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Software · head to head

Booker by Mindbody vs Oyster

Booker by Mindbody logo

Booker by Mindbody

Software

Complete spa management solution

From
$129/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Oyster logo

Oyster

Software

Hire globally, compliantly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Oyster has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Booker by Mindbody only the Starter plan carries a published price, from $139 per month; Accelerate, Ultimate and Enterprise are quote only; Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • They diverge on capability: Booker by Mindbody covers Online booking, Oyster covers Global Employment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Booker by Mindbody and Oyster actually diverge.

Attributes where Booker by Mindbody and Oyster differ
AttributeBooker by MindbodyOyster
Starting price$129/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20012020

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Booker by Mindbody

  • Online booking
  • Client management
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory tracking
  • Marketing automation
  • Gift cards
  • Packages & memberships
  • Reporting & analytics

Only in Oyster

  • Global Employment
  • Payroll
  • Benefits
  • Compliance
  • Contractor Management
  • Time Off
  • Expenses
  • BambooHR

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Booker by Mindbody

  • Booking and managing appointments for spas and salonsnot Oyster
  • Running point of sale, payments and staff scheduling in one systemnot Oyster
  • Listing a business on the Mindbody consumer app to attract clientsnot Oyster

Oyster

  • Hiring employees abroad without setting up a local legal entitynot Booker by Mindbody
  • Onboarding and paying international contractorsnot Booker by Mindbody
  • Getting country specific employment compliance advice for distributed teamsnot Booker by Mindbody

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Booker by Mindbody

  • Only the Starter plan carries a published price, from $139 per month; Accelerate, Ultimate and Enterprise are quote only
  • The Starter plan limits staff logins and provides basic reporting only
  • Marketing automation, reviews and referrals, and unlimited two way text messaging are restricted to the Ultimate tier
  • The Messenger AI chatbot is a paid add on even on the higher tiers

Oyster

  • Employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • A refundable deposit is required before an EOR engagement starts
  • Contractor management is free for 30 days then $29 per contractor per month
  • HR advisory through People Partner Services is billed at $300 per hour on top of the subscription
  • A currency conversion fee applies when you pay Oyster in a currency other than the contract currency
  • Payments are accepted only by direct debit or wire in USD, EUR, GBP or CAD

Pricing, plan by plan

Booker by Mindbody

$129/month
  • Essential$129/month
    • Online booking
    • Client management
    • POS
  • Accelerate$259/month
    • Everything in Essential
    • Advanced marketing
    • Inventory management
  • Ultimate$399/month
    • Everything in Accelerate
    • Premium support
    • Advanced analytics

Oyster

Free
  • Contractor$29/month
    • Contractor Payments
    • Compliant Contracts
    • Invoicing
  • Employee$599/month
    • Global Employment
    • Payroll
    • Benefits

Which should you pick?

Choose Booker by Mindbody if

  • You need online booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want client management.
Booker by Mindbody review

Choose Oyster if

  • You need global employment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want payroll.
Oyster review

Questions people ask

Is Booker by Mindbody or Oyster better?
Neither clearly leads. Booker by Mindbody starts at $129/month and Oyster at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Booker by Mindbody or Oyster?
Oyster has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $129/month for Booker by Mindbody and Free for Oyster.
Does Booker by Mindbody or Oyster run on more platforms?
Booker by Mindbody runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Oyster for free?
Yes. Oyster has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Booker by Mindbody starts at $129/month.
What is Booker by Mindbody best used for?
Booker by Mindbody is most often used for booking and managing appointments for spas and salons, running point of sale, payments and staff scheduling in one system, listing a business on the mindbody consumer app to attract clients. Of those, booking and managing appointments for spas and salons and running point of sale, payments and staff scheduling in one system are not what Oyster is typically brought in for.
What can Booker by Mindbody do that Oyster cannot?
Booker by Mindbody covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Inventory tracking. Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. Both handle QuickBooks, Web support.
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