforms, but they approach these crucial aspects with distinct methodologies.

Remote emphasizes its owned-entity model, which provides direct control over data handling and compliance in each country. They implement end-to-end encryption for all data transmissions and storage. Remote is GDPR, CCPA, and LGPD compliant, catering to various international data protection regulations. Their unique IP Guard feature ensures intellectual property rights are protected across borders. Remote also maintains SOC 2 Type II certification, demonstrating their commitment to rigorous security practices.

Oyster HR focuses on a distributed compliance model, leveraging a network of in-country partners to ensure adherence to local data protection laws. They utilize AWS infrastructure with multi-region data residency options, allowing customers to choose where their data is stored. Oyster HR is GDPR and CCPA compliant and holds ISO 27001 certification. They’ve implemented a zero-trust security model, requiring verification for every person or system trying to access resources on their network.

Both platforms employ multi-factor authentication and regular third-party security audits to enhance their security posture.

Key Differentiators:

• Remote’s owned-entity model provides direct control over data and compliance in each country.
• Oyster HR’s distributed compliance model offers flexibility in data residency choices.
• Remote’s IP Guard provides a unique approach to intellectual property protection.
• Oyster HR’s zero trust security model offers an additional access control layer.

Choosing between Remote and Oyster HR may depend on whether your organization values direct entity control (Remote) or flexible data residency options (Oyster HR) more highly for your global expansion strategy. Both platforms offer robust security measures, but their approaches to achieving compliance and data protection differ, catering to varying business needs.

Customer Reviews and Ratings

When comparing Remote and Oyster HR’s ratings across G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot, the following scores and review volumes provide insight into user satisfaction levels:

Remote VS. Oyster HR: Summary

A detailed summary of the comparison of Remote and Oyster HR:

Recommendations

When it comes to industries that frequently use Remote and Oyster HR, tech and IT companies are at the forefront. These platforms are particularly popular among companies that need to manage remote teams across various countries without establishing a physical presence.

Who do I recommend using Remote to?

Remote is best suited for companies that want to offer equity to their employees and provide customizable benefits. If your business values giving employees a stake in the company, Remote makes that process straightforward. 

They have an integrated equity management platform, a big plus if you aim to attract and retain top talent. Offering stock options can be a game-changer for startups looking to compete with larger companies.

Another strength of Remote is how well it fits with tech-savvy, remote-first operations. Their platform feels modern and easy to navigate, which is important when managing a global workforce. Their tools are designed to streamline complex processes, and it shows. If you’re dealing with different countries’ laws and regulations, Remote excels at compliance support. They’ve got your back regarding staying on the right side of global employment laws.

Remote is widely used by startups and tech-heavy companies that require streamlined HR processes for hiring, managing, and paying employees globally. It’s especially beneficial for companies in industries like software development, cybersecurity, and digital marketing, where remote work is common and the need for global talent is high.

Who do I recommend using Oyster HR to?

Oyster HR is ideal for companies that need detailed guidance on international hiring. They provide comprehensive resources that cover everything from country-specific hiring practices to detailed legal compliance. They also offer country guides, which are incredibly helpful for expanding into new markets. For instance, understanding local labor laws can save you from costly mistakes.

Oyster HR also shines in employee training and development. They offer the Oyster Academy, which provides training programs for your team. This is a great resource if you’re focused on growing your employees’ skills. 

Oyster HR is favored by small to medium-sized businesses that are scaling up and entering new markets. Industries such as e-commerce, fintech, and digital services are drawn to Oyster HR’s focus on local compliance and benefits management. The platform’s emphasis on providing detailed hiring guides and compliance insights makes it an attractive option for businesses that are newer to international hiring but want to ensure they do it right.

When to consider alternative EOR providers?

If you’re exploring alternatives to Remote and Oyster HR, a few other EOR services are worth considering: