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Software · head to head

Boulevard vs Oyster

Boulevard logo

Boulevard

Software

Client experience platform for salons

From
$175/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: Boulevard pricing is charged per location, so a multi site business pays the full plan fee for each site; Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • They diverge on capability: Boulevard covers Intelligent scheduling, Oyster covers Global Employment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Boulevard and Oyster actually diverge.

Attributes where Boulevard and Oyster differ
AttributeBoulevardOyster
Starting price$175/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20162020

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 Boulevard

  • Intelligent scheduling
  • Client profiles
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Staff management
  • Gift cards & packages
  • Two-way messaging
  • Business 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.

Boulevard

  • Appointment booking and client management for salons, spas and medspasnot Oyster
  • Running point of sale and card payments alongside schedulingnot Oyster
  • Automated client messaging, intake forms and marketing campaignsnot Oyster

Oyster

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

Where each one falls short

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

Boulevard

  • Pricing is charged per location, so a multi site business pays the full plan fee for each site
  • The Essentials plan caps the business at 5 professionals; unlimited professionals require the Premier plan
  • Text and email allowances are metered per plan, with email blasts charged at $0.01 each beyond the plan allocation
  • Forms cost from $65 per month per location unless you are on the top Prestige plan
  • QuickBooks integration is an add on at $45 per month per location
  • ePrescribe is $45 per prescriber on top of the plan
  • Enterprise pricing is by consultation with no published rate

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

Boulevard

$175/month
  • Essential$175/month
    • Appointment booking
    • Client management
    • Point of sale
  • Premier$325/month
    • Everything in Essential
    • Advanced booking
    • Marketing tools
  • Prestige$undefined/month
    • Everything in Premier
    • Multi-location
    • API access

Oyster

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Boulevard if

  • You need intelligent scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want client profiles.
Boulevard 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 Boulevard or Oyster better?
Neither clearly leads. Boulevard starts at $175/month and Oyster at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Boulevard or Oyster?
Oyster has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $175/month for Boulevard and Free for Oyster.
Does Boulevard or Oyster run on more platforms?
Boulevard 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. Boulevard starts at $175/month.
What is Boulevard best used for?
Boulevard is most often used for appointment booking and client management for salons, spas and medspas, running point of sale and card payments alongside scheduling, automated client messaging, intake forms and marketing campaigns. Of those, appointment booking and client management for salons, spas and medspas and running point of sale and card payments alongside scheduling are not what Oyster is typically brought in for.
What can Boulevard do that Oyster cannot?
Boulevard covers Intelligent scheduling, Client profiles, Point of sale, Inventory management. Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. Both handle QuickBooks, Web support.
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